GluBoost Super glue tints

[Andrew]

Hey all. Im browsing LMII at the moment and just came across this line of cyanoacrylate glues, ca glues for finishes, and tints for said glues. Ive tried a few ways of adding dyes and colour pigments to ca, and most dont work very well, so this would seem to be a 'game changer' as some of the reviews etc claim.

Has anyone here used this stuff? Are the tints actual tints, or are the results opaque? Can I use the tints with other ca glues? I reloaded my Satellite City kit not long ago and Im on a budget, so if the tints work with other brands that would make things a little easier on my budget. 

[Mike Kolb]

following this.... curious about them myself.

[Todd Reich]

I use it in my shop, and love it.

My favorite use for it is performing repairs on satin-black poly finishes; The bulk of my work is "modern electric guitarists" so thankfully I'm spared the trial of attempting to repair a cherry sunburst with the stuff, or some such other tasks. Just like with a nitro repair to such a finish, color me "impressed purple" if you are such a skilled honcho. Color-work has never been my strongest front.

The use is simple, but for maximum effect it requires skills and an eye for color that are the typical marks of a good finisher; The colors are supplied in powder. You scoop out whatever quantity of color you desire, and mix it with super glue on a teflon mixing palette. Opacity is controlled by the ratio of powder to glue. If you want it opaque, be generous with the powder and if you want it tinted, be prudent. So you can see where there is no substitute for skill in utilizing the stuff, and it's not foolproof; Nailing a desired color and opacity requires obtaining the right combination of colors, in the right quantity, matched to the right quantity of glue. If any of those 3 things are off, it will affect your outcome. But it's a typical problem anytime you color match anything to anything.

However, the results are impressive. What I love about it is the ability for a fully opaque repair on even shallow repairs; The Stew-Mac tinted super-glues aren't really capable of a fully opaque repair on a shallow repair.

The only color I have yet to be fully impressed with is the White. It requires processing beforehand (mixing with Acetone, they recommend), and I've yet to get a result with it that I'd consider worthy of the "Photobook of Pride." However, I cannot yet fault the powder, as I've talked to other folks that have had success with it. I just think it's finicky enough that I need to get more practice in with that particular tint.

As far as the superglue brands, I do not know for sure if it will work with other brands but if it's high-quality stuff, I wouldn't see any reason why not. I would definitely recommend testing on scrap or an unimportant yard-sale find first. I use their Fill 'n' Finish for the mastertint work; I like using the thin viscosity variant for this stuff, myself, unless I need a slightly extended working time for complex color-work and the nature of the repair will play well with the greater viscosity.

Hope this helps! Stay awesome!

[Andrew]

Thanks Todd, that pretty well answers my questions about the stuff. Im with you on the colour work. Especially if you count doing it in a timely enough manner to make any money lol.

Interesting you mention processing the white with acetone. About two years ago I spoke to a guy who supplied raw artists' pigments who suggested the same, though I never followed through with any experiments. Maybe those pigments will be useful eventually should I need some very specific colour or some such. Anyway Ill be grabbing some GluBoost next time I put in an Lmi order..

...unless anyone knows of a Canadian supplier? Those duties are brutal...

[Todd Reich]

I'm glad you found it helpful! Personally, I was overjoyed when I first saw MasterTint. When I went through lutherie school, at one point during the repair course I had asked about tinting superglue and my instructors just laughed and said something along the lines of "If you ever figure that out, you let me know!" And my tears flowed with disappointment.

On GluBoost's website, they recommend contacting one Peggy White, [e-mail], for Canadian orders. It probably won't be as convenient as ordering through LMI, but it might be able to save you some cash on duty charges. Probably worth looking into!

[Andrew]

Sounds like we've endured a similar struggle lol. I almost jumped out of my seat when i started reading about this stuff.

It occurs to me that pre mixing the tint powders with acetone might be a good way to adjust the colour without worrying about the ca setting up. Might save some glue in the testing phase.

[Jim Figurski]

any before and after pics??

[Terry Chapman]

IMG_0856.JPGIMG_0839.JPG

heres a headstock I repaired recently......

[Kerry Krishna]

I saw an amazing demo of this product on Youtube. I was Super impressed.

  

[Kerry Krishna]

 This product looks SUPER impressive...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoD4c03DdBM&t=114s

[Kerry Krishna]

LMI price list. Now, with these cheap prices this really looks good...MasterGlu Thin, 2 oz. (includes 2 whip tips and 2 extender nozzles) Yes $20.75

FGMGUT MasterGlu Ultra-Thin, 2 oz. (includes 2 whip tips and 2 extender nozzles) Yes $20.75

FGFNF Fill n' Finish Pro Formula, 2 oz (includes 2 whip tips and 2 extender nozzles) Yes $20.75

FGFNFT Fill n' Finish Thin Formula, 2 oz (includes 2 whip tips and 2 extender nozzles) Yes $20.75

FGBMTM Master Tint Modern Kit Yes $49.95

FGBMTV Master Tint Vintage Kit Yes $49.95

FGBMTBW Master Tint Black/White Kit Yes $49.95

[Terry Chapman]

Been using this system for around six months now and I ve found the red is excellent for dings and headstock repair cracks etc.

I think the pigments are to strong to be honest/ You have to use a lot of glue sometimes to get the correct shade,also you have to be really good at mixing colours to get the best results?

The white is a pain to use as you have to dissolve it in acetone before use.

I wanted to touch in a small chip on a Tele body recently,it was off white.I poured some of the CA on the pallet about 1" diameter put a small bit of brown to it,half the size of a pin head and it was still way to much? To get the right shade I would have had to use the whole bottle!!

Not sure if I'll buy again when this lots gone??

[Mark A. Kane]

I have used the products for about a year. My main interest was in the glue-accelerator reaction and I'm happy to say, if used judiciously and carefully, the glue cures without blushing or expanding. Like any new technique, it took a while to get the process down. It works on nitro okay, but with a BIG caveat. The accelerator, though advertised as safe for nitro, will indeed attack nitro if you spray anything more than the least amount of product. If one wets the nitro, get it off pronto! The product beads up quickly and will mar/attack the finish where the beads are. It's not as disastrous as spilling acetone on nitro, but it's more work you have to do to clean it up.

As for general technique, I waft the spray nozzle over the glue from about 8" using the least amount possible, and just sit back and wait. I've done layering of deeper dings and will wait 15-30 minutes between applications. It takes a while to harden up, particularly if you use the medium viscosity. I prefer the thin for 99% of jobs. It cures hard and takes sanding and polishing well. I use the Kovax Tolecut dry-sanding regime and get acceptable results. LOVE the Tolecut, BTW. My previous go-to was Micromesh but this stuff is next-level.