Question.. dumb one maybe

[IRGuy]

This may be a dumb question, but that never stopped me before!


Has anyone found a way to keep GE 4200/5200 from hardening in the resealed tube once it has been opened? I use it, cap it carefully with as little trapped air as possible, and 4 hours later it has started to solidify. It really frustrates me that so much gets wasted!

[Bob H.]

Frank, Thought I read a post on putting it in the freezer..BH

[CaptPatrick]

Not the freezer, but in the fridge below 40 degrees. Let it warm back to room temperature over night. I keep an 1 1/2" #14 screw in the bib. Remove the nozle and clean it out between uses. I've had it last up to a year this way...

[John F.]

Not the freezer, but in the fridge below 40 degrees. Let it warm back to room temperature over night. I keep an 1 1/2" #14 screw in the bib. Remove the nozle and clean it out between uses. I've had it last up to a year this way...

One of the best tips I've ever gotten.

[Buju]

I have currently, in my freezer (why not the freezer Pat, condensation? Too cold?)
1 caulk size tube of 5200 white
1 caulk size tube of 4200 black
1 caulk size tube of 5200 mahogany
1 caulk size tube of 4200 white

Seems to work fine after a year. Ditto on the screw in the tip.
3M produces it, not GE.

[CaptPatrick]

(why not the freezer Pat, condensation? Too cold?)

Hmmm.... Don't know, I've just always refrained from freezing anything that could be harmed in any way by ice crystals. Some chemical compounds and solutions can break down, seperate, and not re-mix after freezing. Better safey than sorry I guess.

[Peter]

I have a love/hate relationship with 5200.

Love the way it works/ hate the way it gets all over everything.

It doesn't matter if you let the pressure off the caulk gun, it still oozes out. and it is a B-I-T-C-H to wipe off your hands or tools, and it gets everwhere like nothing else I have ever seen.

Unless youare doing a big job like a whole hull to deck joint where you expect to use most of the tube here is what I do:

NEVER cut the tip off the nozzle. NOT EVER!

Leave the plastic nozzle intact, uncut.

Just unscrew it and set it aside.

Pierce the inside metal seal of the container.

Squirt a little from the tube onto a scrap of cardbord or a shingle or a scrap of wood. From there get a suitable scrap of wood, or disposable plastic putty knives, or my favorite, Bondo spreaders from the auto parts store. I buy the plastic Bondo spreaders and cut them with a U-knife into smaller strips. As narrow as 1/8 inch if that is what I need. You can also make custom radius tools out of them. Score them once with your U-knife and they snap on the score line. Bondo makes them and sells them in a three pack for a couple of bucks. But more serious auto parts stores have them in bulk for a few cents each. (They also have lots of other handy uses. Shims, dough knifes, joint knives, rattle stoppers, whatever. I keep a dozen or more in the house at all times.)

But BEFORE you go getting all excited and spreading the 5200 on the work piece screw the unadulterated and UNCUT plastic tip back on the tube. If you forget this step and come back to it later you will h ave 5200 somewhere you didn't want it. Guaran-freakin-teed!

Some 5200 will ooze into the STILL UNCUT nozzle and probably harden in there over the next week or two. No biggie. The remainder in the tube will keep up to a year. Maybe more. No refrigeration required. And no mess in the bottom of your tool box or wherever you store it.

If...... oops..... WHEN ....you get it on your hands or tools clean it up with denatured alcohol (DNA.) Acetone works too, but it melts plastic tool housings on you power tools. So don't be a hero. Use the alcohol.

HINT: DNA will cause your fingers to freaking freeze in cold weather. So use disposable vinyl or latex kitchen gloves available everywhere now and plan on going through quite a few pair.

Oh yeah, one other ting.... before you even start the job get an old plastic grocery bag or some other such thing to use as a garbage bag so the 5200 covered rags/spreaders/tools go straight into it and not onto the floor or deck.

Hate that stuff.... but I love it too.... Nothing does the job like 5200.

Peter

[Buju]

Damn Peter- you do have a love/hate with it.

Most any hydrocarbon solvents will clean/cut it. Good ol mineral spirits works fine to clean it up. Naphtha is very good.
Since we're talking 5200 tricks, heres one:
When you lay out your entire caulk bead (I go full bore and use the plastic tip with the full size tube in a caulk gun)
DO NOT try to wipe your bead with a dry rag. This will instantly create the hate portion of the love/hate relationship.
First, moisten the rag with spirits, or naphtha and then wipe the excess off... Same as doing latex caulk with a wet rag, you need the proper solvent so it flows/glides instead of dragging and getting all over everything.
The real cats-ass is to lay your bead... Then spray a fine mist of WD40 over the bead, then wipe off the excess. Done. Just like that. WD40 cuts it great.

No, I haven't tried it with CX... CX is too damn expensive to use for that, and the WD40 does a good job.

[Tony Meola]

Frank

I have had pretty good luck dipping the tip of the caulk tube in either liquid electric tape, or Plasti dip that you can find in Home Depot. They cure over and all you need todo is peel them off when ready for re-use. Some times I stick a nail or screw in the end and then plasti dip them. So far I have had them last a year.

Then again, I have had unopened tubes get hard. Go figure.

[Peter]

Buju

I knew about the mineral spirits/naptha. I like the alcohol better. Doesn't seem to smear as much.
I never tried the WD-40. I'll give it a go next time. But DNA is so cheap it is hard to beat.

Tony

I like the idea of the plasti-dip thing. I still won't cut the tips off my 5200 tubes, but on other caulks where the tip doesnt' unscrew it could be very useful.

I read somewhere about using a large wire nut to stopper the tip of open caulk tubes. Tried that. It didn't work at all.

Peter

[Rawleigh]

Also I tape my seams for the initial application and first wipe down. I know some people don't like this but it gives me a neater seam and keeps the 5200 off of the rest of the boat. Then I remove the tape and lightly wipe with an alcohol soaked finger to feather out the edge where that tape was. Sound like WD40 might be better for the final wipe down though.

NOTE: Do not throw the removed tape over the side of the boat (it was on the hard) when the wind is blowing very strong. You won't believe how far a rolling ball of tape will spread 5200!!!

[Peter]

Rawleigh;


ROFL !!

NOTE: Do not throw the removed tape over the side of the boat (it was on the hard) when the wind is blowing very strong. You won't believe how far a rolling ball of tape will spread 5200!!!

Sounds like my nightmare scenario!

Peter

[Carl]

NOTE: Do not throw the removed tape over the side of the boat (it was on the hard) when the wind is blowing very strong. You won't believe how far a rolling ball of tape will spread 5200!!!

I'd believe it...gotta be as far as getting 5200 on sole of shoe then proceeded to walk around boat only to notice a little smudge of 5200...then another followed by an Awh Sh$t!!!! its everywhere.

[IRGuy]

Thanks guys for all your comments/suggestions! I am nearing the end of my multi year rebuild and have been frustrated by this subject from the beginning! I should have posted this question long ago!