Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class. Here
are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to clean
speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot) of
liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a brush
only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no more than
1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic milk jug or bleach
bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll have a handy container, a
handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel for putting the excess back in
the can. With a suitable cut, you can fashion a grip for your brush so the
brush hangs vertically inside the bleach bottle.
* Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM (regular, not
garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't describe it
here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows paint to
drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is designed for
this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other plastic
glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and seal the open
end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic sack, spray
it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into the can three
times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of plastic over the can
(PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into place. Turn the can upside
down and store. The PAM will rise to the surface in the paint, forming a
thin film atop the paint, protecting the paint from any residual oxygen in
the can. Remember, paint doesn't "dry" so much as it "sets" due to contact
with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull object
rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This slightly
heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts the wax that
holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much better seal.
* Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of vanilla extract to your
paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a brush is
a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to allow excess to
fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the brush.
* Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the bottom UP
'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint (LOAD), then DOWN to
smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better. Using the
Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten seconds.
* If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint supply, here are
two tips: Line the container inside with a large Zip-lock bag, it makes
clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape (one shorter than the other)
you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the short piece of duct tape on the
larger, sticky-side to sticky-side. Hold the container in the palm of your
hand and tape your hand to the container. Well, your hand really slides in
and out, but this enables you to hold the paint dish in your palm.
* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint
buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of
the paint buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet
to the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You attach
your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and forth. This
action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps cleaning. You
cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores might have it) but
here's a link for four different models (about $20).
http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader (like for
mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a scraper
invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water (based
paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Oxygen is the
enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the book
containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:
Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting class. Here
are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to clean
speckles.

No...better method is to paint onto the glass (as straight and even as
possible) just a narrow line. The dry paint film should cover and seal
the gap between glass and frame. If needed, get out a straight edge and
razor scraper when the paint is dry to trim the edge of the paint film.

* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot) of
liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.

Have to see that to believe it.

* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a brush
only fit for slathering on finish remover.

Probably true, but I have some old bristle brushes that have been
through everything, including paint remover.

* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no more than
1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic milk jug or bleach
bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll have a handy container, a
handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel for putting the excess back in
the can. With a suitable cut, you can fashion a grip for your brush so the
brush hangs vertically inside the bleach bottle.

The new coffee "cans" would be great. Old metal coffee cans were great
for storing brushes between paint sessions...cut an "X" in the lid,
stick the handle through that, and the brush is suspended in solvent
so's the bristles don't bend.

* Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM (regular, not
garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.

I'd have to use garlic for that trick. Is washing off the PAM less
difficult than cleaning off the paint?

* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't describe it
here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows paint to
drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is designed for
this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint, take
off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then the rust
gets inside the can.

* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other plastic
glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and seal the open
end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.

Sandwich bags are nice, but I keep a box of 100 medical gloves on hand
for whatever.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic sack, spray
it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into the can three
times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of plastic over the can
(PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into place. Turn the can upside
down and store. The PAM will rise to the surface in the paint, forming a
thin film atop the paint, protecting the paint from any residual oxygen in
the can. Remember, paint doesn't "dry" so much as it "sets" due to contact
with oxygen.

Easier to take a piece of plastic wrap, lay it so that it covers the
surface of the paint. No need to do either if you rap the lid back on
with a rubber mallet.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull object
rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This slightly
heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts the wax that
holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much better seal.

Would the dull object be a finger? Works for me )

* Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of vanilla extract to your
paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a brush is
a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to allow excess to
fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the brush.
* Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the bottom UP
'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint (LOAD), then DOWN to
smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better. Using the
Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten seconds.
* If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint supply, here are
two tips: Line the container inside with a large Zip-lock bag, it makes
clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape (one shorter than the other)
you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the short piece of duct tape on the
larger, sticky-side to sticky-side. Hold the container in the palm of your
hand and tape your hand to the container. Well, your hand really slides in
and out, but this enables you to hold the paint dish in your palm.
* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint
buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of
the paint buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet
to the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!

