TGIF: Solvents. Part II Tuesday, Oct 3, 2017

[kmealy]

If you've got a "dirty" solvent, one used to clean brushes or spray guns, how do you get rid of it?

 

First option is to re-use it.   If you are using a paint thinner to clean brushes, just put a cap on it and let the solids settle out.   I use a "toucan" system.   Can 2  (that I mark as jar II) is the dirty jar, and the first rinse of the brush.    Jar I is the cleaner jar and used for the second rinse.   When jar II gets so full of solids, it's not effective, I let it settle and pour off the clear to jar I.   Then I mark jar I to jar II (just add an I) and it becomes the first rinse jar.   Then I get a clean jar and fill with fresh paint thinner and it becomes jar I.  Similar process to clean spray guns  used for lacquer or shellac.  Except the gunk does not settle out to the bottom, so proceed to next step after a number of uses.

 

Second is to discard it.  Local laws vary a lot here, so check to see what is legal and illegal.

• If your community has a hazardous waste collection day, that's a good choice.
• You can put the solvent/thinner/gunk in a jar and let the volatiles evaporate away.  Put it somewhere where it will be protected from weather, away from kids and animals, but gets some fresh air.  It can help to add in a bunch of sawdust to increase the surface area.   Once turned to a solid, you can dispose of in the trash.  You can use this technique to discard old, expired, or unused finishes, too.
• If you have a spray gun, you might spray the solvent to let it evaporate away.   Really no different than spraying the finish and having the solvent flash off.

 

Don't just pour down the drain.

 

(short and simple this week -- I was away all last week)

Edited October 2, 2017 by kmealy

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

Short and simple maybe, but good advice ( especially the sawdust). A lot of folks think they need to discard the cleaner after one or 2 uses. I also use the multiple jar system (I use 3 instead of 2) and decant the solvent from one to the other...then let the solids dry out and pitch them. Because I'm not sure what the difference is between paint thinner versus mineral spirits (it was explained to me once and I forgot what it was) I switched from the MS to thinner...it's cheaper. Since I'm on the "cheaper" stump, I use household ammonia to clean my spray guns after I've sprayed shellac. Not only cheaper, but does a much better job...the ammonia (dump some in a bucket of warm water) destroys the shellac. One downside of this is that it stains aluminum...like the cup of my spray gun. Doesn't seem to hurt, juts makes it look, well, like it's been soaked in ammonia.

[kmealy]

Fred,

I used to use ammonia to clean my shellac brush.   It's a base and shellac is an acid.  So they react and neutralize each other.   Turns it purple.   Then I decided to just let the brush harden and i soak in DNA (denatured alcohol) just prior to use.   Nowdays, I usually spray shellac and have a HF sprayer that I dedicate for it.   I run some DNA through it and back into the jar, then take it apart and wipe with a DNA soaked rag.  For really small jobs, I just use the Bullseye aerosol version.

[schnewj]

Kieth, out of curiosity, what size tip are you using for the gun when you spray the Shellac? I have a couple of guns with different sized tips and I want to dedicate one to this. My intuition tells me to use the largest one, but my gut has been wrong before!

Edited October 3, 2017 by schnewj

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

Mine isn't dedicated, but I use a 1.4mm tip and it seems to work fine.

 

Keith...I don't clean my shellac brush either, but then it doesn't see a lot of use. With a jar of shellac and a brush I can practically screw up anything.

[kmealy]

Years ago, I attended a seminar by Scott Phillips.   He kept his shellac brush right in a jar with the shellac.   It was a large orange juice bottle type jar, but I would think

1. It would crush the bristles
2. If you didn't be careful, you'd have wet shellac on the handle.
3. It would corrode the ferrule (wet shellac can be rough on metals)

 

My spray gun is just the HF $12-16 one (depending if it's on sale or not.)   Shellac is pretty thin viscosity, so I don't think you would need a really big tip.   I really debated it was worth my time to do a lot of cleaning.   So I've got this one for shellac, another for spray stains, and a third for lacquers.   And a couple ahead.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/20-fl-oz-hvlp-gravity-feed-air-spray-gun-62300.html

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

I consider most of the advice Phillips gives on his shows to be way off base, but none as much as his finishing (or lack of) skills.I've watched too often as he splashed shellac onto his projects with a 4" house paint brush...you could just see the runs and sags as he went along. Uggghhh.

[kmealy]

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

I consider most of the advice Phillips gives on his shows to be way off base, but none as much as his finishing (or lack of) skills.I've watched too often as he splashed shellac onto his projects with a 4" house paint brush...you could just see the runs and sags as he went along. Uggghhh.

Yes, I haven't watched his program for a long time.   Not sure what Suzy does on there.

[steven newman]

IF I happen to be in Sidney, OH....and wanted to go  to HD down in Piqua, OH......I can go the "back way" through Lockington, OH, then drive right past Scott's house......About 1/2 way to Piqua.  

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

Do you ever drive by his shop? I been meaning to do that but haven't got around to it yet. His house is on the mansion side of things I think.

[kmealy]

Nope, a friend of mine also belongs to WOW and I think he had an open house for them after he built his new shop.