Sealants driving me nuts!

[Ged Hunt]

Hi, this is probably so simple it will probably have all plumbers out there thinking I'm a moron, but this is something that has been driving me nut for years, and nobody yet has been able to give me a workable solution.
I need to do a bit of sealing round the bath or sink, so I buy a new tube of sealant for a few quid. The job only requires a bit of sealant, so after using it I put it away with a bit of tape wrapped around the nozzle.
Three weeks later I need to do another bit of sealing, so go and get the tube. The nozzle is blocked solid, and so is the tube. It takes me an hour of poking around in the nozzle to clear it of sealant and ramming a screwdriver into the tube so the sealant will flow. The job itself then takes three minutes! If I don't have an hour to waste clearing it, I have to nip out and buy another tube. So how do professionals deal with that? Grateful for any advice . . . .

 

[Pickwickpick]

We use it more frequently so its rarely much of an issue, most of the time there is just a little plug in the tip of the nozzle that can be plucked out fairly easily. For the odd tube that hasn't been used in months I usually find its just the nozzle that has set so when I need to use it I unscrew the nozzle, screw a screw into the set sealant/adhesive in the nozzle and pull it out. It wastes what is in the nozzle but the only times I've found it to have set in the tube itself has been with ones that have been left for 12months+ without being used. I've never had any joy with placing cling film or tin foil in between the nozzle and the tube.

 

[Ben-gee]

Same as above, although if feeling frivolous I might just use a new nozzle and bin the old one full of muck!

I should say however I only get these spare nozzles when doing a wallboard job, where you can get through a dozen tubes but transfer the nozzle so you end up with eleven spares!!

 

[Ric2013]

Toolstation used to sell spare nozzles at a very reasonable price.

 

[Ben-gee]

I did buy a few nozzles when they used to do the ones which articulated in the middle, they were great for round basins etc that were close to a wall but I don’t think they do them now.
I can’t bring myself to pay for normal nozzles when I know I can build up spares from time to time!
[automerge]1599916032[/automerge]
Just checked, Soudal still do twisty nozzles and I’m gonna get some!

 

[Pickwickpick]

I did buy a few nozzles when they used to do the ones which articulated in the middle, they were great for round basins etc that were close to a wall but I don’t think they do them now.
I can’t bring myself to pay for normal nozzles when I know I can build up spares from time to time!
[automerge]1599916032[/automerge]
Just checked, Soudal still do twisty nozzles and I’m gonna get some!

Didnt even know that was a thing, thanks!