What do you use to shake paint bottles?
l still have a fair amount of Floquil paints and as you would expect they need a considerable amount of shaking to make them useable. About 5 years ago I got the Robart #411 and have used it successfully to get settled paints mixed up. It died today
There are many negative online reviews documenting problems so I don't have much confidence that I will get it working again. After using mine and seeing how it works I was thinking about just using some rubber bands to attach the paint bottles to an oscillating tool or a sabre saw.
Has anyone tried that?
Rick
This is what I use with excellent results.
https://www.micromark.com/Cordless-Mixer-for-Model-Paints?gclid=CjwKCAiAgbiQBhAHEiwAuQ6BkoNfgxWj41vFjNdRyiHqgETH7VPCKq-A1TyV0KDqAeZQShMlGCxs7BoCWSwQAvD_BwE
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain This is what I use with excellent results. https://www.micromark.com/Cordless-Mixer-for-Model-Paints?gclid=CjwKCAiAgbiQBhAHEiwAuQ6BkoNfgxWj41vFjNdRyiHqgETH7VPCKq-A1TyV0KDqAeZQShMlGCxs7BoCWSwQAvD_BwE Rich
I have one of those and don't like it. It is messy to use and doesn't put a dent in the settled paint.
hbgatsf richhotrain This is what I use with excellent results. https://www.micromark.com/Cordless-Mixer-for-Model-Paints?gclid=CjwKCAiAgbiQBhAHEiwAuQ6BkoNfgxWj41vFjNdRyiHqgETH7VPCKq-A1TyV0KDqAeZQShMlGCxs7BoCWSwQAvD_BwE Rich I have one of those and don't like it. It is messy to use and doesn't put a dent in the settled paint. Rick
Did you install the battery?
hbgatsfWhat do you use to shake paint bottles?
Usually one or both hands, depending on how many bottles need to be shaken.
If the majority of the pigment has settled to the bottom, I use a piece of wood, like a tongue depresser, to stir things up, then re-cap the bottle and shake the daylights out of it.I usually wipe-off the stir stick with a paint brush, so most of the paint is recovered - important if your paint is otherwise discontinued.
I often use self-mixed colours, so always label the bottle with both the name and/or its intended end use, and also the type of paint, and its required thinner.
I've never liked motorised paint mixers, even for house paints...too much clean-up required.
Wayne
hbgatsf richhotrain This is what I use with excellent results. https://www.micromark.com/Cordless-Mixer-for-Model-Paints?gclid=CjwKCAiAgbiQBhAHEiwAuQ6BkoNfgxWj41vFjNdRyiHqgETH7VPCKq-A1TyV0KDqAeZQShMlGCxs7BoCWSwQAvD_BwE Rich I have one of those and don't like it. It is messy to use and doesn't put a dent in the settled paint.
I have managed to accumulate several bottles of the long discontinued Pollyscale paints. When I open a bottle, the paint is separated with the heavier component sitting at the bottom of the bottle and the lighter clearer component sitting at the top of the bottle. That bottom of the bottle component is often like toothpaste, if not thicker. Using the Micro-Mark tool, I get a perfect mix - - no shaking required, no mess.
doctorwayne I've never liked motorised paint mixers, even for house paints...too much clean-up required. Wayne
The only paints I shake are Vallejo and similar acrylics. I use my hand.
For paint that I airbrush (Model Master, Scalecoat II, Floquil, etc.) I use a Badger paint stirrer.
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
It is very similar to the one from Micro-Mark, and it works on settled paint just fine for me.
hbgatsf It is messy to use and doesn't put a dent in the settled paint.
Is it possible the paint actually partially hardened?
I have had some Scalecoat II paints harden in two layers after they are opened. Then they cannot be mixed.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I have several of the Robart Paint Shaker models which I rarely use. I remember reading somewhere that mixing water-based acrylics using any method that entrains air is a bad thing? I do use the "drink mixer" type shown by Kevin on all my Scalecoat paints. Very effective.
Seems like the latest (and expensive" craze might be vortex test tube mixers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO1SHMcyIFc&t=190s
In reality what I like to do is pull the paints I plan to use in the immediate future and put them in my pocket. After an hour of my warm body gyrating around I've given the paints a chance to get a little mixed up, along with the pocket owner. That works only if I manage to avoid napping, of course.
Good Luck, Ed
I also use the Testors 'cocktail stirrer'. Some of my Poly Scale paints are probably more than 20 years old and they mix up just fine.
In order to keep my paints from hardening I always wipe the rim of the bottle and the inside of the cap clean when I use the paint. Not only does this provide a good seal when the cap goes on, but it also makes the cap easy to remove the next time I want to use the paint. I do it before mixing the paint so that any semi-solid paint film in the cap or around the rim does not get mixed into the good paint.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I've used the Micromart "stirrer" for many years. I'm on my second one now. It works beautifully for me, but there is a knack to using it.
