Sealing the lids on paint tins

[Leon]

Now that is a load, that will not keep the contents mixed.

[stephen.hull]

With sufficient air space in the tin the oil paint will skin over anyway, this will protect the remaining paint and depending on the type of paint you are supposed to either cut off and remove the skin then thoroughly stir or stir in the skin and then strain through a nylon stocking or purpose made paint strainer.

[Leon]

He left out holding your breath. Have you ever heard of holding your breath before blowing out a candle?

[Ian Jackson]

Without stirring it (or maybe after first stirring very carefully, without breaking the skin), you decant most of the paint off into another container. You then scrape off the sludge from the inside of the lid, add it to the paint you have decanted, and stir it in well.

After you have used the paint, if there's still some left, you can pour it back unto the original tin until the next time you need it.

Once opened, I suspect that a re-sealed tin often allows small amounts of air to get in. Storing it upside down probably helps the lid to be absolutely air-tight - just make sure it doesn't leak!

[Steve Turner]

Like these?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I remember many many years ago seeing on TV a system of lids for glass jars with a self sealing valve on top and a sort of hand operated vacuum pump. The idea being you removed any air after putting back on the lid. Rather like canning works, but without the heat.

It was short term storage of edible products - and may well have been before most had 'fridges. But like many such things on TV, never saw it again.

[Robin]

I still have one. Uses the same pump and same design of valve as vac-u-vin.

Some still available. Just pop "vacuvin storage" into the search engine of your choice. Bit pricey for paint though and possibly not suitable for oil based paints 'cos of the effects of "the vapours".

[Mrcheerful]

[J. Clarke]

Nope. Neither has the wind.

[Moonraker]

I simply pour gently, a small amount of turps on the paint, this in my experience stops it skimming and is easily stirred in before the next use. Another thing I have found useful is if I use a paint brush then need to continue the job the next day wiping any excess paint off then firmly wrapping the paint brush in cling film, keeps the brush usable until the morrow.

[RobertL]

Surely the place to put the plastic sheet is lying on top of the paint. this separates it from the air.

Robert

[Harry Bloomfield]

john brook laid this down on his screen :

Once the lid is firmly back on, just turn it upside down. The what ever it is inside will seal the gaps in the lid and prevent any more air entering.

[tiredofspam]

I use the wine box for all my finishes. It's great. I can mix the paint by just slapping the membrane on a bench. It elongates the storage of all my finishes.

The way my wife and brother in law go through these boxes I have an endless supply.

I use soda bottles with the top cut off to fill them (makes a one time funnel) squeeze the air out, then store.

The best method of storing I have used. No rusted lids, no stuck lids.

If I can't get the stuff to remix, I pour it all out in a can and mix, then pour it back. Rarely needed, but occasionally does happen.

[Paul Giverin]

In message , Mrcheerful writes

I've got a few concertina bottles in my darkroom for storing film developer.

will collapse from 1 litre down to about 1/2 litre. Works fine with fluid but I'm not sure about gloss paint. Can you imagine trying to whack the lid on an concertining paint container ;-)

[Mrcheerful]

That would be a job to be passed to 'the boy'

[Leon]

When you hold your breath you emit less oxygen in you wind and you blow "slowly". The point of holding your breath is to smother the flame and the glowing wick so that it does not continue to smoke after the fire is out.

[Nightjar]

Carefully. Although, if I keep a paint long enough for it to skin, the skin is usually so thick that the propblem is how to break it.

Colin Bignell

[Lobster]

What's the deal there - I never know what to do for the best when I come across skin on paint. I usually make a judgement on whether it will actually ever stir in, and if not (eg if it's an eighth of an inch of hard dry crust!) I remove it.

What does it do to the quality of the paint itself? Would the underlying paint become more (or less?) concentrated from repeated removal of skin? Or is the skin layer identical in quality/content to the liquid?

David

[Lobster]

Cue the "Mr Bean does decorating" clip from Youtube...

David

[Lobster]

I find a couple of layers of Tesco bags does the trick equally well actually - at least it's a use for the bloody things.

Embarrassing confession - I employed a pro decorator a few months ago for the first time in my life. I was very intrigued that he had a new Special Box which he stored all his used brushes in; only it wasn't one of those where the bristles sit in turps, ISTR there was some form of chemical vapour in there which prevented the brushes from drying out indefinitely. He said it was the mutt's nuts and he'd pretty well given up on turps and brush cleaner. Can't remember what the stuff was though...

David