I have tried several ways to temporarily stop up latex caulk in the large tube, but most are just not very good.
What do you use?
A nail the size of the opening you cut from a 6d to a 16d or whatever fits . . .
I use a drywall screw. Then I can just pull the congealed plug out with the threads using a pair of pliars.
I either plug the opening with a drywall screw or put a sandwich baggie over the end of the spout and wind it tightly around the tube.
Another trick is to use a Unibit to drill a tapered hole in the end of a scrap block of 2x2 wood and push the tube’s spout into this hole. The wood block only needs to be about 3 inches long.
I’ve used a thick piece of plastic sprue, because it’s wider than most nails. I’ve used a piece of coat hanger, because it’s long enough to get past the inevitable plug of solid caulk in the tube.
And then, inevitably, I’ve used the trash can. Tubes of caulk just don’t seem to have much of a shelf life once opened. That’s the biggest reason I use white glue for both roadbed and track now.
Among the other many materials I always seem to have within arm’s reach in my train room, besides at least two partially used cylinders of latex caulking, is a role of the green painter’s masking tape. I simply tear off about 2" and spiral wrap it toward the top with the first wrap about halway up the plastic nib. At the top, I pinch it all together and have found that to be good for several months. After a year, I often must cut off more nib to make a wider opening, insert a Swiss Army Knife corkscrew into the nib, yet another tool always with me, and twist it down to its full depth. A vigorous yank outward, and my access to usuable caulking is once again restored.
-Crandell
Someone just dosn’t get it, you let the caulk itself become the plug. When you are finished using what you want, you always leave a little hanging out, next time you want to use, you pull out the plug. Longer than 4 months and you may have to dig a little but I have salvaged 2 year old tubes this way but when they get that old, you may have to cut some off the end. This way works better than trying to cover or poke something in and will last longer (worked in the trades and have gone through thousands of tubes).
I use an Electrical Wire Nut (the kind they use to connect and insulate House Wire)
Just Screw it on the end of the tube!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
I too have had great success using masking tape. Also, some types of caulk come with replaceable caps. However, I’ve not found them to work terribly well On their own. I usually replace the cap and theN tape it.
Like Paul, I use a long nail the size of the opening on the nozzle. Works great.
Tom
I have probably used every way already described and they all work to some degree. I settled for a tapered wood dowel. But I will freely admit, I never used caulk anywhere on my layouts. Home use, Automotive use. I’m old school, when it comes to the layout. [:D] Hopefully, you release the pressure from the plunger, before you plug it.
Frank
I use a long nail that’ll fit snug in the nozzle end.
I keep the tip when I cut it off. When I am done I stick it in the hole (pointy end first) and put a piece of painters tape over it to hold it. It goes in like it was cut to fit.[:-^]
I use a large screw. I’ve found that a nail can become firmly stuck in the caulk and next to impossible to pull out. Besides, a steel screw will eventually start to rust from the moisture in the caulk and contaminate the first bit of caulk. Drywall screws don’t seem to rust, neither would stainless steel screws. It seems that the threads on the screws pull the plug out with them when removed.
For literally decades, I have used drywall screws - coarse thread to do the job. They hold better than nails, and if you caulk up the underside of the head, it gives a pretty good seal.
Somewhere, somehow I acquired a tapered plastic cap that exactly fits the taper on the tube end. A little excess caulk out the end, install cap, Viola! When it comes time to unseal, a quick twist of the wrist and I’m action ready.
I rather suspect that the cap came with a tube of caulk long since used up.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Seal them all the time, both ways, w/ coarse DW screw or nail. I need to have my “fav” Alex plus rather fresh for caulking molding and trim, on decent jobs I just use a fresh tube and don’t bother. A galvanized nail will keep it clean and not rust streak. This is not really any problem for RR use as who cares if it spits out a rust streak/ weathering your track laying or foam. To store for extended period, I will allow a bit of caulk to ooze out and fit the “plug” allowing the caulk to seal around the nail/ screw. Plastic wrapped around the tip and a bit of tape will keep a partially used tube for several months. Silicones, urethanes, Phenoseal and butyl caulks all have quite varying shelf life after opened, however these are rarely used for our purposes.
I’m with the drywall screw group. Use one long enough to reach into the body of the tube itself. For short term, that’s all I use. If I’m not going to use it for awhile, I put a piece of Saran Wrap over the end and secure it with a rubber band. I have had tubes sit for over 6 months and after pulling the screw out, they worked fine. Probably a good wrap of masking or duct tape over the screw would work also.
Good luck,
Richard
I use these:
Question: How many model railroaders does it take to answer a forum question on how to seal a tube of calk?
Answer: About 10 less than it takes to screw in a light bulb. [;)] [:-^]