Squeeze bottle caps

[Gary Beasley]

I was intent on transferring my shellac grain sealer from a glass bottle to a plastic squeeze bottle like condements are put in but lacked the caps for the tip. My son suggested using a wire nut and lo and behold a red winged wirenut was a perfect fit. The wire coil threads inside grip the tip quite well with just a little twist.

 

[Russell Nugent]

I tried those bottles with some finishes. They do not seal very well, the thinner does tend to evaporate. I tried some osmo finish in there, it set up in about a week.

 

[Gary Beasley]

I tried those bottles with some finishes. They do not seal very well, the thinner does tend to evaporate. I tried some osmo finish in there, it set up in about a week.

The plastic bottles are prone to oxygen penetration so not so good for curing finishes. Works great for shellac though.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Agree with Gary. As a Pharmacist I was taught that plastic is permeable to oxygen. Some plastics are better than others as the stock bottle on Pharmacy shelves is thicker and some have a black coating inside to help with preservation. I would expect condiment bottles would be easily permeable .

 

[Gregg Miller]

This is such a cool idea. I wonder of there are other wirw nut colors would also work.

 

[Darryl Fective]

I doubt there is much of a seal with the threads. If you flip and squeeze, I'm guessing it make a mess, and probably enough to allow stuff to partially cure.

 

[hockenbery]

I have been using the disposable plastic water bottles to store Waterlox in with great success.
Each use I put the cap on loosely and squeeze until a little Waterlox runs out under the loose cap then tighten the cap.
When it gets close to empty I fold the bottom up.

This gets most all the air out of the bottle. A tiny air bubble doesn’t seem to be a problem

I’ve kept Waterlox from gelling with this method for well over 6 months. Probably past 9 a few times.

 

[Janet Dillon]

Any recommendations for storing the 3-part finish of shellac, boiled linseed oil and denatured alcohol? I store it in a plastic container, and I'm now concerned that that's not a good idea.

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I tried those bottles with some finishes. They do not seal very well, the thinner does tend to evaporate. I tried some osmo finish in there, it set up in about a week

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have found wine bags are inexpensive and very effective. Easy to pour out of too.

 

[Russell Nugent]

Any recommendations for storing the 3-part finish of shellac, boiled linseed oil and denatured alcohol? I store it in a plastic container, and I'm now concerned that that's not a good idea.

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A Mason Jar can work , I usually wax the threads. Mostly I keep my finishes in stop loss bags, they seem to work well.

 

[Greg Carles]

I have found wine bags are inexpensive and very effective. Easy to pour out of too.

I think Craft supply offers something along these lines ( not wine bags ) but a collapsible bag for finishes.

 

[DON FRANK]

Stop loss bags are my go to for many of the finishes I use.

 

[J. Paul Fennell]

If you drink beer (or knows someone who does), some brands are sold in 1-pint (16oz) cans with a sealed screw top. In Arizona you could never get close finishing a quart can of Watco, Waterlox or any other oil-type finish kept in the original can. I use the screw-top beer cans to store the finish indefinitely when filled right up to the top. Cheap marbles will displace the air created when using the finish from a can. Works great and is cheap.

 

[John K Jordan]

Any recommendations for storing the 3-part finish of shellac, boiled linseed oil and denatured alcohol? I store it in a plastic container, and I'm now concerned that that's not a good idea.

Before closing the container of any finish and oil (jar, bottle, can) I displace the air with inert gas. You can buy Bloxygen which does the same but I use a tank of argon I had on hand. I’ve been doing this with either nitrogen or argon for a bunch of years. It even keeps opened bottles of TruOil good, notorious for setting up in the bottle.

It keeps oxygen in the air from causing finishes to set up or degrade. I don’t treat any solvents.

JKJ

 

[Perry Hilbert]

Any recommendations for storing the 3-part finish of shellac, boiled linseed oil and denatured alcohol? I store it in a plastic container, and I'm now concerned that that's not a good idea.

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For shine juice, shellac and wipe on poly, I use repurposed GLASS, shaker bottles from soy sauce and Worchestershire sauce. I'm not crazy about using glass in the shop, but I had too much wasted due to using plastic containers. Never had it go bad in glass.

