Glue for broken agate?

[tims]

Anyone have a favorite adhesive for repairing broken rock? I'm slabbing some teepee canyon agate, most of which is riddled with hairline fractures, and of course one of my pretty pieces split in half. I've seen threads on adhering stone to jewelry settings etc., would the same adhesives work for stone on stone?

I'm leaning toward epoxy 330. Anyone know if it can be polished ok, or have other suggestions?

TIA

[Fossilman]

I use "Hot Stuff" and "Handibond" Adhesives,they work very well and take a polish....They have the thin,medium and thick...

[grayfingers]

[tims]

Sold. Thanks guys.

[spiceman]

Ok, you have your answer but also not all epoxy glues are water proof.
Used to make fishing lures and if your clear coat was epoxy after being in the water it turned a milky color and was not as durable.

[metalsmith]

Jul 8, 2016 22:27:19 GMT -5 spiceman said:

if your clear coat was epoxy after being in the water it turned a milky color and was not as durable.

Wow ... opal fordite!

[mohs]

I've been known to fix broken rock hearts

E-330 works fabulous
good setup time,
fairly quick dry,
dries clear,
polishes well
and strong holding
on the joint line

edmohs

[spiceman]

E330 sounds good. Don't know anything about it..
Who makes it? Where can you buy it?
I would like to try it. Everybody has fractured rocks.

[mohs]

I don't think E-330 would be good for fracture, rocks
but its great for intarsia
for fracture rock probably the above video is good for that

E-330 may be hard to find
I get mine from a local jewelry dealer
or Amazon

[skysgt]

Tips for using Hot Stuff, Super T, and Special T, that weren't deeply delved into in the video:

1. Always use the pipettes. DO NOT puncture a hole in the black removable cap and/or the twist off white cap. It will create a permanent opening that will dry out your expensive glue.

2. Do not allow the glues to cover the rim or threads of the bottles they come in. The glue will dry and you may not be able to get them open again! Again, use the pipettes, and do not wipe the excess glue on the rim of the bottle.

3. I've found that using Reynolds Wrap non-stick tin foil works good too. Use the dull side and the glue will not readily stick to it.

4. Be sure to tightly cap all of your glues before using the NCF spray. If even a little bit of the spray gets into the bottle, your whole bottle will harden. I found this out the hard way!

5. The NCF spray stinks! The first time I used it, it triggered a migraine! I now only use it outdoors in a well ventilated area.

[Fossilman]

Also get a baby food jar and put those moisture bag things (Silica Gel) in the jar (opened)I just dump (Crystals) them in.....Than your container of glue,cap it....It will never harden...

[gemfeller]

Jul 10, 2016 20:41:08 GMT -5 spiceman said:

E330 sounds good. Don't know anything about it..
Who makes it? Where can you buy it?
I would like to try it. Everybody has fractured rocks.

Epoxy 330 is readily available at most lapidary suppliers. I get mine from Kingsley-North. They carry the Hot Stuff line as well as many other adhesives.

[orrum]

So where do you get the pipettes? I heard you should store super glues in the freezer???

[gmitch067]

The YouTube video on the use of CA glue (see above post) is very informative and is a must see for anybody learning its use. When needed, I have used CA glue to fill holes, and attempted to recover from spalls, But I am not satisfied with the results.

The holes remain unsightly and unnatural. The CA glue does a good job of sealing areas where grit can hide and contaminate future loads, and though the area seems to take a good polish, my knowledge of the fault remains. I do not notice any milkiness to the plug – it looks clear.

Spalls remain very noticeable. The CA glue might stop further breakage, but, especially in regard to clear stones… let’s just say that the damage is done. The leading edge of the flake is sealed but the area remains discolored. It is best to remove the spall and return the stone to the 220 grit tumble.

The one situation I HAVE had success in using CA glue is in the repair and prevention of cracks and breaks. I obtained a few 3/8” slabs of Brecciated Jasper at the Consolidated Rock shop here in Vacaville and proceeded to cut and shape the stone and make pendants (dremel and wet/dry sandpaper). The stone I was working on fell and broke in half. I used CA glue to repair the break. The only reason I know that it had broken is because I knew where to look for the crack. (pics below)

I was in the polish stage of a 30X40mm oval of Picture Jasper when I noted a crack. Before it could spread, I used CA glue to seal it. The finishing and polish had to be redone, and the crack is more noticeable, but I count it as one of my “saves.” (pics below)

The CA glue I use is (bought at Amazon): Starbond Cyanoacrylate ; Super Fast Thin (EM-02), Medium Thick (EM-600), GelType Thick (EM-2000). For a quick dry, I use the Aerosol Accelerator (CPH-708). I do not refrigerate it and it comes with extra caps and pipettes for each bottle.

[gmitch067]

I used CA glue to seal and “ready” a 3/8” Brecciated Jasper slab for cutting and shaping of 5 pieces of jewelry - to gift my Son, his Wife, and 2 boys (3-Bolos for the men, 1 belt buckle for my Son, and a pendant for his wife). There was a vein of dark material (looking like a river running through one piece) – I thought it looked very interesting, but knew that it represented a weakness in the stone that could break apart as I man-handled it’s crafting. I treated the vein with the Super Fast Thin Starbond CA. When I turned the stone over to treat the other side I found the CA glue had worked it’s way through the 3/8” thickness and was dripping down to the waxed paper it sat atop. Even so… I treated the back side with CA glue as I did the front. After MUCH elbow grease action on 80 grit SiC wet/dry sandpaper to remove the excess glue, the slab is once again ready for cutting and shaping.