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Minimizing issues with those pesky super glue bottles!


DanR

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My apologies to anyone who also visits the FSM forum, I'm duplicate posting here and there lately.

In regards to this type of super glue, which I get at Hobby Lobby:

image.png.e1a2e84ea7ca277d9061d4542664ad40.png

I'm sure that others have had issues with the glue drying up long before the bottle is empty, or with glue amassing at the tip, causing the lid to not go back on properly, or with the tip itself getting clogged, etc. Well, I have been doing the following basic things to prevent this and they're working for me:

1) After every use (EVERY use, each time you squeeze a dollop out), wipe the tip with a paper towel and stick the cap back on.

If you go back later and the tip is clogged,

2) Use a pin vise to drill through the clog.

Repeat 1 and 2 over and over again. I have had zero issues with the bottle shown so far. The last one I used was a disaster.

Hope this helps!

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Store opened bottles in a screw top mason jar with a few silica gel bags tossed in. The silica gel absorbs ambient moisture that would have been otherwise absorbed by the CA, which has amazing moisture absorption qualities. Storing CA in such a manner greatly extends its useful life. I have several Bob Smith Industries CA which are approaching their tenth birthdays and they're still good.

Edited by SfanGoch
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Here are my tips for longevity and continued use of bottled (not tube) CA glue:

Squeeze the bottle in an upright position a few times to clear the tip of glue residue.

Wipe excess glue from exterior of nozzle.

Insert a stainless steel straight pin into the nozzle (Assuming your tip has a small enough hole to not let the head fall in)

Cap as usual.

Works pretty reliably with out resorting to drilling.

 

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18 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Store opened bottles in a screw top mason jar with a few silica gel bags tossed in. The silica gel absorbs ambient moisture that would have been otherwise absorbed by the CA, which has amazing moisture absorption qualities. Storing CA in such a manner greatly extends its useful life. I have several Bob Smith Industries CA which are approaching their tenth birthdays and they're still good.

What's a good source for those little bags?

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I got tired of large bottles of instant glue turning to rock so now i buy these 12-packs at Zoro for about 60cents a tube.

Don't buy these little tubes at Harbor Freight. Many have only a few drops of glue in them.

These are pretty full and if they set up before the glue is used up, just get another one out of the jar.

https://www.zoro.com/super-glue-instant-adhesive-2g-tube-clear-pk12-15187/i/G2688086/

https://www.zoro.com/super-glue-instant-adhesive-2g-tube-clear-pk12-15185/i/G2177481/

If you sign up for their emails they'll let you know about some pretty good sales. They've got a few thousand dollars out of me.

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Foghorn Leghorn said:

I got tired of large bottles of instant glue turning to rock so now i buy these 12-packs at Zoro for about 60cents a tube.

Don't buy these little tubes at Harbor Freight. Many have only a few drops of glue in them.

These are pretty full and if they set up before the glue is used up, just get another one out of the jar.

https://www.zoro.com/super-glue-instant-adhesive-2g-tube-clear-pk12-15187/i/G2688086/

https://www.zoro.com/super-glue-instant-adhesive-2g-tube-clear-pk12-15185/i/G2177481/

If you sign up for their emails they'll let you know about some pretty good sales. They've got a few thousand dollars out of me.

 

 

 

 

I agree with this. I've tried the bigger bottles only to get frustrated with clogging, and dried up guck. Since moving on from that I Iook for the cheapest small tubes I can find and just keep them "in stock".

The smaller tubes even dry out before I finish them any way. Nice to have a fresh bottle when time to use it.

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1 hour ago, TimKustom said:

I agree with this. I've tried the bigger bottles only to get frustrated with clogging, and dried up guck. Since moving on from that I Iook for the cheapest small tubes I can find and just keep them "in stock".

The smaller tubes even dry out before I finish them any way. Nice to have a fresh bottle when It's time to use it.

You're an uncommonly wise man, Doc. Stay safe!

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