Just got my Robart paint shaker.

firesmacker wrote:

To each his own though. If you are happy with what you are using then thats all that really counts.

That is true but these guys do not know what they are missing out on.

Even Ken at Badger told me there is no better tool they have found to thoroughly mix paint and that was face to face as friends and not a sales pitch.

MikeV wrote:

This is still the best paint mixer you will find and nothing mixes paint more thoroughly:

I would have to agree with Mike here. At least in the fact that I love mine. I have a Dremel that I can just chuck a piece of sprue into I guess. But for 10 bucks and the 2 AA batteries that are still going strong 2 years later, it can't be beat. Especially for enamel paints that haven't been touched for awhile and have 1/4 inch of gunk at the bottom of the bottle. Less than 1 minute with that baby and they are good as new.

To each his own though. If you are happy with what you are using then thats all that really counts.

I use a large paperclip bent straight.

My shaker is broken, the motor

Bgrigg wrote:

Gee, I just use bits of sprue.

Oh! Inching even closer to cost effectiveness. I like that.

I for a mixer for model paints I use a box nail with the head bent on one side and twirl it. ...works great also for mixing retarder and water into the tiny little airbrush cup too.

State-of-the-flippen' ART!

This is still the best paint mixer you will find and nothing mixes paint more thoroughly:

Uhhh...

So what you're saying is, there's a tiny paint shaker for model paint jars?!

Are you yanking my chain? Oh meee gawd. Truly I am from the dark ages. When did this hobby go nuts?!?!? HAAA! I find that such a product exists as completely astounding a just a bit whacky!

 Hey , guess what?! The acrylics that I've swerved into since my local hobby store stopped stocking Polly S brand, has little shaker BBs inside the containers already. Master Reaper brand comes in squeeze bottles with tiny little metal skulls for shakers! I bought some extra containers for mixing that are Master Reaper brand jars and they come with a skull in each one. Gimmicks... luv it.

Sian wrote:

This is amusing, Reaper paints use a little pewter skull in each dropper. lead shot or copper BBs are a bad idea though, that much is sure.

Why?

This is amusing, Reaper paints use a little pewter skull in each dropper.

lead shot or copper BBs are a bad idea though, that much is sure.

wyoroy wrote:

Thanks for the info.  I got mine back in 1996 or 97.

So, did you ever get that new motor for your paint shaker?

My problem with shaking the paint is that it seems to increase the potential for stuck-on lids. Stirring the paint instead certainly reduces that bother! I use greeting-card holders from florist shops (the ones I'm talking about look like very long clear plastic forks; I use an old garden shears to snip them to about four inches long). I wouldn't dare use any of the motorized paint stirrers some people like. I have visions of paint flying out of the bottle and all over the model, the walls, the workbench, me...you get the picture! And believe me, a quarter-ounce bottle spilled all over the place actually contains a full gallon of paint! I don't know how that works; maybe somebody who knows about spatial ratios can clue me in.

Hope it turns out to be fairly easy to get a replacement motor. It's nice to know they can last so long though, if you got 10 years of use out of yours that works out to $3-4 a year.

Woroy,

Did you purchase the Robart fairly recently?  Mine came with a 90-day warranty that you had to mail in a slip to activate.  In any case here is Robart's address in case you have to buy a motor.

Robart Mfg., Inc.

625 N. 12th St.

St. Charles, Illinois  60174

Best of luck,

Dave

I guess it would be the same either way but have you checked that the electrical connections are still attached to the motor? I've had a couple of things where over time the connections break away. Most seem to be attached with just a tiny blob of solder and I imagine all that shaking would knock it loose over time. 

I haven't taken mine apart but I can't believe there is much to it inside other than a motor and some gears.

There are really only 4 things that could go wrong and 3 of them would be fairly simple fixes. 1 cord is not connected or has a break somewhere, 2 motor is bad, 3 switch is bad, 4 gears are jammed up and won't let the motor turn.  

If you have a radio shack or similar electronics place you could probably get replacement parts to make it work again (motor or switch which ever is determined to be the problem). I think little electric motors like that are pretty bullet proof so that would be my last expected place for a problem, there just isn't much to them.

If you are not to handy with things like this I bet a decent RC or train shop would have someone that would be able to figure it out pretty quickly. If they stock plastic maybe you could bribe them, "you help me fix this, and I'll buy this nice big model kit from you".  

wyoroy wrote:

My paint shaker stopped shaking, any ideas? I have used BBs for years had have never had a problem.

with or without cord?

Thanks, perhaps someone else will know. 

BTW a good practice is to wipe the bottle and treads off before closing the paint.

I'm shaking without BB's, but if the paint has been sitting awhile I'll also stir it up with a toothpick.  If it's a bottle that I've been using recently I just give it some time on the shaker and the paint quality seems good.  If I have to stir I put it on the shaker first and that seems to reduce stir time.   It beats having to shake by hand and have tired hands when painting.

I've never opened my Robart so I can't help you Wyoroy.

Dave

My paint shaker stopped shaking, any ideas?

I have used BBs for years had have never had a problem.

bspeed,

Where do you put the drop of oil?  

~Dave