Tyson Glue Bottle Mods
Steve Fujikawa
steve_fujikawa (at) verizon.net
Applying clear silicone around the top of the bottle slows evaporation.
Dennis Tyson’s glue bottles are great, but if you’re like me you’ve had a couple of problems with them. First, the acetone evaporates from the bottle before you’ve used it all, necessitating an annoying clean out job. Second, the supplied polyethylene nozzle develops leaks from the acetone. I’ve found a solution to both of these.
First, apply clear silicone sealer around the cap, aluminum tube, nozzle, and especially the wire and it’s hole as shown in the photo. This slows evaporation to virtually zero. Apply the silicone with everything fully assembled and let harden thoroughly. The wire can be carefully pulled free while leaving a tight seal around it and the hole. Since doing this I’ve never had the glue harden in the bottle or the nozzle, even after several weeks. You can even pull the cap off to add more glue without replacing the silicone.
The nozzle can be replaced with the Sig CA applicator tip shown below. You will need to cut both ends to get a tight fit around the wire and the aluminum tube. Do this a little at a time so you don’t waste more than one tip like I did! The Sig nozzle seems impervious to acetone and never develops a leak.
Replace the polyethylene nozzle with Sig CA applicator tip.
Another more minor issue that I’ve noticed is that the wire corrodes from either the glue or the acetone. After a while the oxide can contaminate the glue. I’m not a chemist so I’m not sure why this happens, maybe the glue is hygroscopic? But I suspect the problem could be solved by using stainless wire. I need to order some soon to make pushrods for a DLG so I’ll try it out.
Indoor News and Views 
Just some background on these bottles, and alternate solutions… Originally this bottle was designed and built by Bill Bigge. He made a few and sold them in the mid 80’s. Around the late 80’s early 90’s Bill was no longer making them, so a fellow Pittsburgh builder Harry Geyer asked and was granted rights to do the same. Harry did considerable research on the bottles, and came to be known as “The Glue Guru”. He sold by mail order, and also at a table every year at Johnson City.
Hid bottles all were built with stainless wire, due to eventual corrosion of music wire when used.
He also advocated storing the bottles when not in use inside a sealed glass jar with a little bit of lacquer thinner in the bottom. He used a piece of foam padding (tested to be resistant to the thinner first) at the bottom of the jar to keep the bottle up and out of the thinner.
Thank you very much for the tip. I applied clear silicone sealer (though I could not do it clean) and the leak problem has solved.