A better way? to keep RTV usable.

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67Dart273

67Dart273

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We did this at the "wheel chair joint" I worked for 4 years, and this seems to work. There were several procedures whereby we needed RTV but not very much, so preserving tube contents for subsequent use was desirable, otherwise, lots of waste

Instead of attempting to seal the tube with the factory cap, we'd take a screw approximating 3/16" --so quite large in relation to the tube opening--and about 1 1 /4" or so long, and stick it into the tube clear up to the head.

Next time you wanted to use it, you took a pair of pliers, twisted the screw to break it loose and pull it out. My theory is, that this created a channel in surrounding cured RTV. This, really, works quite well.

We did not normally use the supplied nozzles, but if you do, you can cut/ scrape / tear off the cured RTV and still screw it on there
 
There's 2 things I've done with RTV that seem to work pretty well:
Take a small square of plastic (piece of a bag, Visqueen, whatever you've got) and put it over the end of the tube before you screw the cap on.
Put the tube in a Ziplock bag, seal it 3/4 of the way, suck the air out, and finish sealing it. Kind of a poor man's vacuum sealer.
Both have been pretty effective.
 
I used a silicone product in the house once from a sealed tube. The tube was older, and never cured...............What a PITA to remove it and re-do the job. Had to clean the area with Alcohol.

After this incident, I buy smaller quantities and date the tube and pitch it after 6 months if I don't use it. Not worth taking the chance.
 
I'm not talking 6mo, more like "1" or "maybe" 2 months. On that note, locktite you have to watch it for expiration dates. We also used that at work, and ran into problems with a bottle that was out of date. WHAT DID THE CEO DO????????????????? Gets on Egagbay and ordered another tube FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE!!!
 
On the large caulk gun tubes, the colored plastic cap from a gear oil bottle mashed over a small gob on the end works very well for the long term.
 
I also use a screw and usually put plastic over that and rubber band it. I've never put it in the fridge but I do put my CA glues in there and they will last a couple years without stiffening up whereas on the shelf they only last 3 or 4 months. Might work for RTV but I've pretty much pushed the limits with my wife and her condiment shelves.
 
I buy "The Right Stuff" in large caulk tubes. When I go to put it away, i insert a screw into the tip, and then put some electrical or duct tape on the tip to seal it. When i go to use it again months later, i just remove the tape, and pull the screw out. Pulling the screw dislodges any sealant that had cured inside the tip.
 
When the Black RTV gets hard at the cap, I take a scratch awl to the bottom of the tube where the RTV is soft.

Squeeze out what I need through the hole, then roll the tube bottom up a ways over the new hole to seal it.

Repeat with another new hole next time. Keep rolling it up from the bottom to get the most use out of your RTV purchase.

☆☆☆☆☆
 
From experience or mine at least it seems the cap never gets put on right because the threads get filled with Gunk which dries up pretty fast so mainly it's putting the cap on straight and tight.. and the rest of the thing curing up inside is due to the classic bending and folding like a toothpaste tube imo... so if we can avoid doing that , chances are a tube of rtv will last its contents till actually used up.
Jmo
 
Not sure if this works or not with RTV. But where I work, we use a lot of Urethane for windshields. If we have to touch up a spot the robots miss or someone puts their hand in it, we use a chaulk gun with it. When done, we use a rubber glove/fingure over the end. Squeeze the trigger to fill figure up, then twist above lump. Next use, just pull glove/figure off end and use/repeat.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
From experience or mine at least it seems the cap never gets put on right because the threads get filled with Gunk which dries up pretty fast so mainly it's putting the cap on straight and tight.. and the rest of the thing curing up inside is due to the classic bending and folding like a toothpaste tube imo... so if we can avoid doing that , chances are a tube of rtv will last its contents till actually used up.
Jmo
Click to expand...
Just the other day I came across an otherwise brand new tube that had a small amount used ONCE. The cap was put on perfectly. I simply do not understand why the cap does not seal, if sealing is the problem. Got the cap off and had to punch and work an awl deep inside before I hit "wet" RTV and opened a channel to get it out.
 
I use the cap that comes with the tube. Next use I twist a 3/16 drill bit in and it pulls the dried stuff out. Works perfectly every time.
 
My method: I use a 3" deck screw to plug the hole and then a small square of electrical tape. Next use, pull off tape and pull out screw with pliers (don't turn).

Usually works.

RGAZ
 
Maybe I'm misinterpreting what I see but the red high-temp RTV seems to last forever in a tube. In fact I just opened up a partially used tube that I know has been there for at least three years...no problem. Any other color, especially black, a couple months and it's set up under the cap.
 
THAT is certainly interesting. ALL these manufacturers, IE Permatex, Locktite, etc, could do a LOT BETTER giving us actually usable details about how their products perform under certain jobs
 
Florida cures anything solvent based real quick.
This includes tubes that are unopened.

Any caulk we have that we might ever want to use again, we keep in the house.

Anything at my shop, PVC glue, tire plug cement, slime, etc...I keep in the refrigerator.

Seems to be working at both locations.
 
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