 

[Nate Hawkes]

Has anyone ever used a ketchup bottle? Seems like it’d work well…

 

[Brian Gustin]

Has anyone ever used a ketchup bottle? Seems like it’d work well…

I used to save and use them for short term temporary use - For dispensing the finish (and sometimes for glues), but not for storage - they will do nothing for storing finish as they'll still leak air, plus solvents in the finish do tend to degrade the plastic. Also, you do need to clean them REALLY well - even minute particles of leftover ketchup , mustard or whatever condiment can make for a poor finish result. I have since quit saving them as it is more trouble than they are worth to wash them out clean enough.

 

[Dave Hulett]

I used to save and use them for short term temporary use - For dispensing the finish (and sometimes for glues), but not for storage - they will do nothing for storing finish as they'll still leak air, plus solvents in the finish do tend to degrade the plastic. Also, you do need to clean them REALLY well - even minute particles of leftover ketchup , mustard or whatever condiment can make for a poor finish result. I have since quit saving them as it is more trouble than they are worth to wash them out clean enough.

I use them all the time. Buy them at walmart for couple bucks a piece. but your correct they are temporary storage. I mix up 50/50 poly and mineral spirits for my own wipe on poly. but I've learned to shake the bottle every day I go into my shop and if/when it starts to seem a little thick, just add a little more MS.

 

[Ricc Havens]

I tried the wire nut thing on caulk tubes and squeeze bottles. But the caulk always still dried and the finish in squeeze bottles had the solvent evaporate. I had a handyman instaling some windows a few years ago. Saw him using someing on a caulk tube. Asked him what it was and he said a "caulk condom". He said the "wire" thread inside the wirenut are not very airtight as they are a coarse thread. The condoms kept the caulk usable for longer periods of time. I bought ssome to try.

As mentioned above, the plastic bottles allow oxygen to pass through. Cheaper bottles allow it more. While they aren't a gamechanger or perfect solution they do help keep the finish in the plastic squeeze bottles fresher a little longer.

here is a sample link. https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Seale...prefix=caulk+tube+condoms,aps,139&sr=8-1&th=1

Another option is the bottle by 3M. I haven't usd them myself as I don't have the need. But the description states "Fluorinated to reduce permeation, discoloration and paneling" So I am assuming (since I am not a chemist) that the reduction of permeation is related to either oxygen coming and or solvents evaporating out.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40067464/

 

[Dean Center]

I tried the wire nut thing on caulk tubes and squeeze bottles. But the caulk always still dried and the finish in squeeze bottles had the solvent evaporate. I had a handyman instaling some windows a few years ago. Saw him using someing on a caulk tube. Asked him what it was and he said a "caulk condom". He said the "wire" thread inside the wirenut are not very airtight as they are a coarse thread. The condoms kept the caulk usable for longer periods of time. I bought ssome to try.

I just painted a bedroom ceiling and needed just a very small amount of painter's caulk. There was a tube in the basement from the last time I did this, so I pulled off the cover I had placed, and the caulk was perfect. There wasn't even a hard plug to clear out. Eureka!

Somehow I'd gotten the idea to cut the pinkie finger off of a rubber glove from the finishing station, slip that over the tip and hold it on with a rubber band. Maybe I was thinking of a finger cot, an old fashioned medical device much like a condom, but in a smaller diameter. The pinkie size fit the tip of the caulk tube a little sloppy going on, but was skin tight when taken off.

If I did this a lot, it wouldn't be a good plan, as I'll still use that glove and probably not be able to keep my finger out of the finish. But for 2-3 times a year, it's terrific.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Has anyone ever used a ketchup bottle? Seems like it’d work well…

I use cheap squeeze bottles from Amazon for glue, etc. In hindsight, $4 is a lot to play for a cheap plastic bottle.

 

[John K Jordan]

I use cheap squeeze bottles from Amazon for glue, etc. In hindsight, $4 is a lot to play for a cheap plastic bottle.


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I like those bottles for lots of things - alcohol, solvants, naphtha, etc. I still have a couple of tubs full of various sizes, left over from distributing hand sanitizer during the pandemic.

The best plastic bottle for glue and finishes (IMO) is from Mercury Adhesives for CA glue - thicker, the plastic formulated to keep out oxygen and moisture, and with a steel pin in the cap. They told me they developed it. (I love their CA - and their warranty.)

Somehow I got some new empties but can't for the life of me remember from where and how...

JKJ