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Storing finishes

Doug

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I thought it might be interesting to start a thread to see if anyone has any tips for storing finishes.
Just recently I've had to replace a few bottles of finish as they had gone off in their containers, this got me thinking of ways to prolong shelf life.

I had a tin of oil skin over inside, as the opening was only a 20mm screw top the only option I had was to push a screwdriver inside to puncture the skin & so as to be able to use the oil. I've heard of putting clean pebbles inside the oil can to take up the volume as the oil is used but was wondering if the trick of storing the tin upside down so the skin would form towards the bottom of the container would work.
I've been trying this same trick lately with PU glue, another substance that's a bugger for skinning over inside its bottle & so far it's worked, so here it is with some acrylic lacquer & sealer that I am also trying out stored inverted.
I'd add before I do this I place a piece of polythene bag over the opening & screw the top back on.

F466A885-C3A1-4C4E-B3F1-17B60C697233_zps6326e7d4.jpg


I'm storing them in a plastic container just in case my usual luck prevails:whistling:

So has anyone else got any tips we could try not only for finishes or glues but anything that has a shelf life that would benefit us by extending it
 

Jim

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The problem lies in that the containers are to big for the amount of it that we use Doug .. We ought to have a group share going on .. :kiss:
 

GeordieB

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If the suppliers did them in smaller containers they would probably cost more or is that just me being cynical :thinks:
 

Bill Mooney

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I sometimes store mine upside down so it can pour straight out without peeling any skin off same as you Doug.
 

Grump

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Done that for years with paint tins, Aint gotta peel the skin away to use it init?
 

Doug

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Use it before it goes off :devil:

Ideally George yes, but the Acrylic sanding sealer I have has a use by date of May 2016 & I only just bought it,I don't use much of it so bought the smallest bottle I could but I couldn't have done without it :thinks:
 

Penpal

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Any and every idea has merit putting it into practice for me if in doubt in the bin I do look for busy outlets, was severely mauled on a new drop saw recently the made in date was five yrs before and the brought into stock the same yr I challenged the bloke I know real well and he said well I gave it to you at a knock down price. Any space that looks flat made clean is a receiver in my world just now so new discoveries abound.

Peter.:fingers:
 

monophoto

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This is actually a serious problem, both with finishes and with glues. There is no perfect solution, but here are some of the strategies I use:


1. With materials that tend to cure in the container (varnishes, polyurethane glue), I store the container upside down. Also, I tend to buy the stuff in smaller quantities. Yes, smaller quantities are more expensive, but if you buy it in a larger quantity, and it cures in the container, the price per milliliter of the material you actually use can far exceed the cost per milliliter in the smallest container the manufacturer sells.

2. Some materials (PVA glue and epoxy) tends to have a very long shelf life, so I buy them in larger quantities.

3. I will often decant a small 'working' portion of the material to a separate container so that I can leave the manufacturer's container tightly sealed. I will often put a sheet of polyethelene under the cap to make sure the closure is airtight.

4. I make up most of my actual finishes, and make a fairly small quantity at a time, leaving the bulk components in their original containers. I use various containers to hold these prepared solutions. Polyethelene squeeze bottles are fine, but I find that the the glass containers that that spices are sold in are also very useful.

5. Like many others, I recycle the some of the containers that various foods and condiments come in - but there is a serious safety issue here. Make sure that no one can confuse shop chemicals with food. Some of the things that can be done to make recycling safer include making sure that the original label has been removed and the container is prominently labeled to indicate the contents, and if there are small children in the home, either put the materials in a locked cabinet, or better yet, put a lock on the door to the shop.

6. Some of the materials we use come in metal cans with lids that simply squeeze on. I'm sure that the squeeze-on lid was considered a brilliant innovation at the time it was invented, but there are far better solutions today. One of the problems with the metal can lid is that material gets trapped in the 'gutter' around the top of the can, and as it cures, the seal becomes less effective. A trick to manage this is to simply drill a few holes in the bottom of that gutter so that as the lid is installed, any material that has gathered in the gutter will be forced back into the can. Just don't do this with materials that use water as a solvent - the exposed edges of holes will rust and discolor the contents of the can. DAMHIKT

7. I buy CA glue in 2 ounce containers. My experience is that larger containers will go bad before I use the entire contents (I don't use CA as a finish - only as a glue and to reinforce 'punky' wood). The container has a conical nozzle that is covered with a plastic cap. The most common problem is that when the cap is applied, it forces a drop or two of the CA down the outside of the nozzle where it cures around the base. Over time, that cured CA forms a barrier that keeps the cap from attaching tightly to the nozzle. It's relatively easy to just chip away that plastic ring with a knife so that the cap can be applied correctly.

8. Some people purchase CA in much larger quantities, and then decant into smaller bottles. The bottles that are not in use can then be stored for extended periods, especially if they are kept refrigerated. But - remember the safety issue - make sure that there is no way to confuse shop chemicals with food items. I wouldn't put CA or any other shop chemical in the kitchen refrigerator where food is stored. Some people have a shop refrigerator to store their unused CA and beer.
 
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