Paint Storage Techniques???

Pundit: noun (PUHN-dit)

Which covers off many of us here!

What's a pundit, anyway?

And I quite agree that long term storage of thinned paints could be troublesome. I tend to paint in spurts (pun intended) and also tend to build similar kits at the same time. Right now I'm into muscle cars, and it is surprising how much semi-gloss black you go through. That color is one I've "pre-thinned" for spraying.

I don't think of things as cost per gallon, except those things I buy in gallon lots. HP black ink is atrociously priced, but the cost per page is fairly reasonable. Yes I can go to Staples or Kinkos and get a cheaper output cost, but my time and the fuel to get there must be factored in, and then it isn't so bad.

On the other hand the three bottles of OD I used painting a 1:48 B-17 convinced me never to build such a large bird again! 

Jerry, thank you for bringing up the uneconomical aspect of substantial decanting aerosol paint. Just goes to show my scientific background—economy never enters into my thoughts… (Especially when confronted with styrene…) I'll be sure to add that next time (seems like there's always a next time) I have occasion to rant about the practice.

At the actual price per gallon of the stuff, I tend to do everything I can to make the paint last as long as possible. (Hey, look, I thought of something in terms of economy! That won't happen again for thousands of years…)

I've never understood why modelers go through the process of decanting an aersol can in the first place. What an expensive way to source paint and increase the labor intensity of the application process. Such a potential risk for creating a mess and injury just to recover such a small amount of product. 

I have sprayed color into the cap to be able to use a brush to do minor touch ups, but those who drain a can only to use it in an airbrush ...why not source it in a non aersol form or use something else? I guess it is all a matter of personal preference.

HawkeyeHobbies wrote:

Triarius wrote: Aaarrrrgh! Only thin approximately what you will use in one or two days, and NEVER put reduced paint back in the original bottle. Store reduced (thinned paint) in a tightly capped glass bottle. Paints are formulated to be stable in the original container at the original ratio of binder to thinner to pigment to additives. Changing those ratios will reduce long term stability. Lest some pundit bring up aerosol paints, which are stored in their own spray cans, already reduced for sprayiing, as an exception: No, aerosols are formulated to be stable that way.  He's such a purest! But he's right. However in the practical world many of us (myself included) will pour back into the original bottle. Given my consumption rate for most of the colors I do this with, they are rarely around very long anyway. The colors I usually do it with are my 'primer' colors such as white or light gray.  When you have several projects on the bench all requiring the same color...and they are 1:48 or larger scales, paint tends to disappear quickly.

I don't mix thinned and unthinned paint as I want to control how the paint reacts to brushing or spraying. I tend to buy two bottles of "popular" colors and thin one straight away for spraying and keep those in the spray booth. I haven't experienced any stability problems, either with the paints or while walking.

I'd like to see someone try to put aerosol paint back in the can! From a distance, of course!! 

Triarius wrote:

Aaarrrrgh! Only thin approximately what you will use in one or two days, and NEVER put reduced paint back in the original bottle. Store reduced (thinned paint) in a tightly capped glass bottle. Paints are formulated to be stable in the original container at the original ratio of binder to thinner to pigment to additives. Changing those ratios will reduce long term stability. Lest some pundit bring up aerosol paints, which are stored in their own spray cans, already reduced for sprayiing, as an exception: No, aerosols are formulated to be stable that way.

He's such a purest! But he's right. However in the practical world many of us (myself included) will pour back into the original bottle. Given my consumption rate for most of the colors I do this with, they are rarely around very long anyway. The colors I usually do it with are my 'primer' colors such as white or light gray. 

When you have several projects on the bench all requiring the same color...and they are 1:48 or larger scales, paint tends to disappear quickly. 

Aaarrrrgh!

Only thin approximately what you will use in one or two days, and NEVER put reduced paint back in the original bottle. Store reduced (thinned paint) in a tightly capped glass bottle.

Paints are formulated to be stable in the original container at the original ratio of binder to thinner to pigment to additives. Changing those ratios will reduce long term stability.

Lest some pundit bring up aerosol paints, which are stored in their own spray cans, already reduced for sprayiing, as an exception: No, aerosols are formulated to be stable that way.