Titebond Glue Bottle Stopper Blues

[Bill McDermott]

Am I the only one who has to use pliers to open the tops on Titebond Original bottles? (regular 16 oz. consumer package)

It seems most of their products have the same tongue that slips up into the slot when the cap is pressed down to close. It must work for other folks. The goop that dries on the tip seals things up and I have a devil of a time getting it open without first scraping and cleaning and then grabbing a pair of pliers.

Talk about a trivial post... Ah well, I had to at least vent and hope someone has figured out the trick that I am apparently missing.

[John Keeton]

Bill, it ain't trivial!! You use exactly the same system I do, and it aggravates the snot out me. I have told my wife so many times that I am going to get a better system for glue storage, but seems I can never remember until I fight the Titebond again.

[Greg Cuetara]

Bill,
You are not the only one. I saw a tip a while back in a magazine on how to open up the glue bottles. If you take a strip of wood about 1/2" thick by 3/4" wide and 6" long. Taper one end of the stick down to 1/4". Drill a hole about 1" in the same size as the glue bottle pop top. Cut the strip out.

Now you can push this onto the base of the glue bottle and lever it up. Works like a charm but you still have dried glue at the top which you might have to use some plyers to get rid of it. Not sure how my description above was so if you are confused i can try and take a few pictures.

Greg

[Roy Hill]

You would think they could come up with a better design. I am with you on the glue bottle. I also have a hard time keeping the tip from getting hard in-between gluings. I have found that you can take a wet towel and wipe the tip clean and this will help a little, but not a sure cure. Maybe someone else has a better solution.

Roy Hill

[Tom Veatch]

Am I the only one who has to use pliers to open the tops on Titebond Original bottles? (regular 16 oz. consumer package) ....

Apparently not, based on the other comment you've received. I don't know what I'm doing differently, but I rarely have a problem.

I am fairly consistent about closing the top (pushing it down) when I finish running a glue line and wiping off the little blob of glue that is pushed up through the slot. Even when I neglect removing the blob, next time I use the bottle, it opens easily and the dried glue on the surface of the spout can be peeled off easily with a fingernail.

Oops, I just noticed you said Titebond "Original". I've pretty well standardized on Titebond III and that might be the difference. Haven't used "Original" in a long time.

[John Keeton]

Tom, I have the same problem with Titebond II, and I am pretty good about closing the top and wiping it off when I set it down. Don't know - maybe you do it quicker??

[Bill Huber]

I really don't have a problem with it.

I use TB III and make sure I push the top back down when finished. I like to have as much glue around the top as I can, that way you can just pop it off and open pull up and open it.

I just got a FastCap Glü-Bot and so far I really like it. I guess time will tell if its that good or not.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10553&filter=glue%20bottle

[Tom Veatch]

Tom, I have the same problem with Titebond II, and I am pretty good about closing the top and wiping it off when I set it down. Don't know - maybe you do it quicker??

Like I said, I don't know what I'm doing differently. Usually, I buy in gallons or half gallons and break it down into older pint bottles. When a pint is emptied, it's washed out and drained well before being refilled. But, that shouldn't make a difference, either way.

Not often, but on occasion, my "fairly consistent" breaks down and the top is left open overnight or longer. When that happens, I've had to pull the nozzle completely apart and dig hardened glue out of the cone and from around the plastic plug. But when the top is closed while the glue is still fluid, there's never a problem reopening it.

Might it be that reusing the pint bottles over and over has "worn in" the nozzle so that it opens easier? It's been quite a while since I've used straight from a "new" bottle, but maybe some of those are pretty tight and hard to open the first few times.

[glenn bradley]

+1 on the Glue-bots. I didn't like their cap and so use these (http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/23231-01-500.jpg).
http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/assorted/25k8080s1b.jpg
I don't have a problem wth the TB tops. every now and then a blob grows and I pick it off with a fingernail. I had one bottle that had a really difficult top; I swapped it for an old top that had been "exercised".

[Stan Johnsey]

How cute, little glue bottle condoms.

[Kev Godwin]

Here's what I do since I saw this in a shop that builds traditional pipe organs as well as the ornate wooden housings.

Clean the cap off with a rag, put the stock cap back on.

Store the bottle upside-down so the glue inside is against the cap.

Keep the upside-down bottle spouts in a shallow tray of water about 1 inch deep.

I created vertical slots out of sheet plastic to keep my line of various bottles from falling over. I used the same tray they used - a cheap plastic drywall (mud) tray.

No more sticky caps! :D ...and less cussing...
Kev

[Jonathan Spool]

I've been using this"

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/PGB-7329/Pro-Glue-Dispenser

Loaded with TiteBond III.

Always ready to go without a clog.
Cap comes right off.
Kit comes with multiple applicators and a rubber roller.

