Is any one using squirt bottles for paint? I just spent 1 hour cleaning the 1 shot can because all the hardened paint wouldn't lwt the lid shut all the way. I know next time I'll be using a feeding syrenge to get the paint out so i don't make a mess.. Any other tips? Thank you in advance.
i used to share a building with a sign company. they kept all their one shot on a rolling bench so they could wheel it over to any bench/easel in the shop. when they opened a new can they threw the lid away and let the paint skin over. when they needed it again they just cut the skin and picked the piece out. i always thought this was a strange way of doing it but that is what they did.
Some guys poke a hole in the lid and pour it out then put a sheet metal screw in the hole. I have colors that I don't often use so I put propane or acetylene into the can before returning the lid to keep it from skinning.
Maybe it's just me but I love the ritual of de skinning the dried top layer. Kinda like tree rings. Each skinning leaves a little ring around the inside of the can. The pop a few holes in the can helps too. Squirt bottles are for your laquer thinner. Get the good ones at the beauty supply store.
Well its the mess on the edge that i want to prevent. I'd love to have a thin layer of paint to deskin but my last can had a 2" hardened layer..no fun.
For small jobs I got into the habit of using a plastic s**** to dip my paint out of the can and into my mixing cup. With a bit of care you could do this over the open paint can to catch any drips. The rim of the can stayed clean and the lid sealed up good when you closed it up. Or... You could leave the s**** in the can, not replace the lid at all and let it skin over. Then later when you pulled the s**** out, if you were careful, it brought the scab off the top of the paint with it. Win win!
Usc has a solvent resistant plastic bottle. I keep my flattner paste in mine and put a marble in it. They are like$4_$6 ea.
If the paint in the rim bothers you , wipe it with a paper towel and the lid will seal fine . Poking a hole and pouring it out is a waste as over time One Shot will separate and the pigment will settle toward the bottom . Let it skin over , use a coffee stir stick ( I buy them by the thousand count online ) and cut the skin along the perimeter and discard in the trash . You can then use the stick to stir the paint componants to there proper consistency . This method has worked for me for several years , good luck .
I punch a hole in the lid and put a self-tapping screw in the hole. use the hole as a pouring spout. The little bit of leftover paint around the hole seals against the screw and stops skinning. I also collect all of the marbles out of any rattle cans I use and drop one into each new can and give the can a shake before each use. I've tried the squirt bottles and letting it skin over and both methods had too much wastage to my mind.
Thank you all. All great suggestions! Here is one post by another member "Jimbo" Has anyone else used the "Paint SAV"as he suggested?: "I have always used mineral spirits to get the right constancy and one other thing I have used is a product called Paint SAV. It's made by a company called Sapphire P.O. Box 4115 Bay Pines, Florida 33504-4115 You add a few drops of Paint SAV into each can of One Shot and you will never have to worry about your One Shop getting a thick hard skim on top of the paint again. I have used this product for over 25 years and sometimes I don't open a can of One Shot for a few years and it's just like brand new. I am not sure what in the can but it sure works wonders to stop your paint from skimming over. A pint can lasts for years. Jimbo"
Here's another tip. Oil based enamels DO NOT LIKE TO DRY! Or cure. Used to fabricate tons of architectural ironwork. Very intricate , high end stuff and would always spray , red oxide primer first then oil based color. Man you could dig your fingernail into it a week later and make a dent. Or the ratchet straps would **** up the finish on the way to the job. Solution is a couple drops for a small cup ( pin striping, lettering) or a capful ( quart for spraying ). Omni brand MH101 hardener available anywhere they sell ppg products. Amazing. Paint is cured, dry, Done the next day. Down side is that it causes the paint to " cure" rather than " dry" so say you added a few drops to a small cup of oneshot or oil based enamel . You can seal it up but it will continue to cure. Usable for about 2 - 3 months after added. But this has been a lifesaver.
Marbles as suggested above is a good tip too. Will have to try that. And if you want a real pain in the *** get some Ronan burnt sienna or lampblack, all of their stuff dries FLAT, and leave the top off or don't seal well. Turns into a brick of cracked earth! Good stuff though.
It is skinning over due to enamels nature. It crosslinks with humidity. After each use any light solvent you pour in will create a barrier between the coating and the humidity that gets trapped in the can. One other thing to consider is pouring your stripe paint into a quart can and put a mixing lid on top with a hand crank. But stripe paint is very cheap, so if it skins over bad, throw away and buy more.
Good advice. Stir sticks are almost a necessity in this business. The only down side I find with them is they have a tendency to break if you put too much pressure on them. I use a thin palette knife to cut through the skin and lift it from the can.Wipe off the blade and it's good as old. I have a tool(unfortunately no longer made)that will not only open AND close paint cans but will punch a hole in the lower part of the rim to allow paint to drain back into the can. Trying to punch a hole with an awl usually invites spreading paint all over what you don't want paint on. Of late I have been using the palette knife to spread some paint on my palette and then close up the can immediately. This works nice if you are doing stripe touch ups or small striping jobs. I still use mixing sticks to blend colors. I had a friend of mine who did a lot of sign work and he used to mix colors in regular tin cans and leave them uncovered. When needed he would cut off the skin with a table knife and use.
I have always used a few drops of a product called Paint Sav in each can on One Shot and then gave it a quick stir and put the lid back on. Your paint will never skin over again. Try it !!! Wonderful product and sign painters have used it for years. Jimbo
I keep my 1 shot in bottles. They take less space, are clear so I can see the color easy and I can get a drop out at a time. Be sure they are P.E.T. or P.E.T.E. bottles. most any beauty supply website sells them. I like it better than a screw in the can, stack and store easier. I also toss a marble in the bottle when I fill it. A quick shake and I'm ready to paint.
A lot of the guys I see pin striping in the Uk don't put the lids back on there cans and just let them skin over
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