How do I make LED's stick?

[soo]

Howdy all,
     I am trying to upgrade lighting in some of my locos. I am having a hard time gluing the 0603 led's to the numberboard/headlight plastic.
     Regular CA just is not working for me. For example..I drilled a hole in rear head light plastic in order to recess the LED, inserted the LED used regular CA..did not hold.
     So what can be done to glue the LED's?

Cya, Y-it

[peteski]

That's odd. LEDs are made mostly from epoxy resin  Was the LED clean?  Any glue you would use for resin (CA, epoxy, or even Bondic) should work.  Are you just letting the CA glue "dry" on its own?  If you don't  use accelerator, the CA glue will not just "dry" or set on its own (or not for a while, until the moisture from the ambient air creates a reaction which makes it harden.

I use all of the above mentioned  adhesives for LEDs. But I'm religiously using the CA accelerator (applied with a MicroBrush).

[soo]

Pete,
     Thanks. It never crossed my mind to use accelerator. Yes I was just using the air to cure. I might try epoxy.
     Thank you again.
Y-it

[woodone]

Try Bontic light activated glue. Drys clear and when you hit it with the light it cures real quick!

[AKNscale]

I use 5-15 sec modeling super glue. Afterwards I coat it in liquid electrical tape. The liquid electrical tape is what actually holds the light on.

[RBrodzinsky]

I have been using Bondic, as well. I put the lens of the LED flat against the light pipe surface, then a small drop of the Bondic and hit the UV.

[DKS]

That's odd. LEDs are made mostly from epoxy resin  Was the LED clean?  Any glue you would use for resin (CA, epoxy, or even Bondic) should work.  Are you just letting the CA glue "dry" on its own?  If you don't  use accelerator, the CA glue will not just "dry" or set on its own (or not for a while, until the moisture from the ambient air creates a reaction which makes it harden.

I use all of the above mentioned  adhesives for LEDs. But I'm religiously using the CA accelerator (applied with a MicroBrush).

The CA "accelerant" I use is the tip of a bit of paper towel to wick away excess CA. I've found excess CA to be the number one curing inhibitor, and a bit of paper towel is quick, and about as economical as you can get.

[Steveruger45]

I stick my leds on with CA no problem, but yes apply it sparingly or wick away the excess to speed up the setting process.

[peteski]

The CA "accelerant"

Well, you got me there @David K. Smith .  Colloquially it is known as "CA accelerator".



As the photo shows, it is even called that by the manufacturers.  That is why I call the cyanoacrylate adhesive accelerant an "Accelerator". 

[DKS]

Colloquially it is known as "CA accelerator".

So? Potato, potahto.

[peteski]

So? Potato, potahto.

Exactly - I just thought you were busting my cookies. You can sometimes be a stickler when it comes to proper grammar.

[DKS]

Exactly - I just thought you were busting my cookies. You can sometimes be a stickler when it comes to proper grammar.

Not this time--I put the word in quotes because paper towel is not what might be considered a proper accelerator, accelerant, or any other such variation. It's been my nearly-no-cost method ever since Rick Spano demonstrated it to me a couple of decades ago.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

[jeffstri]

I use Crystal Clear Gallery Glass

[peteski]

Not this time--I put the word in quotes because paper towel is not what might be considered a proper accelerator, accelerant, or any other such variation. It's been my nearly-no-cost method ever since Rick Spano demonstrated it to me a couple of decades ago.

Actually, paper towel might be an accelerant. Well, something in the paper. Maybe moisture?  I think it is more to it than just wicking away excessive amount of glue on the joint.  I use Bounty paper towels and sometime I drip few drops of CA on the towel. It sets fairly quicky (especially thin CA), even heating up and emitting "smoke".  So maybe when you wick away the excess glue, you migth be setting up a chain reaction.

[soo]

Thanks for all the input guys.

     I ended up using gel ca with accelerator. I will make another thread with a short video.
      Thank you again.
Y-it