AMMO AMMO Black Cyanoacrylate Slow Dry (A.MIG-9034) & Activator (A.MIG-8037)

[Mike]

AMMO Black Cyanoacrylate Slow Dry (A.MIG-9034) & Activator (A.MIG-8037)

AMMO of Mig Jiménez

 

 

Cyanoacrylate, Super Glue, Crazy Glue or CA for short, its origins were as a suture-free solution to closing small wounds, although the stuff we use now isn’t medical grade and is usually made mainly from Methyl CA, which is low-grade toxic, so don’t be tempted to use it next time you cut your finger with a scalpel  you might not feel any ill effects, but it's not recommended.  Modellers have been using CA for a long time now for attaching disparate materials, gluing things that really don’t want to be glued, and for almost instant joins.  It is normally clear, but it can be coloured with pigments, and it is available in various viscosities that are useful for different tasks at the workbench.

 

 

Black Slow Dry CA (A.MIG-9034)

 

Arriving in a 21ml bottle with elongated cap covering the typically long applicator, this glue has been pigmented black, and if you look closely you can see tiny particles suspended in the original clear glue.  The cap screws off, the applicator is already exposed and ready to use, and has a chamfered inner lip to reduce the likelihood of blockage.  Around the base of the applicator is a recessed ring that the cap fits into, and also captures any dribbles of excess glue rather then letting them stick your bottle to the desk.

 

 

I decanted a little into an old Pringles lid for use, and applied some to a clear sprue that I had cut to repair it.  In small quantities the glue appears more smoky than black, but it has enough contrast with lighter surfaces to show up when you’re using it.  It lives up to its slow drying moniker, which is intended to give the modeller time to position parts properly before it begins to cure properly.  This can be accelerated by using the next item below.

 

 

 

Activator for Cyanoacrylate (A.MIG-8037)

 

Super Glue isn’t always as instant as the adverts would have us believe, and that can extend to minutes if you are using a slow dry glue as above.  If you’re in a hurry or want to freeze your parts in place once you’ve positioned them correctly, an accelerator is the way to go.  The glass bottle contains 20ml of activator and comes with a screw-off cap that has a captive brush on a long shaft for you to flood a little activator around your glued-up joint.  You also get a separate screw-on cap with pump spritzer for when you don’t want to touch the glued area.

 

When you apply the stuff it causes the glue to spread as its surface tension is reduced.  It then skins over and goes quite hard quickly, taking a little time if you’ve got a big puddle like my test piece.  CA that has been activated is often more brittle than naturally cured CA, so bear that in mind if you’re gluing something structural.  You also need to remember that some plastics are affected by activators, and in my experience that applies especially to the type of styrene used in vacform models.  It seems to denature it and cause crazing, so use it sparingly on plastics just in case.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Super Glue is a great tool for the modeller, and if it’s coloured it’s easy to see once you’ve applied it.  The activator is very useful when it comes to fixing a part in place immediately, rather than waiting for the natural curing process to take place.

 

Highly recommended.

Review sample courtesy of