storing varnishes & paints...

[Didereaux]

I was going through the "stuff" and trying to figure out what all I had for when a boat showed up. Well, I checked the varnish cans and paint cans and one of them had completely solidified...I had forgot to use my trick on it. Long ago someone or the other showed me this and it works I gairowntee!

Before you put the lid back on your paint or varnish take your hand propane torch(no don`t light the dam thing heh) and give a healthy squirt of gas down into the can, then seal it tightly. Its the oxygen that causes the hardening and the propane being heavier than air displaces the air and so no films(or very little) and no hardening. Some people put in marbles and such to bring the level back yo too the lip, but that tensds to waste a lot of paint.

[Joe Myerson]

Here's a trick that I use for my Cetol (no boos, please), which I'm sure works for varnishes, too:

Before I close the top, I take a piece of plastic cling-wrap, put it over the top of the open can and take a stick or stirrer and push the wap down so that it touches the surface of the remaining liquid, while also draping over the outside edge of the can.

Then I hammer the lid back on.

When I open the can, I peel back the plastic wrap and the stuff is useable again.

Obviously, the clear plastic film keeps much of the air from reaching the surface of the liquid.

--Joe

[Dick Barthel]

Did:

How is the boat search going? If I were you I'd at least wait until that hurricane decides which way its going.

Great tip on the varnish.

Dick

[luffwoolly]

A couple years ago, someone on this board suggested never open the lid. Instead poke two small holes on opposing sides of the lid and use sheet metal screws to seal. It works like a charm.

Bruce

[George Shaunfield]

Someplace I read the recommendation to store the can upside down. Then when you are ready to use it again turn it right side up and open the lid. If any film has formed it will be on bottom and you have access to fresh varnish.

George

[Mathias]

Again, from the anals of my summer residence as a schooner deckhand:

The way to secure a summer job as a deckhand is to go to Camden - Rockland early in the season (say April) and help out with fitting out. During fitting out, we learned from our captain that the first thing to do with every can of varnish we open, is to take a good size nail and hammer into the top rim "moat" formed by the can lid, four nail holes so that any varnish collected in that moat while pouring could drain back into the can.

We strained the varnish with ladies stockings, and yes, we too sealed the varnish with a saran wrap that layed on top of the varnish, so as to eliminate any oxygen.

-Mathias

[Oswego John]

What great ideas. What a great board.

Who says that you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I learn something every day.

O J

[bill2]

FWIW -

not just for storing paint but also sprays or any liquid - here's a tip out of the penny pinchers experience. the prevailing gods of the air seem to play havoc with expansion/contraction in hot and cold weather. air just doesn't seem satisfied with stopping at the lid ( coming and going only to dry out the liquid ) - so the penny pinchers floating around here have taken to storing any can, spray or liquid container with the lid on the bottom. the lid can be sealed by the liquid which then keeps out the air which then keeps spray cans ( and all the other containers ) from losing pressure, forming skins, drying, etc. suppose there'll be some exceptions but the cheapskates here haven't found them yet. as usual you get what ya paid for if you follow this logic - oh and the lid needs to be on properly or you find everything " on the ground " ( some of us will store unfinished gallon cans of bottom paint upside down but in a five gallon pail just to make sure the captain doesn't put us in the brig iffen we mess up ) .

[Carl Thunberg]

Did,

Thanks for posting this. I love taking advantage of basic chemistry. It's so logical, but I've never heard this one before. I will definitely give this one a try.

Carl