sikaflex

[baggypipes]

hi
HE has just finished a wee job onboard, accompanied by some very blue language as he has had to waste a nearly full tube of this sikaflex stuff. seems that it is difficult to seal once opened and tends to go off, my question therefore is can you buy smaller quantity or is there an alternative????????? or do you know of a sure fire way of sealing the stuff so's it can be re-used (minus the bad lingo)??
many thanks.
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[pyrojames]

I normally put a screw in the end of the tube after using it, and then pump some more through to fill up any gaps. It seems to shrink a bit at the end, over a few days, so I put a bit more pressure on it to close the gap. After that it keeps for a month or two, but not much more.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Put a screw in the end, wrap and seal in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge.

Lasts a lot longer IMHO

 

[jerryat]

Dead easy - in a polythene bag and then in the freezer, a fridge isn't cold enouigh unless in the 'freezer' part, and that is seldom big enough.

Take it out a couple of hours before needed, and off you go. Back in the freezer when that job's done. Used it this way for years, and it doesn't harm the Sikaflex in any way that I can discern.

 

[bromleybysea]

Yup- I use the freezer trick. The nozzles supplied with the cartridges are impossible to get a good seal on. Remove it and use a cap off an old tube- the (clean) ones off tomato puree work. Gun a bit of sikaflex out of the cartridge and wipe it off with a dry tissue before whacking the cap on, then into the freezer. Also works with polyurethane adhesive.

 

[samwise]

Clingfilm works for me. Unscrew the nozzle put Clingfilm over the end screw in nozzle. Not tried the freezer trick but SWMBO has already had words about boat bits encroaching into the domestic areas. Sikaflex in the freezer might risk withdrawal of privileges! Talking about Sikaflex, I know of no other commodity with such an incredible ability to get absolutely everywhere. My son and I once replaced a forehatch. The exercise was planned with military precision with the objective of getting the sealant into the right places -- and ONLY the right places. No chance! We got the hatch in ok but somehow succeeded in covering ourselves and almost every tool with the stuff. The cleanup took almost as long as the installation.