Very clever. I just did this with a human powered bike pump - no air compressor necessary! I inserted a plastic threaded air pump adapter used to inflate those large exercise balls at the gym. The plunger popped right out with just one downstroke on my vintage Italian bike pump. I'm about to grout some highly textured Vermont slate floor tiles and want to minimize grout "haze" over the surface of the tiles by apply grout with a caulk gun.
This is awesome info! I was way messier, but it worked exactly like you showed. For just a few bucks and a trip to Auto Zone, I recovered 2 tubes of silicone and have an empty tube to play with. Thank you!
Awesome! I usually have a list of things that need to be caulked for Konrad so when he "opens" a tube we do as much as possible since it will dry up in the neck after a day or so. Now I can show him how to recover the remaining caulk inside! Thanks Paul!
Great idea, but where to you get the bulk caulk. Cool tip: cut the caulk tip to the diameter of a 12p nail. When done, insert the nail through some cling wrap, then into the tube end. Squeeze a little caulk 'onto' the nail, then wrap the cling-wrap around the tube. I've stored caulk for > 1yr and it comes out fresh.
Too funny, I just had this idea for refillable caulking tubes and wondered if anyone sold them (since I don't have an empty plastic tube yet). It seems Home Depot does. The rest of the information was great though, thanks for that. :)
so I assume you need to make sure the caulk is a paintable type in order to color it that way. oops, saw later your comment about petroleum vs water based latex..
nice.great idea Paul just a quik question can you use latex stains with the white to clear caulk and oil based stains with the silicon ..just an idea because here in Wilmington north Carolina we have a harsh environment on exterior wood and the builders use alot of cedar and cypress siding..trim ect..this would help alot !!
+adam ezell I don't think it will work because stain bonds to porous materials, such as wood and concrete. A gel stain may work on silicone, but you would not be able to match the wood. Different wood will take to stain in various ways. I will experiment and get back to you, I could be wrong. Sorry Adam! Paul
+Macksation Hi Mackstation, I keep my colored caulk and silicone in ziplock bags. I leave my regular caulk in the tubes. I have a refrigerator in my garage and I keep my opened tubes in there. The cold air will prevent the caulk from drying and clogging up. Keeping the caulk cool also keeps it from running out of your gun by accident. It makes the caulk more consistent. Thanks! Paul
Really good hack but was rather distract by him saying the word cock. Then I realised he meant chalk. Crazy American! In England we pronounce the h like chew the same for chalk.
