Another tool to go with your Forge

Everything Else
1

I got a set of these bottles:

They have a very small metal nozzle, allows for extremely precise application of whatever liquids you might need to apply.

I have 3 bottles currently set up: water, denatured alcohol, and wood glue. I put a band of blue electrical tape around the denatured bottle so I can immediately tell it apart from the water.

I might make a danish oil bottle next, might be handy for touchups.

They have really improved my work flow, just the tiny 1/20" dabs of glue in finger joint notches has saved me a ton of time, vastly reduced glue cleanup (to pretty much zero).

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2

Can you get the wood glue through those things? I’ve got a bunch of them and I keep clogging the tips beyond saving. :neutral_face:

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3

Maybe you need to thin it with water a little?

Also, I found that I can “unglue” parts with vinegar.

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4

I wipe the tip off and cap it if I’m going to leave it alone for even a minute or two. So far no clogs.

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If you’re willing to wait for shipping from China, you can get a ten-pack these bottles from Fastech for under $4, with a variety of cap colors available. They also have a 50-pack of 10mL bottles.

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6

With needle tips, I find that using a straight pin as a stopper and storing the bottles upside down (as long as the glue is relatively thick and the needle is a good fit) is a huge help. (That was actually my first practical cut project, making a little upside-down-glue-bottle holder for my pegboard.)

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Using straight pins as stoppers works for a while and then the pins rust and you have a mess. I have found that the nylony plasticy rings that hold tags unto garments work much longer - and no rust. Simply make a snip in the ring and straighten it out and you are ready to go.

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8

It depends on the pin. Yes, some do rust, but I’ve got a few pins that I’ve been using this way for years, rust-free. Anyway, the point is that something inserted into the tip (vs. using a cap) is a good way to keep the needle tips clear – using tag fasteners is a good idea!

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9

Maybe stainless is the key here.

You might have a few leftover. :wink:

I need to measure the nozzle to see if these would fit.

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10

Whoa Nellie! Just tried one of these things and Man! Is that ever an improvement! Great suggestion! (The Fast Cap Babe Bot I was using positively sux in comparison. And tends to split so avoid it and save a couple of bucks.)

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Followup: my glue bottle did actually clog after not using it for a little while. I took the cap off, then took the wire from a bread tie (solid, fairly rigid, and skinny) and pushed it through the tip. Glue was fine after that.

I also am starting to ensure that the tip is clear of glue before I put everything away, I squeeze air through the tip and get it as empty as possible. That might be why it was so easy for me to clean, I dunno.

So, maybe not perfect, but pretty good!

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12

I wonder if these would work with Weldon 16. That stuff has been a lifesaver for me lately but I have some projects coming up where I could use some precision.

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Follow up follow up: wood glue bottle still going strong, I have had to use a thin wire to clear the tip once or twice, but usually only if I was dumb and left it uncapped for a while.

The wire I use to clean the top is actually a stripped bread tie. It’s rigid enough and just about the perfect gauge.

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