CA Containers

[Rockytime]

I hate ca for several reasons but I do use it when necessary. What realy bugs me is: The nipple of the container clogs almost immediately. I close the container as quickly a I can. I have tried quickly putting a small finish nail in the opening. Then I need to pull it out with a pliers to use the ca again. Is there a simple trick to work with this stuff. I really use it only to seal the end of blanks and other nickle and dime things. I don't finish with it very often as the fumes give me a headache. My workshop is small and quite tight so it can be heated and cooled easily.

 

[flyitfast]

I use CA frequently and almost never have it dry in the tip. After using CA I tap the bottle bottom on a firm surface which draws the glue back into the bottle. When I open a new bottle that is the last time the cap is on the bottle. If the glue stays out of the tip it won't harden.
The only time the cap goes back on the bottle is when I transport the glue somewhere. Usually a bottle of glue lasts me for 4-6 months, sometimes longer.
Now the fumes are another subject and I agree with the aggravation.
gordon

 

[Boz]

Set the bottle on a flat surface and give it a little squeeze then release. A small amount may come out of the tip when you squeeze, which you can wipe off with a paper towel. The idea is you want the the bottle to suck in air and clear the narrow tip. Then cap it. I have been doing this for years and have not had a problem with them clogging up.

 

[Curly]

Try leaving it open for a while to let the CA run back inside. Won't hurt to give the tip a quick wipe too. Then cap it. The CA won't set up in the bottle if the cap is off unless you are spraying accelerator above it. You can leave the cap off for days and nothing will happen to the glue. Except that's when it will get knocked over and it runs out gluing everything on the bench.

Looks like I type too slowly.

 

[butchf18a]

Ditto....all those techniques work. When putting cap on wipe nozzle clean with acetone. When working with ca you don't want to be too far from a supply of acetone.

Jmoicbw-bidi

 

[Rockytime]

Thanks for the tips. Funny thing is I used ca for many years as a railroad modeler and do not remember having this problem. But that was a long time ago. At my age I for get lots of things. I do remember using micro tips for building kits. Probably have some squireled away somewhere. Just because I have not used them in 15 or 20 years dose not mean I won't need them someday. Anyway, thank you for the tips.

 

[kenmic]

Clogged CA Bottle Tip

Mercury Adhesives, http://www.mercuryadhesives.com/ builds a pin into their caps which helps prevent clogging. I like it for the general applications you mentioned.

 

[ed4copies]

I have never put a cap on the bottle once it is opened. TWO ounce size.

Yes, tap the bottom of the bottle, but with no cap, it lasts about six months. In Wisconsin, the glue gets thicker. May be the humidity, don't know.

 

[dankc908]

I bought this kit at Rockler Quick-Set CA Dry Box Glue Kit - Rockler Woodworking Tools. Somebody told me that the "bottle caps" in the kit and the "nozzles" are "one-use throwaways". Instead I use a 1/16" drill bit to clean out the little "bottle caps" and a regular sewing pin to clean out the nozzles. Works great and I keep it in the large "Dry Box" for storage.

Dan

 

[steamshovel]

I store my CA upside down when I am gluing or storing, the glue runs down the neck but will not leak and stays fresh. When storing I put the cap back on and store upside down. I use a small plastic bottle to store the CA . I also use a small drill bit and a small finish nail as stated.

Preston

 

[Swagopenturner]

All of FastCap's 2P-10 bottles (2.25 oz and 10 oz) have a little pin built into them. Let the glue drip back into the bottle then cap it tightly. Depending on the humidity in your area, you can leave a bottle open for awhile without having to worry about hardening. Thin glues set faster than thicker CA Glues. Also try wiping the tip with WD-40 after use. FastCap also have the thin Micro-Tips and long tubed tips for all their bottles, so you can snip off a little bit in case it hardens at the end!

 

[randyrls]

Is there a simple trick to work with this stuff. I really use it only to seal the end of blanks and other nickle and dime things. I don't finish with it very often as the fumes give me a headache.

Les; Several vendors sell small (empty) bottles suitable for CA. Just take the tip and drop it into a small sealed glass jar of Acetone. The CA will dissolve and you can reuse the tip again.