# A new CA question???



## tseger (Jun 14, 2006)

I am having a terrible time keeping my ca comming out of the bottle.
It always hardens in the tip and I find myself having to clean the
tip out every time I go to use the bottle.Does any one have a tip
for keeping this from happening? It's no biggie I guess, just a 
pain in the hinney.


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## loglugger (Jun 15, 2006)

Tseger, before you put the cap on make sure there is no glue in the snout. I tap the bottle on the bench then squeeze real gentle and let it suck all glue back into the bottle then put the cap on and keep the bottle upright.  
Bob


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## Nolan (Jun 15, 2006)

same as bob here and also buy replacement tips so you can replace when they get bad( so the ca stays fresh)
Nolan


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## Mac In Oak Ridge (Jun 15, 2006)

Don't put the top back on.  Get a large jar, plastic or glass with a good air tight lid. Make it large enough you can get your hand into, easily.  Put the open bottle of CA in the jar and close the lid.  It will stay fresh for months in there.  When you open it you'll get a wiff of CA, take bottle out and put lid back on to keep the atmosphere in there saturated with CA fumes. I keep my thin and thick CA this way and have had bottles last 6 months or more, open in the jar.

When I put the bottle of CA back in the jar, I drop it just a little.  That jarrs the tiny droplet of glue that usually is in the tip out, vary rarely do I ever find a clogged tip.


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## JimGo (Jun 15, 2006)

CSUSA also sells these things called "cherry pickers", and you can use those to plug the hole and clear it.


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## Dario (Jun 15, 2006)

I too never put the cap back on.  Whenever CA builds up on the tip, I just get my pliers and gently break it off (don't squeeze too much [])


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## ken69912001 (Jun 15, 2006)

Leave it uncapped.


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## huntersilver (Jun 15, 2006)

I too leave it uncapped in a small plastic tote so it can't fall over.


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## tseger (Jun 15, 2006)

Thanks for all the tips. I'll sure try them out and see what works for me.


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## jack barnes (Jul 4, 2006)

I take the tip off and drop it in a jar of acetone after about half hour take the tip out and it just like new


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## Pikebite (Jul 4, 2006)

I always keep my CA in the refrigerator when it is not in use.  Helps to keep it fresh and stops it setting in the tip.


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## tseger (Jul 4, 2006)

I ended up cutting a piece off the end to make the tip just a little bigger, give it a few taps on the lathe stand, and a good wipe down w\ a paper towel. Seems to have solved the problem.
Richard, Thanks, I think I will start storing in the fridge when not in use.
Thanks all for your comments and suggestions!!!


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## Dario (Jul 4, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Pikebite_
> <br />I always keep my CA in the refrigerator when it is not in use.  Helps to keep it fresh and stops it setting in the tip.



Not sure if this is a good advice.  If you have low humidity, this might work.

Here in San Antonio, TX where humidity is high, it can mess your CA right away.  Bringing opened CA out from the fridge will cause water condensation.  FYI water, is a CA accelerant.  Before you know it, your CA will become thicker and eventually go bad.

I do store UNOPENED CA bottle in the fridge.  I let it out for a few hours before opening it though...else you will have the problem I just described above.  DAMHIKT []


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## Pikebite (Jul 5, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Dario_
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The reason I store it in the fridge is after talking to a large supplier of CA here in England. Five Star Adhesives sell at least 10 types of CA including black and odourless CA. They suggest storing all CA sealed, in the fridge.

Yes I agree take it out and allow to reach room temperature before use but if you leave the top on condensation should not form inside the bottle.

All their bottles of CA state to store it at less than 5 degrees C, out of sunlight and with the top on. They claim  a shelf life of 7 years if stored like this! If only mine lasted that long!

They also do a primer to allow plastic to be glued with CA. "A primer to enable bonding of previously unadherable plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, delrin, teflon (ptfe), nylon".


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## Dario (Jul 5, 2006)

I don't have hours to wait when I need my CA so I don't even mess with putting it in the fridge after opening it.

As I said I throw away the cap after opening my CA bottles and to date almost all of my CA are used to the last drop...except that one that I opened right away after bringing it out the fridge...[B)]

Tell us more about the primer...any links to it?


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## tseger (Jul 5, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Dario_
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I have not though about that. Here in Mississippi, the humidity is definately HIGH.......so..... I guess I'll change my mind again. The ca will not go in the fridge. If I understand right ya'll say it is a good idea to keep the new, unopened bottles in the fridge until ready to use?? Just let them sit out for a couple of hours before use,right???


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## Dario (Jul 5, 2006)

Tim,

RIGHT.  

That few hours is to make sure that the CA temperature (inside the bottle) gets as close as possible to the room temperature.  That will avoid any condensation which is the culprit.


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