Craft Tip: Setting Cyanoacrylate Glue (Super Glue) With Baking Soda

If you’re a user of cyanoacrylate (CA) glues in your projects, then you’ll know that it doesn’t always bond instantly. It can take a while for the glue to set. In the meantime, a slight bump can cause separation and misalignment. If you’re in a hurry, and you don’t mind an ugly glue job, apply baking soda directly onto the glue to cure it instantly!

Liquid, Gel, & Thin CA Glues

Working with the standard liquid and gel CA glues that are widely available in stores, the following has been determined:

Sprinkling It On

After applying glue to the areas to be joined, sprinkle dry baking soda directly onto the glue to instantly harden it. The end result is a rock-hard surface that doesn’t look pretty, but holds very well. Do note that the baking soda has to come into direct contact with the glue.

A gap filler can even be created. Fill a hole or gap with baking soda, then apply some liquid CA glue onto it. The baking soda will absorb the glue and harden. The area can then be sanded smooth if needed. However, unless the hole or gap is shallow, the glue will not completely soak into the baking soda. This is because the standard liquid CA glues are a bit too viscous. This works far better with thin CA glue, like Starbond, which wick into the baking soda much faster and more thoroughly.

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