lkelly
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So you've probably run into this situation: you use up part of a tube of silicone for a project and you want to cap the tube to use later. You put some plastic tip on the end and blissfully run off to enjoy your tanks. Two months later you have another swell project involving silicone and you pull out the tube and load it in your caulking gun. You remove the cap, squeeze down on the trigger and nothing. Fast forward through 5 minutes of of Herculean effort leaning on the trigger, lots of Tony Horos language, and maybe a few angry attempts at jamming a nail or screw in the dried silicone jamming up the end. Next thing you are at Lowes forking over another $5 for a new tube and thinking, "what a waste!"
So I have found that one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save a partially used tube is to simply get a cheap packet of water balloons. They are small, cost next to nothing, and if you have kids there's a decent chance that there might be some around the house anyway. Take one and slide it all the way over the tip, being careful to leave no air trapped at the end (no condom jokes you meat heads). Presto! You've likely protected your $5 investment and more importantly saved time and a trip to the store. I've found that I get a little bit that dries at the end but not enough to keep you from squeezing it out during the next use.
Of course I didn't think up this idea on my own, but I did look up ways to save caulk and found some ridiculously expensive rubber things that basically work like balloons. I did the DIY thing with the water balloons and it seems to work just fine.
So I have found that one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save a partially used tube is to simply get a cheap packet of water balloons. They are small, cost next to nothing, and if you have kids there's a decent chance that there might be some around the house anyway. Take one and slide it all the way over the tip, being careful to leave no air trapped at the end (no condom jokes you meat heads). Presto! You've likely protected your $5 investment and more importantly saved time and a trip to the store. I've found that I get a little bit that dries at the end but not enough to keep you from squeezing it out during the next use.
Of course I didn't think up this idea on my own, but I did look up ways to save caulk and found some ridiculously expensive rubber things that basically work like balloons. I did the DIY thing with the water balloons and it seems to work just fine.