Anybody ever decanted Rustoleum?

[jchrisf]

I've notice several groups on FB have builds that use Rustoleum spray cans for their paint jobs.. also Chris of @hpiguyuses them on his YT builds.  They look good.  I don't like to use spray cans though because it is always to humid where I live and it is too much for a paint booth indoors.  Has anyone ever decanted it and used it through an airbrush?  I searched google and didn't come up with anything. 

[hpiguy]

I've never decanted it for airbrushing, but I spray it in a cup for touchups and it works fine.

I know that many many of the viewers have commented that they do decant it, store it and use it in their airbrushes without issues.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

I don't know what search terms you used but there's plenty of info out there.

And as usual for the interdwerbs, at least half of it is wrong.

Try:   "decant rustoleum for airbrush"

 

 

[OldNYJim]

I’ve got a BUNCH to try decanting seeing as I seem to be having a run of them lately that have clogged themselves.  Just got refunded on a can today from Amazon that clogged the first time I used it and spat paint everywhere.

I think my trick will be piercing the can to let the propellant out, let it sit overnight (NOT inside!? ) and then slice the top off and put it in a different container.  HATE wasting perfectly good paint!

[GeeBee]

The only time I've used Rustoleum paint on a model was some Stainless steel I had left over from a different job, I knew spraying it from the can would be a nightmare to try and spray the side trim panels on the 57 Bel Air, so j decanted it and airbrushed it,  sprayed a treat, like everything I decant from the can, I pop a pin hole towards the top of the can and once the gas has escaped I agitate the paint until it no longer boils, then it's time to pop it into a glass bottle 

The aerosol can I've photographed here is a different brand,  but it doesn't matter what brand of paint it is, I use the same method. 

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by GeeBee

[Dave G.]

Just the clear lacquer gloss. It sprays better out of the can.

[jchrisf]

13 hours ago, hpiguy said:

I've never decanted it for airbrushing, but I spray it in a cup for touchups and it works fine.

I know that many many of the viewers have commented that they do decant it, store it and use it in their airbrushes without issues.  

Thanks Chris!

12 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I don't know what search terms you used but there's plenty of info out there.

And as usual for the interdwerbs, at least half of it is wrong.

Try:   "decant rustoleum for airbrush"

 

 

Yeah, I did find a little but it didn't seem right so I counted it as nothing.  The only info I found for thinning it a guy suggested water???

12 hours ago, CabDriver said:

I’ve got a BUNCH to try decanting seeing as I seem to be having a run of them lately that have clogged themselves.  Just got refunded on a can today from Amazon that clogged the first time I used it and spat paint everywhere.

I think my trick will be piercing the can to let the propellant out, let it sit overnight (NOT inside!? ) and then slice the top off and put it in a different container.  HATE wasting perfectly good paint!

I'll be looking forward to hearing about your results.

2 hours ago, GeeBee said:

The only time I've used Rustoleum paint on a model was some Stainless steel I had left over from a different job, I knew spraying it from the can would be a nightmare to try and spray the side trim panels on the 57 Bel Air, so j decanted it and airbrushed it,  sprayed a treat, like everything I decant from the can, I pop a pin hole towards the top of the can and once the gas has escaped I agitate the paint until it no longer boils, then it's time to pop it into a glass bottle 

The aerosol can I've photographed here is a different brand,  but it doesn't matter what brand of paint it is, I use the same method. 

 

That looks good!  And you didn't have to thin it?  I've always thinned the lacquers I've decanted... seems to lay down better for me.

You get a whole lot more paint out of these cans than Tamiya or Testor/ModelMaster.

1 hour ago, Dave G. said:

Just the clear lacquer gloss. It sprays better out of the can.

I'm thinking a thinner would have helped but would love to know which is best.  My thought would be any lacquer thinner.

[slusher]

I use Rustoleum from time to time and spray it right out of the can. 

[Dave G.]

11 hours ago, jchrisf said:

I'm thinking a thinner would have helped but would love to know which is best.  My thought would be any lacquer thinner.

Rustoleum clear gloss lacquer decanted: I used hardware store lacquer thinner but it needed retarder,way too fast drying and went dull.Course it buffed up anyway but a bunch of added work that is not required when shooting from the can.... Now I do use Minwax clear lacquer in quarts for my wood working and that thins and sprays fine with the same thinner even in an airbrush..  Not sure how it would fare in the long haul on yellowing, it's fine up front though. Just sayin.

Edited July 22, 2020 by Dave G.

[Ace-Garageguy]

53 minutes ago, jchrisf said:

...Yeah, I did find a little but it didn't seem right so I counted it as nothing.  The only info I found for thinning it a guy suggested water???

Something to remember...not everything labeled Rustoleum is the same kind of paint, so different thinners may work better with different decanted products.

Rustoleum makes a latex paint, so your "thin it with water to spray" reference was probably to that...unless the guy posting was a complete moron, which is kinda standard on the web.

Anyway, the decanting procedure is identical for all rattlecan paints.

And you will most likely HAVE to thin your decanted material.

ALSO...lacquer thinner works as a thinner for lacquers, obviously, but as Donn Yost has proven, it can also work with some enamels.

Mr. Yost has been doing world-class paint work with Testors enamels thinned with lacquer thinner for a long time now.

So...test yourself. In this case, there are so many variables and so much potentially conflicting information out there, THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHAT WILL WORK WITH THE PAINT YOU HAVE IS TO DO THE EXPERIMENTING YOURSELF.

Edited July 21, 2020 by Ace-Garageguy

[GeeBee]

6 hours ago, jchrisf said:

That looks good!  And you didn't have to thin it?  I've always thinned the lacquers I've decanted... seems to lay down better for me.

