Superglue

[GordiMac]

Can anybody advise me how to seal superglue when I am finished with it till I need it again.When I need to reuse it is usually clogged and I cannot get it to come out the tube. I usually end up scrapping it and forced to open another tube.Help,thanks for any forthcoming advice.

[Sailorman]

The glue I use comes in a small pyramid style bottle with a long nozzle. I always make sure that I close it firmly when I use it. A small bottle usually lasts me for months. Sometimes the end of the nozzle gets dried glue accumulating on it and in order for the cap to sit on properly again I have to clean away the dried glue. Provided you replace the cap properly it should be possible to keep using the glue for months.

I use tiny drops at a time by putting a drop on a piece of paper and picking up what I need with a toothpick. Once I have placed the drop on the paper I immediately re-seal the bottle.

Keeping the nozzle clean and ensuring the cap fits on properly when you are finished goes a long way to keeping the glue from drying out.

Also make sure you don't keep the glue near a heat source. Some people recommend keeping it in the fridge when you are not using it. I never needed to do this even though I live in Malta and the temperature here is over 35 in summer and rarely lower than 10 in winter.

[Ratch]

If you're using tube glue, stand it upright, so the glue goes back into the main body and doesn't dry in the applicator.

[Darren-345957]

It's probably worth noting that CA is a two part glue, The monomer is in the tube and the other component of the reaction is moisture in the air. The fridge method uses cold to reduce humidity and slow chemical reactions and if you have a metal tube type of container you can try to squeeze the CA as close to the top as possible to reduce any air in the tube. It does have a limited life once exposed so best to buy smaller amounts.

I've got a container of Zap CA here from when I used to use it a lot more and there's about 20% left and it's just a slow flowing gel now.

[Paul2051]

I got through loads of superglue, I use it occasionally. Then I came upon a product sold by Squires, Micro Tips and Tube. In effect you have a narrow tube from the superglue. Being very narrow it probably takes a couple of days before it clogs, when it does snip just a little bit off the tube and you are back in business. The Micro kit is £7.99, on the face of it a bit expensive, but I have wasted far more glue. The other great advantage is as a thin tube, as an applicator, enables you to put the glue exactly where it is required.