Glues and adhesives: strength of super glue bond
Self-tutoring about performance of super glue: the tutor mentions an example and some thoughts.
The following is according to my understanding.
I recall, back in the 70s, an ad for Krazy Glue or some other super glue. In it, a man’s helmet was glued to the ceiling. Now, holding the helmet on each side, he could suspend himself in the air.
Such a feat, it seems, is easily possible, since the potential bonding strength of super glues is around 4000 pounds per square inch.
Besides its bonding strength, the fast action of super glue is very helpful. With the kind I use, the instructions say to hold the repair for about thirty seconds after applying. It doesn’t reach full strength for at least another few minutes, and perhaps even for a day. Yet, after the initial thirty seconds, one can often feel that the repair has taken hold, so can be left alone to cure.
The formulations of super glue that I buy tend to be a bit runny, so don’t make a mess if one needs to try again. However, runny glue doesn’t work as well on porous surfaces; I use other glues in such cases. Fix-All (see my post from June 12, 2025) is an example.
Source:
Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.