Best CA choice

[93Jrh]

Hello everyone, what’s the best CA to use when applying to a top with a small crack. It’s only about an inch, I’m leaning towards something that will wick into the small crack. Any suggestions?

[TheGITM]

I think any thin CA glue would work fine. I assume it's a very narrow split and you need it to wick into the crevice. Something like Starbond Thin should work fine, and you can usually lightly sand it (preferably wet sand it) and buff it out to a nice shine.

[redi]

Lots of folks seem to like the GluBoost products. IME they tend to always dry very clear even when accelerated.

[Howard Klepper]

As a rule, top cracks are not best glued with CA. If you post a photo, you may get better advice.

[redir]

CA has the propensity for staining spruce badly. You can thin Titebond up to 10% with water and it still retains full strength. Diluted it allows the glue to penetrate tight cracks.

[nikpearson]

As already mentioned CA glue and spruce are a bad combination. The glue can wick into the wood and a chemical reaction with the spruce leaves a nasty bright yellow stain. The same thing doesn’t happen with maple.

I saw an interview recently with Bob Taylor who said when he first started using CA glue this wasn’t and issue, but changes in formula cause this reaction.

Hide glue, fish glue or TiteBond are better alternatives.

I do use CA glue to repair marks in shellac over a spruce top, but you have to be sure there’s shellac between the glue and spruce.