CA glue kept in the fridge?

[BattleshipBob]

Time for a question

I like many keep CA in the fridge and of course far from the red sauce!! Although glueing my mouth together might please some lol

Now the question: Is it wise to let it get to room temp before using it??

Ta bob

 

[AlanG]

Although glueing my mouth together might please some lol

It's yer typin' fingers that are the problem lol

 

[Airborne01]

Time for a question

I like many keep CA in the fridge and of course far from the red sauce!! Although glueing my mouth together might please some lol

Now the question: Is it wise to let it get to room temp before using it??

Ta bob

Yup!

 

[BattleshipBob]

It's yer typin' fingers that are the problem lol

Just you wait until I find my duelling glove sir!!

 

[BattleshipBob]

Yup!

Ta!!

 

[boatman]

Just you wait until I find my duelling glove sir!!

BOB mate its in the wash lol
chrisb

 

[stillp]

Make sure there's no CA on your fingers!
Pete

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Hi Bob,
I'll probably get shouted down for this, BUT .....
I don't see what all the fuss is about with this kinda thing ...
.... I have many types of glues etc.. NEVER have I based any of them in the fridge,or indeed,worried about them getting to room temperature
.... never really had a problem with using them,(considering my apparent "mal treatment"),....
Maybe I'm just lucky,but to me,all this over pampering of stuff is just unnecessary... not to mention taking the fun out of the hobby
It's just glue mate... shove it on your bench and use it as,and when, you want it.... simples

 

[Ian M]

I just keep mine on the bench where it is close by. Never had issues.

 

[Jakko]

Same, I’ve been reading about storing superglue in the fridge for decades, and though I tried it once to see if it would keep better, IMHO it’s pretty pointless because my hobby room is in the attic and the fridge is in the kitchen. When I need glue, I don’t want to run down two flights of stairs and then back up, and in any case, superglue nozzles block up anyway regardless of how you store it.

However, I find that wiping the glue off the nozzle with a cloth before I put the cap on, keeps it usable for much longer than if I don’t.

 

[Tim Marlow]

CA goes off in the presence of moisture and the absence of air, so I don’t see what keeping in the fridge brings to the game. I only ever keep mine on the bench, or in a drawer between builds. Doing this, I get to use a whole tube without it going off. When I buy the next one I don’t have to ask the shop to get that out of the fridge either.

 

[KarlW]

Taking it out of the fridge encourages condensation, so you're probably doing more harm than good.

 

[Airborne01]

Actually works for me though - still, this hobby engenders all shades of interpretation so, if it works for you all's well and good otherwise experiment until you find what does work for you!
Steve

 

[David Lovell]

Hi Bob,
I'll probably get shouted down for this, BUT .....
I don't see what all the fuss is about with this kinda thing ...
.... I have many types of glues etc.. NEVER have I based any of them in the fridge,or indeed,worried about them getting to room temperature
.... never really had a problem with using them,(considering my apparent "mal treatment"),....
Maybe I'm just lucky,but to me,all this over pampering of stuff is just unnecessary... not to mention taking the fun out of the hobby
It's just glue mate... shove it on your bench and use it as,and when, you want it.... simples

HALLELUJAH PRAISE THE LORD well put Andy where on earth do these myths come from , does one purchase it from a refrigerator, if purchased over the net does it turn up in one of thoes bags that are supposed to keep things cool till you can put it in the fridge ,ooh mines fresher than yours I keep it in the fridge?
Yes it can be expensive stuff its come on in leaps and bounds ,fast setting ,slower setting(good stuff gives you a bit more wriggle time) ,flexible? Even comes in black ,debonder is that supposed to be kept refrigerated once opened ? As Simon T once said it doesn't go off just gets a bit stringy but works just the same.
Look if it works for you fine keep it in the fridge but surely ask your self why ,my bug bear is the diffrent array of dispensers its sold in and the quantity inside ,your never going to use it all your never going to extract every last drop ,a tiny drop on a bisto or similar plastic lid (once its gone hard flex the lid it pops off) sticks a load of the stuff one of thoes less is best with ca you don't need to lather it on. Once mine starts to get too stringy ill buy some more and dispose of the half used product I just put it down to the nature of the whole thing.
I've no doubt someone from the alchemy club will tell us why it should be kept refrigerated and how to extract every last drop from a tube or bottle me I'll use it till the ends all crusty and I cant unblock it any more then grab a new one. Dave
PS Now maggots they keep fresh in the fridge especially if your not going fishing for a couple of days but make sure the lids on properly my other half had a right old benny when she opened the fridge door to be greeted by the best part of a pint of maggots can't see what all the fuss was about but hey you know what women are like.

 

[JR]

Having used CA at work for years , in fact since the 70s along with the accelerator I would like to join in .As CA adhesive ages it goes thicker, and produces strings, that's just the nature of the chemical.
Cyanoacrylate adhesives have a short shelf life. Date-stamped containers help to ensure that the adhesive is still viable. One manufacturer supplies the following information and advice:

When kept unopened in a cool, dry location such as a refrigerator at a temperature of about 55 °F (13 °C), the shelf life of cyanoacrylate will be extended from about one year from manufacture to at least 15 months. If the adhesive is to be used within six months, it is not necessary to refrigerate it. Cyanoacrylates are moisture-sensitive, and moving from a cool to a hot location will create condensation; after removing from the refrigerator, it is best to let the adhesive reach room temperature before opening. After opening, it should be used within 30 days. Open containers should not be refrigerated.[42]

Another manufacturer says that the maximum shelf life of 12 months is obtained for some of their cyanoacrylates if the original containers are stored at 35 to 40 °F (2 to 4 °C).[43] User forums and some manufacturers say that an almost unlimited shelf life is attainable by storing unopened at −4 °F (−20 °C), the typical temperature of a domestic freezer, and allowing the contents to reach room temperature before use.[44] Opening a container while chilled may cause moisture from the air to condense in the container; however, reports from hobbyists suggest that storing cyanoacrylate in a freezer can preserve opened cyanoacrylate indefinitely.

