Silicone sealant doesn't cure

[Lee Schierer]

I have some GE Silicone II gutter and flashing sealant. I wanted to make some water rockets for the grand kids out of 2 liter bottles and figured the silicone would bond the nose cone and fins to the 2 liter bottle. I applied the sealant this past Wednesday. It is now Saturday and the sealant still hasn't cured. Any ideas how to speed up the cure or do I need to remove it all and get a new tube of silicone? It has been in my shop where the temp has not fallen boelow 65 degrees and is currently 74.

[Michael Weber]

I bought some of this stuff at a local borg that had the same problem. Seemed to be separated in the tube. When I first squeezed it out, quite a bit of thin liquid came out first. It will never cure if you experienced the same thing. I think it was Lowes where I got it.

[Walter Plummer]

See if it has a date on the tube. The stuff has a shelf life. I had to scrape it all out around my tub and redo it. Took it back to HD and they gave me a new tube. We checked all the other tubes and they were current dates. My friend who used to work for HD says what happens is people return tubes long after they purchased them and they all don`t get checked before getting put back on the shelf.

[Matt Meiser]

I tried to purchase some GE II silicone this past winter and it came up as recalled on the self-serve register when I checked out. I wonder if there was some bad stuff put out there.

[Joe Pelonio]

Try sending the tube back to them with a ltter, and at the least they should send you a coupon for a free one.

[Eric Larsen]

Before working with any silicone sealant, bead a little on a piece of scrap and wait 15 minutes.

If it skins over, you're good to go. If it doesn't, return the tube and get a new one. Saved me a LOT of time when I learned this trick.

[Lee Schierer]

Went to the blue borg yesterday and got a new tube. It worked fine, cured over night. Looks like water rockets are on the agenda for later in the week. I still need to build the launcher.

[Paul Atkins]

I had a problem with GEII a few years ago that wouldn't set. Second story greenhouse window - had to re-do it a few days later. Eric's tip is a good one to remember.

[Curt Harms]

Went to the blue borg yesterday and got a new tube. It worked fine, cured over night. Looks like water rockets are on the agenda for later in the week. I still need to build the launcher.

If I recall correctly, he knows a thing or two about launching rockets

:D:D

[Matt Meiser]

Glen might too, but I think you are thinking about Bruce Page.

[Stephen Tashiro]

I thought Silicon sealant wasn't suppose to cure. If you want it to cure, mix it with plaster:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=112893