Dap Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue date codes

[Matt Meiser]

Since I have plenty of free time, I called DAP about my plastic resin glue and found out that it is expired by about 6 months. They recommend that it be used within one year of the manufacturing date. She also told me how to read the date code. There is a sticker on the container with a 7 digit code. The first 3 digits are ignored. The 4th digit is the year and the 5th-7th digits are the Julian day. Mine were coded 0124128, meaning they were made on the 128th day of 2004.

Guess I'll have to throw it away and find more.

[Ken Garlock]

Good info, Matt. But I do have a question. What makes you think it is expired? Is there a "throw away after" note on the container? It seems to me that the DAP people would well advised to put an expiration date on the container instead of some esoteric code.

[Matt Meiser]

You would think that would be a good idea. They say it has a 1 year shelf life after manufacturing. She seemed somewhat hesitant to even reveal how to read the date code.

[Chris Padilla]

So 1 year shelf life (does this mean store shelf life?) and then 1 year after it is opened and used by Matt Consumer??

[Matt Meiser]

So 1 year shelf life (does this mean store shelf life?) and then 1 year after it is opened and used by Matt Consumer??

She said one year after the date of manufacture.

[Steve Rowe]

The date of manufacture is real from a shelf life standpoint. I bought some of the DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue on ebay - what a mistake! It arrived with a lot of dust on the cover so it had obviously been on the shelf for some time. Not knowing any better, I put it on my shelf for about 6 months before I opened it. When mixed per the instructions, it didn't have the correct consistency and had a gritty feel and appearance. Never could get it to set up (even in the middle of summer)so - in the trash it went.
This manufacturer apparently intentionally does not put the expiration date on to ensure they will be able to sell it however old it is. They also apparently do not want their secret date code advertised as well. Not having a date on the package to be used by a certain date is a consumer rip off. I don't buy milk without an expiration date and I will no longer buy this product again - it is a crap shoot and most likely a waste of money.
Steve

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

The gritty texture is the giveaway...throw it away. If it mixes smooth, I wouldn't worry about it. If you've used it before, you know what 'right' is...and it'll tell you when it's time to toss it out and buy new. I also usually shake the tub around before opening to mix things up. Very important to replace the lid properly as quickly as possible after you take the powder out. I don't let mine sit open for any longer than it takes me to set the cup down and pick the lid up.

KC

[Vaughn McMillan]

Question about old resin glue...

I recently used some DAP plastic resin glue on a few box projects, and it was the first time I'd used it. It didn't seem particularly gritty, but I don't have prior experience with it to compare to. I did notice a few small lumps, but they dissolved and mixed in fine within less than a minute. So far, everything seems to have set up nice and strong, and the glue hardened lie a rock.

Now reading this thread (thanks for the legwork, Matt), I see my tub has a 4-digit code, and it indicates this glue was manufactured in late 2002. It came off the dusty back shelf at the local True Value, and was the second to last tub they had. (I also bought the last tub, a week or so later, since I know I'd be running out soon, and the local borgs don't seem to carry it.) Since I didn't see any apparent grittiness, and the glue set up exactly as expected, should I be worried about the integrity of these joints?

Thanks -

- Vaughn

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

As said above, I woildn't worry about it. OTOH, you can look at a new tub as a $17.50 insurance premium....

The 'gritty' problem will be very obvious, and even for first time users it should be apparent...a good mix doesn't have a 'sand like' texture. The tennsy little lumps that sometimes don't get burst until you're applying the glue are NOT 'gritty', and come from incorrect mixing...probably too much water too fast.

KC

[Brett Baldwin]

Thanks for sharing Matt and everyone else. I now have my "something new" learned for today. I hear about this glue alot and am just starting to get into projects with glue-ups big enough to challenge the open time of yellow glue. This will definitely be useful knowledge when I try plastic resin.