# CA Shelf life



## Tage (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm thinking about ordering CA online in larger 8 oz bottles, since it's more economical that way.  I've been buying from a local hobby store, and 2 oz. runs close to $9.  The only reason I've held off to this point is that I've had 2 of the smaller bottles harden.  Two questions:

1) What is the shelf life for CA?  I picked one off the shelf in the hobby store once that had hardened.  The guy behind the counter said they do that sometimes and he doesn't often check them. I get the impression he doesn't sell much of it, so maybe it sits there a long time and the CA I'm buying is already old.

2)  What is the recommended storage technique for CA....especially if I buy a bigger bottle.  CA is a funny thing.  I'll go a couple of months without having time to make pens, then get busy for a month or so, and then the stuff just disappears!!  I'd like to have enough on hand when I need it.

Thanks.


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## Turned Around (Oct 6, 2011)

that's a good question. i went to use my thin CA last night, it was almost like the thick CA.


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## Boz (Oct 6, 2011)

Keep it in the freezer.  
We have one in the basement right next to my shop.  Pull the bottle out and put it in your pocket and in a few min it is ready to use.


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## tim self (Oct 6, 2011)

I buy the 8oz bottles. Fill my 2 oz bottles and store the big bottle in the fridge.  I never have had any harden and the bottle I'm now almost finshed with is about a yr old.  My small bottles stay in the shop uncapped and still don't harden.


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## bobjackson (Oct 6, 2011)

I have used larger bottles for years with no thickening. Keep the cap on.


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## Tage (Oct 7, 2011)

Turned Around said:


> that's a good question. i went to use my thin CA last night, it was almost like the thick CA.



Exactly.  I tried to use some that had gone thick like that, out of curiosity.  It gets very stringy.  I definitely wouldn't want to use if for finishing and I would be worried about its bonding ability.


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## Tage (Oct 7, 2011)

Tim & Bob, thanks for the input.  I'm going to try the bigger bottles.


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## Turned Around (Oct 7, 2011)

bobjackson said:


> I have used larger bottles for years with no thickening. Keep the cap on.


 
maybe it was because we had record heat this summer and it was in the garage the whole time. 109 degrees outside will do some funny things i guess.


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## dgelnett (Oct 9, 2011)

I keep my big bottles in the refrige and use the 2 oz bottles in the shop. I was leaving the small bottles in the shop and this summer they all went hard so now I bring them in when not in use.

Anyone have a good place to buy the 2oz bottles? Mine crack and leak really bad, in fact I think my right hand is still attached to a small bottle. Ran out of acetone.


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## micharms (Oct 9, 2011)

You can buy the bottles at penblanks.ca.

Michael


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## sbell111 (Oct 11, 2011)

micharms said:


> You can buy the bottles at penblanks.ca.
> 
> Michael


I've had those bottles crack on me, so I am looking for some that are more like the OEM glue bottles.


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## sbwertz (Oct 11, 2011)

dgelnett said:


> I keep my big bottles in the refrige and use the 2 oz bottles in the shop. I was leaving the small bottles in the shop and this summer they all went hard so now I bring them in when not in use.
> 
> Anyone have a good place to buy the 2oz bottles? Mine crack and leak really bad, in fact I think my right hand is still attached to a small bottle. Ran out of acetone.


 
Monty is the best source for both bulk CA and bottles, tips, caps, etc

www.woodenwonderstx.com


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## lorbay (Oct 11, 2011)

dgelnett said:


> I keep my big bottles in the refrige and use the 2 oz bottles in the shop. I was leaving the small bottles in the shop and this summer they all went hard so now I bring them in when not in use.
> 
> Anyone have a good place to buy the 2oz bottles? Mine crack and leak really bad, in fact I think my right hand is still attached to a small bottle. Ran out of acetone.



http://woodenwonderstx.com/ZC_WoodenWonders/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3

Lin.


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## dgelnett (Oct 12, 2011)

Thanks, I did not mean to hi-jack this thread but when I came in from the shop with CA all over my hand from a bottle that split @#$%. It was the supper-thin CA and I can tell you it does a great job at spreading everywhere. My nails look like I had them done and I am not that kind of a guy.


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## Tage (Oct 14, 2011)

dgelnett said:


> Thanks, I did not mean to hi-jack this thread but when I came in from the shop with CA all over my hand from a bottle that split @#$%. It was the supper-thin CA and I can tell you it does a great job at spreading everywhere. My nails look like I had them done and I am not that kind of a guy.



No worries.  All good info that came out of that question.


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## opfoto (Oct 18, 2011)

Really.....I have had a bottle of thick less than a year old harden up on me...Never even opened it. I am gonna give up on even trying to use it as a finish...way too expensive to keep throwing in the garbage.


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## sgimbel (Oct 18, 2011)

+1 on Monty.  Good price and great service.


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## jcm71 (Oct 20, 2011)

dgelnett said:


> I keep my big bottles in the refrige and use the 2 oz bottles in the shop. I was leaving the small bottles in the shop and this summer they all went hard so now I bring them in when not in use.
> 
> Anyone have a good place to buy the 2oz bottles? Mine crack and leak really bad, in fact I think my right hand is still attached to a small bottle. Ran out of acetone.




Try Wood N Whimsies.  Good prices on their CA.  Thanks to all previous posters on the storage suggestions.  Who'd of thunk?  (I keep forgetting to recap my acetone).  I got a good line here, but this is a family oriented site.


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