The thing is, you don't want to pull it out while still rotating as it will "spray the room". So I learned early on to hold it so my forefinger is on the shaft, and I can vary the speed as needed.
Once I'm done with the mixing (or between colors), I move the stirrer to the trash can (with a plastic bag liner) and let it spin off the excess paint.
Yes, some semi dried paints have a hard bottom that needs to be broken up with a strong utinsil (screwdriver) and then the stirrer will finish the job.
From what I understand, this $10 tool is a major seller for Micromart.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
richhotrain You simply run water from the sink over the shaft.
You simply run water from the sink over the shaft.
For Floquil paint? If so I will give it another try.
gmpullman I do use the "drink mixer" type shown by Kevin on all my Scalecoat paints. Very effective.
I do use the "drink mixer" type shown by Kevin on all my Scalecoat paints. Very effective.
If the paint in the bottle has dried into a hard lump, off bets are off. But, if the paint has merely separated, leaving a soft lump at the bottom of the bottle, I have gone so far as to temporarily pour the clear liquid at the top of the bottle into another bottle and then added a small amount of Tamiya Acrylic Paint X20-A thinner into the bottle with the soft lump of paint. Then, I use the Micro-Mark paint mixer to liquify the soft lump of paint and return the clear liquid portion to the bottle, using the Micro-Mark paint mixer once again to finish the job.
hbgatsfFor Floquil paint? If so I will give it another try.
Hi Rick,
I'm not sure that water will work with Floquil paint. IIRC, Floquil is solvent based so you will have to use a solvent to clean it up. I could be wrong.
All I do is wipe the stirrer blade with a dry paper towel as soon as the paint is mixed. There is no significant buildup.
With my ''cocktail mixer" i use a cardboard tube that fits my paint bottle neck. As I withdraw the mixer rod any splatter stays in the tube. By the way there is not much splatter in the tube.
I use worn down batteries so as to not stir up air bubbles in certain paints.
My Robart battery operated #410 that I have converted to wall wart power has given me good service. I had to buy new rubber straps about two years ago.
I have put muti bottles each in it's own small plastic bag in my Lyman Turbo Tumbler with crushed walnut hulls (for brass shells). No bottles have been broken yet.
With non-water type paints I have a BB, the kind that ''you will sh--t your eye out with'' in the bottle. Just like a spray can when hand shaking. If you put the BB in water base paints the BB will rust.
Plastic wrap between the clean bottle top and the clean cap works good.
hbgatsf richhotrain You simply run water from the sink over the shaft. For Floquil paint? If so I will give it another try. Rick
richhotrain hbgatsf richhotrain You simply run water from the sink over the shaft. For Floquil paint? If so I will give it another try. Rick Oops, you did say Floquil. My bad. In that case, since Floquil is an enamel, you would need to clean the mixer tip in something like Tamiya Enamel Paint X20 Thinner, which is actually what Micro-Mark recommends. But, the principle is the same in terms of mixing new and old paint. Rich
Oops, you did say Floquil. My bad. In that case, since Floquil is an enamel, you would need to clean the mixer tip in something like Tamiya Enamel Paint X20 Thinner, which is actually what Micro-Mark recommends. But, the principle is the same in terms of mixing new and old paint.
I was using the airbrush yesterday and have a small can of paint thinner left over from cleanup. I didn't know what I wanted to do with it since it was from the final rinse and is very clean. Now I do.
BTW - I am talking about making unopened bottles that are 25 years old useable.
hbgatsf I was using the airbrush yesterday and have a small can of paint thinner left over from cleanup. I didn't know what I wanted to do with it since it was from the final rinse and is very clean. Now I do. BTW - I am talking about making unopened bottles that are 25 years old useable. Rick
https://youtu.be/IVvFQop_Zc4
https://youtu.be/D7jwhy7neaI
Gary
I purchased about a month ago, the Vortex shaker that you linked to. Small footprint on my bench, plugged in all the time, no off/on switch, it just starts when you press the paint container on it. Love it.
I had a bottle of stain, or something, that was about 35 years old unused. The content had hardened in the bottom with liquid still on top. As a test, I held it on the vortex shaker a few minutes and it completely mixed the product.
I agree with the comment that shaking acrylics can be an issue with bubbles. I don't seem to have any problem with Vellejo, but I tried it with ModelFlex and it did create bubbles.
I'm sold on the Vortex for it's convienience of use and it's effectivness in producing results.
I still have several bottles of Floquil, including a couple dating from the '70s. If they start to thicken, I simply add some lacquer thinner, give 'em a good shaking, and they're ready to use.
Polly Scale generally has a good shelf-life (too bad that it didn't have a longer production life) as it was the best model paint I ever used. It was great for brushwork and airbrush, too. The only thinner I use for it is distilled water.
hon30critterIIRC, Floquil is solvent based so you will have to use a solvent to clean it up.
When using Floquil, Scalecoat, or similar... I clean the tool with a quick spray of CRC Brake and Parts Cleaner.
It works like a charm, and nothing else to clean.
