PLEASE READ DECANTING RATTLE CANS

[midnightsteele]

I am new to the decanting process but it sounded like a pretty simple task. I did my research and followed the instructions of a few videos and how-to's. Shake the bottle a little every fifteen or so minutes to aid in the decanting process they said. These bottles were only half full. Luckily I had enough common sense to make sure they weren't in direct line of fire of my face and I had eye pro on. If its important enough to do, its important enough to wait it out. Just let them sit...

Edited October 1, 2014 by midnightsteele

[JunkPile]

I think you did something wrong

[crazyjim]

Looks like you punctured the can - BIG mistake.

[ChrisPflug]

I've always sprayed from the rattle can into a smaller container and not had issues

Internet "research" shouldn't trump common sense

Edited October 1, 2014 by ChrisPflug

[Pete J.]

I decant paint all the time by punching a hole in the can and slowly letting the propellant out. I do it so often that I made a fixture to puncture cans to let the propellant out safely, but I refuse to share either the fixture or the design because I am just too afraid of someone hurting themselves and sending their attorney after me. This is definitely a do at your own risk deal. As I said I designed my fixture to be safe and support the can and release the pressure slowly(it takes over night) so I am not afraid of it. Good luck.

[midnightsteele]

I used the bendy straw method. This happened after the paint sat in the secondary container for 15 minutes. I had no issues getting the paint from the rattle can into the secondary containers. None at all. After the paint sat for 15 minutes, I gently shook the open container and that's when they spewed. I actually only shook one. When it started spinning like a loose rogue oxygen cylinder, it knocked the other one over. Quite an experience I must say. It hasn't deterred me from doing it again but I'm not touching them for about three hours the next time. Yes I left the containers open after transferring from the rattle can as per instructions. I just have BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH luck lol

[midnightsteele]

OK I didn't type blah blah blah but didn't use swear words either. Strange... I checked the third bottle. Shook it in the yard and nooooooo issues. I will be retrying the other ones now. Total steep time was about two and a half hours.

[High octane]

I usually decant rattle can paints by spraying directly on the model car body, with great results.

[midnightsteele]

I usually decant rattle can paints by spraying directly on the model car body, with great results.

Lol that's what I been doing but I want one of those glassy classy paint jobs like these pros in here get.

[935k3]

I bet this was Tamiya TS paints. Some colors are worse then others of causing this. I let them sit an hour or so then gently insert(no stirring) a mixing stick slowly and see if it bubbles. If it does it needs more time. I found TS-13 clear to be the worst offender. I usually use the 1 oz Badger jar and hold it at an angle , I lightly push down on the paint nozzle and spray directly into the jar. Another way is to find a place that sells the paper cone drinking cups(see pic below) and use them as a funnel to spray into the jar.

Edited October 2, 2014 by 935k3

[Mike Kucaba]

I use one of those ratcheting hand clamps to depressurize the can. Put a spray tip on the can,shake it good AND TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN. Apply the clamp and hang it someplace upside down and let the gas out. After a while you can release the clamp and rip the top off with a good pair of side cutters. It helped that I worked for an aerosol valve company and got some experience doing this for QC dept.

[midnightsteele]

The paint was Krylon gold. This incident happened after I transferred the paint from the rattle can to the open bottle. I taped a bendy straw to the spray nozzle and used cellophane to cover the top of the bottle. I stopped when my bottle was half full. I let it sit for about 15 minutes while I occupied my time trying to smoke a cigarette and chasing my weenie dog around the front yard because he didn't want to go back in the house. When I picked up my half full bottle of gold and gently shook it, it literally shot out of my hand and straight into the other half bottle of Krylon flat black I was also decanting. That one, once struck by the bottle of gold, also wanted to go projectile lol. Luckily neither of them hit the bottle of primer I had sitting. After two and a half hours, the primer was good to go and is now closed. It was quite the hoodoo and my landlord (lives right next door mind you) is going to be upset to say the least. I will have to paint the whole porch and part of the front of the house. Tomorrow I'm gonna do it again lol...

[Mike Kucaba]

I always tape off the area when I decant cans with plastic. I also cut a hole in a large plastic bag and pull it over myself in case of a miscue Before pouring the paint into a bottle let them sit a while then pour into a glass jar and lightly put the cap on and gently shake bottle then release the cap. There is alot of propellant in those paints!

The safest way to get paint out of spray cans though is to get those tubes that are nozzle extenders and drill out the tip so the tube fits, then epoxy in place. I have some tips set-up for a Testor's type valve and some for Tamiya's.

Happy de-canting

[midnightsteele]

Yeah I learned a valuable lesson today. First time out of the shoot. Next time I'm just going to let them steep for a couple hours. I was just going off the advice of one of the videos I watched that said if you shake it a little every 15 minutes or so it would speed up the process. I'm just going to try a little more patience lol

James

[Danno]

It knocked you right out of your shoes? Whoa!

[midnightsteele]

Ha! Those old clod hoppers ought to be thrown away they been on the porch so long. I should have been so lucky to be wearing those but oh no I had to be wearing my flip-flops so my feet looked like they had been touched by Midas!

[DeeCee]

I usually decant it as i need it, it stays fresh in the can that way, when it is about empty and out of gas, then i pierce a hole in it to get the dregs out of it, worked for 30 years with out a problem.

[Pete J.]

Ah, now I see the problem. I always decant the paints in the evening and let it sit over night. There is often still gas dissolved in the paint even then. A friend of mine did a worse thing. He decanted the paint into a small glass paint jar and closed the lid tight. The next day he shook it to mix the paint and when he opened the jar he instantly painted his laundry room and himself a nice bright green! You have to let the dissolved propellant have a chance to get out of the paint.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Pete J.

[Mike Kucaba]

Hey Danno! I'd be happy to demo my decanting technique over at your house

[Danno]

Hey Danno! I'd be happy to demo my decanting technique over at your house

Yeah, right. LOL. I'll let you know when I need the redecorating help!

[JohnU]

So....spray paint is like a can of soda. If you decant it you should let it go "flat" before using it right? Makes sense to me!

[Pete J.]

So....spray paint is like a can of soda. If you decant it you should let it go "flat" before using it right? Makes sense to me!

Yes Sir! Unless you are into abstract art on your walls!

[bobthehobbyguy]

Me I just use the rattle cans. Tamiya is going for about 7 dollars a can. If you are going to decant it you are defeating the conveience of the rattle cans. To me its just easier to mix up some paint for the airbrush to start with intead of hassling with decanting the paint.

[Mike Kucaba]

I rarely decant a spray can that still sprays, I'll generally use the modified tip on the can. Most of what I decant,that is open the can up and drain it are cans that don't spray or are questionable. When looking at 100 cans of Testor's for $.50 a can it's too good to pass up.

This brings up a sore spot with me and should with all of us that airbrush. I think that Tamiya's & Testor's paints are great, both companies sell airbrushes so what's the deal with NOT putting their ENTIRE lines in bottles and aerosols?

[Pete J.]

I don't know about Testors but Tamiya does. http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/list/tamiya_spray/kit85001.htm You just can't buy them in the good ol' US of A! They have a hard enough time importing them in rattle cans. I think the guys at the EPA would go ballistic if you could buy 100ml of synthetic lacquer. Here in the peoples republic of California, Jerry Brown's head would explode if he knew that regular people off the street could buy something with lacquer thinner in it!

Edited January 4, 2015 by Pete J.