Cyanoacrylate glues, those instant, powerful glues that bond in seconds, have mostly been relegated to minor roles in woodworking. But that may change with a new offering from Franklin International, the maker of Titebond.
The new Titebond Instant Bond adhesives (see video) are designed to set in as little as five seconds and can cure in 30 seconds. But the real news isn't so much their speed as the variety of options available. The new adhesives come in four viscosities and there is also an accelerator for when you really need the speed.
Franklin says the four viscosities - thin, medium, thick, and gel - are designed to meet particular applications and MIL specifications. Thin is intended for bonding hairline cracks, repairing loose veneer or even has a spot finish for wood. Medium works best to bond small mouldings or tackle delicate joinery such as bonding pen tubes to wooden pen blanks.
The thick version is suggested for bonding jigs and fixtures, miter joints for crown mouldings or even granite countertops. The gel is intended for maximum gap filling or to bond porous materials such as MDF or particleboard.
While there are lots of instant glues on the market, Franklin says these new adhesives were formulated just for wood. It is specially formulated to neutralize acidity on virtually any type of wood to ensure a better bond. But it also is great for bonding wood to non-wood materials, including PVC, porcelain, stainless steel, and aluminum.
According to Franklin, these glues develop a strength of more than 4,000 psi, as well has having high impact resistance. The have a service temperature range from -65 to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Where instant glues like this excel is in assemblies that are difficult to clamp because of awkward shapes or delicate parts. This is where the accelerator really helps with these new adhesives. You spray the heptane-based accelerator on one part to be joined and then apply the Instant Bond adhesive to the other. The bond is pretty much instantaneous, and we detected some heat generated by the chemical reaction.
The shelf life of this glue is put at two years, but we suspect most shops won't have to worry about that because as soon as they start using it they'll find more uses to save time and clamping in glue-ups. More more information about Titebond Instant Bond adhesives visit www.titebond.com or contact Franklin International's technical support team at 1.800.347.4583.
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