I’m going to be opening a new bottle of ZapA Gap tomorrow, but will not be using the whole bottle. Does anybody have any advice on how to be sure that the unused product does not harden between uses?
Thanks!
The cap should have a pin in it that should seal the hole at the nozzle of the applicator. Shouldn’t have to worry about it.
aa
I keep it turned upside down when not using it.
That has worked for me.
Rick
Be careful when you go to pee.
Thanks. I was worried because I pulled a never-opened bottle of it out of a storage box where it has been for about a year in a cool & dark place and found that it had turned into a rock. The stuff is not cheap, so I’d rather get use out of the entire bottle!
I’ve switched to 5 Second Brush-on Nail Glue. It’s also a cyanoacrylate adhesive. The original bottle is still totally usable after most of a year. No special treatment, either.
Chuck
CA glue does have a shelf life, independent of being opened. It has to be used by a certain date or it loses its moxey. Old super glue gets a tad thicker, longer to really harden and adheres less tenaciously. High volume hobby stores sometimes buy up palettes full of aging glue (nearing the end of its useful life) and sell it off at bargain prices (this week’s special).
Cheap, low quality CA glue (often but not always made in Taiwan) often has a faint yellow color. High quality super glue (almost all of it made in Japan) is clearer in appearance. Years ago when I was involved all the glue came from Taiwan or Japan. 50 gallon drums got repackaged in Simi Valley and distributed all over. You can prolong the shelf life by keeping it in a refrigerator. But if it’s already old–even if not opened yet–it’s already past its prime.
There was an article not too long ago about just how to keep it, think in Fly Tyer. I’ll look around.
I use alot of glue on foam-type flies (I tie alot of them) and gave up on Zap-a-Gap some time ago. I use Loctite Super Glues now and none have hardened up on me after opening (by just closing with the cap on the bottle).
+1 with the loctite brushable glue. I gave up on zap-a-gap as it was frequently drying up.
Water vapor from the air is what causes CA to cure. Keep air out.
Couldn’t find the article, darn it. But did get a corner of the bedroom cleaned out.
As a wood technologist studying finishing technology I contacted some manufacturers 10-15 years ago for small amounts to work with as finish and test it for technical uses, including wooden fly reel manufacturing. After the testing was done I still had more than I can use for the rest of my life, . It has been in the freezer ever since. Some has been there for well over 15 years now that I think about it. It is 100% as usable today as it was the day I got it.
It will go bad in the refrigerator eventually… There are a lot of interesting features to superglue…
For precision, pin-point drops of CA glue, #30 guage PTFE (teflon-family) tubing (caulked in place with hot glue) helps. Run the tubing all the way down to the bottom of the bottle before caulking it in place with the hot glue gun.
This makes what chemists call a “wash bottle.” You don’t tip the bottle. You squeeze it. You can watch the glue ride up the tube, so you can release pressure just as it reaches the tip. Thereby dispensing almost microscopic dots of CA glue.
#16 guage tubing works better for the thicker ZapAGap
Keep the bottle standing up, Tap the bottom of the bottle, to get the liquid back into the bottle wipe the excess off the tip with a scrap of heavier material ( like old blue jean ). Then replace the cap. Been working for me.