Not so Super Glue

[F M All]

Has anyone here ever succeeded in fixing anything with one of the many so-called Super Glues? Every year or so I try to mend something with one of these adhesives and I cannot recall ever having had success. With all the warnings I am paranoid about sticking parts of myself together and needing surgery but I can only assume that skin is the only substance these things work on.

Can anyone suggest a good adhesive to mend a cabriolet top - the rear window, plastic, is coming away from the canvas. So, it needs to be strong, waterproof and fairly quick setting as the parts are difficult to hold together.

 

[mathjak107]

Only thing it works on is my fingers and that guy with the helmet in the commercial.

 

[REWahoo]

Can anyone suggest a good adhesive to mend a cabriolet top...

Duck Duct tape. Available in 36 colors...

 

[ladelfina]

Super glue is great for ceramics, esp. decorative ones. There is a low-stick version out now: sounds like it kinda defeats the purpose but the idea is that is less aggressive on skin.

I have had very good luck with Gorilla Glue for other things. $$$. It tends to expand a bit so if you are not verrrry careful you could ruin the look of your top, but I think it would work.. it's waterproof. Make sure to try it on some test items until you get the hang of how it works and sets.

 

[Nords]

So, it needs to be strong, waterproof and fairly quick setting as the parts are difficult to hold together.

If you can hold it together for 15-30 minutes then you might be able to do it with Shoe Goo.

If not, try contact cement (let the adhesive dry 10-15 minutes with the pieces hanging apart, then stick them together) and follow up with a layer of GE Silicon II adhesive caulk.

With all the warnings I am paranoid about sticking parts of myself together and needing surgery but I can only assume that skin is the only substance these things work on.

I remember reading that there's a solvent available in stores (probably $250 for a quarter-ounce bottle!) to allow you to unstick your anatomy at home. Of course while you're working with cyanoacrylates, don't rub your eyeballs or your nose hairs. And as for other mucous membranes... well... don't call me!

Dave Barry can also affirm that you shouldn't take a nap if a three-year-old has access to both a tube of SuperGlue and either one of your ear canals. Luckily the glue's not sold in 12-ounce longnecks...

 

[Gumby]

I remember reading that there's a solvent available in stores (probably $250 for a quarter-ounce bottle!) to allow you to unstick your anatomy at home.

Nail polish remover should work.

 

[Outtahere]

Nail polish remover does work, just make sure it's not the non-acetone type.

I love Super Glue, I've never had a problem with it not holding or with getting glue on things I shouldn't. My biggest problem with it is that the tube dry up so quickly.

 

[riskadverse]

Superglue and WD40 are products which never live up to their reputation.

 

[mathjak107]

WD40 AND DUCT TAPE are my only tools.

If its supposed to move and dosnt i use the wd40

if its not supposed to move and does i use the duct tape

 

[scrubradio]

This may sound stupid but over the years I tried many different brands
of so called Super Glues to fix various broken items and they all failed
miserably until....


....I read and followed the instructions.



I still laugh at myself.

 

[mathjak107]

I bet the glue will work just fine if you super impose a new label over it and put it back in someones medicine cabinet

"PREPERATION H"

 

[virginia]

riskaverse
I can't believe that you'd talk about WD40 that way!

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

I have good luck with the superglue gel stuff that comes in a bigger plastic bottle and you squeeze the rough-edged sides to get it to come out. Gorilla glue also works good. My alltime favorite is PC-7 and PC-11 (very much like JBweld but vastly superior)--I've patched everything from concrete swimming pool bottom to rust holes in cars with it. As far as the top on your car--you're talking about something that's going up and down and bending--being blown in the wind, and sitting out in all kinds of adverse weather. Methinks it's time for a new top.

 

[youbet]

WD40 AND DUCT TAPE are my only tools.

If its supposed to move and dosnt i use the wd40

if its not supposed to move and does i use the duct tape

I used to think that way until I got smart. Now I've added my leaf blower to the approved tool list.

If it needs to be cleaned, indoors or outdoors, use the leaf blower.

 

[ronin]

When I was in the appliance industry we had some industrial adhesive that we affectionately called "gorilla snot" that was pretty amazing stuff. I don't recall its actual name but it is probably available at an appliance parts store under gorilla snot (ask a tech). I use epoxy patch a lot (another appliance tech favorite). It's a binary adhesive you can mix up with a popsicle stick on a scrap of cardboard then spread on about anything and when it sets up it's good for the life of your average medium sized star.

 

[d]

to mend a cabriolet top

... not-so-super glue will quickly fail because it's not flexible ... for similar purposes i had reasonably good results with clear vinyl tape