Daring, especially if one weighs more than about 50 pounds )

* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You attach
your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and forth. This
action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps cleaning. You
cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores might have it) but
here's a link for four different models (about $20).

My son just bought one .. at Menard's?..Hasn't used it yet. By the time
I finish painting, having given up on most methods of keeping paint off
stuff it isn't supposed to be on, I just squeeze the paint out with my
hands. Only for latex, of course.

http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader (like for
mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a scraper
invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water (based
paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Oxygen is the
enemy of not-yet-applied paint

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the book
containing most of the hints and tips.

One "tip" I'll add is to make sure you tighten the lid on a can of paint
before you pick it up to shake it a little bit. Especially if standing
in the middle of your daughter's blacktop driveway and the paint ain't
black. Of course, the spilled paint is useful for artistic endeavors,
like placing your handprint on the clothing of the other painters. ;o)

Right now I'm still hung-over.

"HeyBub" wrote in
news
Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class.
Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to
clean speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot)
of liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a
brush only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no
more than 1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic
milk jug or bleach bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll
have a handy container, a handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel
for putting the excess back in the can. With a suitable cut, you can
fashion a grip for your brush so the brush hangs vertically inside the
bleach bottle. * Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM
(regular, not garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't describe
it here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is
designed for this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other
plastic glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and
seal the open end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic sack,
spray it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into
the can three times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of
plastic over the can (PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into
place. Turn the can upside down and store. The PAM will rise to the
surface in the paint, forming a thin film atop the paint, protecting
the paint from any residual oxygen in the can. Remember, paint doesn't
"dry" so much as it "sets" due to contact with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull
object rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This
slightly heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts
the wax that holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much
better seal. * Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of
vanilla extract to your paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a
brush is a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to
allow excess to fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the
brush. * Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the
bottom UP 'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint
(LOAD), then DOWN to smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better. Using
the Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten
seconds. * If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint
supply, here are two tips: Line the container inside with a large
Zip-lock bag, it makes clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape
(one shorter than the other) you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the
short piece of duct tape on the larger, sticky-side to sticky-side.
Hold the container in the palm of your hand and tape your hand to the
container. Well, your hand really slides in and out, but this enables
you to hold the paint dish in your palm. * The next tip is mostly just
clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish
pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of the paint
buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet to
the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You
attach your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and
forth. This action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps
cleaning. You cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores
might have it) but here's a link for four different models (about
$20).
http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader (like
for mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a
scraper invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water
(based paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage.
Oxygen is the enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the
book containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.




* The next tip is mostly just
clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish
pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of the paint
buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet to
the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!

Was he saying to then step on the paint buckets and the lids strapped to
your feet attach to the can and you can walk around???

Hey Oren, here's your chance to use "****wittedness".

Just a matter of what happens first - plain falls over trying to move
around; one bucket ends up on something uneven and topples; bucket tops
wider than bottoms..whoops!; bucket tops cave in, etc, etc. Then there's
moving a tad too close to the step...

http://oi53.tinypic.com/6iuyq0.jpg

Those who cannot -- teach :-)

Red Green wrote:

* The next tip is mostly just
clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish
pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of the paint
buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet to
the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!

Was he saying to then step on the paint buckets and the lids strapped
to your feet attach to the can and you can walk around???


No, the lids were attached to the cans with sheet-metal screws. I was
mistaken on the attachment of the Velcro straps; they were bolted to the
lids using large metal warshers. The Velcro straps also functioned as a
crude handle so he could carry most of his painting supplies IN the cans.

To attach to your feet, put one foot on one can and "tie" the (Velcro)
laces. Then do the same for the other foot.

On 2/14/2011 1:36 PM HeyBub spake thus:

Red Green wrote:

* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty
5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut
four slits in the lids of the paint buckets, thread the Velcro
through the slits, and belay your feet to the lids with the
Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No more moving
the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!

Was he saying to then step on the paint buckets and the lids
strapped to your feet attach to the can and you can walk around???

