Garden Railway Forum

It's time for another of Tom`s idiot questions to problems I seem to only experience!

Everytime I use super glue that comes in a plastic bottle with a nozzle the end of the nozzle always becomes blocked with dried glue. This happens after I put it away and come to use it again.

The only way I can prevent this happening is if I take the nozzle off and clean it with white spirit or carb cleaner which seems excessive.

The brand of glue is irrelevant, it happens to any I buy.

I think it is just glue behaving like..... glue! The tubes I use frequently become blocked, but so does Evostik etc....

No answer, I'm afraid, Tom. I have the same problem. No matter how carefully I try and reseal the bottle, after a while I end up with a clogged nozzle. Be interested if anyone has the secret.

Rik

I rarely use superglue for exactly that reason. If I do use it I buy those cheapo blister pack cards of 10 tubes for a couple of quid from Poundstretcher, etc, and treat them as single use items and throw away as soon as they clog.

Stainless steel sewing pin to seal the nozzle (instead of the provided cap) - as long as the nozzle hole is no bigger than the dia of the pin.
Use one with big plastic ball for the head not the all metal pin (easier to pull to open)
Also keep the glue in the fridge.

philipy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 19, 2019 5:58 pm I rarely use superglue for exactly that reason. If I do use it I buy those cheapo blister pack cards of 10 tubes for a couple of quid from Poundstretcher, etc, and treat them as single use items and throw away as soon as they clog.

That's roughly what I do when I use the tube. I find they usually last about a week and then clog up. Keeping the stuff in the fridge also helps, but if the wife finds it she chucks it out of the fridge into the junk draw. I tend to prefer the superglue that comes in a small bottle with a brush, and that tends to last quite well provided you put the brush back into the bottle rather than leaving it laying around to go hard, and store it in a cool place.

Cheers,
Peter in Va

IrishPeter wrote: ↑Sat Jan 19, 2019 6:12 pm Keeping the stuff in the fridge also helps, but if the wife finds it she chucks it out of the fridge into the junk draw.

Snap! I fear my food hygiene standards aren't what they should be! I can sometimes get away with keeping the stuff in the fridge if it's in a sealed jam jar...

Andrew.

Glad it's not just me then!

I too suffer the "one-use" problem with the tubes of superglue, however I bought these back in June -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

I am only half-way down the first bottle, I don't do anything special, but I think the cap design/material is designed to keep the nozzle clear.
Yesterday I made up half a dozen HGLW whiskey crates and some tea-chests, the bottle stood open on the bench for the duration, this is how I've always used it.

bambuko wrote: ↑Sat Jan 19, 2019 6:01 pm Stainless steel sewing pin to seal the nozzle (instead of the provided cap) - as long as the nozzle hole is no bigger than the dia of the pin.
Use one with big plastic ball for the head not the all metal pin (easier to pull to open)
Also keep the glue in the fridge.

What he said.

I also tend to use the stuff in bottles. I rarely use the nozzle but open the bottle up and use a tooth pick or loop of thin wire to apply the glue.

I would not dare put it in the fridge in case I found myself peckish in the night and forgot to put my glasses on before making a sneaky cheese sandwich.

I don't normally have a problem with cheapo superglue tubes, but maybe that's because I'm not normal. I simply wipe the nozzle after every application, and then stand it vertically for a few minutes, to allow the glue to run back down into the tube, before replacing the cap. I rarely have to discard a tube which is not empty.

I feel your pain, Tom.

Over the years I have learned two tricks that seem to help -

One, always wipe the excess glue from the nozzle with a cloth or kitchen towel before replacing the cap. This stops a build up of glue in the cap (and therefore transferred to the nozzle).

Two, store the bottle of glue upside down. It may be my imagination, but the glue seems to stay "fresher" for longer!!!

Lot's of interesting responses and again glad it's not just me!

BorisSpencer wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:48 pm I too suffer the "one-use" problem with the tubes of superglue, however I bought these back in June -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

I am only half-way down the first bottle, I don't do anything special, but I think the cap design/material is designed to keep the nozzle clear.
Yesterday I made up half a dozen HGLW whiskey crates and some tea-chests, the bottle stood open on the bench for the duration, this is how I've always used it.

I'm also a fan of this product - I usually get through a whole bottle albeit near the end I tend to squirt out some SG onto an old piece of plastic and use a cocktail stick to apply the glue where I need it - when the bottle neck as gradually 'silted' up