Dry Paint?

Make sure that the lids are screwed on tight and that there is no paint in the thread.

And I have NEVER heard of storing them upside down!!! LOL That's definately a new one.

QUOTE: Originally posted by kik36 And I have NEVER heard of storing them upside down!!! LOL That's definately a new one.

Storing them upside down was already recommendet 30yrs ago for the Humbrol tins, point being that the lighter air will collect at the "bottom" of the bottle/tin and the heavier paint will seal the "top" air-tight.

One other thing i could thing off could cause evaporation is that the paints are stored in a location where they are exposed to temperature changes that could result in leakage due to the materials expanding and shrinking.

Heath,

Testors has recommended that many times also.
In fact I store mine that way as the solvent in the paint can't evaporate that way.

Mike

LOL, sorry if it seemed like I meant it was new period...I meant that's a new one for me!!! Kinda like when you buy a used car, but it's a new car to you.....you get the gist!!!

Now give me another star!!!!

I place my paints in very small (lunch box to slightly larger) air-tight plastic clear containers. I've heard of the "up-side-down" method (but I think this is silly). Other ideas i've contemplated of doing (but never done it) is place a strip of sticky tape around the edge of wear the jar & lid meets (but it would have to be wide & sitcky enough but this doesnt work for little tinlets) or is placing a glad wrap or plastic sheet over the top of an open tin & push it inside so the it pushes the extra air out & close the lid with the plastic flapping out the top with the lid on.

Other than looking after your paints (ie keepin in recommended paint temperature ranges) thats all i can offer!

Remember - paint has a shelf life of about 10-15yrs or even 20 - but that depends on the type of paint, the manufacture & that specific "batch" of paint. By time you buy a paint jar, it may be already old by a couple of years!!!! Nothing lasts forever!

I have some of the small bottles of Testors enamel that have "15 c" and "35 c" (no cents mark symbol available!) printed on top of them. They probably haven't been opened in 30 years or so. Some of them are just a clump at the bottom but a couple of them still look liquid inside, although the liquid doesn't look like paint anymore

Keeping the threads clean and the joint between the top of the bottle and the seal in the cap is the key I think.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the input. I seem to have this problem with the testors only... go figure.

Ken