Preserving CA adhesives after opening

guest · May 26, 2017

Silly subject I know.

I wanted to glue up a broken plastic cap on my LPG tank. I went over to my tool box and grabbed a tube of CA glue that I had used once. Of course the tip was rock hard, but the tube was still full and soft, and I wanted to get one more use.

I poke a hole in the bottom with a paper clip so I could squeeze from the wrong end, and I shit you not- it was like 2 seconds, and the entire tube went rock hard.

I've never seen it do this before- as soon as the air hit the soft glue it just kicked off the whole tube. WTF?

Mod- feel free to kill this thread. I just thought someone might have a tip to make a tube of super glue last more than one use, lol.

paulz · May 26, 2017

I've got some Q Bond superglue (the stuff with the reinforcing powders)at work that I've had for over two years and it's still useable. It has a small pushpin in the tip to seal it.

Question Boy · May 26, 2017

I've got a bottle I keep in the fridge, been in there 4 or 5 years, still works. Not sure I'd trust it on airplane parts, but good for things around the house.

QB

edge22 · May 26, 2017

Keeping it in the fridge does work.

apt403 · May 27, 2017

CA glue is made of cyanoacrylate monomers - water (humidity) is the catalyst that kicks off the polymerization reaction, which is also heat dependent. Keep it dry and cold (below 32°F/0°C) and you'll be good to go.

If you want to go stupid with it, pack the container in a coffee can/Tupperware full of silica dessicant, stick that in your deep freezer.

I like the BSI brand CA that comes in the HDPE bottles. You can get packs of replacement nozzles for a couple bucks, and the container is much more effective at keeping the glue liquid. Also cheaper than the little tubes.

There's also methyl methacrylate adhesives that are dispensed in two part tubes like epoxy. The mix ratio can be anywhere from 30:1 to 1:1 depending on your desired cure time. That's some good stuff. Kicks quick if you want it to, with better results than the shoddy polymerization that 1/3/5 minute epoxies provide. My boss bought about.... I dunno, two shoe boxes full of mixing nozzles from China - that's usually the main cost input, the two part guns for 50ml cartridges aren't kind to your wallet if you buy the OEM nozzles.

adama · May 27, 2017

Over here loctite do little 1 gram tubes that come in a pack of 3, its the best answer i have found to always having it on hand and usable.

6PTsocket · May 27, 2017

If the object is to keep moist air out, what about keeping all air out. How about putting it in a FoodSaver bag in a vacuum?

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Peter from Holland · May 27, 2017

On those silicon gasket tubes I put a piece of plastic foil between cap and tube when I screw on the cap This will keep the air out better as just a cap Since I do this I can use even the last bit
Never tried it on superglue but it might work .I would use stretch foil with these long caps

Peter

guest · May 27, 2017

I will start keeping CA's in the fridge.

What was strange to me was that the glue inside the tube wasn't hard when I started- it just had a plugged tip. After poking the hole in the other end, the entire contents hardened almost instantly.

That was my last tube of CA, so I tried some PVC/ABS cement. It seemed to work just fine- I replaced the cap and it's still in one piece.

6PTsocket · May 27, 2017

Peter from Holland said:
On those silicon gasket tubes I put a piece of plastic foil between cap and tube when I screw on the cap This will keep the air out better as just a cap Since I do this I can use even the last bit
Never tried it on superglue but it might work .I would use stretch foil with these long caps

Peter

I just had the cap split in half on a Permatex tube. I tried other caps from everything and nothing fit. It appears to be Slobovian standard pitch.

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dgfoster · May 27, 2017

Peter from Holland said:
On those silicon gasket tubes I put a piece of plastic foil between cap and tube when I screw on the cap This will keep the air out better as just a cap Since I do this I can use even the last bit
Never tried it on superglue but it might work .I would use stretch foil with these long caps
I
Peter

Stretch foil? Like clear PLASTIC stretch wrap? Foil suggests metal, but I suspect this a translation subtlety. Just checking though, as there may be something new I'd like to know about.

BTW, I like the foil on silicone tube idea. Sounds like a winner.

Denis

Newman109 · May 27, 2017

I have a small refrigerator in my a shop where I keep CA cement. It keeps very well until I used it up which could be some months.

I opened a bottle of Gorilla Glue a while back and set it on a shelf (not in the refrigerator) and when I got back to used some more, it was hard as a rock. Must have gotten some moisture.

In any case, CA keeps nicely in a refrigerator.

kgize · May 27, 2017

Do not just use the fridge - use the FREEZER, It will not freeze. I have kept large bottles (4 oz) of such glues in freezer for 4 years and still usable.

johansen · May 27, 2017

guest said:
I poke a hole in the bottom with a paper clip so I could squeeze from the wrong end, and I shit you not- it was like 2 seconds, and the entire tube went rock hard.

I've never seen it do this before- as soon as the air hit the soft glue it just kicked off the whole tube. WTF?

i'd say it's more like you thought the tube was soft because there was gas in the tube while the rest of the CA was hard.

CA gets hot when it solidifies, if you cured 0.2mL of it to solid in a few seconds you'd know very well how that happened. drop a drop of it on damp jeans, cotton cloth, your skin, it will burn you.

wawoodman · May 27, 2017

I don't use it often enough to care. I buy the little tubes, and figure one and done.

Educator · May 27, 2017

I use the Satellite City brand that comes in the 2oz bottles...probably similar to what apt403 was talking about. I keep a supply of tops as well.
I hadn't heard about refrigerating it...Good idea

EPAIII · May 27, 2017

The stuff just won't last forever after opening it. But this is what seems to work best for me:

Just close the original container and STORE IT VERTICALLY so the adhesive does not wick out between the threads.

I tried a variety of methods and this is the best, so far. As you can see, I also store opened epoxy that way.

rons · May 28, 2017

Refrigerator storage helps. I do not use the bottle tip, always clogs up. Unscrew the cap and use a toothpick to pickup what glue I need.

Gorilla glue always forms a dried layer in the stock plastic bottle. I use a couple layers of wax paper as a seal when screwing back the cap.

Peter from Holland · May 28, 2017

dgfoster said:
Stretch foil? Like clear PLASTIC stretch wrap? Foil suggests metal, but I suspect this a translation subtlety. Just checking though, as there may be something new I'd like to know about.

BTW, I like the foil on silicone tube idea. Sounds like a winner.

Denis

Sorry for my bad English Yes I mean plastic, stretch wrap or a piece of a plastic bag as a seal when screwing back the cap

Peter

cranium · May 28, 2017

A couple years ago I bought a 3-pack of CA in a resealable plastic pouch at Dollar Tree for $1. 1.5 tubes are left, still soft and usable. Pouch and contents are stored upright in a corner of the workbench.

Pissed me off when I needed a small can of PVC cement and in typical Lowes fashion was forced to buy the big expensive can. Wrapped this can in a heavy baggie and stored it in the refrigerator. Been a couple years with this as well and it's still good.

Whatever it is, bag it up and store it upright in a refrigerator. :codger:

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