Pore Filling with Superglue

by Chuck Moore

Originally published in American Lutherie #118, 2014



Since learning about the superglue (CA) pore-filling method from Steve Grimes in Maui, I’ve used it on at least four hundred ukuleles. It’s not for everybody though, and it will irritate your eyes. From what I’ve been able to find on the Internet, it is an irritant similar to pepper spray. Working in front of a fan is imperative, outdoors is recommended, and (as my grade school teachers used to say) neatness counts if you don’t want to end up with hands covered in glue and possibly stuck to your work. I’ve probably shown a hundred people how to do this. Some love it while others hate it. The best thing about it is that it is fast and effective. There is absolutely no shrink back if done properly.

The company I get my CA glue from is CPH International in Los Angeles. They are super easy folks to work with and usually ship the same day they receive your order. Their website (www.starbond.com) has no prices. You must e-mail them for the price list. Pint bottles have cost $30 for as long as I’ve dealt with them, and a pint is by no means too much if you build a lot of instruments. The two types I use are EM-02 (thin) for general purpose and the EM 150 (medium) for grain filling. (The EM 2000 is too thick for pore filling.) EM 150 seems to be the perfect blend of viscosity and grain-filling capability. They will also give you a bunch of two ounce bottles with your order, so there is no need to buy any extras. As an aside, their aerosol cans of accelerator are good, but their pump bottles are junky.