CA glue Clouding in Ring Inlay

It may be the activator, I’ve seen CA glue turn white when using activator on other projects.

I turned a bunch of pens for this past Christmas using CA glue as a finish. Everything was fine up until my last pen. Then I started getting clouding as well. I sanded back to bare wood and started over.

My shop was chillier by that time than when I was working on the previous pens. So I stopped using the activator and made sure to wait until the CA glue was COMPLETELY dry before moving on to the next coat. I was worried there might be some moisture being trapped between layers.

It all worked out well and the finished pen looked great. I’m not sure if the colder shop caused the CA glue to dry slower, or there was some kind of condensation forming on the pen, or what. I just know that being patient and waiting 10 minutes between coats worked.

-- Tony, SW Chicago Suburbs

My first thought would be moisture.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

A little acetone works wonders.

-- Devin, SF, CA

As an 80 year old woodworker with 70 years plus experience, I am going to guess the problem is “blushing”, first experienced when I was a teenager building model airplanes using “dope”, a type of lacquer. What was happening was the evaporation of the acetone or lacquer thinner was chilling the surface and making the moisture in the air condense on the surface, leaving a milky white cloudy color on the finish. The cure was adding a “retarder” to slow the evaporation of the finish. The problem only occurred during the moist summer months. You may try painting over the surface using thinner with an almost dry brush as a cure.

-- Always remember: It is a mathematical certainty that half the people in this country are below average in intelligence!

I have had days when the activator would create a crusty white mess but I have never figured out why one time it will and the next piece it won’t. Try it without the activator.

-- Nathan, TX -- Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

Hi all. Thanks for the replies. I’ve found e issue. Too much activator. If I hold the can 12”-14” away and literally spray for 1 second. Just a quick pssst. That’s all that’s needed to cure the thin CA. Too close or too much and I can literally see it bubbling and turning white. I was surprised at ow very little activator is needed to cure it. Try it to see. A single drop on a piece of scrap plastic and spray heavy and watch it buble. Another drop an inch away and spray light from 12” away. Crystal clear and hard.