I finally took the plunge and bought a small bottle yesterday at the local hardware store. Talk about liquid gold! I bought it to lock my lead wraps to the hook and form a smooth coating over the lead wraps, BTW.
I printed out the various product and warning sheets from the web and frankly this stuff reminds me of the power of a hand gernade.
Before I open the bottle and unleash the genie inside, I am interested in hearing some experiences – good or bad :(-- on this product. What say you?
I have used the stuff for many years, both on modl airplanes and in fly tying. Never had any bad experiance.
One piece of advice, always get a bottle of the solvent to go with the cement, keep it handy near the cement bottle. That way when you accidently glue your hand to something it will be in reach!
Be careful opening the bottle, I live at high elevation and when I open stuff made in the flatlands it often sprays out suddenly and gets all over the place.
Several bottles of CA glue, including Zap, have lived on my bench for many years…
I’m not dead yet, and the animals and family are still as okay as they’ve ever been…
Some ‘tips’…
I NEVER, EVER put the cap on the bottle after opening…if you be clumsy (like I am), use some of that florists putty (green sticky stuff they use to stick flower stems and such together) to stick the bottle to a wider base (small piece of wood, piece of cardboard-anything that will make it harder to knock over). The glue won’t dry out uncapped, I’ve had bottles last for over a year until I’ve used it all…and the cap/bottle connection is often the place where problems develope…they ‘say’ to clean the top of the bottle before closing…but many of us forget, and then the cap is stuck…often for good…
I hear all this stuff about the glue ‘permanently bonding skin’-I get it on my hands by accident quite often…I just wiggle the stuck parts until they come apart…takes just a few seconds…acetone removes the residue that doesn’t peel off under friction. Maybe I have an odd skin chemistry…lots of things about me are odd.
Use this stuff in small amounts…one tiny drop is usually enough to coat the threads on a hook shank and/or bond anything…too much effects the cure and the strength of the bond. Try to put on as little of it as you can, every time, and you’ll have good results.
There are lots of different types of CA glues…some are stronger ‘gripping’, some dry glossier, some fill better (nails glues are generally good fillers and leave a glossy finish), they even have glues that are flexible when cured for making hinges, etc…If you need a glue for a certain application, visit a modeler’s store…they should have a fact sheet that lists the different glues and their applications.
This is good stuff and will help in many tying chores.
Interesting to hear that it doesn’t dry out when left uncapped. I had an entire bottle turn solid, with the cap on, sitting in my fly box. Keeping it in the fridge has eliminated this problem. I think humidity causes it to cure. Buddy, is it dry where you live?
Used this stuff once at the bench, and like bazakwardz, next time I went to use it again the whole bottle had turned solid. Pretty dissappointing considering how much it costs.
Personally I much prefer the Loctite brand which is cheaper, much more readily available, and I like their “Frustration Free Applicator” which does seem to make life easier when using CA gel. YMMV.
I agree with what whatfly said. Zap-A-Gap products are over priced and really no better than Loctite products. This includes Epoxies. I have had Zap-A-Gap super glue harden inside the tube after one use. Never had this problem with the Loctite super glues.
That’s why Buddy doesn’t have a problem when leaving the cap off. CA’S react with moisture to set. Even the humity in the air will set it. The dry Arizona air is the solution. I live in Missouri and the high humity here would cause an unopened bottle to set in no time.
Bob,
I use the Loctite Brush On too & still use the bottle I bought last fall…I have 2 more as yet unopened, but it works great & doesn’t dry up after opened. It’s all I use on foam flies.
Mike
I use stuff called Zap. It is not called Zap-a-gap. I don’t know if it is different than what you are all talking about. It comes out of a black tube as a gel and is the best stuff I have ever used. It stays right where you put it instead of soaking throughout the fly and making it hard. It also dries quickly. I have had to run a fine sowing needle down the applicator once or twice but not a big deal. Highly recommend it.
I like the stuff and use it regularly for making Crease Flies, holding lead eyes in place on Clouser Minnows and fixing the stuff I routinely break around the house. I recently had my third or fourth bottle turn rock hard but in fairness to the manufacturer, only after 18 months of use. I get the stuff on my fingers all the time when pinching Crease Flies together but I have always been able to pull the old thumbs open with a little effort. I don’t leave my cap off any longer than necessary but I still end up with a Zap-A-Gap brick with the last half ounce in the bottle. One word of warning about Zap-A-Gap, don’t mix it with Sharpie Markers, even when the color is dry. You will get a chemical reaction that leaves a ruby red color anywhere the wet Zap-A-Gap has come in contact with the colored area. I found this out when gluing eyes to several dozen Crease Flies I had colored with Sharpies. The fish didn’t care about the strange red ring around the eyes but I did. 8T
Thanks for you comments. After reading them, I decided to go in a different direction and returned the Zap-A-Gap.
I found G-S Hypo Cement at Joanns ETC. It specially mentions fly fishing lures on its packaging. It come with almost a hypodermic point to apply the glue and it is not as dangerous as Z-A-G, IMHO. It does take a little longer to dry though but that is not an issue for me.
I too have been using it for years. Also had it on my fingers…it peels of with out my skin over time.
I have problems with it drying up and clogging the hole. Also when gluing plastic or even rattan to cork, it takes forever to dry.
Some things it dries real quick, other things…well pull up a chair.
I use it because it is one of the only water proof super glues. I also like the liquid as I coat my thread before wrapping.
Speaking of Chemical reaction…DEER HAIR…SMOKE…HAIR ROCK
Me too. I really like how Zap bonds foam flies and such but I wrestle with it every time I use it to get the bottle neck unstopped…not to mention how bad the attachable skinny neck gets clogged up.
After reading some of the posts here, I think I’m gonna pick up some of the Loctite brush-on stuff and give it a try.