Re-using spray cans.

[toxo]

This came to the fore again after Dikman started talking about airbrushes. Thought about doing it many times because I think having a charged up spray can of each of your most used dyes is a great idea but never tried doing it until now.

Let me begin by saying this is a fail but not by much. Read on.

I started off with an empty paint can and one of those rubber nipples you use to blow up your car tyres.

Wanted to see if it could be done the same way it's done on your car, ie no glue, so I drilled a hole a bit smaller that the grommet.

There was too much meat on the nipple. Couldn't get it in the hole so I cut away some of the meat.

Once it was in I undid the valve and poured in some thinners to clean it out.

Then I pumped it up gradually to see if it would hold and it did...... for a while. It held at just over 100psi

Until this happened and it blew out.

So cutting the rubber away and brazing or soldering would definitely be the way to go or maybe even araldite.

The part I'm not sure of is the spray pressure. I was checking by pressing the the top now and then but the air coming out didn't seem right for the psi but that was with an empty can. When I held it against my skin it seemed reasonable. What are the hive's thoughts on whether it would be better with some fluids in it? I know if I filled it to about a third I definitely wouldn't be putting 100psi in it. Would the setup work as is with fluid and maybe only pumping up to around up to around normal tyre pressure, maybe 30psi.

I'll have another experiment but it would be useful if you guys chipped in.

[fredk]

I have a thing called a 'Jenni can'. Its basically the same. Recommended PSI is about 50 max. Its many years since I used it. I found it recently, then misplaced it again

afair the valve on the Jennie is all metal and screwed into the bottle

[Mulesaw]

We had something called a "sure shot spray can" on one of the ships I worked on. That worked brilliantly, but it wasn't as cool as recycling an old spraycan.

https://www.sureshotsprayer.com/

The company is still in business, but they aren't exactly cheap, but I am pretty sure that they would work with a dye for leather.

 

[fredk]

A thought; get a spray can which has a rotatable nozzle. On some cans the nozzle where the paint comes out can be rotated through 90 degrees. Thus you can get a thin tall spray or a thin wide spray. Sometimes the nozzle head with this can be taken off one can and put on another

[toxo]

Update; Filled with half a cup of water, pumped up to just under 30psi. Worked really well but only when used upside down??? Maybe I damaged the tube when drilling the hole. At around 30 secs you can see it stutter when i altered the angle but recovered when I went back to the original angle.

This can is working well with no glue or solder despite being messed about. There are so many plus points to this hack. No more going rigid with fear as soon as you take the lid off a bottle of dye in case you knock it over. Just pick it up and use it. When empty just re-fill it. Have a different can for each colour including whatever mix you're using.

 

[dikman]

I made one years ago to use with a WD40-type bulk oil. I soldered a stem onto the can, so it was pretty solid and pumped it to around 30 psi, I think, mainly because I had no idea what pressure it would take. It worked, but tended to slowly lose pressure. I've still got the can but I don't use it for anything, I found it easier to re-use plastic trigger-pump bottles.

[Handstitched]

It would be just my luck I'll blow myself up trying that out     

"here lies HS after he tried an experiment he saw on LW.net. "  

HS

[toxo]

4 hours ago, dikman said:

I made one years ago to use with a WD40-type bulk oil. I soldered a stem onto the can, so it was pretty solid and pumped it to around 30 psi, I think, mainly because I had no idea what pressure it would take. It worked, but tended to slowly lose pressure. I've still got the can but I don't use it for anything, I found it easier to re-use plastic trigger-pump bottles.

For WD40 you're probably right, probably gunked up the tube over time hence lack of pressure. I know there might be reliability issues but so far I'm impressed enough to keep going. Just the idea of being able to pick up a can of "dark brown" or "tan" or a custom colour and use it is good enough for me and no looking for applicators or streaks or cleaning up.

@Handstitched It did blow the nipple out @ 103psi but at normal tyre pressure - 30psi - it didn't even distort the nipple.

[fredk]

I know you're having fun but an easier solution is an ordinary home mist sprayer; the type sold for spraying water on to plants, or spraying cleaner on windows. I used one to spray diluted Resolene on some things

And I found my Jenni Can and got it cleaned up. I think it might still work

Air in valve on left, release valve on right. The top unscrews for putting the fluid in. It takes a range of different changeable spray heads

[chuck123wapati]

dye in a home made pressurized can reminds me of mr bean painting with fireworks lol it was a great episode!