Are there any tricks in keeping thee CA bottle tip from clogging and the cap clean? I've tried sticking a nail/pins in the opening, wiping the tip before putting the cap but it only lasts temporarily.
I keep a couple of old lids in a bottle of acetone. If one plugs I take one out of the bottle and put the plugged one in the bottle.
I use micro glue tips and just snip it down until it needs replacing. They are very inexpensive
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I coat the outside of the bottle tip and the thread that hold the cap with petroleum jelly. If glue does get on there,it's much easier to "carve" off. My local hobby shop carries replacement nozzles and caps for the brand of CA that they carry, so I keep a couple of those on hand in case things get TOO gunked up.
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Mercury is a provider of excellent CA glues and they fully understand this issue. Their tops contain a metal pin that inserts into the bottle's tip when it is tightened down, preventing CA glue from clogging it. I love those guys. 
No more clogging!!!
No more clogging!!!
I stopped using CA in bottles. I only use small .1 oz (3gm) tubes. Each tube usually lasts for one or two build sessions. Plus, I use the micro glue tips and cut the tips as needed. I get mine from Harbor freight in USA ($3.99 for 10 Gel), (2.99 for 10 thin). Other brands are available on Amazon. I got tired of the buildup on the large bottles. Now each time I have a fresh tube of glue. I will never go back to bottles.
I keep my glue in ziplock bags and try to get as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing. I also try to store the glue so the tip is facing downward. I still have the occasional problem with clogged tips, but it's not nearly as frequent.
It is moisture that cures CA. So we do what we can to limit the exposure to moisture which causes the clogging in the tip. I use the micro tips as suggested by Fletch Dog all the time. If the CA dries at the tip you can clip it off and you have a clean tip to continue. I have tried most options and found the micro tips to be the best and most convenient…
Really annoying , however I solved the problem and that works for me , I unscrew and lift off the cap ( if too tight a nut cracker will come in handy to unscrew) and poor some Glue on a little bottle cap before applying the glue with toothpicks ,
I agree with MartinJel. Gently tapping the container on the bench after you use it works very well especially with thin CA. However, do be very careful where the tip is aimed as sometimes it will spit while the glue retreats back into the bottle.
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I make sure the glue has fallen back into the bottle and is not resting in the tip. A gentle squeeze when it's upright to make sure only air comes out. That way you know there is no glue to dry in the tip. I also use the disposable tips for fine application. Again, when done, I squeeze the bottle to make sure that only air comes out the tip. I then remove the tip and touch both ends to a paper towel then put the big end in my mouth and blow through to make sure all the glue is expelled. I have never had any CA in my mouth but it is a potential hazard.
Doing this means I can get all the way to the bottom of the bottle without any issues. I can also get between days/weeks of use out of a single disposable tip depending on how much I am doing.
The only other issue is that CA will build up not he outside of the tip. I clean this off regularly with a knife blade making sure that the cap fits on neatly and securely after every use.
Why all this trouble? I tend to use the more expensive CA's like ZAP and BSi but I only buy the 1oz (28g) bottles as CA will go off in the bottle over time. I have never had any luck with the cheap stuff. Not sure what they use in their CA chemistry but things don't seem to hold anywhere near as well or as long. Mind you I only use CA to hold a plank in place while the wood glue dries if clamping is not feasible. I then secure with a treenail. I do however use medium CA for my rigging to secure the end of the rope before cutting it.
Doing this means I can get all the way to the bottom of the bottle without any issues. I can also get between days/weeks of use out of a single disposable tip depending on how much I am doing.
The only other issue is that CA will build up not he outside of the tip. I clean this off regularly with a knife blade making sure that the cap fits on neatly and securely after every use.
Why all this trouble? I tend to use the more expensive CA's like ZAP and BSi but I only buy the 1oz (28g) bottles as CA will go off in the bottle over time. I have never had any luck with the cheap stuff. Not sure what they use in their CA chemistry but things don't seem to hold anywhere near as well or as long. Mind you I only use CA to hold a plank in place while the wood glue dries if clamping is not feasible. I then secure with a treenail. I do however use medium CA for my rigging to secure the end of the rope before cutting it.
My recent experience:
I used a long sewing needle to open up the hole on the tip. When things got bad enough, I clipped off part of the tip. This is the first time I have been successful in using the entire contents of the bottle.
I used a long sewing needle to open up the hole on the tip. When things got bad enough, I clipped off part of the tip. This is the first time I have been successful in using the entire contents of the bottle.
I bought the Mercury brand to test and so far I have had no issues with clogging. Although I had to search several local hobby stores to find it.
Mercury is a provider of excellent CA glues and they fully understand this issue. Their tops contain a metal pin that inserts into the bottle's tip when it is tightened down, preventing CA glue from clogging it. I love those guys.
No more clogging!!!
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Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
You beat me to the comments on tapping the bottle on workbench to make drops fall down.
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
As many have said, moisture is not a friend of CA glues.
My ship building mentor showed me a trick to store CA bottles inside a larger bottle (aka Jiffy Peanut Butter bottle) with some old descant packs inside to absorb moisture and keep lid closed as much as possible.
These little white or other colored packs seem to come in most anything with electronics or wood now a days as shipping aid. You can also buy packages for small costs from shipping supply companies.
I learned to open and remove CA bottle at beginning of work session and only open to return into storage at end of session, so the storage bottle doesn't get opened multiple times a day.
My ship building mentor showed me a trick to store CA bottles inside a larger bottle (aka Jiffy Peanut Butter bottle) with some old descant packs inside to absorb moisture and keep lid closed as much as possible.
These little white or other colored packs seem to come in most anything with electronics or wood now a days as shipping aid. You can also buy packages for small costs from shipping supply companies.
I learned to open and remove CA bottle at beginning of work session and only open to return into storage at end of session, so the storage bottle doesn't get opened multiple times a day.
In the last couple of days I've been banging the bottle on the bench and it seems to help. I've ordered some extension tips. Up til now I've been using some very thin plastic tubing stuck in the tip of the bottle and that works reasonably well but the heat of my hand seems to force the glue out all over the place. And , no, I don't have the tubing too deep in the bottle
My trick as well. Very effective, both in purpose and cost.I use micro glue tips and just snip it down until it needs replacing. They are very inexpensive
They cost me around 20 CDN$ for 500. Very inexpensive.My trick as well. Very effective, both in purpose and cost.
I am going to give this a try.
Mine came yesterday. We'll see how they work. I did notice that the tubes are tapered so that as you snip off the clogs the delivery rate will probably increase. Is that just the ones that I ordered or are they all like that?My trick as well. Very effective, both in purpose and cost.