Just near blew the man cave up

[jaydar]

I was getting ready to clear coat the fairing on a 1/12 Moto Guzzi (for the umpteenth time)and as usual I popped the clear coat can on my coffee mug warmer to give it some heat.

I totally forgot about it until the can fell over. It fell over because the bottom expanded out!!! When I found it. It was on its side.

If it blew up i am sure it would have done a bunch of damage (although everything would have probably dried shiny!!!!!) and it would have given me a heart attack too!

Just a reminder if anyone else warms their spray cans (bombs) this way and has a bad memory.....

joe.

[my80malibu]

I will try to remember!

[58 Impala]

I had a can of rustoleum do the same thing. I had a can of light blue to paint an engine and accidentally left it in a hot car. The bottom swelled out and I found it before it turned my gray cloth interior. Won't make that mistake twice.

[Ben]

I always warm my cans up by placing them in hot water, pulling them out a few times to shake them up.

[935k3]

another good reason to buy a dehydrator.

[berr13]

You're just glossing over the danger...seriously, all's well that ends well. I'm a fan of the hot water route, myself.

[LDO]

Years ago, I warmed up a can in hot water...on the stove top. The bottom poked out and got near-boiling water on my face and chest. Obviously I'm more careful these days.

[Harry P.]

The only safe way to warm up a can of paint is to put some hot tap water in a pot, then put the paint in the water. Never put the paint in the water and then heat the water on the stove with the paint in the water! And you should never use water any hotter than you can comfortably put your fingers into.

[Dan Helferich]

Does that mean I should call the Marines and cancel the napalm strike I had scheduled to warm my can of One Coat Purplicious?

[cruz]

It has happened to me at least 5 times with the Testor's lacquer paint cans, have to try to remember.....

[ZTony8]

I use my mug warmer often.I've never had a can go on me because of overheating and I've gotten some cans of Tamiya spray so hot that I couldn't hold them for very long.Maybe I've been lucky.

[Shardik]

Applying unregulated heat to a sealed metal container full of VOLATILE liquid that is already under pressure is not a good idea! This is how bombs work!

I only use water straight from the tap; although the water from my tap is hot enough that I can't keep a finger in it for more than a couple seconds. This is plenty hot enough to get the paint to flow.

[slusher]

l have never warmed up any of my paints. l always use at room temp. If your going to do it water would be the safe way....

[Tom Geiger]

I think it was Dave Darby who accidently painted his kitchen orange when a can exploded on him.

[pharoah]

Doesn't it say on the can that it should be at room temperature or at least 60 degrees? I've never warmed one up either.

[southpier]

Darwin Award

[jas1957]

Lucky is an understatement, any spray can is just an unexploded bomb. Most if not all spray cans use propane as the propelant plus the paint is flamible. Putting one on a direct heat source is asking for trouble. Warm water is the only safe option.

Edited September 26, 2013 by jas1957

[Modlbldr]

I've never had this issue. I usually warm it by running it under the tap or stick the can job a pan of preheated water. Besides, everyone knows the best way to warm them is in the microwave......

Seriously though, when I worked for the railroad I was hostling one day when a consist of engines were dropped off on our fueling rack. They were left for a couple of hours or so before I got up in the third engine to find that the road brakeman had left a can of chili on the sidewall heater. There was chili EVERYWHERE!! What a mess.

Later-

[Jeff Johnston]

l have never warmed up any of my paints. l always use at room temp. If your going to do it water would be the safe way....

same here there is too much risk for it blowing up.

I paint in my garage that's attached to the house. In the winter I bring the cans in the basement so they are room temperature. I've never, ever had an issue painting at room temperature/.

[mrknowetall]

another good reason to buy a dehydrator.

Yep! That's where my rattle cans go for a warm up.

[jaydar]

I appreciate the tips guys. I am not giving up on the mug warmer yet. I just have tomove it some place i cannot forget it!!!

joe.

[LokisTyro]

Shrapnel and paint in the face for a model car? No thanks. Why not put a grate on the warmer, say from a computer fan guard.

[DumpyDan]

Only in the States. LOL!

[ToyLvr]

All of the above warnings should apply to *storage* of your cans as well.

A few years ago, I had some spray paint cans stored in a cabinet in my garage, which is not climate-controlled. It can get pretty hot there during the Summer

On evening I heard a BOOM in the garage, and upon investigation I found that an old can had exploded in the cabinet. I think that the bottom of the can had sort of rusted our and became the weak point.

It was huge mess! Fortunately the cabinet absorbed most of explosion, and the mess was mostly contained there. No car in the garage at the time, either - I got lucky that time, and learned my lesson.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Probably a good thing none of you guys are aircraft mechanics (I hope).