Hi, gang,
I seem to remember a post that talked of using super glue to
hold wax pieces together. My question is will superglue hold
during the investment pour and will it burn out clean? I’m
attaching 20g green wax wire to a carved purple wax ring and I’m
afraid if I try to fuse it on I won’t be able to clean the fused
area well enough not to show. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Sharon Ziemek
Yes Sharon, In my experience, the gel type super glue seems to
work best. It burns out clean and also gives a little more
setting time than the thin type super glue. Ken
Hi Sharon, I’ve used super glue in casting with no problems at
all. I’ve used it to connect complicated pieces and for faux
granulation (attaching tiny plastic dolls’ eyes to rings and
pendents). Just be careful when you apply the glue
Use sparingly, otherwise you’ll have extra cleanup after
casting. Applying with a toothpick helps out
It dries fairly quickly so get your piece properly
positioned right from the start
Be careful not to end up gluing the wax piece to your
fingers. Yes, I did that, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. 
Good luck, Rita (rd)
I seem to remember a post that talked of using super glue to hold wax pieces together. My question is will superglue hold during the investment pour and will it burn out clean?
Sharon, it absolutly will. You need to let it fully dry before
investing, and it takes longer than you expect to dry. I use it
to attach wax wire prongs to cocktail type waxes we make. I will
usually hold the wax wire right where I want it, touch my hot wax
pen at the base of the prong where the prong meets the inside of
the ring to hold it together. Then run a tiny amount of super
glue between the wax wire and the wax mounting as you would
solder. It works great. The only way you can go wrong is to not
let it dry, and if you can smell it, its not dry. If you dont let
it dry you will get plaster breakdown in that area of the
casting. Many years ago we used to solder all those prongs on
after casting, what a drag that was. Mark P.
I’ve never used it on a model for casting, but have used it on
models in wax for RTV molds and it held fine. I would do a small
test first so that you have an idea of it’s limits. I’ve also
used it to help setup solder jobs instead of wax. It has burned
off cleanly.
Since I had some carving wax, green wax wire, and superglue at
hand I glued together a piece. One thing I noticed was that the
glue didn’t flow as smoothly I might like for a clean, highly
polished look in metal without a bit of special attention after
casting. I used DURO brand glue, another brand may flow better.
Just look closely to make sure you will get an acceptable look.
If you decide against the superglue you might try tacking the
wire down with some pin tip welds and laquering the model. That,
I’ve never tried.
Are you attaching the wire on end or laying it down? If it’s
being attached on it’s end, glue it into a hole. Good luck:)
Dick Caverly
I seem to remember a post that talked of using super glue to hold wax pieces together. My question is will superglue hold during the investment pour and will it burn out clean? I'm attaching 20g green wax wire to a carved purple wax ring and I'm afraid if I try to fuse it on I won't be able to clean the fused area well enough not to show. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
hi sharon, yes it will burn out completely and cleanly. paractice
on a few ‘like’ materials before you glue your two parts
together. superglue is not water soluable so the water in the
investment won’t cause any harm to it while investing.
good luck best regards,
geo fox
I've also used it to help setup solder jobs instead of wax. It has burned off cleanly.
What about dangerous fumes? What did you attach?
Marilyn Smith
Thanks,
I was about to use sticky wax… am out so I’ll try super glue…
sounds like ti could work better… glueing to 4x4 inch sheets
of green wax together for carving.
Jim
What about dangerous fumes? What did you attach?
I’ve used superglue to hold pieces of metal together at the same
spot I would solder, similarly to the way you would use wax to
hold pieces together while setting them in plaster before
soldering. Using superglue you can easily place an assembly into
a bowl of corundum to prop the pieces up and not have to worry
about the glue bubbling or expanding as it burns off,
dislocating your joints.
I also use superglue to hold things while drilling, filing, or
sanding if it�s needed then simply clean things off with the
torch.
As with most fumes, I try not to breathe them. Perhaps someone
can tell me what fumes result from burning cyanoacrylate ester.
In any case you should use very little glue and proper
ventilation.
Dick Caverly
I was about to use sticky wax.. am out so I'll try super glue... sounds like ti could work better..... glueing to 4x4 inch sheets of green wax together for carving.
In this case I’d weld them together.
