my question is, why would you want to use thin or thick CA over the other, how does one apply it self better to bonding some balsa joints? if anyone could explane it id love to hear it

thin CA works well in areas where it can be flowed , or dropped onto the sufaces , thick has its use in places like the sheeting on leading and trailing edges where it can be applied to the rib edges and it sits in a bead until sheeting is pressed onto it ,thick also works well ,if you need a little slide time , where as thin requires that the part be where it needs to be when applied ,

Hope you find this helpful .

Highlander

I use the thin for basic frame up work and then medium after that's done, works for me.

I use medium for almost everything. I use like you would use Tightbond or Elmers. I also use thin when I need a wicking action after the parts have been placed. I tried gap filling once and didn't like it. I use epoxy for gap filling or for heavily loaded structures like landing gear plates, wing mounting, or firewalls.

I still prefer Elmers for edge joining thin sheets and laminating plywood or balsa.

Typically the thin CA soaks in deep and sets up fast. The thick version cures slower, soaks in less and fills in gaps. The medium version is usually the best of both worlds.

I usually use the thin for all of my balsa to balsa frame up work. My unscientific testingrevealed that the thin stuff makes for a strong joint if the fit is good. The wood will normally break before the joint fails. This method also builds somewhat lighter, especially if you do not use CA to fill in poorly fit joints.

thanks for the replys, but if anyone could answer my other question, is it safe to use gap filler ? its not gonna make my plan fall apart is it ? i hope not, i all ready started using it. heh

Yes it is safe too use gap filling ca

its safe to use gap filler , but I would not use it to glue an entire plane together , it has less penetration than thin ,

Highlander

You might want to consider building your aircraft with as few gaps that require filling as possible. Check your parts fit before gluing,and fit accordingly. Makes for a much stronger and rigid aircraft. Use the thin CA forframing. After framing and the initial building process is completed, go back over any joint you may be unsure of with the medium/gap filling CA.

If you get a gap you are unhappy with, and cannot fix in other ways, apply a small amount of baking soda over the gap, then add a drop of thin CA to the baking soda. This will fill the gaps, and strengthen the bond at the joint.

Silversurfer

I use some balsa saw dust and hit it with thin ca. Seems to do the trick and leaves the filled gap the same color as the adjacent surfaces so that it doesn't show up through light colored covering.