Sealant Tubes

[eje]

Is there any way to keep the small tubes of sealant from drying/hardening at screw cap? Even the small tubes are so expensive and they harden quickly.

 

[SloopJonB]

Only thing I have found that helps somewhat is to tape up the open end.

 

[weightless]

I have a system:

1. carefully clean the threads
   
2. replace the cap
   
3. place tube in Ziploc bag
   
4. roll air out of bag and seal
   
5. place in fridge
   
6. wait
   
7. remove from fridge
   
8. dispose of responsibly
   

To be sure it is a stupid system, but it's mine and I love it uncritically.

 

[IStream]

I have a system:

1. carefully clean the threads
   
2. replace the cap
   
3. place tube in Ziploc bag
   
4. roll air out of bag and seal
   
5. place in fridge
   
6. wait
   
7. remove from fridge
   
8. dispose of responsibly
   

To be sure it is a stupid system, but it's mine and I love it uncritically.

Truly the voice and wisdom of experience.

 

[El Borracho]

Leave them on the shelf at the marine store. Failing that, remember that most are cured or catalyzed by moisture. Marine air is full of moisture. Before screwing on the cap very quickly squeeze out a bit, wipe off clean, and quickly seal. The less catalyst trapped inside the better. Then follow the above rules from @weightless.

 

[Zonker]

I just use duct tape. Or electrical tape. And a long screw to plug the end. It's easier to remove the hardened plug of caulking that forms around the screw if you just pull it straight out.

I typically get many months out of Sika 291 or Lifecaulk.  3M products - not so much.

Lee Valley sells these lovely caulking tube condoms.  https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/45858-nozzle-caps

Great for parties. Tell your friend that you can't give your cat birth control pills but you have these. Bit of a struggle to get them on...

 

[casc27]

I just use duct tape. Or electrical tape. And a long screw to plug the end. It's easier to remove the hardened plug of caulking that forms around the screw if you just pull it straight out.

I typically get many months out of Sika 291 or Lifecaulk.  3M products - not so much.

Lee Valley sells these lovely caulking tube condoms.  https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/45858-nozzle-caps

Great for parties. Tell your friend that you can't give your cat birth control pills but you have these. Bit of a struggle to get them on...

Oh Zonker, I see a youtube video and an abused tomcat in your future...

 

[Zonker]

I showed my daughter a video of "Ozzy the desk weasel". Its adorable but does remind me of our last cat who would randomly attack you and then run away.

She starts googling " do weasels make good pets ? "

The first answer is NO!  Thank God...

 

[IStream]

My middle daughter was lobbying for a ferret for a long time. We "compromised" on a mouse...Now she's Guinea Pig curious.

 

[bgytr]

I just use duct tape. Or electrical tape. And a long screw to plug the end. It's easier to remove the hardened plug of caulking that forms around the screw if you just pull it straight out.

I typically get many months out of Sika 291 or Lifecaulk.  3M products - not so much.

Lee Valley sells these lovely caulking tube condoms.  https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/45858-nozzle-caps

Great for parties. Tell your friend that you can't give your cat birth control pills but you have these. Bit of a struggle to get them on...

or it fits your and/or his tiny dick just right- sorry couldn't resist.

 

[DDW]

One thing you can try is to take a small square of plastic sheet (cut from a poly bag or whatever), fold it over the top, then screw the cap down over that. Sometimes works. But I usually use the Weightless method. 

 

[ryley]

My middle daughter was lobbying for a ferret for a long time. We "compromised" on a mouse...Now she's Guinea Pig curious.

gateway pets...

 

[toddster]

For some things, I get away with shoving a large nail in the open end.  Hopefully so that the head doesn't interfere with the cap.  Pull out the nail to open a passage to free goop.  Most of the marine sealants, I end up cutting off the spout to get the second use.  Then cutting off a bottom corner for the third use. Then throwing the rest away.  

 

[Lex Teredo]

Squeezing out a little, tightly capping it with electrical tape then replacing the cap if you can wedge it on may help.  Although as the owner of an aging 35 foot keelboat that we race pretty hard, hustling to save $12 three times a season seems like maybe my rubric for evaluating cost/benefits is out of whack somewhere.  There might be other ways to save $36. 

 

[Phtt]

I use a mix of the above. Squeeze fresh. Plug w screw. Wrap with aluminum duct tape. Put in bottom veg bin in fridge. Keeps over a year. The carrots complain but i invite them to learn how to share. Family complains too same answer. 

 

[SloopJonB]

I use a mix of the above. Squeeze fresh. Plug w screw. Wrap with aluminum duct tape. Put in bottom veg bin in fridge. Keeps over a year. The carrots complain but i invite them to learn how to share. Family complains too same answer. 

Put it in a big freezer ziploc or wrap in Saran - keeps the smell transfer right down.

 

[Kenny Dumas]

Inhibiting cure of various polymers is a known property of various materials and chemicals. Might be fun to try some. 

 

[Gouvernail]

Never leave the cap off fir more than a few seconds.
On cartridges, rubber band  a few layers of plastic bag over the tip. Mdkevtge bag big enough to hold about a teaspoon of caulk. 
Fill the bag with caulk. For the next few days you will be able to Rio off that home made cap and use the rest of the caulk. 
when the usual exit hole becomes clogged with cured material, use a nail to  poke a hole just behind the cap and dispense through that hole. 
 

if you aren’t going to use the caulk soon, give it away . Lots of folks have dropped off half used new tubes at my shop and I have been happy, if I have had one at the right time,  to hand them an opened partly used tube So they can go install a cleat. 
 

“Can I give you $20 for the last few inches of that tube of 5200?”

When  the nearest stocking store is twenty miles away and traffic is at a standstill , that $20 is money well spent 

 

[WGWarburton]

Guinea pigs are excellent pets for kids. They don'ttake up much space, don't eat much or do much else, don't mind being picked up and don't live very long.

Tasty, too.