No, the lids were attached to the cans with sheet-metal screws. I was
mistaken on the attachment of the Velcro straps; they were bolted to the
lids using large metal warshers. The Velcro straps also functioned as a
crude handle so he could carry most of his painting supplies IN the cans.

To attach to your feet, put one foot on one can and "tie" the (Velcro)
laces. Then do the same for the other foot.

You know, this just might work for the normal agile-type human bean, but
for a complete klutzomaniac like me, it would be a disaster.

However, it would look quite funny, and for that reason alone might be
worth trying.


--
The phrase "jump the shark" itself jumped the shark about a decade ago.

- Usenet

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:13:26 GMT, Red Green
wrote:

"HeyBub" wrote in
news
Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class.
Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to
clean speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot)
of liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a
brush only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no
more than 1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic
milk jug or bleach bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll
have a handy container, a handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel
for putting the excess back in the can. With a suitable cut, you can
fashion a grip for your brush so the brush hangs vertically inside the
bleach bottle. * Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM
(regular, not garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't describe
it here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is
designed for this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other
plastic glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and
seal the open end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic sack,
spray it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into
the can three times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of
plastic over the can (PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into
place. Turn the can upside down and store. The PAM will rise to the
surface in the paint, forming a thin film atop the paint, protecting
the paint from any residual oxygen in the can. Remember, paint doesn't
"dry" so much as it "sets" due to contact with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull
object rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This
slightly heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts
the wax that holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much
better seal. * Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of
vanilla extract to your paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a
brush is a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to
allow excess to fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the
brush. * Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the
bottom UP 'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint
(LOAD), then DOWN to smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better. Using
the Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten
seconds. * If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint
supply, here are two tips: Line the container inside with a large
Zip-lock bag, it makes clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape
(one shorter than the other) you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the
short piece of duct tape on the larger, sticky-side to sticky-side.
Hold the container in the palm of your hand and tape your hand to the
container. Well, your hand really slides in and out, but this enables
you to hold the paint dish in your palm. * The next tip is mostly just
clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish
pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of the paint
buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet to
the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You
attach your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and
forth. This action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps
cleaning. You cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores
might have it) but here's a link for four different models (about
$20).
http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader (like
for mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a
scraper invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water
(based paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage.
Oxygen is the enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the
book containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.




* The next tip is mostly just
clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish
pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of the paint
buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet to
the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!

Was he saying to then step on the paint buckets and the lids strapped to
your feet attach to the can and you can walk around???

Hey Oren, here's your chance to use "****wittedness".


Nope. I'm saving that one for later. In this case it was
'****tardedness'.

Just a matter of what happens first - plain falls over trying to move
around; one bucket ends up on something uneven and topples; bucket tops
wider than bottoms..whoops!; bucket tops cave in, etc, etc. Then there's
moving a tad too close to the step...

http://oi53.tinypic.com/6iuyq0.jpg

Those who cannot -- teach :-)

Yep, ****wittedness!

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:57:44 -0800, Oren wrote:

* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a
brush is a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to
allow excess to fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the
brush.

It is senseless. Putting paint on a brush, then rubbing it off on the
side the container.

Dip the brush, tap the side and hold as much paint as you loaded on
the brush.

Paint on the brush goes on better then one having the paint scraped on
the side.

On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool
is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint, take
off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then the rust
gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed containers
of all time, at least from the point of view of the user. (Probably
works great for the manufacturer, which is why we're stuck with it.) I'm
sure I'm not the first person to point this out.

I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the "gutter". I've
heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the paint that
inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But it also seems
like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big problem especially
with water-based paints, or an opportunity for air to get in and ruin
the paint.

Even though I hate plastic containers, it would seem that those plastic
paint cans with the big screw-on caps might be an improvement over the
corrugated-rim can. But I wonder how many of those caps will get glued
on tight over time, never to be unscrewed again.


--
The phrase "jump the shark" itself jumped the shark about a decade ago.

- Usenet

On 2/14/2011 4:36 PM, HeyBub wrote:
Red Green wrote:

* The next tip is mostly just
clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint buckets and 4 longish
pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of the paint
buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet to
the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!

