Removing cynoacrylate glues: Added by george Sally's Husband DO NOT USE Z-7 Debonder, nail polish remover or ANY other remover to REMOVE FROM EYES, LIDS ETC..... GET PROFESSIONAL HELP IMMEDIATELY....... When using any remover follow ALL INSTRUCTIONS IMPLICITLY....... SAFETY FIRST ALWAYS;

George Hoffman

Super Glued fingers: I've done it and I was ready to just leave the crystal bead, my thumb and fore finger stuck until it it came apart on it's own. Nothing worked and I tried so many things my fingers were sore!. I will not use super glue without my bottle of "Kwick-fix super glue remover" on my table, ready to be used. You can get this at some craft or hardware stores. I also admit to being stuck to-gether more than once.

Helen, San Di

Super Glued fingers! There is a superglue that is finger friendly, just look on the pkg. for the finger friendly kind, one of which is Quik tite in the gel, I am not sure about the non gel kind.

Sylvia in Big D

Super-glued fingers: I too have superglued my fingers together a few times. I found the best way to unstick them was to rub lots of washing-up liquid on them and run them under the tap, whilst gently working the handle of a teaspoon between them. I suppose it would make sense to get some debonder though..... I have learnt though, through experience, that if I get any superglue on my fingers, if I plunge them quickly into my jar of water I have to hand for when I'm painting, it doesn't stick. That only works of course, if I know when I've spilt glue onto myself.

Annie

Super Glued fingers! In the past when I have managed to glue my fingers together with Super Glue I have used one of three products.
[1] Debonder........sold in 1.5 to 2 ounce bottles in hobby or Railroad supply stores. Made to use with Zap-A-Gap and other cryocylanate type glues. Learned about this one when I first took a Brooke Tucker class. Expensive but worth keeping on hand.
[2] Acetone........available in the paint section of hardware stores. This the straight 100 proof type not diluted as in polish remover.
[3] Polish Remover with acetone base............still available in drugstores and beauty supply stores. Have to read the label to be sure that it says with acetone.
[4] When ALL else FAILS it's time for a trip to the hospital ER and "a bit of old fashioned doctoring".
Start with the polish remover first it's the weakest form of acetone. If that doesn't work try the Debonder which should work. As a last resort try the straight acetone.

REMEMBER:
[1] To thoroughly wash hands with soap and water after using any of these products as the skin does absorb a certain amount of them. Repeat at least three times to be sure of removing all traces. Your hands may feel "dried out" but avoid using creams for at least 12 hours to allow all the removal product to ventilate out of skin.
[2] Keep the products close by when working with Super Glue. The glue sets up too quickly to be looking for them "after the fact".

Patricia / Redwood City, CA

Super glue, zap a gap: With all the talk about super glue and getting stuck I thought I would mention another problem with it. I have been making dolls and miniature dolls for about 16 yrs. Have always used zap a gap to attach the pipe cleaner armatures to the porcelain and to glue other non porous surfaces. No problems for a very long time. Then about 3 years ago I started to get "spring time allergies" or so I thought. Seems like I always had sinus problems before a show or class. Well, it took quite awhile to figure out I had developed a sensitivity to the zap a gap fumes! Swells the sinus to 10 times natural size (well, ok, this is a rough figure).

Jill Castoral

working with "cyno" glues: Here is a tip when you are using those pesky glues....

Take a small mirror --use the top half of an old compact-- place a drop or two of the "cyno" glue on the surface of the mirror glass, then using a large headed pin pick up a drop of glue and place the glue carefully on the surface you are gluing. You won't get the glue on you as readily and can apply it easily to the area you want to glue.

Also I believe Micro-Mark carries these glues and debonders, perhaps a bit more expensive than other sources but the do have them available.

Micro-Mark's address is: 340 Snyder Avenue Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922-1595

Sally Hoffman

Glue gun: As a person who spends a great deal of time doing dhs for others I find that glue guns are good for a quick hold when I use regular types of glue. It holds the pieces together without gluing until the glue sets up.

I also use the glue gun when I know that windows will be removed later for people that just for some reason don't want to put on wall paper at this time. It's easier to remove stairs and windows so they aren't in the way when you put on carpeting mouldings or wp.

Deanna from beautiful downtown Thiensville

New Glue: I want to share info about new glue I discovered at Michaels. Aleene's now has a glue that is called Quick Dry Tacky Glue. It is great. I've only been using it for about 2 weeks, and it has worked so well with glueing different things together that I think I will have to go get a couple more bottles! I've tried it with fabric, wood, and doll hair. It was about the same price as the regular tacky.

