[David G4EBT]

There's superglue and superglue. The one thing they all do very successfully is to stick fingers together, but often, not much else. Most of what's sold in little tubes, often in places like Poundland, isn't up to much, and I guess that most of us use it so rarely that when we get it out of the drawer or wherever, it's gone solid in the tube, but Peter's tip has worked for him.

Better quality superglue comes in a range of viscosities: 'super-thin, thin, medium and thick, and in range of setting times - 4, 10,20 & 45 seconds.

Modelmakers use superglue ('CA' - cyanoacrylate) extensively and choose the viscosity and setting time to suit the task in hand. I use quite a lot for pen making - it's the standard finish that pen turners use (ten coats, sanded to 12,000G). Also for re-building smashed Bakelite radio cabinets and for certain woodworking tasks.

Quite often, to be able to accurately position items to be joined, it's better to use a slower setting time to make sure the pieces are accurately mated. When you're satisfied that they are, a quick spray of accelerator ('activator'), which set the glue in an instant. I've found that medium viscosity 20 second CA is a good all round choice and it will to an extent fill gaps.

Ironically, a 20 gram bottle of good quality CA glue with a proper cap which doesn't clog, is cheaper than most offerings in high street shops etc.

If I'm positioning a fragment of Bakelite rebuilding a damaged cabinet, 20 second medium CA works really well. Then when I'm happy, a zap with accelerator spray sets it solid in an instant and I can move on to the next piece. I also use it to glue segments of wood together make laminated wood blanks to use to make presentation boxes for pens. The blanks then have to be routed to form a half round groove in the base and the lid of the box into which the pen sits. It would be a waste of time to expect PVA glue to stand being routed in that way.

I won't post any pictures as it's too far off topic, and to comply with forum rules I can't post any ebay links to the CA glue and accelerator, but if you google 'Vitalbond CA Medium 20g Super Glue 20 Sec Cure Model Plastics, Metal, Balsa Wood' should find it, and other viscosities and speeds.

Typically £4.99 post free. The glue I'm presently using is over a year old, stored in my garage and garden workshop. Still works fine and the nozzle has never blocked up.

The accelerator spray that I use is 'BOND IT 200ML SUPERGLUE ACTIVATOR ACCELERATOR SPRAY CYANOACRYLATE'

Typically £4.59 post free for a 200 mL aerosol.

Hope that might prove useful for someone.