Storing Sealants like 5200

[Seevee]

All,

Looking for some good advise on storing sealants on the boat, especially 5200 that hardens so fast.

I buy it in the 11 oz cartridge which will last me a year or two... but the cartridge often hardens up before that. Then I end up drilling thru the end of it or even cutting the top of it off.

I've used their cap with poor results, and used stuff like wax paper or cling wrap to seal it, but it still hardens.

I like the 11 oz tubes cuz I can buy it for $15 a tube, vs the 3 oz tube for $13..... so even it the 11 oz tube hardens I can throw over half out and still come out better.

Ideas?

[Comodave]

Once you open a tube of 5200 it will go off, just a matter of time. I put tape over the open end and maybe it slows down the curing process a bit. I can usually get several days of usage by drilling out the cured part in the tip. Just the cost of boating...

[sdowney717]

Put polyurethane tubes in the FREEZER, and they will last for years. Also put some painters tape or plastic over the tip.

[Shrew]

The savings isn't worth it to me to have to deal with storing the tubes and dealing with extracting and using the material from old tubes. The savings comes up to about the cost of a drink at a bar. If I used it daily or even weekly it might be a different story. The infrequent use isn't worth it to me in the long run.

[Mule]

717 in post 3 has the answer... Freezer. Been doing that for years..

[Seevee]

Originally Posted by sdowney717

Put polyurethane tubes in the FREEZER, and they will last for years. Also put some painters tape or plastic over the tip.

Never thought of that, will try... thx.

And Shrew<
If everything I bought could be purchased for 25% I could by enough beer to last me a week.

[sbu22]

I just use the fridge for polyurethane tubes - seems to last for months/years that way. Ready to use and seems to apply more accurately and neatly. If you store in freezer, do you have to allow it to warm up before application?

[Sabre602]

Originally Posted by sbu22

I just use the fridge for polyurethane tubes - seems to last for months/years that way. Ready to use and seems to apply more accurately and neatly. If you store in freezer, do you have to allow it to warm up before application?

Only if you want to be able to squeeze it out of the tube!

Seriously...I use this method, too, and it works well. I generally take the stuff out an hour or so before use. If in the fridge rather than the freezer you can use it straight away, though it's rather stiff.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Seevee

Never thought of that, will try... thx.

And Shrew<
If everything I bought could be purchased for 25% I could by enough beer to last me a week.

Yep, "Chase the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves". No doubt. I'll pay the extra $6 - $8 bucks every 6 months to not have to listen to my wife complain about juggling half-used tubes of caulk while she's digging for steak or chicken in the freezer.

[sbu22]

In my case, it's not the $, it's the convenience of having it on hand, ready to go. Most of my work involes a bit here and another bit there. I'd like to say my routine maintenance efforts are planned and executed with the precision of a military operation - but they're not. I despise having to stop work to trot off buy a piece, part, tube, whatever.

The tubes and other similar stay in their compact, clearly marked tupperware box. In the fridge - maybe the freezer after reading this.

[ssobol]

I put a piece of foil over the end and then screw the cap back on. The smaller tubes go in a ziplock bag and then into the fridge. The big tubes (caulking gun size) go in the freezer because I use them less frequently. Usually have to take a drill to the hard stuff in the nozzle, but the rest is still good.

The stuff will last a couple of years this way.

[FlyWright]

I store mine in the freezer. No real need to thaw it before use. It's just a little thicker for the first several minutes of handling.

[tiltrider1]

I buy my 5200 in 4 oz tubes. I buy them 50 at a time. This is not the cheapest method but it is very convenient. I have a small tube dispenser that squeezes all the 5200 out. Most jobs use 1 oz. Some jobs use 4 tubes. I always have 5200 on board and I never mess with a dried up left over tube of 5200.

[dhays]

Thanks for the tip about using the freezer. I will try that next time.

[menzies]

Like some of the others, when I buy 5200, sealants, silicone, brushes, I always buy with the expectation that they are getting tossed at the end of the project!

Especially brushes. I have tried buying expensive brushes and cleaning them relentlessly in mineral spirits. But frankly, with how we use brushes on boats (not talking about latex paint here), it is a waste of time. Into the trash they go as well. Now I just buy inexpensive brushes or rubber ones.

[ianonhercules]

if you store your varnish brushes in boiled linseed oil in a can or suspended in a can they will last virtually forever. Just squeeze out excess varnish before storage and similarly squeeze out the boiled linseed oil when ready to use again. This would work only with traditional varnish not synthetic.(Two part) If desired you can rinse out the linseed oil with lacquer thinners. Done for years when I had Taiwan trawler with scads of varnish work. Never could come to terms with foam brushes.

Ian

[menzies]

Originally Posted by ianonhercules

if you store your varnish brushes in boiled linseed oil in a can or suspended in a can they will last virtually forever. Just squeeze out excess varnish before storage and similarly squeeze out the boiled linseed oil when ready to use again. This would work only with traditional varnish not synthetic.(Two part) If desired you can rinse out the linseed oil with lacquer thinners. Done for years when I had Taiwan trawler with scads of varnish work. Never could come to terms with foam brushes.

Ian

Ian , Rebecca Whitman, in her excellent book The Art Of Finishing Wood, highly recommends foam brushes. (thanks, I called them rubber!). I redid my outside bright work last year and used them, and tossed them. It was a good experience.

I know I can take the effort and preserve the brushes but, given the effort versus cost, decided it is not for me! Wasteful probably, but I can toss them in the trash and open a beer!

[Seevee]

Originally Posted by tiltrider1

I buy my 5200 in 4 oz tubes. I buy them 50 at a time. This is not the cheapest method but it is very convenient. I have a small tube dispenser that squeezes all the 5200 out. Most jobs use 1 oz. Some jobs use 4 tubes. I always have 5200 on board and I never mess with a dried up left over tube of 5200.

Tiltrider,

Where the heck do you buy 50 at a time? And I'm sure you get a good price. I've tried to get 4 or 5 at a time. but no discounts... (heck 50 would last me years).

If I but the 4 oz tubes retail, vs shopping online or wholesale for the gun tubes, the price is about the same..... so no reasons to buy the small tubes for me. If U threw away 80% of the big tube it would still be cheaper...and I can lay down a lot with the gun over the smaller tubes for bigger jobs.

[sdowney717]

I think you can wrap a used brush in a plastic bag and freeze it too.

Water Based paints, wrap it and it is fine for about a week of sitting.

I have also done with small amounts of mixed epoxy, it slows down the hardening, can use again next day, but eventually it does harden even in the freezer.

[HopCar]

5200 white is available in 1oz tubes. I keep one in my tool box and toss after use.
The freezer trick makes a lot of sense. 5200 is moisture cured. No humidity in a freezer to set it off.

I wonder if vacuum bagging would work?