Sika Suka

EASLOOP

EASLOOP

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Bought a tube of Sikaflex recently. Opened the tube, put the nozzle on, sqirted the stuff under a couple of skin fitting. Everything nicely watertight. Put rest of stuff, nicely sealed at the end of the nozzle, to one side awaiting the next similar job. Went to use it the other day and all I had was a rubber trunchoen. Does anybody have a method for preserving this un-cheap stuff?
Look forward to ideas.

John.
 
Have had the same problem with 3M 5200. The best trick I've found is to wrap the end of the nozzle in pvc (insulation) tape. If it's a cartridge type, you also have to take the tube out of the gun and seal across the bottom end (where the gun plunger goes). Using both of these methods, you can help keep air out of the tube which is what will set the sealant off. This helps, but it's not a perfect fix.

In either case, you will always find the stuff in the nozzle end has gone hard, it's just a question of whether you've stopped it going further back into the tube. The nozzle end can always be cleaned out, and a screwdriver pushed into the tube to clear a passage.

If you do find the tube has gone off, you can often puncture the side of the tube with a srewdriver to extract what's not gone off. This is messy, but better to "waste not, want not". As you say, this is expensive stuff!

I hope this helps.

Paul
 
Remove the hard plastic casing and hey presto you have a good bung in case your through hull fittings fail. I have it on good authority that it hardens just for that purpose.
 
I've switched over to useing Arbothane 1240 for the same reason, its another polyurothane sealant adhesive, very strong, water proof, marine etc but is still useable after more than 6 weeks sealed with duck tape when end of nozzle is still wet.
 
Store it in a freezer. Once opened it doesn't dry, it reacts with oxygen. However well you seal it you cannot keep all the oxygen out, and after not a long period, a rubber truncheon is what you end up with.

At freezer temperatures it is too cold for the setting reaction to progress at anything other than a very slow rate. Kept at low temperatures, an opened tube lasts for ages. It doesn't contain sufficient moister to freeze hard.

Warm it up natuarally before you want to use it, and refreeze asap again once your are done. This treatment doesn't seem to affect it in any way.
 
I have suggested before on same problem how it can be done. A around the world sailor told me how he had kept Silkaflex for 3 years and still be able to use it. You can smear either greae or vaseline around the nozzle base and a good dollop on the top. That will stop air or moister from entering. You can also try to cover it with melted wax or candle if it is going to be a while before you will use it again. Give it a try, I was going to try it myself, but have not yet had the chance. Also, to keep the tubes from robbing on other things, use a bit of 40mm pvc pipe with two endcaps on.
 
Next Question: WHY DONT THEY PUT A DATE on it, either 'manufactured' or 'use by'. Will not buy it for that reason (as well as price). Could have been sitting on the shelf for years. Identical polyurethane adhesives are available from trade suppliers at a fraction of the price ....and they have dates.


Have to agree though, you've a few months at best to use them once opened.

Vic
 
We are blessed with having best by dates on the Sikaflex we get here in NZ. Must be something to do where it is manufactured/packed (which I will check when on the boat today).

John
 
Sika is moisture cured.
Try taking off the nozzel an puting foil over exit then screwing nozzel back on then put foil over end of nozzel and tape tightly.
Moisture will go through plastic tapes.
All this will hold the cure back but I'm intrigued by the grease idea!

george
 
Why do they cover cheese with wax.

Anyhow, this is how I look after my stuff. GP sealer I put upside down so the tip is covered with water, and it has lasted almost a year.



IMG_0065.jpg


Try it.
 
Put it into a ziplock poly bag and put in some Silica Gel . The stuff requires moisture to cure so if it is kept completely dry and airtight it will last a v long time. Agree that it should have a date on it
 
we use the puncture the side of the tube method - I have a 2 year old tube with a number of healed wounds but plenty of workable stuff inside!
 
Michael 99, you are a tight one, Acrylic sealer is about NZ$4 a tube here, why bother? Your tip seems like a good idea for the expensive stuff though. I would probably knock the thing over and have the water at the wrong end.
 
Waste not want not. It works fine to cover the tip on general purpose stuff, but not on silkaflex. I have tried covering it with grease, and that works too.I have yet to try the candle way, but I'm waiting for a opportunity.I had hoped some of you out there would have tried it when I suggested it preversely.
 
Grease contamination would be detrimental to the use of Sika on further projects.

The whole purpose of using Sika is so that you can create water tight seals where required in the marine environment. Stop being so tight and accept that it will go hard in the tube and every new job on a subsequent day will require a new tube.
 
Use vaseline instead. Sound like you either sell the stuff, or have got too much money. It will do no good in the landfill. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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