How do you seal the end of a mastic tube??!!

[gidon]

Drives me nuts - whatever method I try - it's always dried out by the time I come to use it again? Only one tube I've ever bought (no nails or something) had a screw top.
Any tips very greatfully received.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[motownmartin]

The worst bit is cleaning the nozzle, once thats done put a layer of clingfilm on before you screw the nozzle back on, or have I missed the point.

 

[Karl]

Buy some spare nozzles. That way, if you use say half a tube of mastik, you don't need to bother sealing the end. Just replace the nozzle when you want to use the remainder of the tube. The stuff in the old nozzle will be hard, but the stuff still in the tube will be nice and fresh.

Works for me every time. Got fed up of trying to find a nail/screw etc of the right diameter to fill the nozzle hole.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Gary]

Blue-tac or masking tape over the end works for me.

 

[bjm]

A 4" screw - clears the nozzle when you pull it out.

Brian

 

[dirtydeeds]

take the old nozzle off and put a new one on

faultless every single time

 

[Woody Alan]

wipe the nozzle clean, put a piece of electrical tape over the end and down the sides of the nozzle so it sticks to itself either side of the nozzle and an extra wind of tape round the ends of that tape to hold it there.

Alan

 

[pobo]

i find a 20mm clout nail does the trick, when you pull it out any dry stiff comes out with it. i find the diameter of this nail just the right size. i do lots of work on peoples homes so use the guns alot, but find they keep like this for at least a month.

when it comes to replacing nozzles, i find if you ask really nicely at local decorating suppliers they can normally find some lying under the counter. helps if your buying something at the time. :wink:

 

[staffie]

I use two nozzels, take the used one off, cover the end of the tube with a small piece of electric tape screw new nozzel on. leave other nozzel to dry out then just pop out the glue and its the new one for next time.

Just remember to take the tape out before trying to use it the next time, it gets me every time.

Jock

 

[Adam]

As someone mentioned, make sure there is some gunge in the nozzle, then wind a screw in. The gunge sets, and seals the end. Next use, you pull the screw out, which brings out all the hardened paste/filler/mastic attached to the threads and allows you to continue. With a hole the same diameter as the outer width of the threads.

Adam

 

[brianhabby]

What about Gripfill...?

The nozzles on those things are fixed to the tube and pulling out the hard stuff through the small hole in the end drives me nuts.

regards

Brian

 

[gidon]

Thanks for the replies - I'm going to see if I can get hold of some spare nozzles. I've tried some of the other methods with varying success - but knowing the methods are working for lots of you I'll have to try harder!
I think part of the problem is it can be a really long time before I use the stuff again - it's not usually the following month. Maybe I'm exceeding the once-open-shelf-life.
Thanks
Gidon

 

[speed]

for spare nossels try a window fitter, if he uses 2 tubes on 1 window he will prob use same nozel as its already at his desired beed width,
we end up with bags of 24 when were doin windows etc