Was he saying to then step on the paint buckets and the lids strapped
to your feet attach to the can and you can walk around???


No, the lids were attached to the cans with sheet-metal screws. I was
mistaken on the attachment of the Velcro straps; they were bolted to the
lids using large metal warshers. The Velcro straps also functioned as a
crude handle so he could carry most of his painting supplies IN the cans.

To attach to your feet, put one foot on one can and "tie" the (Velcro)
laces. Then do the same for the other foot.



Fine and dandy until the bucket shatters as you put your weight down on
it at an awkward angle, and it dumps you down a stairwell or something.
(I've had it happen using them as stepstools or even as lunch stools.)
There is a reason drywall stilts cost several hundred dollars. Or the
buckets get crossed up as you try to walk, and one rotates out from
under you. Like trying to walk through deep snow or mud with boots that
are too big. I'd rather spend a few bucks and get the right equipment,
or since I am too klutzy for stilts, a little kick-around work platform,
maybe even one with a tall grab handle on one end. I'm getting old- it
takes me a long annoying time to heal up from oopsies now.

The buckets do make good tool caddies, though. They are also great for
storing bird seed, since the damn mice gnaw right through even the thick
plastic bags.

--
aem sends...

Waste of space. The buckets could be used for
storing nails, screws, fishing sinkers, anvils, and
bench vises. All that air space, just empty?
Put about 50 pounds of tools in each bucket, and
build muscles at the same time as paint the ceiling.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"HeyBub" wrote in message
m...


Was he saying to then step on the paint buckets and the
lids strapped
to your feet attach to the can and you can walk around???


No, the lids were attached to the cans with sheet-metal
screws. I was
mistaken on the attachment of the Velcro straps; they were
bolted to the
lids using large metal warshers. The Velcro straps also
functioned as a
crude handle so he could carry most of his painting supplies
IN the cans.

To attach to your feet, put one foot on one can and "tie"
the (Velcro)
laces. Then do the same for the other foot.

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Even though I hate plastic containers, it would seem that those
plastic paint cans with the big screw-on caps might be an improvement
over the corrugated-rim can. But I wonder how many of those caps will
get glued on tight over time, never to be unscrewed again.

Yep. Excellent idea.

Dutch Boy paints (from Walmart) have that design, complete with pouring
spout. The container itself is probably patented so we won't see them in
general use for another 16 years.

As for the lid sticking, the paint counter has a humongous wrench that fits
in the grooves on the lid to open stubborn containers.

I'll bet a suitable-sized strap wrench would work as well.

Of course one COULD wipe the threads before replacing the lid...

David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool
is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed containers
of all time, at least from the point of view of the user. (Probably
works great for the manufacturer, which is why we're stuck with it.)
I'm sure I'm not the first person to point this out.

I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the "gutter". I've
heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the paint
that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But it also
seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big problem
especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for air to get
in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers prepunch the
holes for consumers?

On Feb 14, 8:24*am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class. Here
are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to clean
speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot) of
liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a brush
only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no more than
1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic milk jug or bleach
bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll have a handy container, a
handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel for putting the excess back in
the can. With a suitable cut, you can fashion a grip for your brush so the
brush hangs vertically inside the bleach bottle.
* Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM (regular, not
garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't describe it
here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows paint to
drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is designed for
this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other plastic
glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and seal the open
end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic sack, spray
it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into the can three
times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of plastic over the can
(PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into place. Turn the can upside
down and store. The PAM will rise to the surface in the paint, forming a
thin film atop the paint, protecting the paint from any residual oxygen in
the can. Remember, paint doesn't "dry" so much as it "sets" due to contact
with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull object
rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This slightly
heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts the wax that
holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much better seal.
* Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of vanilla extract to your
paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a brush is
a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to allow excess to
fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the brush.
* Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the bottom UP
'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint (LOAD), then DOWN to
smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better. Using the
Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten seconds.
* If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint supply, here are
two tips: Line the container inside with a large Zip-lock bag, it makes
clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape (one shorter than the other)
you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the short piece of duct tape on the
larger, sticky-side to sticky-side. Hold the container in the palm of your
hand and tape your hand to the container. Well, your hand really slides in
and out, but this enables you to hold the paint dish in your palm.
* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint
buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of
the paint buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet
to the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You attach
your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and forth. This
action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps cleaning. You
cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores might have it) but
here's a link for four different models (about $20).http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader (like for
mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a scraper
invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water (based
paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Oxygen is the
enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the book
containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.

