Brush-on super glue?

troutpocket

troutpocket

Stillwater strategist
Forum Supporter
I’m interested in improving durability of my chironomids so I picked up some brush-on Gorilla super-glue. I like the container and applicator. It has good online reviews for typical uses. It brushed onto my bug easily and looked great. Gave it a minute in the vise then moved it onto a foam patch and started the next one. When I had the second one done, I looked at the first and…WTH? It was no longer a pretty chironomid. Chalky and cloudy finish.

Compared to one with a clear UV resin:
4850BC3A-7B52-498F-AB7A-29E26C9BE19B.jpeg

I see stuff on YouTube all the time using super glue for this purpose. So what’s the deal? Is Gorilla using a different formula that makes it uniquely unsuitable for coating bugs?
 
Very strange - I wondered about a chemical reaction and then I wondered if you grabbed the still wet glue with your fingers. Regardless, that sucks but your UV midge looks very deadly.
 
The main difference is their chemical composition and curing process: traditional Gorilla Glue is a moisture-activated, expanding polyurethane adhesive, while typical super glue is a fast-bonding cyanoacrylate adhesive.

Actual Super Glue works better in that application.
 
I learned something today. I bought it because it was labeled as brushable super glue. Lock-tite makes it as well so I will have to see what the formula is.
 
Sam Roffe said:
I remember using "Tough as Hull" for my head cement and coating my chironomids. Now I just use UV stuff for everything.
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I’ve been using UV resin for over 10 years. I’m curious if modern super glue is more durable and less smelly than Sally Hansen’s, which is what I started with.
 
Sally Hansens is primarily Ethyl Cyanoacrylate...so similar to Super Glue.
 
I’ve notice with various super glues that I get a white film after it dries. I’m not coating bodies with it but notice the film on the dumbbell eyes I use on clousers after using super glue on the thread between the eyes.

I bought some Zap-A-Gap medium and haven’t noticed any of the while film since using it. I did a quick test just to confirm that over some Krystal Flash. Crap pic but here is what it looks like dry.
SF

IMG_6136.jpeg
 
I’ve had loctite brush on product dry clear most of the time and cloudy occasionally. I think it might have to do with humidity or how fast it dries? I thought cyanoacrylate also cured by reacting with H2O. I usually use UV cure for Chironomids. Are you finding UV cure not to be durable?
 
I freely admit that I have been influenced by the YT fly tiers I have been checking out recently. The durability of my bugs is reasonable. The one pictured above will be pretty stout because it’s just holotinsel and wire. Others made from flashabou and microtubing tend to fall apart after 10 fish. After a decade of being pretty set in my chironomid tying ways, I’m open to testing my methods :geek:
 
Salmo_g said:
Really? For some reason I always thought it was plain ole lacquer. Wait, is lacquer cyanoacrylate?
Click to expand...
No...
Lacquer is nitrocellulose or acrylic resin.
 
troutpocket said:
I freely admit that I have been influenced by the YT fly tiers I have been checking out recently. The durability of my bugs is reasonable. The one pictured above will be pretty stout because it’s just holotinsel and wire. Others made from flashabou and microtubing tend to fall apart after 10 fish. After a decade of being pretty set in my chironomid tying ways, I’m open to testing my methods :geek:
Click to expand...
I don’t think Loctite brush-on is going to improve on 10 fish with the fragile materials.
 
Just out of curiosity; what does a real chironomid feel like? (I very seldom fish an indicator) Are they hard like a coated chiro fly, or are they "chewy"?

I ask because I love this stuff for coating streamer heads, poppers, other foam flies. It takes a little longer to cure - a few minutes usually - but it cures to a very flexible, glossy, tough coat that feels like bass soft plastic baits. They will stick together if you just dump them together in a bin, but not irreversibly.
I've had no allergy issues with it like I do with Solarez.
This is a lot of resin - about 100 ml. This company has its own site, or it's available on amzn.
1000013439.jpg
 
Northern said:
Just out of curiosity; what does a real chironomid feel like? (I very seldom fish an indicator) Are they hard like a coated chiro fly, or are they "chewy"?

I ask because I love this stuff for coating streamer heads, poppers, other foam flies. It takes a little longer to cure - a few minutes usually - but it cures to a very flexible, glossy, tough coat that feels like bass soft plastic baits. They will stick together if you just dump them together in a bin, but not irreversibly.
I've had no allergy issues with it like I do with Solarez.
This is a lot of resin - about 100 ml. This company has its own site, or it's available on amzn.
View attachment 180566
Click to expand...
Been using their hard glossy type and loved them. Price is excellent.
 
Northern said:
Just out of curiosity; what does a real chironomid feel like? (I very seldom fish an indicator) Are they hard like a coated chiro fly, or are they "chewy"?
Click to expand...
Well...

They're not 'chewy' per se, more like gelatinous.

They don't stay on a BBQ skewer very well.
 
troutpocket said:
I’m interested in improving durability of my chironomids so I picked up some brush-on Gorilla super-glue. I like the container and applicator. It has good online reviews for typical uses. It brushed onto my bug easily and looked great. Gave it a minute in the vise then moved it onto a foam patch and started the next one. When I had the second one done, I looked at the first and…WTH? It was no longer a pretty chironomid. Chalky and cloudy finish.

Compared to one with a clear UV resin:
View attachment 180547

I see stuff on YouTube all the time using super glue for this purpose. So what’s the deal? Is Gorilla using a different formula that makes it uniquely unsuitable for coating bugs?
Click to expand...
For the chironomid swap, I ended up coating with one layer of brush on Krazy Glue, then one layer of Sally Hanson's after the glue dried.
 
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