Super Glue
Overview
I remember when I was allowed adverts that showed Super Glue being used to attach two ends of a rubber band together and then have someone sit on that band as if the break had never happened. They then used that to suspend themselves from a helicopter.
Both advertising standards and Super Glue formulations have improved since then. Super Glue is still good but it's never been that good!
That being said, it is the most powerful type of adhesive and also one of the fastest to bond and cure.
Super Glue, or Crazy Glue, or cyanoacrylic adhesive, when used for the right jobs can handle up to several thousand pounds per square inch of pull. That's a strong bond!
What jobs is it good for?
Super Glue is good for jobs bonding porous or semi poorest materials. That includes metal, ceramics, wood, glass, and leather. However, it does not stick well to smooth plastic. It needs that porous surface in order to make a proper bond.
It's also good for jobs where not only a strong bond is required but an invisible bond. If you've got an adhesive that can handle several thousand pounds per square inch, you don't need as much, and so when used carefully that means you can avoid any excess exuding between the joints you're trying to stick.
So, so long as the surface isn't entirely smooth, or plastic, Super Glue is a great adhesive to use.
What jobs is it not good for?
There are one or two drawbacks from Super Glue no matter how carefully you use it. The first comes from fact that it cures into a very thin plastic layer which does not bear much sheer strength at all. So a twisting action or a shearing action can break the bond despite it holding that bond when under a pull load. For the same reason it's not very good at resisting impacts. An impact delivers a shearing stress to the material and can, depending on the weights of the two objects you've glued, result in the bond breaking.
The second problem with Super Glue is that it's not very resistant to moisture over a prolonged period. It is water resistant but for applications which involve being immersed in water over a long periods then it will perish.
It can also be attacked by some common solvents such as acetone. Indeed nail polish remover is the generally accepted way to unstick your fingers you've Super glued together - useful to know.
How to use?
Super Glue hardens in around 40 seconds. Time therefore is of the essence! Preparing services as always is essential- you don't want to be gluing mud or dust.
The curing process starts as soon as the glue is exposed to moisture. That moisture is almost always present on surfaces and so you don't have to consider drying the objects first, but hence the fingers thing - we have moisture in our skin, Super Glue cures with moisture...