I've been pouring over the posts on ways to store Permagloss and the one about using a squeezable tube got me thinking. What about using a syringe to store Permagloss? I'm not talking about the ones used to draw out finishes but the good ones like Flex Coat offers in their loaded syringe series. These have a cap that looks to seal off pretty well plus a decent O-ring attachment on the rear plunger. If the goal is to eliminate the influence of air, this might help. But it would seem that someone would have already thought of this so it probably doesn't work . . . . . .

I'm no expert but.....everytime you squeeze out some pg, your going to leave a thin film on the surfaces through which it flows; and unless you remove it *all* its going to dry and stick and clog somewhere along the line. Hence the problem with the original plastic cap breaking on the bottles after a few uses.

If you can find a syringe that won't be eaten up by Permagloss, and one with an outflow "needle" that won't clog up with cured Permagloss, I bet a syringe would be ideal for storing and dispensing. I wonder if any of the stainless metal medical syringes would work and how much they cost.

I used to use spinal tap needles on syringes for gluing in wordworking. They come complete with a ram that fills the center needle hole, which was great for clearing clogs. There are accordian style platic bottles for glue that might work. On a std syringe, I rather expect the plunger to freeze up with permagloss.

Enough talk about all this, that you wonder if it should be sold in little packets like they use for condiments at fast food places. I see Pac Bay does something like that for thier rod finish.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2007 05:08PM by Dave Hauser.

I think you'd have to search quite long and hard to find some kind of plastic that wouldn't dissolve with Permagloss touching it. I think that glass or metal would be the easiest and least expensive things to find to store this in.

There's probably a specialized plastic product that would hold it, but nothing likely out there in a syringe or a squeezable small container like a condiment package. It would definitely drive the price of this wonderful product up a long ways from where it's at now, too, if it was to be found and specially packaged in it.

Putter
Williston, ND

**It would definitely drive the price of this wonderful product up a long ways from where it's at now, too, if it was to be found and specially packaged in it.**
I think at least once a week the topic comes up, with people jumping thru hoops trying to save their permagloss. If done in, say, 1/4 or 1/2 ounce, packets like PacBay does with their finish, or ketchup at McDonalds, it should do just fine. I have tiny single use super glues, primarily because I often get few uses out of the bigger tubes. I get single use packets of dielectric grease, thread lock, and anti seize for ease of use and no hassle. I may pay more by the ounce, but if it is a hassle or I end up having to throw unusable ounces away, so be it.

Joe Kassuba came up with a 4 oz. metal paint container for me. I bought a 4 oz. bottle of Permagloss, put it in and sealed it as Joe explained, poked a hole in the bottom side of it, put a screw eye into the hole, and have never looked back. I know it's gonna last until it's empty with no waste except when it initially sealed up and whenever I pour out more than I need. It can't get any less expensive to use for me, I don't think.

Putter
Williston, ND

Exactly,,,, you are jumping thru hoops to be able to well use a product for its intended purpose. That was part of my point. You like a can, fine. Do you think packaging in the can would have made a big diff in the cost? What about the lately mentioned metal cap instead of the sometimes problematic plastic cap. Those hoops being jumped thru illustrate a packaging problem and underline the trepedation people have in using the product.

I think that this is just part of "problem solving" in the real world, Dave. It's pretty easy to fix for us as rod builders.

If U40 found that this problem was so insurmountable to those purchasing their product that it affected their sales badly enough, they'd likely do the change-over and pass that added cost on to the consumer. It must not have been for them to not have done this? Or maybe it is and they are going to address it? I don't know for sure. Permagloss has been on the market for many years in those glass bottles.

Putter
Williston, ND

Problem solving is one of the things I like to do best. Applying smarts to modify or use something in a different way. Here we are talking about a fairly well known deficiency encountered in trying to use a product as intended. There's a difference.
The primary driver of improvements is competition and the drive to try and expand markets/sales. If neither exists, then improvements don't happen. As you say, been that way for years.... so there is apparently little internal or external drive for enhancements.