Skin on paint

[Ray Edsall]

G,Day all . I have a 1/2 used tin of 33070 that has developed a skin on the top the paint , My question is . Does anyone know how to get the skin to dissolve back into the paint . The skin is a part of the paint , and i think it must have some usefullnes in the paint composition . Ray

[rgus]

You can try to add some thinner but I have never had any luck getting it to dissolve back. I have tried shaking, stirring and even power stirring. The power one I though worked but all it did was beat it up and spread it throughout the rest of the paint. Then I had small pieces I had to screen out. Maybe some has a trick to this. I certainly would like to know.

[Ray Edsall]

Thanks Bob . I tried to contact gillespie .But there contact info would not accept my Email . Maybe you could do it for me . There number in Texas is 903-753-0393 .Maybe there tech reps could help us out. Whatever part of the paint that form,s the skin , on top of the paint is probably usefull in the overall formula of the paint . It,s a bommer when you have to throw out pint,s of paint just because of the skin not being able to mix with the paint, and return the paint to normal . Thanks Ray

[rgus]

Be glad to Ray. I will call them and get us an answer.

[rgus]

Ok I talked with a sales lady and she said if air has gotten to it she didn't think anything could be dome to save the skin but she did take my number and she said she would have the head chemist call me or email me tomorrow. She asked how old the paint in question was I told her I had no idea but at least a year.
So right now it is skim it off and dispose. If I get anything different you guys will be the first to know.

[Ray Edsall]

That was Quick . Thanks Bob .Ray

[krisinwa.st.]

I did this only one time a few years back and it worked good for me ,
I bought a gallon of automotive enamel along with a couple of new empty
quart and pint paint cans with lids , filled the new cans to the brim with
the paint that I diden't use , the next time I opened them ( about 10
months later ) it was in good condition .

[Ray Edsall]

G,Day Kris . Yes i think that is the answer . Decant what ever you don,t use into a smaller container ,with out much air. Fill to brim then replace lid . Next time i open a 1 gallon can i will endeavour to decant some into smaller can,s . Who know,s it might work .Nothing ventured , nothing gained. Ray

[rgus]

Ok I just talked with the head chemist at Gillespie paint. I learned more in 5 minutes than I ever knew. He said there is no way to reconstitute the skin on the top. He told me that the resins ( binders), and the color usually sink to the bottom. What floats to the top are the dryers and the solvents. He said if you keep using small anounts out of a gallon and keep throwing away the skin.... you have to. you are throwing away the dryers and the paint will not dry properly. He agreed that to decant the paint to a smaller can with no air space would work for long term storage but he said if you are going to be back pretty quickly just carefully pore a small amout of solvent on the top. Don't mix it up just let it set on the top of the paint. That will stop the air from getting to it.
I asked him why the paint chalks over time and he said that was the nature of the alkaloids in the paint. I asked him if there was something we could to refresh the existing paint without having to repaint? He said that was a great question, that he didn't think so but he was going to have to investigate further. He said he would advise and I will report and share what he says.
THAT IS ALL

[krisinwa.st.]

[quote="rgus"]Ok I just talked with the head chemist at Gillespie paint. I learned more in 5 minutes than I ever knew. He said there is no way to reconstitute the skin on the top. He told me that the resins ( binders), and the color usually sink to the bottom. What floats to the top are the dryers and the solvents. He said if you keep using small anounts out of a gallon and keep throwing away the skin.... you have to. you are throwing away the dryers and the paint will not dry properly.

I wonder if ( for example ) a enamel paint would be reconsituted ( replacing the dryer )
by the fact of using a " hoter " enamel reducer ?

[SteveJ]

I had a 5 gallon can of Nato Olive drab that I had the same problem. Id just cut around the skin with a razor knife pull the skin out toss it then use the paint underneath, thinned and filtered. I ended up going to a paint store and buying some empty gallon cans and split it up. The problem is air getting past the lid. New can fixes that.

[Ray Edsall]

G,Day all . Just had a coffee with my mates at the local coffee house . Got around to skin on paint . One of my mates said that he uses Glad wrap , puts it on the paint after he has used it , and seals the can . The glad wrap plastic sits on the paint ,{ tuck it down around the side of the can} not letting air get to it , so preventing the skin from forming . Sound like a solution Ray

[Ian Jamieson]

G'day Ray,
Da man from the paint company is dead right, I have the exact same problem!
Remove the skin and dispose, and decant the paint into 1 or even 1/2 litre tins. Go to your local Resine Automotive store and buy a small tin of enamel hardener, follow the instructions on the tin and you will find the paint hardens nicely. Be warned, the hardner will go off in the tin so by the smallest they have.

Cheers

Ian

[ng19delta]

Another trick is to store paint cans upside down...

Scott