Deane JohnsonI'm sold on the Vortex for it's convienience of use and it's effectivness in producing results.
Thanks for the first-hand experience you offered. I just ordered one and it will be here by noon tomorrow.
I occasionally rotate my bottles end-for-end thinking that will help keep the solids and carriers in solution but this is a futile effort at best. The Vortex mixer should prove to be a helpful addition.
hbgatsfAbout 5 years ago I got the Robart #411 and have used it successfully to get settled paints mixed up. It died today
I've got a pair that will be retired soon. You want 'em for parts you're welcome. I think I removed the battery setup from one and use a wall-wart to power the device.
Regards, Ed
gmpullman Deane Johnson I'm sold on the Vortex for it's convienience of use and it's effectivness in producing results. Thanks for the first-hand experience you offered. I just ordered one and it will be here by noon tomorrow.
Deane Johnson I'm sold on the Vortex for it's convienience of use and it's effectivness in producing results.
So did I.
I also have the micro mark stirrer, which works but sometimes has problems getting all pigment out of the bottom corners. Hopefully the shaker will do that.
Paul
Be sure to clean the area where the Vortex will sit good before you place it. It's heavy with nice rubber feet, but if you set it in workbench dust, it'll want to move around with the vibration. I put mine in a cleaner spot about 2 or 3 weeks ago, have used it almost daily at least a little bit, and it hasn't move a bit in the clean area. My surface is Formica so it's nice and smooth.
I had a vast assortment of very old paint that had settled. I put them in a baking pan and put this style of massager in the pan and the paint was vibrated back to a very usable condition. It was noisy so I put it in a backroom out of earshot.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Deane Johnson I purchased about a month ago, the Vortex shaker that you linked to. Small footprint on my bench, plugged in all the time, no off/on switch, it just starts when you press the paint container on it. Love it. I had a bottle of stain, or something, that was about 35 years old unused. The content had hardened in the bottom with liquid still on top. As a test, I held it on the vortex shaker a few minutes and it completely mixed the product. I agree with the comment that shaking acrylics can be an issue with bubbles. I don't seem to have any problem with Vellejo, but I tried it with ModelFlex and it did create bubbles. I'm sold on the Vortex for it's convienience of use and it's effectivness in producing results.
I was looking at Vortex shakers. You said you held the old bottle of stain on the shaker for a few minutes and it was fixed. With the Robart it would take as much as 20 minutes to loosen up an old bottle. I don't want to have to hold it in place for that long so I was trying to find a Vortex that you could attach the bottle and leave it.
Any thoughts on that?
Rick, so much depends upon the condition of the paint in an old bottle.
If there is settlement of solids to the bottom of the bottle with a clear liquid portion sitting above it, the paint is likely salvageable. Shaking such a bottle may well help, but you still will likely need to stir the shaken contents to achieve a fully useable mix. That's where the Micro-Mark paint mixer becomes the tool of choice for me - - no shaking required.
If there is no separation between paint at the bottom and clear liquid above it, the question becomes, is the paint dried and hard or moist and soft? If the answer is the former, it is not salvageable. But, if the answer is the latter, pour some thinner into the bottle and then use the Micro-Mark paint mixer.
YMMV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMmMls-GYOI
hbgatsf With my single try it didn't take more than a couple of minutes or so. I suspect that different types of paint might have a wide variance in required time and success likelyhood. I double the Vortex concept does everything for everybody. I happened to find it is very nice for my usage, but there are different strokes for different folks, as they say. I don't know if there's a Vortex type machine that accepts fastening the paint bottle in or not. Remember, the Vortex machine I have is primarily for the medical profession that's also adaptable for other tasks as well. Deane Johnson I purchased about a month ago, the Vortex shaker that you linked to. Small footprint on my bench, plugged in all the time, no off/on switch, it just starts when you press the paint container on it. Love it. I had a bottle of stain, or something, that was about 35 years old unused. The content had hardened in the bottom with liquid still on top. As a test, I held it on the vortex shaker a few minutes and it completely mixed the product. I agree with the comment that shaking acrylics can be an issue with bubbles. I don't seem to have any problem with Vellejo, but I tried it with ModelFlex and it did create bubbles. I'm sold on the Vortex for it's convienience of use and it's effectivness in producing results. I was looking at Vortex shakers. You said you held the old bottle of stain on the shaker for a few minutes and it was fixed. With the Robart it would take as much as 20 minutes to loosen up an old bottle. I don't want to have to hold it in place for that long so I was trying to find a Vortex that you could attach the bottle and leave it. Any thoughts on that? Rick
With my single try it didn't take more than a couple of minutes or so. I suspect that different types of paint might have a wide variance in required time and success likelyhood.
I double the Vortex concept does everything for everybody. I happened to find it is very nice for my usage, but there are different strokes for different folks, as they say.
I don't know if there's a Vortex type machine that accepts fastening the paint bottle in or not. Remember, the Vortex machine I have is primarily for the medical profession that's also adaptable for other tasks as well.