My goodness, it's getting hard Mr Bond!

Nothing, that is just a problem with CA glue and why I never buy a large bottle of the stuff. Although it is not quite as conveniant to use I have pretty much replaced the use of CA glue with 5 min epoxy and small basically disposable containers of CA glue from the drug store when I feel I really need CA. 

They do that.

Store it in a tightly closed container, preferably a glass snap bale jar (or a canning jar with a canning lid and ring). If you can get some dessicant to put in the jar, that will help. This is what I do.

Keep the nozzle as clean as possible (don't use acetone to clean it, either.) Only decant a small amount at a time (never apply it straight from the bottle.)

Moisture is the enemy of stored CA, because it is a moisture curing adhesive (which is why it bonds to skin so readily.)

Triarius

They do that.

Store it in a tightly closed container, preferably a glass snap bale jar (or a canning jar with a canning lid and ring). If you can get some dessicant to put in the jar, that will help. This is what I do.

Keep the nozzle as clean as possible (don't use acetone to clean it, either.) Only decant a small amount at a time (never apply it straight from the bottle.)

Moisture is the enemy of stored CA, because it is a moisture curing adhesive (which is why it bonds to skin so readily.)

I also squeeze the bottle to remove excess air and then put the cap on which I think helps since I don't have it in a sealed glass jar. I am going to try that. I got the idea of squeezing out the air in the bottle from the instructions with Gorilla glue. I know they are completely different glues but I figured it couldn't hurt to remove the air as it does contain moisture right?

I got tired of buying CA glue every few months, whether I used it or not, then tried Mercury Adhesive's brand which comes with a very nice screw down lid. I squeeze out as much air as possible and screw the lid down tight and it's still usable over a year later.

If it goes off, I'll try the glass jar if I can find a package of desiccant, but the stuff is so darn yummy I don't think I have any kicking around.

Just kidding, kids! Do NOT eat the Silica Gel!

Bgrigg

Just kidding, kids! Do NOT eat the Silica Gel!

But MUM!

Sorry had to be done...

Andrew

I use Teflon tubes to dispense my CA and it keeps them from drying out...these are more than a year old.

Where might a person find silica get in small quantities? I use a jar (when I don't forget to screw the cap back on) and it does help quite a bit.

Shoeboxes. Or certain suppliments. Or try here: http://www.silicagelpackets.com/  Looks like you have to order 20 little packets at a time though.

Keeping it in the refrigerator was the answer to this problem for me. All the other tips here are useful as well, but cold storage seems to be the key to getting to use the full bottle of CA.

I was reluctant to store my CA in the fridge, seemed like a pain to trot out to the kitchen before and after every session on the bench, but if you simply grab a beer while you're there, it's not so bad.

Why buy a large bottle of CA at $8+ bucks when you can get 4-6 little tubes at a dollar store. That lasts me a good month or longer. They never last long enough to thicken or dry up and they are individually sealed. I usually buy $5 bucks worth or in other words a 6month supply. When I run out I just pick some more up when I go shopping.. I believe dollar stores are just about everywere now here in the States. My favorite is  Dollar Tree and they generally are filled with other things for our hobby. Spend ten minutes walking around and you see what I mean. Just last month I cleaned them out of about 6 dozen Starfix kits of various planes in both 1/72 & 1/48. I took these kits to my 3 sons school classes for a fun day and to introduce more kids to our pastime.

I'll throw another one at you.  I've been using the Locktite brand of superglue for a couple of years now and I've been very happy with its performance.  It comes in several different thicknesses, in unique bottles.  They have a tight screw on lid, and squeeze grips on two sides of the bottle that let you control the glue.  They also have a screw on brush/lid bottle of thick glue that comes in handy at times.  Rick

Ditto on keeping it in the fridge, that has worked well for me too.

HawkeyeHobbies

I use Teflon tubes to dispense my CA and it keeps them from drying out...these are more than a year old.

 

Do you ever have issues with the tubing getting clogged?

I must just be the luckiest guy on earth.  I recently replaced a tube of Zap-A-Gap I had....for 3 years!!!  I replaced it because it was finally to the point of being more gel than liquid, but it still performed admirable and was actually better for some applications.  The current bottle I bought is a couple months old, and it is still as fluid as the day I bought it.  I make sure to use the special thing that goes over the tip and then replace the cap after evry use.  I dole out a few drops and reseal immediately then use the drops I dispensed by applying to my project with a toothpick.

Brian

New Hampshire

I must just be the luckiest guy on earth.  I recently replaced a tube of Zap-A-Gap I had....for 3 years!!!  I replaced it because it was finally to the point of being more gel than liquid, but it still performed admirable and was actually better for some applications.  The current bottle I bought is a couple months old, and it is still as fluid as the day I bought it.  I make sure to use the special thing that goes over the tip and then replace the cap after evry use.  I dole out a few drops and reseal immediately then use the drops I dispensed by applying to my project with a toothpick.

Brian

I agree Brian and I don't think all super glues are created equal. I have tried others and none of them are near as good as Pace's Zap-A-Gap in my opinion.

Well, if we're putting in plugs for our favorite cyanoacrylate glues, mine goes to Mercury Adhesives. I've been using them for about two years, now, and never want to use anything else. The bottles don't clog, either. I did have one bottle of medium viscosity go thick on me, but that got left out in the outrageous humidity of the northeastern corner of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Illinois for a month. They still offered to replace it (no questions asked replacement guarantee) but the cost of sending it to them was the cost of a new bottle.

The Pacer stuff is pretty good, and widely available. Loc-tite is good stuff, but shrieking expensive.

Triarius

Well, if we're putting in plugs for our favorite cyanoacrylate glues, mine goes to Mercury Adhesives. I've been using them for about two years, now, and never want to use anything else. The bottles don't clog, either. I did have one bottle of medium viscosity go thick on me, but that got left out in the outrageous humidity of the northeastern corner of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Illinois for a month. They still offered to replace it (no questions asked replacement guarantee) but the cost of sending it to them was the cost of a new bottle.

The Pacer stuff is pretty good, and widely available. Loc-tite is good stuff, but shrieking expensive.

I have never heard of that brand Ross. I have been using Zap-A-Gap since I built R/C Sailplanes back in the mid/late 1980's.

They are relatively new, and have a number of formulations, several tailored to the R/C crowd. Hobbytown carries them, as to several places online.

Mercury Adhesives

Here are a couple places that carry them online:

Horizon Hobbies

Atlanta Hobby

Thanks Ross. That sounds like good CA adhesives.

Maybe I will try it when my bottle of Zap-A-Gap CA+ is gone.

I also keep hearing the occasional refrence to the Gorrila Glue super glue.  Supposedly it is less suceptable to bond breakage from shearing force, but the occasional review mentions it's achillies heel is smooth non porous surfaces.....

Brian

The last large bottle of CA I bought was from Tower Hobbies (their brand) which lasted about 2 years before the bottle actually started to melt and the thin stuff became jelly. From then on I don't buy large bottles any more unless I'm building a large RC balsa airplane, otherwise the dollar store CA glues that come 3-4 small tubes or bottles will work just great.