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Unabashedly stolen from Woodturningvideos.com: http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/super-glue.html


Storing Cyanoacrylates

Most CA’s have an average shelf life of about 6-12 months once opened. Unopened bottles can be stored in the freezer for an extended period of time. However, once a CA bottle is opened and exposed to atmospheric moisture, different storage procedures are required to prevent premature curing in the bottle.


Unopened Containers: Unopened bottles should be stored in the freezer for the longest shelf life. Before using, allow the bottle to come to room temperature. I prefer to allow the frozen bottle to sit overnight on the bench before using it, to insure that it has reached uniform ambient temperature.
Opened Containers: Do not store opened bottles without their caps, unless you live in areas that routinely have very low humidity levels year round. Exposure to high humidity can cause premature curing of the CA in the bottle.

If you purchase your Super Glue in bulk containers and transfer them into smaller applicator bottles for use, insure that these bottles are manufactured from polyethylene for best storage results.

Do not store opened CA containers near your manual pump accelerator bottle. During the summer months, high heat can cause accelerator vapors to leave the pump spray unit, causing premature curing of a nearby CA bottle. Some accelerators are now available in pressurized spray cans. While these are more expensive initially than bulk liquids, over time I have found out that they end up costing less per use than the bulk liquids.

Do not store opened bottles in the freezer. When removed, condensation may develop inside the bottle causing premature curing.

For best long term storage results, store opened CA bottles in a jar with a desiccant to absorb any moisture inside the jar. When stored this way, you can usually get every drop out of the bottle. Another option is to place the opened CA bottles inside a jar with a mason lid and pull a vacuum on the jar. This works very well, but requires a vacuum unit.

If you do not have one, use the above method with desiccant packs to remove any moisture inside the jar. Desiccant packs can be purchased at most camera and electronics stores, or be scavenged from the boxes of any new electronics that you purchase.



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Preventing Tip Clogging with Super Glues

It’s a quite common and frustrating fact that cyanoacrylates tend to clog the tips of their applicator bottles. If you employ one of the following procedures, you can effectively mitigate this problem.

When you have finished using the CA, allow sufficient time for the CA left in the tip to return to the bottle before replacing the cap. Sometimes, a sharp rap on the counter will assist in clearing the tip of the bottle of any uncured Super Glue. Always cover the bottle with a cloth and wear face and eye protection when rapping the bottle to clear the tip. Wipe the exterior of the tip with paper towels before storing the bottle away.


Do not touch the tip of the bottle onto a surface that has been sprayed with active accelerator, or the accelerator will cure the CA inside the nozzle. When you have finished using the CA, simply switch the used tip for a spare clean tip. Place the used tip in a small jar of Acetone until it is needed again.

When another fresh tip is needed, use tweezers to swap the clean tip in the Acetone jar with the used tip. Allow the tip to fully dry before replacing the tip on the CA bottle. Spare tips can be purchased at most suppliers that sell CA.

Thank you for posting this. </sincerity>

No problem. I've been having a hard time storing my glue.... it will work wonderfully when I open it, then after about a month of storage it turns into "super runny imitation glue product". It doesn't cure in the bottle, but it doesn't cure out of it either. I had to vice my BFG Necron ships together overnight before they would stick. One of them I let sit for 8 HOURS and it still wasn't cured (not even superficially) the glue was still liquid.

I came across this wondering what the problem is. Still don't know but at least now I have tips on proper storage so maybe it won't happen anymore.

Nice, post.
heh, I wasn't aware that the shelf-life was so short.
Thanks

Thanks for the info, the tip clog was always a problem for me but I fixed that buy shoving a toothpick down it to clear the tip before capping it.(This method falls under your 'Clear the tip before capping.'

But its also nice to know I can store my closed bottles in my freezer till I need em.

Mmm, handy.

thanks for the tips, however I dont personally like GW glues, I think they are way overpriced, most other superglues work fine for both plastic and metal models

Hi

I buy zap-a-gap 15ml superglue for large areas, but mostly use $2 store superglue - 8 x 3ml tubes. If they dry up then - meh - open another.

I also use the superglue rather than PVA for applying sand/grit to my bases - smear superglue over the surface then pour sand over. You can also build up higher points on the base with this method as you put additional layers of superglue on.

When I started out, I would smear a little PVA on one side (not fully covered) and superglue on the other. The PVA was able to be placed visibly on a single spot and would accelerate the drying time, making it bond quickly enough to hold itself in a short period of time. These days, I'm just more patient, and make sure I pin things properly (with enough surface area, they bond pretty quickly).