Paint Mixing Bottles

[Dave Ambrose]

I need to mix up a bunch of colors for a new model project. Are there any good, inexpensive sources for small (1 oz.) bottles that will happily hold some thinned down Model Master Enamel? The local version of pill bottles leak, baby food jars are too big, and I'm carrying way too many Teutonic genes to be happy spending the bux for the ones at the hobby shop.

Thanks -- Dave Ambrose

[John E. Bowers Jr.]

Sure! Look no further than your empty Model Master paint jars. Ther'e perfect. Clean 'em out and use 'em again.

[charlie8575]

Model Master bottles are 1/2 ounce.

For one ounce bottles, try Harbor Freight, I saw them there at reasonable prices.

Charlie Larkin

[JamesW]

Sure! Look no further than your empty Model Master paint jars. Ther'e perfect. Clean 'em out and use 'em again.

That's what I do. My LHS even sells empty MM bottles for mixing. I picked a couple up a few weeks ago.

[Scalefinishes]

How many are you looking for?

I have a bunch of plastic 1oz bottles that will hold paint no problem.

Jameston

[Karmodeler2]

The wife of a fellow model club member works for an optomitrist. She used to get the little glass bottles contact lenses came in which were great for small ammounts of paint. They even had rubber stoppers on them and more recently a regular screw-on plastic cap.

I found out about these a few years ago, and my wife asked me to go by and pick up her contacts one day. I asked them if they have little glass bottles and what they do with them when they are done? They said yes and we throw them away. I asked them to start saving them, so now when I or Angela go by there to pick up lenses, they have a bag with 30 or so in there for me. I use them for pearls and paints....they are great and free.

David

I did not tell my wife about my deal with the contact place, so one day she went to get her contacts and they gave her a bag of bottles. She was puzzled and they said, "oh those are for your husband, he collects them for his models". She came home and asked " Now you are having the contact people save bottles for your models?" I said, yes, and I consider it recycling. You should see what the Dentist gives me!!! I get 15 ILBs of stainless every time I go to see him!!!

If you are nice to them and share a little bit of your hobby with them, they are normally more than happy to oblige.

[Tom Kren]

TRY THE CRAFT STORES in the art deptment I picked up some plastic bottles 2oz I think with flip topS these are like the ones the pre mix HOK paints come in so after mixing ypour paint you can just squirt it in your air brush and there clear.

[MikeMc]

http://www.coastairbrush.com/products.asp?cat=249

16 oz to 1 oz solvent proof...all types of different tops.

I also use resin cups for mixing, not storage..they are graduated for repeat mixing..

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXK360&P=M

As I shoot lacquers these all work for me.

Parma also sells solvent proof 2oz flip top bottles

[69nova]

I still use film cameras in addition to digital. I use the little plastic film containers (especially clear ones) that film comes in. They are airtight and I have paint that I mixed nearly twenty years ago that is still okay in these containers.

If you go by your local CVS or other drug store that still develops film, they may have empty film containers for the taking if you ask.

[charlie8575]

I still use film cameras in addition to digital. I use the little plastic film containers (especially clear ones) that film comes in. They are airtight and I have paint that I mixed nearly twenty years ago that is still okay in these containers.

If you go by your local CVS or other drug store that still develops film, they may have empty film containers for the taking if you ask.

Great idea! As another film adherent, I never thought of this.

Have you tried lacquers in them? I'm just wondering because of whether or not the solvents would attack the canisters or not.

Charlie Larkin

[Art Anderson]

Great idea! As another film adherent, I never thought of this.

Have you tried lacquers in them? I'm just wondering because of whether or not the solvents would attack the canisters or not.

Charlie Larkin

Those little plastic film containers are not affected by lacquer thinners or solvents, in my experience.

Art

[MyBradKeselowski]

I use the plastic contact lense cases...

[Dave Ambrose]

Wow. Thank you all for your suggestions.

I still shoot film too and have a bunch of film containers. Those will work just fine for this project. I will keep the optometrist, craft store, and Harbor Freight in mind should I ever run out.

Jameston, thank you for your kind offer. I should be good.

[Doughnut]

I actually kept all of the small baby food jars from when by boy was an infant (I did run them all through the dishwasher). I have a whole drawer of them in the garage complete with the airtight lids. They are bigger than 1 oz, but I've kept mixed and decanted paint in them for over a year now without it drying up. If you know of anyone who has a infant, it's worth asking. Otherwise you can sometimes find them four for a dollar at the discount stores.