All in all, excellent advice. Wagner Glass Mask is a nifty product.
It applies a liquid wax precisely 1/16" from the edge. You trace
around the window pane zip-zip-zip, the wax dries quickly, and when
painted the paint laps over onto the glass the way it's supposed to.
The applicator cover has a scraper to remove the wax and overpaint.
First time I saw it a DIYer friend had gotten spectacular results on a
glass-front cabinet with many panes. Pretty much a perfect paint job.

http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?w...g-neater/04-17

R

"aemeijers" wrote

Fine and dandy until the bucket shatters as you put your weight down on it
at an awkward angle, and it dumps you down a stairwell or something.

I bet there isn't one among us who would be honest that couldn't tell a
painful story involving a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Yet, I still sill use
one for a stepstool when I'm too lazy to go find one. I've just learned how
to mount and dismount after some failures. Still, there's that pucker
factor every time.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?
Read up and prepare.
Download the book $10
http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:

Even though I hate plastic containers, it would seem that those
plastic paint cans with the big screw-on caps might be an improvement
over the corrugated-rim can. But I wonder how many of those caps will
get glued on tight over time, never to be unscrewed again.

Yep. Excellent idea.

Dutch Boy paints (from Walmart) have that design, complete with pouring
spout. The container itself is probably patented so we won't see them in
general use for another 16 years.

As for the lid sticking, the paint counter has a humongous wrench that
fits in the grooves on the lid to open stubborn containers.

I'll bet a suitable-sized strap wrench would work as well.

Of course one COULD wipe the threads before replacing the lid...

I take a drywall screw and make about 16 holes in the groove almost nearly
as big as the diameter of the drywall screw, tapping the screw with a small
hammer. Any paint that goes in the groove falls through the holes, and
there's less paint to seize the lid. It works half assed, but better than
no holes.

Steve

Heart surgery pending?
Read up and prepare.
Download the book $10
http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

"chaniarts" wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool
is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed containers
of all time, at least from the point of view of the user. (Probably
works great for the manufacturer, which is why we're stuck with it.)
I'm sure I'm not the first person to point this out.

I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the "gutter". I've
heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the paint
that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But it also
seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big problem
especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for air to get
in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers prepunch
the holes for consumers?

Mainly because it would be a violation of my patent ............

Steve

"chaniarts" wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool
is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed containers
of all time, at least from the point of view of the user. (Probably
works great for the manufacturer, which is why we're stuck with it.)
I'm sure I'm not the first person to point this out.

I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the "gutter". I've
heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the paint
that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But it also
seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big problem
especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for air to get
in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers prepunch
the holes for consumers?

It's the liability involved. Someone would break a nail, or use a 40d nail,
or do anything stupid, and then blame the manufacturer. I live in dry dry
dry desert. Rust is not an issue here, and besides, water has to sit on
there for a while to rust, so it is better if you store your paint inside.
Still, inside condensation can cause surface rust. And you have to admit,
it takes a while, so chances are if you don't use a can of paint within five
years, there's a chance of it rusting. Especially if you live in a wet
place.

Steve B wrote:
"chaniarts" wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's
tool is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed
containers of all time, at least from the point of view of the
user. (Probably works great for the manufacturer, which is why
we're stuck with it.) I'm sure I'm not the first person to point
this out. I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the
"gutter".
I've heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the
paint that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But
it also seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big
problem especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for
air to get in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers
prepunch the holes for consumers?

