Refilling glue bottles

[Joe Shinall]

Maybe a stupid question, but I had a small bottle of titebond III a while back and I then bought the gallon jug and have refilled it a couple of times. My question is do you need to clean the bottle out before refilling it? I've just been refilling and letting it mix. Don't see where it would hurt anything.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Hot water in a bucket, let it soak. Takes a day to get the dried out glue out of that nozzle. If anyone know of an easier/faster way I'm looking for that too..... I tried those craft glue bottles from the *mart stores, and the hole seems too small. I always try to squeeze too hard to make that glue come out.....

[Van Huskey]

Right, wrong or indifferent I clean my small bottles completely roughly ever 6 months. I find that if I push the envelope I start getting globs and junk.

[Dave Cav]

The best glue bottles I've found are "plastic condiment squeeze bottles"

http://www.equippers.com/shop/product-detail.aspx?pcid=70&scid=7040&pid=10509&iid=367105

I get them at the local wholesale grocery in a six pack for a couple of bucks. The nice thing is they also sell the caps/nozzles separately. When they get plugged up I just cut some more off the end of the nozzle.

[Steve Milito]

The best glue bottles I've found are "plastic condiment squeeze bottles"
.

Combines two of my hobbies, cooking and wood working. :cool:

[mickey cassiba]

Just don't glue your burger to the bun...:eek:

[Kevin Groenke]

We also use clear 8oz ketchup style bottles with the wide neck. Never clean em, replace the cap when really chewed up, use about 10 gal of Elmers wood/year in maybe 24 bottles - half of the bottles disappear over the course. The glue can skin up on the wall of the bottle, but it doesn't seem to hurt the glue. If it sat in the bottle for months, it might be more of a problem, since we have some throughput it's not a problem.
http://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/116/gfx/small/4370tp1s.gif
http://www.mcmaster.com/ctlg/DisplCtlgPage.aspx?reqtyp=catalog&CtlgPgNbr=1686&CtlgEdition=116&k1=4370T1&t1=PN&itmfasttrack=true&ScreenWidth=1440&McMMainWidth=1235

[Joe Chritz]

I have to admit I really thought the glue bot bottle was a gimmic but I picked one up on a trip to a Rockler store a year or so ago and I really like it. It doesn't ever seem to need cleaning and is always easy to get glue where you need it at any angle.

Before that I would refill elmers bottles (they have the built in cap that you pull) and just buy a new one when it got to banged up. I still do that for exterior type 2 glue.

Joe

[Joe Shinall]

Never saw that glue-bot bottle before. I may order one of those to try out. I hate trying to glue at some angles with a regular titebond bottle. May also get some of those cheap condiment bottles too and try em. Thanks for the enlightenment guys.

[Van Huskey]

Never saw that glue-bot bottle before. I may order one of those to try out. I hate trying to glue at some angles with a regular titebond bottle. May also get some of those cheap condiment bottles too and try em. Thanks for the enlightenment guys.

I too thought the glue bot was a gimmick but bought one on a trip when I couldn't go home with nothing and it was cheap. I actually kinda like it, but it is an over thought product.

[Gary Breckenridge]

Most glues have a shelf life. Keep that in mind when that bargain gallon glue bottle is only 1/8 full and has been sitting in the sun in 90 degree heat.:eek:

[Jeff Monson]

I have to admit I really thought the glue bot bottle was a gimmic but I picked one up on a trip to a Rockler store a year or so ago and I really like it. It doesn't ever seem to need cleaning and is always easy to get glue where you need it at any angle.

Before that I would refill elmers bottles (they have the built in cap that you pull) and just buy a new one when it got to banged up. I still do that for exterior type 2 glue.

Joe

+2 on the glue bot, I love mine, easy to fill and really easy to apply with. I would pick up a glue bot, an extra bag of tips and the red caps for the tips and you will be set for years.

[glenn bradley]

I use Glu-bots and clean them out thoroughly after a few re-fillings. Generally if I see glue going solid (gummy) anywhere around the neck or spout I'll rinse them out. Maybe its the plastic they use but I don't have to soak them for long if at all. A piece of wire as a probe will pop most stuff right off.

[Jim Rimmer]

I use a little accordion type bottle with metal tip I got at Woodcraft for tight spots (couldn't find it on theor website).

BTW, glue bots are about a buck cheaper at WC.

[Christopher Stahl]

Bringing up an older thread, but I wanted to see what others were using to clean their bottles. Kyle said he used hot water, is that how everybody cleans them? That's what I do, but if there is a more efficient way, I'm all ears.

[Jay Allen]

Another for Glu Bot. I have a couple of them with different types of glue. I use a fast setting white glue for dowel construction of cabinet carcases. On a busy week, I might fill the bottle several times. Other times it may sit a while when doing other types of jobs. The Glu Bots come thru well for both. I may pick out the tip once in a while, but I have never felt the need to rinse the bottle out.

[Mike Harrison]

I've got an old Elmers glue bottle that i've been refilling for maybe 8 or 9 years now. Never cleaned it yet.

[Floyd Mah]

Use 16 oz. (500 ml) bottled water bottles. Always have those around. The mouth is wide enough so that you can fill them from the gallon jug without too much difficulty. You can pour from them onto the surfaces that you are planning to glue in a controlled manner. The mouth is wide enough so that you can also dip a small brush inside if you want to do a small glue up. When you get tired of a particular bottle, you can chuck it into the trash or recycling without wasting too much money.