one clarification, John....(sticking to my guns? *grin*)...I use all sorts of woods in my work, and I work both with stuff that is both extremely dry and some that is so wet it throws water at me as I turn...(I kept some Pacific Madroné IN a bucket of water to keep it from checking until I was ready...and I needed cyano right at my elbow while I worked).

The wetter the wood, the faster the cyano cures...and some woods with oils are VERY fast (certain Rosewoods, for example), though I am unsure of the relation of wood/water/oil in the ultimate rate. If I need a fast cure, especially on the thicker formulations of cyano, I use the special accelerator.

On the website of the glue I currently use, they offer this explanation:

"In most cases, the moisture found on any surface will initiate the curing mechanism of the cyanoacrylate. This moisture, combined with the elements of the surface creates a possible activating pH level. The higher the acid level of the surface, which equates to a pH level below 4, the slower the cure. This is due to the fact that organic acids are used as stabilizers in the manufacturing of cyanoacrylates. These acidic stabilizers are a major facilitator in keeping the cyanoacrylate in its liquid form. Stick Fast™ cyanoacrylates are surface-insensitive formulated for bonding a wide range of similar and dissimilar materials.

Stick Fast™ ACTIVATOR will accelerate the cure faster than moisture alone and may be the only way to create a cure on some highly acidic surfaces. Using too much ACTIVATOR will cause an exothermic reaction that will cause foaming and reduce bond strength. Using AEROSOL ACTIVATOR allows for a lighter, more even application that reduces the foaming tendency."

   Obviously, your advice holds that " If it works once, do it again.", and that IS my method, as I would go crazy trying to plan my glue use with technical data on the many types of materials that I use.

The only reason I say all this is to make the information available ABOUT the professional grades of cyano, in case someone wants to try something beyond the little problem tubes of gunk they sell at the local hardware store. With a good brand of glue (about $6-8), it is possible, with care, to keep a bottle usable for a couple of years....and if one cares to invest in the accelerator and debonder (almost unlimited shelf-life), one can have excellent control over almost any situation that calls for superglue.