Best glue bottle I have ever used.

[glenn bradley]

I've been using this"

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/PGB-7329/Pro-Glue-Dispenser


Thanks Jonathan, I've been wondering about that one.

[Joe Jensen]

I've been using this"

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/PGB-7329/Pro-Glue-Dispenser

Loaded with TiteBond III.

Always ready to go without a clog.
Cap comes right off.
Kit comes with multiple applicators and a rubber roller.

Best glue bottle I have ever used.

Those look slick for applying the glue. What about cleanup, what do you need to do?

[Dave Falkenstein]

I broke a couple of Titebond tops using the pliers method. Good news - I called Titebond and they sent me several caps free. Now I wipe the top off with a wet rag before closing it.

[Kev Godwin]

I don't understand why anyone would buy tricky gadgets for $ to preserve their glue investment when simple storage will solve their glue curing problem. My post above is nearly without any cost. (My wife also thought the little bottle condoms were cute, but didn't see any use for them ....);) Stan's comment was sure funny!

I don't have any problem any more with glue drying in my bottles since I changed my storage method at nearly no cost.

I often take glue from a storage bottle and put it into a roller dispenser and use it that way. What I don't use in the roller bottle, I put back in the storage bottle and keep for next time. I'd rather buy glue to use for woodworking instead of buying bottle tricks to not impress the LOML.:)
Kev

[Brian Penning]

At least you can't lose the caps like you get with Lepages glues. Don't matter that they're red either!
You also have the problem of the glue drying out inside the caps and on bottle threads.
I'll take the Titebond any day.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Thanks for the tip on the Glue-bots!

I don't have any problems with Titebond II, but they would sure be handy for my caulk.

[Bob Genovesi]

Am I the only one who has to use pliers to open the tops on Titebond Original bottles? (regular 16 oz. consumer package)

It seems most of their products have the same tongue that slips up into the slot when the cap is pressed down to close. It must work for other folks. The goop that dries on the tip seals things up and I have a devil of a time getting it open without first scraping and cleaning and then grabbing a pair of pliers.



I thought I was the one who wrote the SOP using pliers to open these bottles!

[Larry Edgerton]

For thirty years I pulled the loose top off of glue bottles with my teeth so I only needed one hand to apply glue. I can't open these new bottles with my teeth. I went out and bought up all of the old bottles with the loose cap I could find, but my supply is dwindling.:( They are always plugged and will not lay down a nice flat line of glue. What idiot comes up with these ideas? Certianly not a woodworker.

NOT AN IMPROVEMENT! I wrote the companys, but did not get a reply from either.

[john bateman]

The Titebond II Extend is a thinner consistency. After using it, I set the bottle upright on the bench, with the cap OPEN. After a few minutes, all the glue in the cap/dispenser area has run back into the bottle, and the cap can be sealed then without incurring the problems posted earlier in this thread.

One of the worst versions for this type of problem is their Cold Press Veneer Glue. Brand new quart bottles come with a solidified plug of glue in the cap...it has to be pried out before the first use.

[Mark Patoka]

I've been refilling the same TB II pint bottle for about 5 years and I usually don't need the pliers unless I don't close it all the way. It's still a pretty hard pull though and if I had arthritis, it would be very difficult and I'd be looking for an alternative.

[Craig Moulton]

Well, up until now, I had never had a problem with the titebond caps unless it was self-inflicted (saw something shiny and got distracted, had to go open a jar or something, left it open overnight). Just give it a firm pop, and scrape the tip clean with my thumbnail. I've used Titebond 1, 2, 3 wth similar results.

I'm certain that after reading this thread, I will never again be able to open one without the use of a pair of pliers, die grinder, hydraulic press, etc.

Maybe it's a leverage issue. I'm 6'3" 250#, so you may need to stand on an appropriately sized block and wear a fat suit to get similar results. Good luck!

Where can I find a hydraulic press....

[Prashun Patel]

You can avoid this by wiping the tip clean after use. Open and close a few times to make sure it's clean.

That being said, by the time I put the bottle down, I'm frantically trying to clamp things together, and wiping the bottle is the last thing I think about. Truth be told, 1/2 the time I forget to even CLOSE the bottle.

So you are not alone. The only diff is that I don't use pliers, I use my teeth and just spit out the crust. Gross? I like to TASTE my work!

[Jamie Buxton]

Glu-bot is pretty disappointing: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=73172&highlight=glu-bot

[Paul Fitzgerald]

I rarely have a problem with the "goop" clogging my Titebond tops... but I did have an incident this past weekend with TBIII.

I got a clog! Nothing was dried up, the cap opened fine, everything looked great. But the glue came out so slow it was unusable. I took the cap off and used my water hose to clean out the cap, which took quite a bit of effort (and I ended up a bit wet :p).

