Re: Buying inert gases (argon, nitrogen, et cetera) in lieu of Bloxygen.

[PC]

I have a can of Bloxygen and use it sometimes when closing up a can if I'm in a hurry but usually I'll flow argon from my MIG welder in since it's a lot less expensive. Nitrogen will work but it's less likely to me that all moisture will be excluded when using nitrogen since the nitrogen is only about 0.5% heavier than air. Argon on the other hand, about 40% heavier than air, will stay in the can when open for quite a while if there is no draft.

Most weld> So, okay, I see the benefits in flushing the air out of whatever

you're storing your finish in so it doesn't spoil. And I see that > Bloxygen makes a product specifically for that purpose. But I also > see people using any old inert gas to accomplish the same feat. My > question, then, is where can I come across a can of compressed > nitrogen, argon, and whatnot? > > Brian > > "Normal people, by definition, are average."

[Doug Miller]

Argon won't react with *anything* except under very carefully controlled laboratory conditions.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Save the baby humans - stop partial-birth abortion NOW

[Alan McClure]

What's wrong with using CO2? CompUSA was selling small dusting guns that used oilless CO2 cartridges some time back. Probably still available. Does anyone know if the CO2 carts. sold for pellet guns contain oil? ARM

[Leon]

Is CO2 heavier than air? If not, it would not stay in the can before you are able to put the lid on.

[Leon]

Alternatively, you can turn the can upside down after use and then only the bottom does bad and you do not get a top skim layer. Or, you can drop in a sheet of plastic food wrap to rest on the surface of the liquid and displace the air.

[Bruce Rowen]

Yes.

A good way to go is to buy one of them (on sale) cheap argon or CO2 bottles from Horrible Fright and take it to your local welders supply store for a fill up.

20 cubic feet will last longer than the inspection stamp on the bottle.

-Bruce (who uses his MIG welders CO2 supply to bloxy his blo's)

[PC]

CO2 is not the best gas to use if your objective is to eliminate water vapor.

Phil

Bruce Rowen wrote:

[Jon Endres, PE]

The plastic wrap concept sucks, because then you have this nasty, paint-saturated piece of plastic that you have to dispose of. The upside down bit seems OK, as long as the can doesn't leak, but the argon concept seems really good.

[Leon]

LOL... I always have a large trash can to toss the plastic wrap in and if the upside down can leaks, the product would probably go bad any way with out farther preventative measures.. I do use Bloxygen in my Gorilla glue however.

[Alan McClure]

Most definitely, I saw a hint published in one of the WW mags. a few years ago where CO2 was actually poured into a partially full paint can to displace the oxygen. The CO2 was generated by mixing some vinegar and baking soda in a tumbler.

ARM

[Alan McClure]

Care to explain that. CO2 doesn't have to be produced at a low temperature. you could fill a balloon with whatever gas you're going to use and let it equilibrate to ambient temperature.

ARM

[George]

You don't go to many rock concerts, I can tell.

[PC]

The reason I don't favor CO2 for this purpose is that water vapor dissolves readily in CO2. In some situations this is advantageous but not here since and it is easy to use an inert gas like argon that doesn't dissolve so readily.

Phil

Alan McClure wrote:

[FOW]

[Larry Blanchard]

A cheap alternative is exhaling into the can before you put the lid on. Not pure CO2, but it helps.

[Doug Miller]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but that's really a pretty bad idea. Ambient air is just under 21% oxygen. Exhaled air is about 17-18% oxygen, and is a *lot* more humid.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Save the baby humans - stop partial-birth abortion NOW

[Larry Blanchard]

I guess I can't argue with the numbers, but it's always seemed to work for me. Is it possible that most of the exhaled oxygen is in the first part of the exhale? I usually wait till the exhale is about half over before breathing into the paint can.

[Dave Balderstone]

Geez, Larry. Do you throw those straight lines out like that on purpose?

It's *really* testing my self-restraint.

;-)

djb

[George]

As fine a physical scientist as he is a political scientist.

[FOW]