I just opened a new tube of Silicone and used a very small amount. So, Im asking for suggestions for storing the unused portion so that it remains usable for the longest time. I have heard conflicting advice on storing the remains of the tube in either the fridge or the Freezer. Anyone with experience want to make a comment?
TimTim said
08:12 PM Jan 30, 2023
Never heard of the fridge or freezer trick but what I do is I unscrew the nozzle and right away I take a disposable glove using it double layered I place it over the tube and then screw the nozzle back on. I do use a kebab stick to remove a good portion of the silicone from the nozzle so that when it dries it is easy to remove the remainder.
I suppose I could have cut a portion of the glove off and and used it on others but have a heap of gloves .
-- Edited by TimTim on Monday 30th of January 2023 08:40:49 PM
Hi
I am a qualified painter but that means nothing but I did learn on my travels in this beautiful country when I worked in a caravan park with some plumbers and they said put a flathead nail in the end of the tube and just put in the fridge also works with no more gaps as well
Cheers
Cuppa said
08:59 PM Jan 30, 2023
With silicone just remove nozzle & then screw it back on with some plastic over the thread. eg a piece of plastic shopping bag.
Even just leaving the nozzle in place & letting the nozzle contents go off will protect the tube's content for quite a long time
With Sikaflex (eg. 11FC) keeping the tube similarly sealed & kept in the fridge helps to keep it longer. - a few weeks.
landy said
09:07 PM Jan 30, 2023
TimTim wrote:
Never heard of the fridge or freezer trick but what I do is I unscrew the nozzle and right away I take a disposable glove using it double layered I place it over the tube and then screw the nozzle back on. I do use a kebab stick to remove a good portion of the silicone from the nozzle so that when it dries it is easy to remove the remainder.
I suppose I could have cut a portion of the glove off and and used it on others but have a heap of gloves .
-- Edited by TimTim on Monday 30th of January 2023 08:40:49 PM
I do basically the same but with a piece of cling wrap. works fine no need to put it in the fridge. Landy
Whenarewethere said
09:26 PM Jan 30, 2023
Firstly a technical point on highrise buildings flush glazing. The glass is bonded in with silicone & left to cure for a month in the factory in a sub frame & not moved. The silicone cures about 1mm per 24 hours, there is about a 30mm bonding thickness around the edge of the glass. The air cures the silicone. (3 decades ago I did a University short course on building glazing)
You have to seal the silicone as thoroughly as possible & with multiple barriers to stop air leaking in in any small amount so the tube of silicone lasts longer.
RickJ said
09:41 AM Jan 31, 2023
Glad wrap or plastic and screw the cap back on.
When in the Big Green Shed grab a handful of new uncut nozzles from the paint dept and use one of them. Usually half a dozen nozzles will be enough for the average size tube of silicon sealant,
I always grab a handful of them each time I buy a cartridge tube.
deverall11 said
10:18 AM Jan 31, 2023
I have done both, fridge and freezer. Found depending on the brand is directly proportional to
the success. Some like the fridge, some are better in the freezer. Freezer is always my preferred
option, however time consideration is required if in the freezer. Does not come out of the
cartridge very well if frozen.
Also store Liquid Nails in the freezer.
Super glue also goes well in the freezer. Was taught that trick by a glazier.
Dougwe said
10:36 AM Jan 31, 2023
I have kept used tubes of Silicone or similar in the fridge for years successfully. I have just checked 2 tubes of Sikaflex that are in the fridge, 1 black and 1 white and both still OK after about 12 months approx. Depending on the next job, I need one for next, I will check but more than likely chuck out and get new ones
I can't remember where or exactly when I was told about the trick now but more than likely when I was still chasing young squaws around the camp.
rgren2 said
10:46 AM Jan 31, 2023
Another one, keep your tubes of super glue in the freezer.
Ian G said
05:34 PM Jan 31, 2023
You can buy the small 150 g tubes from the green shed for around $5, then when it goes off after a few weeks it doesn't really matter, I keep an unopened one in my toolkit just in case . Ian
Izabarack said
08:17 PM Jan 31, 2023
Useful replies, thanks. Gunna go the fridge route. Lots of small jobs coming up so want the material to be usable straight from storage.
