eduk8r

My Feedback: (10)

Have been in the RC hobby for 12 years and am one of the fortunate few: my wife LOVES the hobby! She never asks "How much", just "How long will it take to get here?"

Question: Is there a low-cost alternative to CA kicker?

Seems that I read in one of the magazine columns (hints/kinks, for example) of another product that will set off the CA.

Thanks! Without a doubt, RC Universe is one of the greatest things to happen to our hobby.

tony

Tattoo

This one might suprise you. Try tap water.
Don't laugh until you've tried it...it's all I use any more, and works just as good.

greenboot

My Feedback: (1)

Tatoo, I haven't tried it, but I'm going to. Do you think it would it be OK to use an expensive bottled water? I hate being called a cheap-skate.

Tom

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

try baking soda, just sprinkle it on and it forms a rock hard shell.

rc-sport

My Feedback: (12)

Watch out for the fumes that will rise wen you hit it with baking soda and it gets real hot real fast.

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

I mix a tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of water and put it in a spray bottle. Shake it up before you spray. Only a small spritz needed to get the CA to kick off. Don't get the balsa very wet.

Ken

smokingcrater

regular rubbing alcohol works for me, drys a little quicker than water also and is handy to have around for thinning epoxy at the same time.

Tattoo

Just a little story:

I had no idea that water would work...but I do have 3 cats...and cats like to mess with airplane stuff...therefore, I have a water spray bottle in my airplane room...yep...cat on work table=wet cat running away fast.

On VERY DRY day i couldn't get my CA to work worth crap...there I was, holding a part together...darn...getting desperate...crap...then I spied the "anti cat" water bottle just in reach...what the heck...a little spritz...HOLY COW IT WORKED...and every bit as good as any kicker I ever used. It's all I've used since, and it also leads me to believe the hobby companies are ripping us off in this department.

Gastronom-RCU

My Feedback: (5)

Try using a regular bar of soup. Use water and create a lather and use that soap-water in your squirt bottle. The accelerator is a base while the glue is an acid. This is why it bonds skin instantly, hehe. 'Specially the eye-lid :cry: '

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Water? Never heard of that. I will try it tonight. That would rock. The kicker is great, and I use too much of it. Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to it and it sux to use it. I gotta try the water thing. I have used baking soda but it leaves a weak joint. It seems to kick the stuff before it penetrates. Used it a lot way back but haven't for years. Will try the baking soda in water trick too. That sounds interesting.

twostroke

My Feedback: (6)

I am very new to building and I found out this water trick the other day. I was sheeting the leading edge of a wing and had to curve the balsa to form for the wing tip using water to soften and help with the flexing of the balsa I thought "how is the CA ever going to set with the balsa being wet" so I put on the CA anyway with all in tensions of having to hold in place for a long time to get it to set. Low and behold it set up with-in a few seconds thought it was strange till I did the other wing. What a great money saving tip. If its free its for me!!!!

bentgear

Another weird one is the smoke right off the end of a lit cigarette sets it up quickly. Kinda interesting getting the smoke to the glue at times. Won't work if you inhale it first, guess the kicker parts stays in the lungs.
Ed M.