AN EN'LIGHT'ENING ADHESIVE
By Peter Dale
Hate to work on porcelain, let alone glass? I used to - until I discovered the benefits of light curing adhesives.
Now I can't wait. These new adhesives cure in bright sunlight or with controlled light guns(like the dentists use).
They have many advantages over crazy glue or epoxies like...
It's fast. Curing time is approximately 10 seconds for clear glass and 2 minutes for dark colored glass, porcelain, and milk glass.
NOTE: It only cures in direct sunlight, outside; Not in a window nor in artificial sunlight. It doesn't glue your fingers together or to the item, so you can constantly adjust until you are ready to commit to an almost instant cure.
By shading the glue line, you can tack pieces that are warped, a little at a time. The glue seam, when cured properly, is very strong, and, on porcelain or milk glass items virtually undetectable when held up to the light!
You can stitch a large area using the controlled light gun (like basting on a sewing machine) and then follow up on the "in between" areas by using a magnifying glass with sunlight or the controlled light gun. It's ready to use, no mixing involved. You can even put pieces aside that have glue on them if you are interrupted by a phone call, then continue later. It is non-yellowing and, optically clear, but it can be tinted. Unlike other glues, and paints too, you can work in your color with out dry out. Be careful not to overload with tint. It tends to fill small chipped areas, which can be useful, and, can be polished to simulate the range of gloss around the repaired area. Use "Micro Surface" brand polishing cloths or a comparable type. Thinner than epoxies, which gives you a better feel for "lock-in" of parts during the gluing process. You can build a transition area, like a sandwich, using this type of glue for an epoxy build-up and a potentially better bond. Here are a couple of caveats: Shelf life is approximately 2 years. They are, like most products we use, "known to cause cancer in tests conducted in California". A very thin greasy residue on the glue joint is normal. The glue underneath is cured. Wipe the residue off with alcohol, lacquer thinner or mineral spirits(paint thinner).
Though it costs a bit, I've found the dental light gun to be a valuable tool in my studio. With winter shortened cloudy days, mine has already paid a return. The adhesive I use is CRYSTAL CLEAR by DURO Corp.