Eduard Droppers For Super Glue

[Mike]

Droppers (00026 & 00037)
No Scale - Eduard

More Photo-Etch (PE) tools from Eduard, and you'll like these ones, as they are are glue dispensers. Droppers? In PE? Yes, but not in the way you think.

Long Version (00026)
These have a long handle, and at the end is a small C-shaped section that uses capillary action to grab a drop of glue when you dip it into a puddle. I'd imagine that the primary use would be as a super-glue (CA) dropper, to glue those hard-to-reach landing gear actuator rams and other fine parts that need just a tiny bit of glue.

There are ten in the pack, and all you have to do is nip them carefully from the fret. The handle is criss-crossed with grooves on both sides to make it easier to handle and more "grippy".


Short version (00037)

The shorter version is designed to be chucked into an X-Acto style handle for ease of use, and a lesser chance of losing them on the desk. You'll also not get them sticking to the cutting mat with the residue after use.

Useage
Dipping the tip in will attract a variable blob of CA, which can be dabbed and re-dabbed until the glue is gone. There is also a little tab in the centre of the tapering part, which if you fold it out at a right-angle gives you a perfect stand, so that you can put down the applicator without it sticking to the desk. I wouldn't flip it back and forth too often though, as brass has a tendency to fatigue quite quickly and it will fall off, leaving you stand-less.

If you wipe the tip quickly after use, build-up of glue can be minimised, and when it becomes unusable, you can either throw it out if you're feeling profligate, or scrape it clean with a sharp curved blade, being careful not to skewer yourself during the process.

I use the lids of Pringles cans as my CA dispensing tray, as you can see from the pictures, and it has both plenty of surface area for subsequent puddles of CA, and you can flex it to clean off the dried CA a number of times before it either cracks or just looks messy. Now you have a good reason to buy (and eat) more Pringles! I'm quite ashamed of my collection of lids, truth be told.


Conclusion
These little things are great, and much more accurate than the end of a cocktail stick or the edge of a blade. Keep them clean, and you should get plenty of service from a pack. Very bloomin' useful!

Very highly recommended.

Long Version

Short Version

Review sample courtesy of

[Basosz]

I sometimes use the broken-off eye of a fine needle, and when that's clogged up I just burn the residue. How would these stand up to a flaming inferno of un-glue-ing?

[Mike]

Depends on whether you stop in time before you fry the tip. I don't know if you've ever annealed a piece of thin brass too long before, but as well as becoming soft, it kind of evaporates. I'd recommend wiping it clean as a preventative care method, followed by scraping or soaking in Acetone, which seems to soften most CAs I've used

[Mike]

I sometimes use the broken-off eye of a fine needle, and when that's clogged up I just burn the residue. How would these stand up to a flaming inferno of un-glue-ing?

I had a quick go with a lighter to see how well the droppers coped with being heated a few moments ago, after you mentioned this. The answer is, just fine I was careful not to let the prongs get glowing hot, and plunged it into cold water to prevent it annealling and becoming soft, so it will live to be used again.

[Cheshiretaurus]

I have a cut off eye of a needle as a CA applicator, I store it in a little glass vial of acetone, always remains clean ready for use, have no need to burn off any CA.

I'm going to give the Eduard ones a go though!

[Mike]

You're less likely to stab yourself with 'em too

[Basosz]

Thank you for trying this Mike and nice to see that it works. Prevention of needling yourself with a broken off needle eye is easy by CA'ing the pointy end in a bit of sprue or sticking it in a cork. These also double as a nice handle.

[Rick Brown]

Interesting tool. Must grab some.

As a matter of interest, you could sweat just a little solder into the fold out leg bend area for strength.

Rick.

[colin]

wonderd what that was for, bend it out and it keeps the tip from sticking to your workbench, clever

[gcn]

I've found that I much prefer the modified needle compared to these. IME they're not as adept as a needle to pick up the glue and once I've fried them the brass becomes very soft.

[Mike]

Review updated to add short version of the droppers

[Kallisti]

Don't forget if you are burning off CA residue to avoid breathing in any fumes... cyanide anyone?