Dick Caverly
I've used superglue to hold pieces of metal together at the same spot I would solder
Are you saying that solder will flow even though there is
SUPERGLUE in the same spots??? If so, thanks for that hint, I’ll
be throwing away all my binding wire and clips used for keeping
pieces in place while soldering!!! : )
Hi !! Don’t throw away all that binding wire yet. I’ve used
superglue many times in soldering and have found it really handy
for lots of little things, BUT - it acts like flux and will allow
things to move around every once in a while at just the wrong
time when you least expect it. It does, however, allow you to
stabilize some parts you’re not sure the binding wire is holding
properly and does seem to burn clean.
Laura
Are you saying that solder will flow even though there is SUPERGLUE in the same spots??? If so, thanks for that hint, I'll be throwing away all my binding wire and clips used for keeping pieces in place while soldering!!! : )
No,No, No. I am saying if you are carving a wax that requires
prongs it is neater to attach the wax wire (prong) to the wax
mounting at the base of the prong with your wax pen, push the
wire snuggly up against the mounting, an run a bead of superglue
up the prong to secure it to the wax mounting prior to casting.
Rather than trying to attach that prong with your wax pen all
along the contact point, its melts too much of the wax wire
making it irregular and unacceptable. The solder reference was
meant to relate the way the superglue runs between the wax model
and the wax wire , to the way solder would run up between a gold
wire prong and a cast gold mounting if soldered on after casting.
Its simply easier to attach all the prongs prior to casting and
the glue burns out perfectly. I hope I didn’t make this even
more confusing to you. Mark P.
Super glue burns off clean, but in order to solder pieces
together, you need to have a medium supporting them once the glue
burns off. For example, you can glue many pieces together and
them put them in investment and let the investment set up and
harden, then take your torch and burn off the glue. Once the
superglue burns off, the pieces don’t fall apart. You can then
solder them in the investment. Soldering grain or sand can also
be used as a support medium. Sticky wax can be used to hold
pieces together as well and it also burns off clean. When doing
remounts ( say soldering a bunch of heads into a free-form
mounting), one can stick the heads to the loops of the mounting
with a little slightly melted sticky wax, turn the mounting
upside down, and shove the whole top of the ring into soldering
grain. Then burn off the sticky wax with your torch( the heavy
soldering grain supports the heads) and solder all the heads at
once in the upside-down position. Its quick, and the plasticity
of the warm sticky wax allows you to adjust the parts exactly as
you might want them before it sets up and turns hard. I haven’t
been following this thread, so all this info might be way out in
left field. Hope its useful to somebody.
Best, Steve Workman
Hi Laura . . . Ahhhh, thanks for the info. I didn’t think that
superglue could simplify my life! : )
Are you saying that solder will flow even though there is SUPERGLUE in the same spots??? If so, thanks for that hint, I'll be throwing away all my binding wire and clips used for keeping pieces in place while soldering!!! : )
hi, all things have their limitations. yes, the superglue burns
off and you can solder right where it used to be. the superglue
burns off and doesn’t hold the pieces together anymore, with a
little ingenuity (sp?) one can superglue somewhere else where
soldering aand heating are not taking place. or as suggested
earlier, superglue the pieces together, put the assemblage in
corundum powder or investment or that reusable clay stuff and
solder away.
best regards,
geo fox
I beleive you said: Use super glue to append prongs its easier
than a wax pen and works as well?
Am I correct? . . and there are no problems in casting?
Jim
I haven't been following this thread, so all this info might be way out in left field. Hope its useful to somebody.
I HAVE been following this thread, and your observations are
right on target. Thanks for the insight.
Penny
Steve-if you were soldering a finding onto the back of a pin,
for example, could you put the glue, a piece of solder a little
more glue and the finding and heat? Would the glue burn off
leaving the solder to flow? I am very curious and I haven’t
tried it yet. Sandra/ElegantBee
Are you saying that solder will flow even though there is
SUPERGLUE in the same spots??? If so, thanks for that hint, I’ll
be throwing away all my binding wire and clips used for keeping
pieces in place while soldering!!! : )
The time and effort you are putting into this should justify
buying an electro-tacker.It forms a weak weld between
peices,which can then be soldered.Since the initial “tack” is a
weld,a large # of peices can be tacked and soldered without fear
of any of them shifting.
Scott Hepner