Getting thinner out of gallon cans without making a mess.

ftauss · 2012-03-31T07:12:00+00:00

I have kinda come to the conclusion that I can use lacquer thinner for almost anything, at least it works for me. I also have a can of low odor paint thinner which I really haven't tried to use much yet.Biggest problem is pouring the liquid out of the cans without maing a mess. I thought that I saw somewhere a dispenser pump that would screw onto gallon can and let you dispense small controlled quantities. Obviously it needs to be solvent proof.After a little googling all I can find is'm going to go look at it in person, anybody have a similar idea or seen something? I did look in art supply stores on the web. I have a Micheals and an AC Moore nearby and I thought I'd check them out even though I didn't see anything on either site. I already checked Lowes and Home Depot, I can swear I saw one at the Lowes in Kentucky but of course, dumbass didn't buy it then.I have plastic and glass droppes but they extract minute amounts at a time making filling even small jars a chore and the lacquer thinner seems to damage the platic ones after a bit, though the rubber bulbs on the glass ones seem to have held up. Mainly I want to fill up a brush bath, several ounces,or the 1/2 to 1 oz jars for airbrush cleaning or for thinning paint paint.I use a funnel for getting used thinners and paint into empty gallon cans for disposal but that doesn't work for getting clean thiiner out into smaller jars.I also use glass cleaner from gallon jugs. For the airbrush for oil base thinner than glass cleaner than maybe a rinse with water. Brushes get a rinse out with lacquer thinner then glass cleaner then maybe water then I use Pink Soap to treat the brushes. Obviously for acrylic/water base I skip the lacquer thinner.Seems to work except for the mess I make pouring the stuff out. One guy suggested drilling a hole in the corner of the top of the can, but unless you seal that back up it will always reek and I doubt I could get that into a 1/2 oz jar anyway.

Mar 31, 2012 21 Replies

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Mad Modeller 14 years ago

I found out early on that Testors thinner tended to curdle Humbrol after a day or two. Humbrol's thinner did not so I have some of each. Perhaps they were old formulae and that does not apply now. I don't know but I try not to re-invent the wheel.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

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