Recycle/reuse rattle can?

[Bob Engelhardt]

Followup

OK ... I couldn't resist doing it. The conversion was easy enough, but using made-to-be-brushed paint was not. By the time that I got it thinned to rattle can viscosity it was totally useless. So watery that only the thinnest layer could be put on and that thinness meant next-to-no pigment. It would have taken MANY layers, each taking a day to dry.

But I'm glad that I tried. If it had worked it would have been useful.

[darryl]

The idea of re-pressurizing a rattle can is interesting. That would mean you're blowing down through the pickup tube- which would have a tendency to clear it back into the contents of the can. For those cans where you start out fine, but the nozzle clogs long before the paint is used up, that might be a way to bring it back to life.

Most cans say 'flammable', and that's because the propellant is either propane, butane, or a combination of gasses. I would use either one of those, depending on what's at hand and easy to use. At work we use a glue from a pressure can which uses propane as the propellant- another option MIGHT be a modern refrigerant, which usually comes with some hardware to make it easy to use. I don't think you'd have a problem mixing these gasses- but don't take my word for that. Check it out yourself. In any event, it would have to have a higher initial pressure than the can you're trying to backfill.

[Bob Engelhardt]

The idea of re-pressurizing a rattle can is interesting. That would mean you're blowing down through the pickup tube- which would have a tendency to clear it back into the contents of the can. For those cans where you start out fine, but the nozzle clogs long before the paint is used up, that might be a way to bring it back to life.
...

I have done that & it does work.


It screws onto the valve for a 16(?)oz propane cylinder. In place of the tube and nozzle. I used to turn the propane upside down to get liquid propane, but I now think that it should be right side up & the paint can upside down. Because you don't need liquid transfer & the paint upside down would eliminate the mess of paint squirting out when re-pressurizing.

For unclogging the dip tube (where there is still pressure in the rattle can), the propane cylinder would have to be warmer than the paint, so that its pressure is greater.

[JRouche]

Here is my rattle can setup

But seriously, I have had to use it with rattle can paint when the thing just would not spray anymore (clogged) and I needed to match a repair.

Vent the can and dump into a jar and go to town. These jars seal very well so the paint is good to go for the next touch up years later. JR