As cyanoacrylates age, they polymerize, become thicker, and cure more slowly. They can be thinned with a cyanoacrylate of the same chemical composition with lower viscosity.[33] Storing cyanoacrylates below 0 °F (−18 °C) will nearly stop the polymerization process and prevent aging.
All interesting facts , being truthful about it a fresh bottle is always better , grabs faster doesn't it including Bob's and our fingers .
Good morning .

 

[Jim R]

Thanks John, that's very useful.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Having used CA at work for years , in fact since the 70s along with the accelerator I would like to join in .As CA adhesive ages it goes thicker, and produces strings, that's just the nature of the chemical.
Cyanoacrylate adhesives have a short shelf life. Date-stamped containers help to ensure that the adhesive is still viable. One manufacturer supplies the following information and advice:


Another manufacturer says that the maximum shelf life of 12 months is obtained for some of their cyanoacrylates if the original containers are stored at 35 to 40 °F (2 to 4 °C).[43] User forums and some manufacturers say that an almost unlimited shelf life is attainable by storing unopened at −4 °F (−20 °C), the typical temperature of a domestic freezer, and allowing the contents to reach room temperature before use.[44] Opening a container while chilled may cause moisture from the air to condense in the container; however, reports from hobbyists suggest that storing cyanoacrylate in a freezer can preserve opened cyanoacrylate indefinitely.

As cyanoacrylates age, they polymerize, become thicker, and cure more slowly. They can be thinned with a cyanoacrylate of the same chemical composition with lower viscosity.[33] Storing cyanoacrylates below 0 °F (−18 °C) will nearly stop the polymerization process and prevent aging.
All interesting facts , being truthful about it a fresh bottle is always better , grabs faster doesn't it including Bob's and our fingers .
Good morning .

Interesting comment from that manufacturer. If your fridge is running at 13 degC John it’s not doing it’s job and not safe to use
The pharmaceutical designated temperature for refrigeration is from 2 - 8 degC. Above about 10degC microbial growth can start, allowing food you think fresh to go off without you realising it.

All of this information seems to be aimed at industrial users who may buy in bulk and store until required for use. Once you open the top it’s all moot, because air returning to the tube after it’s squeezed will contain moisture that accelerates the degradation of the cyano.

Funnily enough, plastic solvent glues are never mentioned in this context, especially such as Tamiya extra thin. Scientifically they could benefit from refrigeration once opened. The cooler temperatures will minimise solvent evaporation and stop them simply disappearing if the bottle isn’t properly closed. I’m not advocating that either, by the way, I’m just going to try to remember to properly close the bottles

I must admit I think it a little weird that we try to get a few more pence worth of CA out of a tube, yet keep stashes of kits worth many hundreds of pounds that we may never get around to building. Glue is a consumable…..buy small tubes and buy more frequently, then it’s always fresh

 

[rtfoe]

Actually the drier the environment the better and the fridge is ideal for it but in my environment the humidity is so high that its adhesive capabilities deteriorate rapidly once the cap is removed. So always start with a fresh tube. Some manufacturers have found this out and sell mini sized tubes. I keep a bundle of them of different forms...gel, quick setting etc.

Imagine using CA in the north pole...totally useless if the temperature is the factor.

Cheers,
Richard aka Wabble

 

[BattleshipBob]

Having used CA at work for years , in fact since the 70s along with the accelerator I would like to join in .As CA adhesive ages it goes thicker, and produces strings, that's just the nature of the chemical.
Cyanoacrylate adhesives have a short shelf life. Date-stamped containers help to ensure that the adhesive is still viable. One manufacturer supplies the following information and advice:


Another manufacturer says that the maximum shelf life of 12 months is obtained for some of their cyanoacrylates if the original containers are stored at 35 to 40 °F (2 to 4 °C).[43] User forums and some manufacturers say that an almost unlimited shelf life is attainable by storing unopened at −4 °F (−20 °C), the typical temperature of a domestic freezer, and allowing the contents to reach room temperature before use.[44] Opening a container while chilled may cause moisture from the air to condense in the container; however, reports from hobbyists suggest that storing cyanoacrylate in a freezer can preserve opened cyanoacrylate indefinitely.

As cyanoacrylates age, they polymerize, become thicker, and cure more slowly. They can be thinned with a cyanoacrylate of the same chemical composition with lower viscosity.[33] Storing cyanoacrylates below 0 °F (−18 °C) will nearly stop the polymerization process and prevent aging.
All interesting facts , being truthful about it a fresh bottle is always better , grabs faster doesn't it including Bob's and our fingers .
Good morning .

Thanks John, excellent reply and some big words, has your spell checker had a melt down lol

Learnt a great deal John, much appreciated.

 

[AlanG]

Some manufacturers have found this out and sell mini sized tubes.

For the amount of CA i use, i only use the small tubes. Far more cost effective in the long run