Dougwe said
08:51 PM Jan 31, 2023
Before you use from fridge, just squirt a little out of tube into a bit of paper towel or similar as the first little bit will be very thin/watery.
Farmhouse said
12:34 PM Feb 5, 2023
I was a tech rep for a major sealant/adhesive manufacturer in Australia for several years.
My recommendation is to store all acetic or moisture cure sealant/adhesive in the fridge for a longer life and storage.
As all sealants/adhesives cure from exposure to the atmosphere by chemical fusion or drawing on ambient moisture for curing.
The sealant will only cure or harden from the end of the nozzle towards the cartridge or tube.
In theory, if the sealant cures at a rate of say 10 mm per 24 hour period, depending on the temp, the sealant should cure at the same rate inside the nozzle.
When ready for the next use, simply remove the nozzle clean or replace with a new nozzle and you should be ready to go.
Cheers
Glenn
deverall11 said
10:18 AM Feb 6, 2023
Farmhouse wrote:
I was a tech rep for a major sealant/adhesive manufacturer in Australia for several years.
My recommendation is to store all acetic or moisture cure sealant/adhesive in the fridge for a longer life and storage.
As all sealants/adhesives cure from exposure to the atmosphere by chemical fusion or drawing on ambient moisture for curing.
The sealant will only cure or harden from the end of the nozzle towards the cartridge or tube.
In theory, if the sealant cures at a rate of say 10 mm per 24 hour period, depending on the temp, the sealant should cure at the same rate inside the nozzle.
When ready for the next use, simply remove the nozzle clean or replace with a new nozzle and you should be ready to go.
Cheers Glenn
Any different in the freezer?
Farmhouse said
01:56 PM Feb 7, 2023
No mate I would stick to the fridge, freezing is not required.
Even if you store in the fridge you may have to thaw a little before use, freezing would make that scenario worse.
Cheers
Glenn
Mike Harding said
02:10 PM Feb 7, 2023
Farmhouse wrote:
No mate I would stick to the fridge, freezing is not required.
Even if you store in the fridge you may have to thaw a little before use, freezing would make that scenario worse.
Thank you Glenn.
It is so helpful to, from time-to-time, meet someone on the internet who actually knows what he is talking about.
The fridge it is :)
Whenarewethere said
09:15 AM Feb 8, 2023
Just a thought. Maybe run a bit of PTFE plumbing tape around the threads etc to make an even better seal.
Aus-Kiwi said
09:46 AM Feb 8, 2023
I find it lasts longer in fridge . But Ive found or come to the conclusion I may need to buy another tube next time !
Farmhouse said
10:04 AM Feb 8, 2023
Thanks Mike, I really enjoyed my life as a rep for Sika Australia and a couple of others.
Helping others with sealant and adhesive job problems is what I do.
I get great joy when I can help.
I am no longer in that business, very much retired now, the knowledge I gained however never leaves my mind.
Thanks for the kind words.
Glenn
Mike Harding said
12:21 PM Feb 8, 2023
Farmhouse wrote:
I get great joy when I can help.
You and me both Glenn :)
I'm an electronics engineer (now retired) and have spent a lifetime building a store of knowledge which will be totally lost when I die which seems such a waste - a pity we cannot do a USB download of our brains :) otoh perhaps by striving to acquire knowledge the younger engineers will find avenues of discovery which eluded me and may be missed if they could simply do an upload from me?
The tradesmen of bygone times passed their knowledge to an apprentice but, as best I can see, there are few trades today which require the high skill levels of those of yesteryear.
Moose2 said
12:28 PM Feb 8, 2023
I think that the brand of material also matters.
The stuff from Bunnings goes off really quickly whilst the Soudal stuff I get at a local hardware place lasts for ages in the shed. That's my experience FWIW.
deverall11 said
10:39 AM Feb 9, 2023
Moose2 wrote:
I think that the brand of material also matters. The stuff from Bunnings goes off really quickly whilst the Soudal stuff I get at a local hardware place lasts for ages in the shed. That's my experience FWIW.
X2, as per my earlier comment.
Ian G said
09:04 PM Feb 9, 2023
Same deal with paint, don't bother washing everything between coats, just put roller and tray in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge, wash up after the second coat .
