Ways to seal nozzles on caulking gun cartridges

[BobL]

I must be really bored because I am asking my Reserve, reserve question. It's one I have been meaning to ask for years but just got around to running out of stuff to post so I am now asking it.

So my question is "What do you use to seal the used cartridges used on caulking guns"

Typically I only need half a teaspoon of "stuff" and I already have the cartridge of "Stuff" but it's gone hard because I haven't found anything to seal the cartridge with or what ever I used to seal the cartridge has fallen off - or is stuck on so hard I have to cut it off which stuffs up the shape of the nozzle. So I buy a new cartridge and the same thing happens next time

I have tried the following -

nothing 0/10
Cling wrap wrapped several times around the end 1/10
Masking tape wrapped several times around the end 2/10
The caps from ball point pens 2/10
Remove nozzle and seal cartridge with cling wrap and replace nozzle - cartridge is OK but nozzle is rooted 2/10
Wooden dowel as a plug 3/10
Acorn nut as a cap 5/10
Wooden dowels with longish hole drilled in middle as a cap 6/10
Rubber feet for 1/4" steel rod as a cap 7/10

[Sturdee]

Bob,


Some nozzles have a screw cap attached which means you remove nozzle and attach cap but I prefer to either stick a nail in the nozzle or put a second nozzle over the one attached to the gun.

All will seal the opening and keep the cartridge for later use but the last two are the quickest.

Peter.

[Christos]

I use wide clear sticky tape and yes there is a shelf life for this.

[issatree]

Hi All.
When it goes dry, cut the out side off, & it is quite good for cleaning your revolving Sandpaper.

[The Bleeder]

Plastic (not wood) golf tees. Haven't found much that sitcks to them.

[chambezio]

Bob
you have run into a problem that we all have to deal with. I just stick a nail or screw into end of the nozzle. If when I come to use that cartridge and the goo is hard I just throw it away and put a fresh nozzle on. I have been fortunate enough (debatable) to have done a couple of caravan jobs where I bought a couple of boxes of cartridges. Each time I had to change to a fresh cartridge I would use the "old" nozzle from the previous cartridge. So I would have may be 20 unused nozzles to draw upon.
An effective way to clear a nozzle with hardened silicone in it is to blow it out with compressed air from the little end. It goes off with a little bang as the air shifts the plug.
Other than that we will have to be content with buying a new cartridge to have only a little taken out of it before it becomes too hard to get out of the cartridge.
I have found that sikaflex will go off in the tube if not used fairly quickly
Planned obsolescence by the manufacturers. They know how to extract our hard earned out of us

[BobL]

Thanks for the replies guys - nothing really jumping out here.

I forgot about the nail or screw in the end - i'd rate that method at about the same as a wooden dowel as a plug.

I'm thinking that maybe anything that pushes over the top of the nozzle as a cap is better than anything that pokes into the nozzle.

[CMB]

I must be really bored because I am asking my Reserve, reserve question. It's one I have been meaning to ask for years but just got around to running out of stuff to post so I am now asking it.

SOMEONE PLEASE ASK THE MAN A DUST COLLECTION QUESTION!

The consequences may be disastrous if we don't immerse him in a technical riddle! :oo:

[wolften]

...nozzle caps/condoms (http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=45858&cat=1,110,42967&ap=1) have had them for a while and work.
Haven't tried them for anything over 6 months yet.

[BobL]

SOMEONE PLEASE ASK THE MAN A DUST COLLECTION QUESTION!

The consequences may be disastrous if we don't immerse him in a technical riddle! :oo:

ANother consequence.
A tale of 3 chickens (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f43/tale-3-chickens-172386)

[BobL]

...nozzle caps/condoms (http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=45858&cat=1,110,42967&ap=1) have had them for a while and work.
Haven't tried them for anything over 6 months yet.

Oh boy, now the jokes can really start coming out.

Maybe we should wait for 9 months before being certain?

[CMB]

...nozzle caps/condoms have had them for a while and work.
Haven't tried them for anything over 6 months yet.


