Anybody take the paint out of a rattle can?

Some, like Rustoleum, dry slow. The opposite is true of many spray can paints. They dry so fast you can't paint larger areas without dry spray and lapping.

Ordinary spray paint isn't as good as automotive paint. Constantly exposed to the elements a good spray can paint will last about 3 years before it begins to noticeably deteriorate. Some auto paint stores, and some suppliers on the internet, will mix automotive quality paint(usually acrylic enamel) and put it in spray cans for you. Depending on the job, that may be your best option.

Sometimes the paint in the can is something special, like a flat color, unusual metallic color, something you don't don't want to pay to have a quart mixed, etc. I have drained spray cans many times.

- Shake the can to thoroughly mix the paint.

- Let it sit a minute, then with the can upright poke a SMALL hole on the side of the can at the top. I use a sharp scribe to make the hole. This may sound scarry, but the amount of pressure in the can is not high. I have never had a can that seemed even close to wanting to blow open from being pierced.

- If the can is near full a small amount of paint may or may not come out. If pressure is released too quickly the paint boils and gets higher in the can. So, if you make the hole too big, paint is will definitely come out, possibly a lot.

- When all the propellant has leaked out roll the ball around the bottom of the can to re-mix the paint.

- Make the original hole bigger. You can even rip the hole open with a clean screw driver if that's what you have handy.

- With the can on its side and the existing hole facing up, make a second large hole on the side facing up, on the side of the can at the bottom. You now have a pour hole and a vent at opposite ends of the can.

- Pour the paint into a container.

- Spray paints are too thin to spray with a "regular" gun, and the solvents are very volatile.

- If you let the paint set in an open container for 20 minutes or so at room temp the excess and most volatile solvents will evaporate. You may even see the solvents boiling. The evaporating/boiling solvents will make the paint cold. When the temp starts to come back up to room temp the enough evaporation has happened that the contained can be capped. Don't spray the paint until it has reached room temp.

- It will store like any other paint. A lot air in the container and/or a lot of of surface area exposed to air will reduce how long it remains usable.

- Like any paint, always stir it well before using. That is especially so of colors that contain both light and heavy pigments, metallic paint, and flat paint.

 

Thanks, I wanna try mixing a couple of 'effects' paints and can't be just ordered up, for a small thingamajig I'm working on.

 

When I was 5 or 6 years old, the next door neighbor kids were trying to bust open a can of spray paint with a hammer. As I watched them, I wondered why they didn't try to do it with the claw end of the hammer. Well, when their mom called them in to lunch, I had my chance. I took the claw end of the hammer and hit the can hard once, and the thing exploded in my face. I couldn't see anything, my eyes and face and body were covered with white paint. I didn't even know where my house was; I just stood their hollering and crying until my mom came out of the house. Got me cleaned up and calmed down, and in the 48 years since, I haven't tried to empty the contents of a spray can except by spraying it out the nozzle.

 

There's a really quick way to get the paint out, like my neighbor found out. While working in his cold shop, he set a rattle can on his woodstove to warm it and forgot about it!! After a few minutes....POW...paint came out real quick, all over his shop. Good thing he wasn't close by at the time, but he did have a little trouble with his ears ringing for the rest of the day.
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Today the modern man uses the microwave (you also get a light show)

 

can u say paint bomb

 

a local auto paint supply store can mix up what ever color you want and put it in a special spray can, on the bottom of this can is a plunger and when you are ready to use it you push the plunger several times, this releases the hardener then you shake the heck out of it and spray away, looks great. you only have about 30 mins to use it or it hardens up in the can. expensive though about 30 bucks a can