I just opened a new tube of Silicone and used a very small amount. So, Im asking for suggestions for storing the unused portion so that it remains usable for the longest time. I have heard conflicting advice on storing the remains of the tube in either the fridge or the Freezer. Anyone with experience want to make a comment?
I suppose I could have cut a portion of the glove off and and used it on others but have a heap of gloves
.
-- Edited by TimTim on Monday 30th of January 2023 08:40:49 PM
Even just leaving the nozzle in place & letting the nozzle contents go off will protect the tube's content for quite a long time
With Sikaflex (eg. 11FC) keeping the tube similarly sealed & kept in the fridge helps to keep it longer. - a few weeks.
I do basically the same but with a piece of cling wrap. works fine no need to put it in the fridge.
Landy
Firstly a technical point on highrise buildings flush glazing. The glass is bonded in with silicone & left to cure for a month in the factory in a sub frame & not moved. The silicone cures about 1mm per 24 hours, there is about a 30mm bonding thickness around the edge of the glass. The air cures the silicone. (3 decades ago I did a University short course on building glazing)
You have to seal the silicone as thoroughly as possible & with multiple barriers to stop air leaking in in any small amount so the tube of silicone lasts longer.
When in the Big Green Shed grab a handful of new uncut nozzles from the paint dept and use one of them. Usually half a dozen nozzles will be enough for the average size tube of silicon sealant,
I always grab a handful of them each time I buy a cartridge tube.
the success. Some like the fridge, some are better in the freezer. Freezer is always my preferred
option, however time consideration is required if in the freezer. Does not come out of the
cartridge very well if frozen.
Also store Liquid Nails in the freezer.
Super glue also goes well in the freezer. Was taught that trick by a glazier.
I have kept used tubes of Silicone or similar in the fridge for years successfully. I have just checked 2 tubes of Sikaflex that are in the fridge, 1 black and 1 white and both still OK after about 12 months approx. Depending on the next job, I need one for next, I will check but more than likely chuck out and get new ones
I can't remember where or exactly when I was told about the trick now but more than likely when I was still chasing young squaws around the camp.
Useful replies, thanks. Gunna go the fridge route. Lots of small jobs coming up so want the material to be usable straight from storage.
My recommendation is to store all acetic or moisture cure sealant/adhesive in the fridge for a longer life and storage.
As all sealants/adhesives cure from exposure to the atmosphere by chemical fusion or drawing on ambient moisture for curing.
The sealant will only cure or harden from the end of the nozzle towards the cartridge or tube.
In theory, if the sealant cures at a rate of say 10 mm per 24 hour period, depending on the temp, the sealant should cure at the same rate inside the nozzle.
When ready for the next use, simply remove the nozzle clean or replace with a new nozzle and you should be ready to go.
Cheers
Glenn
Any different in the freezer?
Even if you store in the fridge you may have to thaw a little before use, freezing would make that scenario worse.
Cheers
Glenn
Thank you Glenn.
It is so helpful to, from time-to-time, meet someone on the internet who actually knows what he is talking about.
The fridge it is :)
Just a thought. Maybe run a bit of PTFE plumbing tape around the threads etc to make an even better seal.
Thanks Mike, I really enjoyed my life as a rep for Sika Australia and a couple of others.
Helping others with sealant and adhesive job problems is what I do.
I get great joy when I can help.
I am no longer in that business, very much retired now, the knowledge I gained however never leaves my mind.
Thanks for the kind words.
Glenn
You and me both Glenn :)
I'm an electronics engineer (now retired) and have spent a lifetime building a store of knowledge which will be totally lost when I die which seems such a waste - a pity we cannot do a USB download of our brains :) otoh perhaps by striving to acquire knowledge the younger engineers will find avenues of discovery which eluded me and may be missed if they could simply do an upload from me?
The tradesmen of bygone times passed their knowledge to an apprentice but, as best I can see, there are few trades today which require the high skill levels of those of yesteryear.
The stuff from Bunnings goes off really quickly whilst the Soudal stuff I get at a local hardware place lasts for ages in the shed. That's my experience FWIW.
X2, as per my earlier comment.