No thinners, just used straight out of the can.

[jchrisf]

All great info everyone.. Thanks!  I'll report back after I have experimented ?

[#1 model citizen]

I have always used a bendy straw to decant paint. Its attached with a bit of Silly Putty although tape or other materials may also work. Using this method you decant  only the amount you need. You will still have to let it gas out.

I have always used lacquer thinner to thin Rust-oleum. 

I have also used it straight out of the can.   

Edited July 25, 2020 by #1 model citizen

[jchrisf]

2 hours ago, #1 model citizen said:

I have always used a bendy straw to decant paint. Its attached with a bit of Silly Putty although tape or other materials may also work. Using this method you decant  only the amount you need. You will still have to let it gas out.

I have always used lacquer thinner to thin Rust-oleum. 

I have also used it straight out of the can.   

Good to know John.. Thanks for posting.. I'm going to try it with and without Lacquer thinner and see which I like best.

[Deuces ll]

You could also use one of those red WD 40 straws.... Just pop out the spray tip in any of spray buttons from any can of paint and insert the straw.... No tape or putty to worry about....

[#1 model citizen]

3 hours ago, Deuces ll said:

You could also use one of those red WD 40 straws.... Just pop out the spray tip in any of spray buttons from any can of paint and insert the straw.... No tape or putty to worry about....

That may work if you can remove all the oily residue, however the bend in the straw is what slows the airborne paint allowing a manageable flow out the other end. Also most paint nozzles will not accept the WD 40 straw so you would have to switch the nozzle, providing its compatible with the paint can.

[Deuces ll]

I only use new straws.... ?

[#1 model citizen]

Now why didn't I think of that!?! ?DUH!

[#1 model citizen]

30 minutes ago, Deuces ll said:

I only use new straws.... ?

Now why didn't I think of that!?! ? DUH!?

[Deuces ll]

I'm sorry... I should have mentioned it before.... My bad again... ???

[OldNYJim]

I just clogged another can of Rustoleum primer today - I now have 4 clogged cans basically full of paint.

Im doing all the shaking they recommend, inverting to clear the nozzle, all the stuff you’re MEANT to do...and after a couple or three uses, clog another one.

I’ve only been using them before I bought a few cans when Amazon had them cheap one day, but I’ll be switching brands now I think ??

[jchrisf]

7 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

I just clogged another can of Rustoleum primer today - I now have 4 clogged cans basically full of paint.

Im doing all the shaking they recommend, inverting to clear the nozzle, all the stuff you’re MEANT to do...and after a couple or three uses, clog another one.

I’ve only been using them before I bought a few cans when Amazon had them cheap one day, but I’ll be switching brands now I think ??

Decant them and see how they work for you.

Does Rustoleum dry pretty quickly out of the can or decanted?

[hpiguy]

12 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

I just clogged another can of Rustoleum primer today - I now have 4 clogged cans basically full of paint.

Im doing all the shaking they recommend, inverting to clear the nozzle, all the stuff you’re MEANT to do...and after a couple or three uses, clog another one.

I’ve only been using them before I bought a few cans when Amazon had them cheap one day, but I’ll be switching brands now I think ??

I go through so much Rustoleum and don't get that many clogs. I mean a LOT of cans in a year. I get maybe one clogged nozzle a month, and I average 8 builds a month. 

Maybe someone is selling you paint they've had in a hot warehouse for 5 years or something?  I get mine at Menards and Walmart and they move a lot of product.

Pop the nozzles off, soak them in Super Clean overnight or for a couple days, scrub clean with a toothbrush and try again. Always works for me. I keep them as spares when the cans are empty.

[OldNYJim]

1 hour ago, jchrisf said:

Decant them and see how they work for you.

Does Rustoleum dry pretty quickly out of the can or decanted?

That’s the plan!  It lays down nice and dries nice - I just seem to keep getting ones that clog ??  Probably takes 10-15 minutes to hit touch-dryness, but I leave it overnight anyway usually

1 hour ago, hpiguy said:

I go through so much Rustoleum and don't get that many clogs. I mean a LOT of cans in a year. I get maybe one clogged nozzle a month, and I average 8 builds a month. 

Maybe someone is selling you paint they've had in a hot warehouse for 5 years or something?  I get mine at Menards and Walmart and they move a lot of product.

Pop the nozzles off, soak them in Super Clean overnight or for a couple days, scrub clean with a toothbrush and try again. Always works for me. I keep them as spares when the cans are empty.

I think it’s actually a clog in the valve or the tube in the case of mine - even with a brand new never-used valve they won’t spray again.  Like you say, might be bad storage or old stock or any number of things.  I get on fine with their colored cans and the metallics and whatnot - just having a lot of issues with the primer lately ?‍♂️

[Dave G.]

11 hours ago, CabDriver said:

That’s the plan!  It lays down nice and dries nice - I just seem to keep getting ones that clog ??  Probably takes 10-15 minutes to hit touch-dryness, but I leave it overnight anyway usually

I think it’s actually a clog in the valve or the tube in the case of mine - even with a brand new never-used valve they won’t spray again.  Like you say, might be bad storage or old stock or any number of things.  I get on fine with their colored cans and the metallics and whatnot - just having a lot of issues with the primer lately ?‍♂️

Store the high pigment colors and primer upside down. This way solidswhen turned back upright are to the top of the can and aren't the first thing into the tube when shaken up and giving that first shot of paint. And heat your cans up in hot water to where when shaken the temp equalizes warm to the  touch.  It might take a few warmings and shakings. You just want the can warm not hot but this will help in mixing the paint and atomization too.

Course the thread is about decanting but you have those answers already.