• Manufactured by FastCap
• 888-443-3748; www.fastcap.com
• Cost (varies by viscosity): 8-oz. bottle shown here, $43; 12-oz. activator, $13
Fast-acting glue is an important tool in my arsenal. I use it for joining delicate self returns on crown and baseboard. It’s also great for making mock-ups when homeowners are in a hurry to know what moldings might look like.
I’ve tried just about every type of fast-acting glue imaginable, from hobby glue to hot sticks, from butane-fired glue guns to polyurethane cartridges. The best one that I’ve found is FastCap’s 2P-10.
Part of the cyanoacrylate (CA) family of adhesives, 2P-10 (“two part, ten seconds”) is basically an industrial-strength version of Super Glue. Spread the glue on one piece, spray the other with aerosol activator (which speeds the curing process), and stick the two pieces together for a bulletproof joint. This glue bonds glass, ceramic, metal, wood, and even man-made products like medium-density fiberboard (MDF). It comes in three different viscosities (gel, thick, and medium) so that you can choose the right consistency for the project.
It’s also the best glue I’ve found for those impossible jobs like fixing a sliver torn by an errant chisel or patching an accidental router chip. The trick to this stuff is learning how little to apply. Although excess dried glue can be sanded off, it’s difficult not to take off more wood than glue. If you end up with squeeze-out, it’s best to spray on a bit of activator, wait a few seconds, and then peel off the excess glue.
I apply the glue to the small piece, then spray the activator on the larger piece. That way, I can hold my hand farther away from the spray and not get the activator on my skin. Once the two parts make contact, the mix sets in 10 seconds and cures in 30 seconds.
You also might want to buy a bottle of Debonder, the FastCap solvent used for unsticking fingers. In the time it takes to press two pieces of molding together, your fingers easily can become part of the joinery. Don’t ask me how I know.
Photo: Krysta S. Doerfler
