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?p...=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.

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! ...and less cussing...
Kev

[Jonathan Spool]

I've been using this"

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

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

[Joe Jensen]

I've been using this"

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/PGB-...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.