3m 5200 arg

[lil buggy]

i just had my 1st experience with the 5200.
broke 3 caulking guns, the stuff seemed as advertised however it was a nightmare to get outa the tube.
was this right or just an old tube?:facepalm:

thanks for the replies

 

[fishrdan]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

I'd say you got a bad tube, 5200 comes out pretty easy, kind of like silicone calk consistency

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

thanks,
thats what i was thinkin, just wanted to be sure

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

yeah 5200 is RUNNY stuff.... you DID stick something in the end of the tube and break the seal before starting didn't you

 

[oops!]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

the above 2 posts are very correct.

5200 is like sillycone.....it comes out of the tube the same way.

and my good friend smoke. is also correct.....unless you really pierce the seal of the tube,,,,,you are tring to force the goop thru a pin hole.

the deal is.....that 5200 is a very specific use product.......so it can sit on the shelf for a while....
i have run into many store bought tubes that were just out dated.....

make sure that you have a good hole in the tube to squirt thru....then apply the nozzle

if its still hard.....take the tube back and tell them to replace it.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

Not really mentioned but 5200 starts to cure when opened. It is best advised to use the tube as soon as it is opened and without proper storage it will fully cure inside the tube.

FYI......... I have gotten fully cured tubes directly from the store shelf and returned them. Yes it can be frustrating.

My answer is to purchase the smaller tube .........while more money I seldom use more than a smaller tube at one time.

My other advice is to buy the fast cure type.......... the regular 5200 takes a LONG time to cure and they are both permanent

 

[IllesheimVet]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

Cap the partially used tube and put it in the freezer to prevent it from getting hard in the tube. 'Course you have to let it thaw a little before using it again.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

One more thing. There is a shelf life to any polyurethane product. The material does degrade over time and becomes unusable even if you don't open the package. I have found "discounted" products on the shelf with best-before dates that have long since expired.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

It kind of depends on where you live... (as far as shelf life goes) I'm in the desert and have bought clearanced tubes of 5200 that were good, the packages were bleached out and beat up, but the sealant was good and it cured properly. I've also had opened tubes of 5200 sitting in my tool box for a year and they were still good. The top was cured, but spinning a drill bit down into the tube got fresh sealant. At the very end of the tube, it was getting pretty thick, probably what you were experiencing with the broken caulk guns.

Oh yeah, 5200 (or other polyurethane sealants, 4200, etc) are moisture cured. No moisture, no cure. Lots of moisture, fast cure. The first time I used it I though, "this stuff is junk" as it was still tacky a week or 2 after putting it on. Since finding out that it's moisture cured, I always put a wet towel close to the sealant, tent it. I'm probably rambling on as there are not many working on boats out in the desert....

 

[lil buggy]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

the above 2 posts are very correct.

5200 is like sillycone.....it comes out of the tube the same way.

and my good friend smoke. is also correct.....unless you really pierce the seal of the tube,,,,,you are tring to force the goop thru a pin hole.

the deal is.....that 5200 is a very specific use product.......so it can sit on the shelf for a while....
i have run into many store bought tubes that were just out dated.....

make sure that you have a good hole in the tube to squirt thru....then apply the nozzle

if its still hard.....take the tube back and tell them to replace it.

thanks for all the help guys,
first of all i had to stop at 5 stores to find the stuff and all that was avail was the 1 large tube.
before using i removed the cone and used a screwdriver to clear all of the (al u meeenum type) end cap
nope it was not runny by any means infact had the consistency of cement. i ended up using the ground to help me push enough out and applied with a gloved finger. that stuff still sticks to anything, lol. got the job done but was a pita
i bet it would stick to a moss covered rock in a stream bed,,,lol
last question when i bought it i assumed it had a born on date of 10/08 i know better now,
who knows mayby the'll take it back and trade for a new prop:facepalm: lol that stuff is cheap lol
since its water cured i guess i should wet it down then,,, huh

thanks again guys

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

One thing I've found as far as storing 5200 - you don't just want to seal up the nozzle, you also want to seal the other end as well. Get the nozzle and back end as airtight as you can (for the nozzle I pull electrical tape over it HARD and then wrap more tape around it so it can't come loose) - as someone else mentioned it's 'moisture cured' and sealing both ends of the tube helps keep moisture out. I'm able to store it for several months in Georgia like that. Just stuffing a nail down the nozzle won't do much with this stuff.

first of all i had to stop at 5 stores to find the stuff and all that was avail was the 1 large tube.

I've found the best price online at USComposites.com.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

as mentioned above, store it in the freezer.... I have stored an open tube for over 2 years with absolutely no signs of hardening

 

[jdlough]

Re: 3m 5200 arg

As others have noted 5200 can be runny, so it's not great for filling gaps or building up a missing chunk of flange or something.

I find that Attwood 7200 (sold at Walmart) is just as strong and seems to be stiffer.