[briano1234]

How many times have you bought a tube of RTV to use it, then cap it and leave it in a drawer for 2 weeks to 2 months before you need it again.. The pain, The heartache, when you uncap it again to find a Plug has formed…. You have to dig it out, puncture it again or poke a hole in the bottom of the tube to use it out the butt of the tube.

Room Temperature Vulcanization (RTV) Has to Air Cure....

Well I decided to try an experiment.




I needed about 2 squirts out of my new tube.
When I got finished I pushed the remaining air out of the tube. (KEY)



Taking a 2X2 Piece of tin foil I placed that square over the tube end and Pushed it around to form a better seal.



Screw the cap on over the foil and tighten it (do not break the cap).


Then fold the rest of the foil over the cap.


I had used this tube about 3 week ago when I decided to try this.
When I took the cap off, the foil was cut into a Circular seal over the tube and the RTV was still Fresh and came out of the tube like it was freshly opened.

Yes I had to "puncture" or dig the new seal out, but not waisting any was a wondrous thing…. Give it a try, I will see how long it lasts after using it again today....

 

[mouser98]

i usually can never find the last tube of RTV i bought until i don't need it, meaning usually that i bought another tube. but, i do think this is an excellent idea, and next time i stumble over one of my tubes, i'll give it a try.

 

[BoostedOne]

Hmm I will have to try that next time I open a tube. I have a tube here with about 8 holes in it.

 

[rabbitnothopper]

simple and easy idea!
cheap!


all hail ingenuity!

 

[BoostedOne]

Right. How he came up with that I have no idea. I thought I was ahead if the curve when I learned I didn't have to throw the tube out but just keep piercing new holes until the whole thing was hard haha

 

[briano1234]

I was thinking if it will work for RTV will it work for Gorilla Glue?
hmmm the 2nd round of tests are on.

 

[BoostedOne]

Find me a solution to caulking tube type products like caulking and liquid nails going hard after 9 to 12 months of storage and you will be my hero.
Man it irks me so to use a few ounces of those products, stick a long nail in it, then come back later and it takes Thor to remove the nail and once you try to force product to flow it finally just blows out on the backside between the tube and push cap

 

[briano1234]

Take a long nail about 6" , stove bolts, or screw and wrap it with 2 coats of teflon tape. Cut the ends of the tube flat. Insert it in the end, then place foil duct tape over the end.... The issue is that folks cut those off at an angle, and cutting the angle off for a flat edge is a tighter seal on a headed nail or bolt... My Brother uses a 6" machine screw or stove bolt, and just unscrews it from the flat cap... The glue sticks and hardens to the Teflon, but the Screw or Nail will pull out... I have never tried it as I usually use all the crap up.... he says he has success after about a month of parked product.

 

[briano1234]

Right. How he came up with that I have no idea. I thought I was ahead if the curve when I learned I didn't have to throw the tube out but just keep piercing new holes until the whole thing was hard haha

Well it only took about 40 years, after all I am Handicapped... I was born with Red Hair and a Left hand... then the Stroke....
But it was in the Left side of my brain so I am all right now... or in my right mind most of the days.

 

[briano1234]

Update.

I had need of the same tube, and pulled it out of the Drawer 1 month later, took the cap off, took the "new Seal" off and it was Fresh out of the end with no hardening or plug of RTV.

Now I did the same thing to a Caulking Gun Tube of GE Silicone II. After using about 3/4 of the tube, I placed the cap over a slightly oozing end, I then took Aluminum Foil Tape and Sealed the cap over the exterior of the tube. It sat in the gun for 3 weeks, I needed it again and it was fresh out of the tip....
This trick seems to work.

Don't know how it will work on "Liquid Nails" as there is no tube cap, but it does seem to stop the plugging.

 

[briano1234]

Update...

I had to open it again today




Still fresh as a daisy..... I think this is a keeper....

 

[briano1234]

Just an update...

I was cleaning my tool bench of stuff that I had piled on it and I discovered my tests of Gorilla Glue...and sealing them.


2 bottles of Gorilla Glue that I had. One I capped with the cap after getting all the air out.
The other one I sealed after getting all the air out with tin-foil then used the OEM cap over it, and after 6 months (yep I dated the bottles).
The one not sealed was rock hard.
The Sealed one was still liquid and useable.

 

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Now I just need to remember to do this the next time the opportunity arises.