Acetone as activator?

[Jeff Fagen]

Would it be correct to use acetone as an activator for CA glue?
If so would it work as well as the commercial activators?

[Leo Graywacz]

I don't think so. Acetone is a CA solvent.

Not positive

[Andrew Arndts]

Acetone is a solvent for CA. I keep a bottle close for just such of emergencies.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Thank goodness for acetone. I unglued my fingers a number of times. I hope the day doesn't come when I can't reach the bottle because I'm glued to to the table saw instead of a bowl. LOL.

[Jim Heikes]

Many of the "activators are a mix of acetone, n-butane, and propane. Acetone is the main ingredient (approx. 70%).

Knowledge from my previous life (pharmaceutical chemist)

[Sid Matheny]

I have tried several things to try as an activator but have never found anything that works as well as regular activator.

Sid

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Thank goodness for acetone. I unglued my fingers a number of times. I hope the day doesn't come when I can't reach the bottle because I'm glued to to the table saw instead of a bowl. LOL.

No mobile base? LOL.

I got glued to the chuck on my lathe once.

[David Gilbert]

Most of the activators are tertiary amines. Eastman Kodak developed these glues many years ago (Eastman 910 was the first version of CA glue) and they had many patents and reports that discussed the activators. They react with the cyanoacrylate molecule to initiate the polymerization or setting up of the glue. By looking at the MSDS sheet I found one activator that uses N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine. Since many of the the amines have strong and unpleasant odors, amines for these activators usually have higher molecular weights so they are less volatile and smell less. Water and alcohols can also activate the glue but may not be as controllable. Acetone is a very good solvent for CA glue and for water too but the water would cause the glue to set up. Other solvents like hexane or butane are probably there only to speed the evaporation of the solvents

Cheers,
David