Clogged touch-n-flow

[scapilot]

So I picked up one of the touch-n-flow applicators at the local hobby store yesterday, and was excited to try it out, as I've been having issues with hard to reach places of late. Got home, and read the directions carefully. Stuck it upside down in a new bottle of extremely thin CA glue that I bought just for this thing, and saw a little bit of glue feed into the tubing. Ready to give it a shot, I started working with it, and was quite happy with my ability to be able to control the micro bead of glue, as well as get it into hard to reach spots. Set it down as recommended to work some pieces to fit, and then picked it back up to see that it was clogged. No biggie I thought, I read the directions on how to unclog it, and that provided nothing. Wiped the tip, flicked the tip to break up any clogs....nothing. Ran a flame over the needle itself to maybe liquify the CA that was still in there....nothing. So in the end, I've essentially paid nine bucks for...well...nothing. I've tried everything, and I'll not lie when I say that I'm a little ****** about it. The glue was thinner than water, not like I was trying to push hot glue through it...and it says that it's a CA applicator, so I don't think I was in the wrong for using anhthing other than just thin liquid cement, but this may not be the case. Either way, I don't think anyone, including me, likes to justify throwing away nine dollars on something that was used to lay down to beads of super glue, and then into the trash. I let it soak over night in some acetone in hopes that maybe I'll be able to blow it out today with the airbrush, but I fear that it's a lost cause at this point. Can someone please help me figure this out? And for the record....I used it, set it down for two minutes tops, and then went to use it. So it's not like I left it out over the weekend, and expected to come back to it and nothing be wrong. I followed the directions to a T and yielded nothing.

[Bob Beary]

I sure would not use that to apply super glue, however thin.

I would use it only for thin liquid plastic cements.

You can try acetone or a CA debonder (let it soak in some for a while) followed by Lacquer thinner. And maybe the flame thing after that.

Bob

[Phantom ordie]

Don't think it was meant to be used with CA. Acetone should disolve the CA.

[datahiker]

Agreed. The touch-n-flow is for liquid cement (like Testors, Tamiya or a solvent like MEK), not any kind of CA.

I hope you're able to get the CA out, because it's a fantastic tool.

[Grey Ghost 531]

From MicroMark's site:

"The Touch-N-Flow Applicator lets you apply just the amount of liquid plastic (solvent type) glue or C/A accelerator you need. How it works: Capillary action draws liquid into the glass tube. Touching the micro-tip to the joint causes the liquid to flow from the tube. Application is easily controlled and precisely positioned."

CA accelerator, NOT CA cement. You can only use something that will evaporate completely leaving no residue in a Touch-n-flow. In the words of Dr. McCoy, "It's dead, Jim". I don't expect you'll be able to soak the dried CA out of it.

[balls47]

Hey Seapilot, Sorry about your luck, but the Touch-N-Flow was not made for CA (superglue). I can see where the directions may be a little confusing. It advised the user that the Touch-N-Flow is to be used for liquid cement and "C/A Activators." (in other words, accelerator, zip kicker, etc.) Put a drop of liquid cement (like Tenax), a drop of accelerator, and a drop of superglue on a piece of glass and see what happens. The liquid cement and the accelerator will evaporatec but the superglue will dry very hard. That's what happened in your Touch-N-Flow. You might be able to unclog it with some debonder, but your best bet may be to cut your losses and get a new one, because it's a great little tool. Lesson learned, and good luck.