I have some 60-second epoxy - it comes in a dual syringe with a specialized tip that mixes the epoxy before it gets to the end of the nozzle: for those who have used epoxy for various things you know this is a great little invention. My only gripe is that you can only use the nozzle once…is there a way to clean the tips so they can be used again? I’m all about reusing things… And no I’m not going to take it off and blow in the nozzle…a coworker suggested that and I simply looked at him :dubious:
…
Any suggestions? Would turpentine or denatured alcohol work?
Just to clarify: this is a 60-second epoxy, meaning that it’ll remain liquid for only 60 seconds? So you have one minute to clean the stuff out before it solidifies in the tip? And meanwhile, the epoxy you squirted out for your project is just sitting there, rapidly hardening and neglected?
Just dropping the used tip in a jar of solvent won’t work, because it won’t penetrate into the inner workings of the tip. I guess if you really want to, you could somehow locate a second, empty syringe, fill it with some solvent such as denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, or acetone, and use that to “blow out” the tip before the stuff hardens. The downsides seem to be:
[ul]
[li]You’ll have to neglect your project while cleaning out the tip, or have someone else do the cleaning for you, meaning you’ve now involved the labor of an additional person to rescue a $1 tip.[/li][li]You’re using additional hazardous chemicals and creating additional waste, possibly more than you will conserve by just throwing the tip away.[/li][/ul]
Good point, but I don’t only use the 60-second stuff. I have a lot of epoxies for various projects and I find these tips to be very useful, I just want to be able to reuse them, but the extra waste is a consideration and one I had not thought of… seems buying them in bulk would be a good thing.
Not sure whether it will work for your particular epoxy, Phlosphr but I use West Epoxy (for kayak repair) which is a general purpose widely used epoxy in the boating industry and West recommends alcohol as a solvent for cleanup West epoxy cleanup. Don’t know about turpentine but venture that alcohol would work for what you’re using without knowing for sure. Acetone would probably work but it’s pretty nasty stuff to work with and not sure if it’s readily avail.
Here’s some inexpensive specially designed syringes for applying epoxy that I get at Jonestown Distibutors, a reputable company - although you can probably find these elsewhere. Epoxy Syringes
I am with you, don’t like to be wasteful, but these syringes are kind of a nuisance to clean. And most epoxy is best to not be handling or breathing, might be best just to toss them out.
