I don't really frequent model making websites and the like, so I was unaware of Super Glue accelerants until Geordie mentioned them on a private discussion group.
I'm sure Super Glue has got weaker over time. Or it could be because I only buy the cheap stuff, but I recall it sticking almost instantaneously. Of course, that could be just that when it came out it stuck quickly compared to everything else. If I want a quick bond these days I've tended to resort to hot melt adhesive. Alas it isn't always suitable, as it does leave a blob after it has cooled. If you need a join that is flush and clean it isn't ideal, so we are left with Super Glue. Which sometimes doesn't stick quickly enough for fiddly bits and pieces, and can be awkward to hold in a vice as it can stick to the vice.
This problem is solved with an accelerant that acts as a catalyst. This activates the bonding pretty much immediately. But £5 a can? Not for me.
Turns out what you need is a solution of baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate - NaHCO3) in water. Then you just need a handy refillable spray bottle. I found a set of three mini travel pumps on Amazon for £2.99. There's websites that'll tell you the exact mix you need, but they're using large spray bottles, so I just guessed.
You can pre-spray the parts to be glued then put on the glue (that's what the experts recommend), or spray over the top. I've done both. The latter was the best when fixing the leg of a 15mm horse back to the base when it had snapped in straightening. If you blob an area with glue then spray it'll also turn it into a filler.
It's now a firm part of my model making armoury.
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