UV cure superglue

[Mick Bailey]

I recently got a setup intended for fly-tying that's basically water-clear superglue and an LED UV lamp. This stuff is really something -I left a drop in the windowsill all week and it never even started to thicken. A quick zap with the UV and it's rock-solid.

I had a nut replacement job today and the previous tech had lacquered over masking tape on the binding (???). When I removed it there was a fair step that needed building up in the polyester clear coat. I used the superglue, got the thickness and flow just right for a perfect finish (you can take your time - it won't go off) and then gave it a 30 second exposure. Only needed buffing and it's invisible.

Dan Erlewine mentions it in the Repair Guide, but this is the first time I've used it. Highly recommended.

[The Dude]

Oh, please,......more details. What brand? Where did you get it? Any links to the product. I'm thinking this could be a valuable thing for some of my speaker reconing/repairs.

[Mick Bailey]

It's called 'Clear Cure Goo Hydro'. Maybe there are a few suppliers under different brands. It isn't like regular superglue - it seems to be much tougher and more like a 2-pack finish. When it hardens it sets right the way through at the same rate. You can also part-cure it to thicken it and then finish it off with a further zap.

I bought a load of stuff from a luthier that had retired and this was part of his stock - all new and unused.

Just one thing, though; I momentarily glanced at the UV torch (flashlight) to see if it was working and had an after-image of the LED pattern for days. I later found a pair of UV safety glasses in another box. Lesson learned.

[Richard]

Is this only for surface repairs? I assume the UV can't penetrate far into a crack or crevice.

[Mick Bailey]

I'm thinking that the whole thickness would need to be exposed to UV.

[The Dude]

Thanks for the info, Mick!

[Steve A.]

I've tried the "As Seen on TV" 5 Second Fix Liquid-Plastic Welding Tool but it not a CA (cyanoacrylate) superglue. I got it thinking it might be good for filling in nut slots cut too low but have not tried that yet. (I've had good luck using CA and baking soda for that.)



https://www.amazon.com/Second-Fix-Li.../dp/B016MB0JF6

Much cheaper (on a slow boat from China)...



http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/401205451777

Steve Ahola

P.S. The UV light must reach the goop in order to cure it so if you have an opaque plastic you need to apply it in several thin layers.

[TimmyP1955]

Superglue trick:

Received a new bass with a nut slot cut too wide, causing a buzz. I soaked a piece of printer paper (the piece I just checked is .003") with thin superglue and stuck it to one side of the slot - then trimmed it once it cured. (I may have done both sides - I cannot recall.) It's still fine several years down the road.

[Steve A.]

Superglue trick:

Received a new bass with a nut slot cut too wide, causing a buzz. I soaked a piece of printer paper (the piece I just checked is .003") with thin superglue and stuck it to one side of the slot - then trimmed it once it cured. (I may have done both sides - I cannot recall.) It's still fine several years down the road.

Back in the day I'd tear off a small piece from the glassine(?) envelope that Ernie Ball strings come in and insert it into a too-deep nut slot as a quick'n'dirty trick. That was before I learned all sorts of electric guitar luthiery tricks from my blind friend Felix.

BTW I ran across a great way to determine the right heighth for a nut slot: while holding down the string at the 3rd fret push it down behind the 1st fret while watching the shadow of the string on the fret. The string should be extremely close to the top of the fret (you might be able to hear a small click.) For the wound strings you want the nut slot to be a little higher, mainly so they don't hit the frets when vibrating.

OT: One trick to keep the low E from buzzing above the 12th fret is to put a slight ramp on the frets for the low strings starting around the 15th fret. To keep the top 3 strings from fretting out when bending above the 12th fret I do a "ramp/compound radius" trick. After marking the fret tops with a Sharpie I use an 8" sanding beam to remove progressively more metal from the middle of the frets, like under the D and G strings. I figure that if you make each fret to be a perfect arc there should be no problem bending the string smoothly, and if the arcs are progressively flatter above the 15th fret there should be no fretting out.)

BTW Felix learned about guitar luthiery from John Louis Walker's former guitar tech Mitch. JLW liked his nut slots cut much higher than I just described, but when cut right the open strings don't buzz at all and a bar F chord is so much easier to play. (I used to wince just thinking about playing "Green Onions" in F! )

Steve A.