Gabrielle

Ungluing: I have used this procedure to unglue doors and windows for painting.
1. Pour a small amount of alcohol in a jar that you can reseal. Never use alcohol from your original container, as this will make the bottle un-sterile, and useless for medical purposes.
2. Paint the alcohol on the glue joints, let dry and paint again. you will have to do this a number of times, and the glue will become soft and allow the parts to come apart. ( A single edge razor blade will help cut the joint, this makes a straight line cut )
3. Let the parts dry for 48 hours and turn every 12 hours. The alcohol will evaporate and the parts will dry.
4. Sand if needed and paint. Once the paint is dry, glue the parts and touch up the cracks if needed.
5. Patience, patience and more patience.

Andy

Glue Applicators: When you are working on a project, if you place a sheet of paper towel in a cup and dampen the paper towel. (Just damp) and place the glue applicator on the dampened paper between uses, the tip will remain clear. You can even leave the glue applicator in the moist paper towel over night.

Sangelscooter

Ungluing: The quickest and easiest way I have found to unglue something is to use a heat gun. (used in the rubber stamping hobby) I bought mine at Michaels. But you must be careful if you are using it on furniture. It can get very hot if kept in one place and may bubble your finish. Oh yes, watch those fingers if you are holding the piece. OUCH!!! I found if I kept it moving like a hairdryer and only for a few moments, then used a putty knife or my exacto knife in the joint it usually came apart quickly. Clean off the old glue and away you go again. I restored a 9 room dollhouse using a heat gun to remove all the old windows, moldings, wallpaper, etc.

Diane in SFBA

Glue Applicators: when the glue runs out, the applicators last longer if you soak all the pieces clean of dried glue before refilling. I keep several, so I always have a clean, dry one to fill right away.

Chrissy the Hyphenated in Central New York

Glue Dispenser Pin: In the interest of keeping that pin that you put in the tip of the glue dispenser from becoming hopelessly rusted, be sure it is a stainless steel pin.

Dottie in Tucson

Home made adjustable line scriber: If you have a line scriber; skip this; if not it may interest you. I made an adjustable line scriber.

Needed:
1 adjustable square. The kind that has the sliding ruler and a bubble level.
Some clear "Scotch" tape
Sewing needle.
Some means of cutting a shallow groove in the fixed head of the "C" clamp.
Method:
- Cut a groove in the flat head of the "C" clamp.
- With the clear mending tape, tape the sewing needle to the 1" mark on the adjustable steel rule of the square. The needle point should extend abut 1/8" below the edge of the ruler and be at right angles to the long axis of the steel rule.
- Fit the groove made in the "C" clamp over the needle and clamp the needle to the steel rule.
- Now by using the 1" mark as "0" you can slide the scratch awl (needle) any amount you wish closer to or away from the base of the adjustable square. If you move the needle so the 1" mark is now "0"; the needle will be resting or abutting the flat right angel side of the base in relation to the steel rule. This was just added so you can get an idea of orientation. By moving the steel rule away from the base and fixing it in position you now have a line scriber that will reproduce the same width by scribing a line the same distance from the edge that the base of the square is using as a guide.

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL

Mini Bow Maker: Bow Maker, you can make one out of toothpicks.

You will need:

- 6 six tooth picks
- masking tape

Cut a strip of tape, lay it out flat. Lay the six toothpicks next to each other. The two outer ones should be at least 1 1/2 inches above the others.

Paulette

Pins for glue Applicators: The pins that we use over here in the UK for our glue bottles are the brass lace pins or wedding dressmakers pins.

Sharon

Pins for glue Applicators: If you use the pins that pin together men's new shirts they will serve the same purpose and they're free and plentiful.

Lee from Melville, NY

Sandpaper: The finest I have found so far is 12,000 (yes, 3 zeros) micro mesh. Its used to polish aircraft windows, among other things. Makes printer paper feel very rough by comparison. I regularly use 2000 grit for polishing soapstone and alabaster.

Tom Berkner

Source for fine sandpaper: Try your local automotive dept at a Wal Mart or even an automotive discount chain. They should have wet-dry (silicon-carbide) paper from 220 down to 2500 grit by 3M. You will probably find some Micro-Mesh on the shelf right beside it. Papers rated down to 5 microns are in use, but these are pretty specialized.

Brian