Hey guys, Just wanted to pass along a great tool I found for stirring model paint jars. I live near an American Science & Surplus store and found this glass rod. I picked up a couple just because. They are perfect for stirring because the spherical ends seem to match the radius in the bottom of paint jars perfectly. Plus they are easy to scrape clean even when the paint dries on them. I've dropped them on the floor a couple times and they seem strong too - won't shatter. I imagine they are heat treated glass. You can order them online at www.sciplus.com. Just search for "glass rod". This store has a ton of other useful things for model railroading too. Lots of bottles, containers, tools, brushes, etc.
American Science and Surplus on the south side of Milwaukee. I've been there many times back in the day. They used to have a lot of surplus back then. The last time was when I spent time at the VA Hospital about 4½ years ago. It was still interesting. Thanks for the reminder about them.
I switched to the Badger paint mixer about 2 years ago and have never looked back. It is so much better than anything I have used in the past 40 years. The paint is so much more uniform and it even will bring back paint that is getting a little long in the tooth with a little fresh thinner and a good mix. These glass rods do look like they would get the bottom and corners of paint jars though. Trey
Yeah, they have a lot of surplus stuff. Military & oddball stuff. They even have periscopes from submarines! Love the place even if it's just to look.
Containers, jars, tools, ODDBALL TOOLS, and all kinds of stuff you didn't know you needed, until after you loose it or break it! American Science & Surplus has plenty for sale and usually at a GOOD PRICE. I've never been to a retail store of theirs YET. Not sure I want to go. BOSS (read: Wife) would have a fit when she saw all the stuff I'd bring home! LOL LOL
In tho old days, recall, they called them "swizzle-sticks" *grinning* with a wink! Thanks for the info, kingpeta.
As a laboratory chemist (well, in the old days, when I did real work), these are known as "stirring rods". I would order them, by the case, for my lab. Yep, they work well for stirring (as well as pouring -- you always pour down a rod into the second liquid - avoids splash backs, which in my lab could have been very dangerous)
I happened upon a thing many years ago for stirring paint that I see isn't uncommon in women's nail polish these days. Just put your paint in a jar and add a couple of small screws or nuts to the mix. A quick shake of the container easily mixes everything up.
I like both ideas; the glass stick and the BB and both a reasonable. Thanks for the suggestions fellas
Guilty as charged! I have used BBs for years. When I open a new jar of paint I drop in 3-4 BBs, shake away for a minute or 2 then insert the pickup tube and am ready to spray. Works wonders and they are readily available! Ryan
I still have my Red Ryder, but this seems a much more logical use for BBs, haha. I haven't shot it in years, have my .22 for plinking. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Just tried the BB idea in 2 bottles of Tru-Color paint. I dropped 3 BBs in each bottle. Seemed to work great. But I guess I won't know for sure how good it works until I get to the bottom of the bottle(s). Brian
I've been using 2 BBs with Acrylics for at least 20 years. The only time that doesn't work is when I forget to shake the bottles every few months. I've even resurrected a couple of almost dried bottles after a year or so by adding some water and shaking like mad for what felt like a half hour. Darned if the resurrected paint wasn't sprayable.
I make stir sticks out of 12 gauge solid copper wire with the insulation stripped off. Start with a piece about 5 inches long and bend a loop at one end about 3/8" in diameter that's centered on the length of wire. (Think of a lollipop - that sort of shape). The wire can be used to scrape the sides and bottom of the paint bottle, then it can be twirled between thumb and forefinger to stir the paint. I have tried chucking it into a variable speed drill also, but it really didn't stir better than just twirling it. (Also, one time my drill had a bunch of sawdust up in the chuck that fell out into the paint bottle, causing noises and blue smoke to come from the workshop.) For me, shaking the bottle has a downside. I found the paint dried around the inside of the lid and the chips fell into the bottle. Plays havoc with the airbrush. I have not had clogs since I stopped shaking the paint bottles. When I brush paint, I pull paint from the jar with a pipette and put it in an empty jar or a scrap piece of styrene or something. This keeps the paint bottle clean. (My opinions only - what works for you, works for you, and that's how this wonderful hobby works!) George V.
Whenever an unused Q-tip drops to the floor, instead of throwing it away, I save them for use as paint stirrers.
