OK, we all use it in our shops, around the house, as a flexible glue, a bedding compound for tanks, tuned pipes, gaskets, etc..

But how do you keep it from "drying out" in the tube? No matter how I seal the tube (with the screw top, an elastic cap, or a piece of music wire shoved down his throat) within a few months I have a solid tube of cured silicone! Useless! Right now I probably have 3-4 tubes of this stuff fully cured in the tube. No, not Brand X, or other cheap stuff, but the GE Silicone II.

Anyone have a cure for this? (An unintended pun)! 


W

RTV (room temperature vulcanizing) silicone "cures" by reacting with moisture.  The vinyl plastic tubes that it is usually sold in are sieves as far as water is concerned, setting up is inevitable.  Got to keep the water away from it.  The sealed box sounds like a good idea, that would at least slow it down.

I use all types of caulk for work. We usually seal end with masking tape after squeezing air out of tube. I have saved caulk for several months this way. John

RTV doesn't seem to have the same problem. I've been using some for years sealing headers/mufflers...


W.

Edit: Specifically that's Loctite High Temp RTV Silicone Gasket Maker...