Opening, Sealing and Storing cans

[Guest]

I am often unkind to paint can lids and rims, so by the time a quart is half finished the lid seal is often a mess. Which is a whole nother topic, Opening, Sealing and Storing cans.

OK, I am willing to try to change my evil ways, and I know I am the poster child for paint and varnish can abuse. Let me count the ways.

I know I really should find one of the (dozen) little paint can openers instead of grabbing the nearest screwdriver. Where did I hang those dang things. . . . .hell, there’s a screwdriver, I’ll just mangle the lid prying it off with that.

I know I should decant the appropriate amount of paint or varnish into a working cup, and not drip it all over the can. Meh, this will only take a minute, I’ll be careful. . . .

I know I should clean the rim of the can before slamming the lid on top, splattering yet another shop shirt with rim dregs. Sometimes I even do, usually the second time around, after having spattered what was not in fact a shop shirt.

I know I should don shop duds before painting or varnishing. See “This will only take a minute”. See also “I’ll be careful”.

Storing partially filled cans is an issue, especially when I have mangled a lid. I don’t trust the upside down can trick when the lid is suspect.

I know there is Bloxagen and the ilk, but $10 for a can of Argon seems pricey. I have been squirting a little propane in the cans and nothing has exploded yet.

http://www.bloxygen.com/

Hints, tricks or tips to help me end my abusive paint and varnish can ways?

 

[Alan Gage]

I open with a screwdriver. Never found it did much damage unless you get a can that's really stuck shut with dried up gunk. Insert blade and give a slight twist before moving a little farther down the rim and doing the same until it comes loose.

I either use a small nail, punch, or drill to put drain holes on the inside of the rim. This cuts down on splatter when putting the lid back on, cuts down on drips running down the side of the can, and keeps the dried varnish from hermetically sealing it in place (somewhat).

To close the can I usually put it on the ground and step on it.

Like you I mean to do things the right way but rarely ever do. Last week I picked up a pack of 8oz. glass canning jars to store some custom mixed stain and finish. Maybe now that I have extra containers I'll start decanting from my larger varnish cans....yeah, you're right, I probably won't.

Alan

 

[Boreal Birch]

One small trick I have used on small cans of finish and some glues that seem to dry up considerably between uses. After using, replace the used material with clear marbles, just ease them into the can until it is again full to the top. Cuts down on the air space at the top of the can.

 

[Robin]

My local builder/restorer Schuyler Thomson uses this idea in his shop.
After he finishes applying the last coat of paint to a canoe, he takes the leftover customers paint and pours it into a similar colored can of leftover paint. He paints so many canoes he always has lots of left over paint, especially green (wood canvas canoes should be green)
I wouldn't be surprised if this a similar practice with most builders.
If a customer asks for the left over paint he gladly gives him a small jar of the paint he used on their canoe. Not many folks have ever asked for the left overs.
He then uses the left over paint on the first couple of coats of a new canvas which gets sanded pretty heavy anyway.
He will even sell it to guys like me who want to save some money on a paint job.

 

[Odyssey]

Never work from a full can. Otherwise you can't properly load your brush with the right amount of product (paint or varnish). Instead, decant at least half. To load your brush, dip it no more than half way up the bristles and then lightly tap the bristle ends against the inside of the can. This prevents dripping off the brush and drives the product a little up the bristles - this is "loading" the brush. By not scraping your heavily loaded brush against the can edge with every dip you keep the rim clean. If you get some in that can edge groove be sure to always give that a swipe before closing. So by working cleaner with a brush you keep the can edge cleaner, making it easier to close and store the used can. I open cans with http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-6-in-...-HDX/205046662 Inevitably cans get grungy and lids get beat up, so I always save cleaner used ones for storing left overs. Oh, and don't forget to label them. (Do as I say, not as I do.) Once a year I go through my collection of paints and stains. Rarely do they match the label anymore, and if labelled will say something like "Anderson job", with no clue as to the stain recipe or paint colour code. Thank goodness for municipal hazardous waste drop-off depots.
Storing cans upside down was particularly effective with alkyd and oil based products; I don't use them much anymore. Everything is water based or some kind of hybrid. The oils will form a skin when in contact with air in the can. Having that skin near the bottom rather than the top is handy. However, sheen finishes will change over time when in contact with air. Don't count on that half can of semi-gloss varnish looking like semi after 18 months. It might, maybe.