Is it possible to use super glue twice?

[Niamh Bodkin]

Is it even possible to use super glue twice?
Every time I grab a previously opened super glue, it's dried up.
Is it just me or is the crazy glue drying up situation universal?

[StuBu]

what super glue are you using .does the bottle have a cap or even two caps . I used to use Zap-A-Gap superglue when tying fishing flies and it got used for months and months..I just wiped the nozzle and put the inner cap on followed by the outer cap.

[T]

Hi Niamh,
It all depends on the tub's cap and how long you leave it uncapped when you are using it.
I have a tube of "Loctite Super Blue Gel Control" in front of me that is about two years old. Still work fine. I squeeze some out and immediately recap. It has an awesome tight cap.
And I know what you are speaking of with the others. I think the manufacturers do it on purpose. Try the one I use.
-T

[gfretwell]

I used it when it was still Eastman 910 and we used it almost every day. An open tube was still a one week thing. That is why they sell those bubble packs with a bunch of partially filled tubes. I use it and chuck it if I am not sure I will use it again in a few days.

[rbowman]

We used to keep the Eastman 910 in the refrigerator. I've used Hot Stuff CA in the 2 oz. bottles and it seems to last a lot longer than those tubes.

[Jon Danniken]

It depends on the importance of the glue joint in question, if it is a mission critical joint, I always use a fresh tube. I'll still keep the tube in hopes I can coax a drop out of it for common tasks though.
Jon

[clare]

I have on occaision kept a container of super glue for several months in the refrigerator and successfully used it later. Secret is to make sure there is air in the container as it only "sets off" in the absence of air. Bottles work better than squeeze tubes for obvious reasons. "single application" tubes generally are exactly that.

[Frank]

Important to store in a dark, dry place. Polymerization is initiated by moisture in the air and can be accelerated by light.
Similar for Gorilla polyurethane glue which I find worse as it is packaged in a polyethylene bottle and not moisture impermeable.
I prefer 2 part epoxies that can remain stable for decades.

[philo]

IT is sometimes possible, but now I buy the small, "once use" tubes that come by the pack

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , [e-mail] suggested:

Air? Really? Air? Are you sure?
I'm not questioning your information so much as expressing shock that all this time I thought we wanted NO AIR and not more air.
Are you sure about the air?

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , T suggested:

This might be the trick that everything depends on the cap.
(1) cap it tight (2) keep it dry and dark

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , StuBu suggested:

Maybe the two cap solution is the solution?

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , Jon Danniken suggested:

This sounds almost exactly like my plan!
If it's important, I open a new sacrificial glue. If it's just some toy, I try the old stuff which invariably is all dried up.

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , burfordTjustice suggested:

Is that a joke or does that actually work? How?
Warming up dried crazy glue works?

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , Frank suggested:

Interesting observation. I do keep all my glues in a garage drawer.

There are so many gorilla glues I can't keep track which one you're talking about. Are you speaking about the honey-colored gorilla glue that foams when you use it?
It's "polyurethane"?
Is there a similar "polyurethane" glue I can compare it with?

I buy the epoxy tubes of liquid and the epoxy tubes of putty. The putty dries out over time.

[Niamh Bodkin]

In , philo suggested:

I buy the 10-pack of single-use tubes lately since no matter what size they are, they turn out to be single use sort of like how paint spray turns out if you let the kids use it and put it away.

[notbob]

You could both stand to read this:

nb

[philo]

Yep>

[Jon Danniken]

As a side note, if you have an old tube that doesn't come out of the nozzle, you can cut open the tube (carefully) and spill out the contents onto a plastic saucer, then dip a toothpick into the puddle to use as an applicator.
This obviously completely kills off the tube, but it's better than tossing the tube like most everyone else does.
Jon

[clare]

Mixed up witrh threadlocker - but I keep my crazy glue in the refrigerator.