It sure worked a lot better after that. :D

[Richard Dooling]

Sometimes when I'm out I buy bottled water and when I do I always try to find the pop-up sports cap type. Between these, squeeze mustard bottles and such I generally have a few disposable squeeze bottles with caps.

When a cap gets to be to much of a PITA, I toss the cap and replace it. Most of the water bottles seem to have the same thread. Otherwise I transfer the contents to a new-used bottle.

The only downside is these caps don't have the flat profile that most glue bottle caps have. I don't miss it much.

[Lee Schierer]

Here's a way to lessen glue bottle problems. Before turning your glue bottle upside down to dispense glue, squeeze out some or all of the air in the bottle depending upon how full (or empty) your bottle is. Apply your glue and flip the bottle right side up. Allow the bottle to sit on the bench for a few minutes. The suction of the bottle trying to return to its full dimensions will suck the glue out of the nozzle and into the bottle. Once the bottle has relaxed. Push down the cap and wipe off any exposed glue.

Or try the Murhpy's law approach. Lay the glue bottle on its side on your work that is going to be stained. With out a doubt the glue will miracuously soften and run out onto the finished piece.:D

[Chris Padilla]

Hmmm, interesting reading about issues and non-issues with glue bottle.

Overall, I don't really have any issus with the TB bottles myself.

As the bottles get low, I will turn them upside down (I store them upside down in another slightly large container...usually the large salsa container available at Safeway...god, I love their salsa...hence I have LOTS of their containers! :D ) so that they dispense more easily.

As most do, I will glue something, close the cap when done dispensing, and then wipe the tip right on my "shop jeans". Next time I will just open it, spend 10 s with my thumbnail to clear dried glue, and go for it.

Occasionally, I will have to take a tip off and rip it all apart and soak it in hot water to clean it out but that is pretty rare.

[Jonathan Spool]

Joe,
Regarding cleanup of the glue "bulb" dispenser from Mcfeely's. The regular brass tips don't require cleaning unless you have exchanged them out for a different tip. Then, just like the rubber roller, a simple wash with water does the trick. Each tip, except for the roller of course, has an attached tip cover. Mine came with a fine tip, a volume tip, a biscuit tip (holes on the sides of the narrow tip), and a dowel tip (round with holes on the sides). The rubber bulb is nice as you don't have to wait as long for glue to flow down to the tip, and you have excellent control when you need it.
I baulked at spending decent money for a "glue bottle" at first, but found that it was money well spent, and I wish I had this long ago.

[David DeCristoforo]

Well, I'm not a big advocate of "high tech" glue bottles. I buy glue in gallon jugs and pour it into those "el cheapo" plastic squeeze bottles (like these)

http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/squeeze.html

They cost like a buck apiece and last for a few months before the nozzles get too thrashed to use any more.

[Paul Johnstone]

Well, I'm not a big advocate of "high tech" glue bottles. I buy glue in gallon jugs and pour it into those "el cheapo" plastic squeeze bottles (like these)

http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/shopping_cart/squeeze.html

They cost like a buck apiece and last for a few months before the nozzles get too thrashed to use any more.

I get cheapo bottles like David does. Harbor Frieght has a package of 6 bottles for a few dollars IIRC.. It's been a while since I bought them. They work really well and never clog. I tried to search the HF site to find them, but had no luck..

[Gary Lange]

I figured everybody just wiped it off when they were done with it. I very seldom have a problem with it. When I do I just pry it off all together and peal the glue off then snap it back on.

[joe Katzenberger]

...great. This is got to be one of the longer threads. Besides the great woodworking tips, your humor keeps me laughing so I don't slide down that Neanderthal slope so quickly.
Thanks joe Katzenberger

[glenn bradley]

Glu-bot is pretty disappointing: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=73172&highlight=glu-bot

Interesting how folks differ. I have two Glue-bots because they are the slickest glue bottle on earth :confused:. I can glue on vertical surfaces without runs. I can even glue upside down if required. I can tilt and insert the tip into a tight spot without the glue running out, etc.

I don't have to worry about drips 'cause as soon as you release the pressure, the bot sucks the glue back into the tube so you very rarely have to wipe the tip off. Set it down, go about your business and when you're done slip the little red 'glue condom' on it (I don't like their caps either).

I use one with a small flat tip and one with a more generous, TBII sort of an opening. One man's trash, another man's treasure :D.

[Bill McDermott]

When I started this thread, I was concerned that it was just a whiney complaint - or something simple, that I was doing wrong. Your enthusiatic response has convinced me I am not alone in this frustration with glue bottle tips. Very cathartic. My concerns have been shared, validated and thereby eliminated. So, wrestling glue bottle tips open is no longer a big deal. The Glue Bottle Blues have gone and the forum worked! Thanks SWC.