Oh boy, now the jokes can really start coming out.

Me first...me first!

That's great wolften...but how well do they work on caulking nozzles?
That's great wolften...but you must be feeling a bit light headed after six months?
That's great wolften...what does your wife think about them?
That's great wolften...what flavours can you get them in?

How I could go on, and on, and on...priceless post :laughing1:

Craig.

[RedShirtGuy]

Not to get back on track or anything...I've been using screws too but I squirt a bit more Stuff out and kinda make a seal around the screw with it. If it's "Stuff of rare use" I'll tape it up too. It's not the be-all-and-end-all answer but it seems to work for a fair while. I'm up for reusing the nozzles as well so usually end up with a few spare. Quite often if the nozzle has gone dry, the tube contents are still ok so I've been able to clean out the nozzle (with silicone anyway) by poking around with various highly technical tools...like a stick...and re-use it.

Carbatec have these (http://www.carbatec.com.au/twist-n-seal-stopper_c21486) but I haven't used them so can't comment.

[BobL]

. . . so I've been able to clean out the nozzle (with silicone anyway) by poking around with various highly technical tools...like a stick...and re-use it.

I've tried drilling out a blocked nozzle but I usually end up drilling another hole thru the side of the nozzle.

[wolften]

...'spose just have to wait a bit longer and see if anything comes out hard/soft:B

[artme]

Me first...me first!

That's great wolften...but how well do they work on caulking nozzles?
That's great wolften...but you must be feeling a bit light headed after six months?
That's great wolften...what does your wife think about them?
That's great wolften...what flavours can you get them in?

How I could go on, and on, and on...priceless post :laughing1:

Craig.

:rotfl:

[akuntz]

i use a hot glue gun and just cover the hole. It take a bit of turning the tube so it stays over the end. I have had tubes sealed like this for over a year with no problems
Al

[BobL]

i use a hot glue gun and just cover the hole. It take a bit of turning the tube so it stays over the end. I have had tubes sealed like this for over a year with no problems
Al

Interesting . . . . . . . . . . . . I guess if you want to you can just apply a bit of heat to get it off again.

[RedShirtGuy]

I just got this 5 pack of Sika nozzles and caps from Blahnings for about $2.

It's a standard nozzle size (not the large Sika type) but with a little threaded bit at the base of the tip's cut off section where the red cap screws on lightly.

Obviously haven't had time to try them out yet, but for $2 it's worth a shot even if their cons outnumber their pros...They don't deform the tip like the Carbatec ones I posted earlier do which is nice but the cap thread is pretty shallow and it's insanely easy to "skip" over the tightest fitting. It also doesn't look to be air tight (while empty and no pressure) but maybe a little squirt from the cartidge into the end of the cap will seal it up enough. Time will tell.

[nrb]

I have used the ones from Carbatec and don't think they are any better than a nail or a screw,just get some extra tips when you buy your tubes and change,must say if you could buy extras they would sell ok.mentioned this to a staff guy at bunnies and just got a blank stare(normal):roll:

[akuntz]

the hot glue just pulls off without heat as it really doesn't stick to plastic all that well but does seal
al

[wileecoyote]

I use large drinking straws or a piece of 6mm hose abot 3 inches long over the endof th nozzle and fill it up with silicon when I have finished with the gun. Simly pull it off the next time you use the gun.

[dougturner]

We have all probably coped with this problem in various ways and with varying success over the years. The one thing I have found that works with most of these products I have used, is to take the cartridge out of the gun, unscrew the plastic nozzle, and place 2 or 3 layers of cling wrap over the thread, then screw the nozzle back on. I sometimes remember to clean out the old nozzle while the goo is still soft, but other times............. Doug. :U

[Ambrosia]

I use sikaflex quite a bit and leave partially used tubes in the fridge. They will last months without curing.


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[Dingo Dog]

I just use a welding rod to push the hard compacted stuff in the nozzle back out. The Sellys no more gaps in the sealed squeeze bottle is good for small jobs, still goes off though.

DD