Worried about CA glue not working on oily woods?
1 min reading time
CA glues are acid stabilized, so they require a weak base or moisture to react and form a bond. Acidic substrates will therefore inhibit adhesion.
Most plant based oils contain a weak acid, so oily woods are also slightly acidic. This means when using CA glue on such woods, the acidity inhibits bonding and you 'll require better surface prep to form a strong bond. Before CA glue application, we advise to wipe the surface/joints with acetone. Acetone clears the contaminants from the wood's pores on the bonding surface and dries quickly without leaving any residue.
You can also increase the surface energy for a stronger bond by roughening the surface. Use a medium or lower sized grit sandpaper to rough up the surface.
Note - Common high tannic acid woods are oak, cedar, walnut and some mahoganies; while some common oily wood species would be Teak, Purpleheart, Bubinga, Santos Mahogany, Ipe, or any species of Rosewood.
