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Saving your old paint


sumterIII

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One problem I have run into is opening an old bottle of paint that has been used before and finding clumps. It’s not always possible to remix this without thinning to a point of unusable as paint. It may work okay for a wash but not for painting.

 

My solution was to strain it through panty hose after remixing. What is left over is placed in a jar and allowed to soak on a small amount of thinner. After a few minutes you end up with a color wash, which then goes back to the strained bottle. This added just a little thinner to the clean/strained paint and still keeps it to a point that I can hand paint or use in my airbrush. Just make sure you tell you wife why you need the panty hose, might keep you out of trouble :smiley18:

 

 

 

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Arthur,

Great idea. Pantyhose has numerous uses. I actually know a member that unthreads them and uses it for 1/350 or smaller ship rigging. For paint, I notice that when I open older bottles, it was gone from usable to solidified brick status. Very rarely, to I find the clumping issue. have added yor idea to my "what if" book of modeling facts.

 

 

Mark

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I usually find that my paint falls into either the "good" or "solid lump" category. I rarely get lumpy paint. However, I did get quite a few bottles of the older Testors Acryl paint (with the blue lable band) that seemed to go bad all at once. I can't recall exactly where I bought them, but got them cheap when they were first out. I used them for a while without any issues, then all of a sudden most, if not all, of the bottles were "junk". I didn't even try to save them - tossed them & moved on.

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I see more with Acrylic, but if you catch enamel soon enough you can save it. I noticed Testors tend to clump more if I mix thinner direct to the bottle. I try and avoid that now by pouring it into another bottle, using only what I need at the time.

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I've saved quite a few lumpy bottles of paint with my home-made paint mixer. Start with a heavy gauge paperclip Straighten it out. At one end make a 90 degree bend. Then at half the diameter of a paint bottle opening, make a 180 degree bend back on itself so it goes back across the "shaft" and forms a "T". Nip off the end of the "T" so it forms the diameter of the paint bottle opening. Chuck the shaft of the "T" into an adjustable speed Dremel. Put the "T" into the paint bottle and turn the Dremel on low. Move it up and down to mix the paint and gradually increase the speed 'til you've got a smooth consistency. DO NOT insert or remove the mixer from the paint while running on pain of having to get a new wardrobe and/or having to repaint your work area. It also helps if you secure the paint bottle to free up your hands. I use masking tape loops, but you could use clay or putty as well. I've made mixers in several sizes depending on the size of the paint bottles. Cheap and works great.

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One other minor item that might help. When I finish using a bottle of paint, I lightly blow into the mouth of the jar before I close it. The theory is that it reduces the oxygen content in the bottle. Less of a chance for the paint to oxidize. Maybe I am kidding myself but I do have lots of old bottles of paint that are mostly still good.

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Put the "T" into the paint bottle and turn the Dremel on low.

 

I do the same thing but I use a brass tube. I cut the end so I have two halves then bend them out and shape it into a paddle, sorta looks like a samll boat prop. Had it for years and it works great. The problem I was talking about is when the lumps don't always mix all the way. Or you get samll dried bits from the top of the jar. That's when I use the strainer. What's left is airbrush useable paint, free of lumps and dried bits.

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