It's the liability involved. Someone would break a nail, or use a
40d nail, or do anything stupid, and then blame the manufacturer. I
live in dry dry dry desert. Rust is not an issue here, and besides,
water has to sit on there for a while to rust, so it is better if you
store your paint inside. Still, inside condensation can cause surface
rust. And you have to admit, it takes a while, so chances are if you
don't use a can of paint within five years, there's a chance of it
rusting. Especially if you live in a wet place.

there's water in the paint. internal humidity can migrate out the holes into
the rim.

i live in phoenix, and have had plenty of rusty paint cans. i try to only
buy the plastic cans now.

On Feb 15, 12:28*pm, "chaniarts" wrote:
Steve B wrote:
"chaniarts" wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& *Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's
tool is designed for this purpose.

Never ) *Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. *If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed
containers of all time, at least from the point of view of the
user. (Probably works great for the manufacturer, which is why
we're stuck with it.) I'm sure I'm not the first person to point
this out. I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the
"gutter".
I've heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the
paint that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But
it also seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big
problem especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for
air to get in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers
prepunch the holes for consumers?

It's the liability involved. *Someone would break a nail, or use a
40d nail, or do anything stupid, and then blame the manufacturer. *I
live in dry dry dry desert. *Rust is not an issue here, and besides,
water has to sit on there for a while to rust, so it is better if you
store your paint inside. Still, inside condensation can cause surface
rust. *And you have to admit, it takes a while, so chances are if you
don't use a can of paint within five years, there's a chance of it
rusting. *Especially if you live in a wet place.

there's water in the paint. internal humidity can migrate out the holes into
the rim.

i live in phoenix, and have had plenty of rusty paint cans. i try to only
buy the plastic cans now.

Redi-Patch spackle used to come in a metal can and I don't know if it
was the can or the spackle, but the cans would always rust and you'd
be picking little flakes out of the spackle. Very annoying. The last
couple of times I bought it it came in a plastic tub. Considering how
obvious the problem was I'm just as obviously convinced that they were
intentionally oblivious to complaints and refused to change to a
plastic tub so they could sell more of the stuff.

R

RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 14, 8:24 am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class.
Here
are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to
clean
speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot)
of
liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a
brush
only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no
more than 1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic
milk jug or bleach
bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll have a handy
container, a
handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel for putting the excess
back in
the can. With a suitable cut, you can fashion a grip for your brush
so the
brush hangs vertically inside the bleach bottle.
* Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM (regular, not
garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't
describe it
here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to
drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is
designed for
this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other
plastic
glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and seal
the open
end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic
sack, spray
it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into the
can three
times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of plastic over the
can (PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into place. Turn the
can upside
down and store. The PAM will rise to the surface in the paint,
forming a
thin film atop the paint, protecting the paint from any residual
oxygen in
the can. Remember, paint doesn't "dry" so much as it "sets" due to
contact
with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull
object
rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This
slightly
heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts the
wax that
holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much better seal.
* Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of vanilla extract
to your
paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a
brush is
a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to allow
excess to
fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the brush.
* Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the
bottom UP 'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint
(LOAD), then DOWN to
smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better.
Using the
Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten seconds.
* If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint supply,
here are
two tips: Line the container inside with a large Zip-lock bag, it
makes
clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape (one shorter than the
other)
you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the short piece of duct tape on
the
larger, sticky-side to sticky-side. Hold the container in the palm
of your
hand and tape your hand to the container. Well, your hand really
slides in
and out, but this enables you to hold the paint dish in your palm.
* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty 5-gallon
paint
buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the
lids of
the paint buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay
your feet
to the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high
stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You
attach
your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and forth.
This
action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps cleaning.
You
cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores might have it)
but
here's a link for four different models (about
$20).http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader
(like for
mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a
scraper
invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water
(based
paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Oxygen is
the
enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the
book
containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.

All in all, excellent advice. Wagner Glass Mask is a nifty product.
It applies a liquid wax precisely 1/16" from the edge. You trace
around the window pane zip-zip-zip, the wax dries quickly, and when
painted the paint laps over onto the glass the way it's supposed to.
The applicator cover has a scraper to remove the wax and overpaint.
First time I saw it a DIYer friend had gotten spectacular results on a
glass-front cabinet with many panes. Pretty much a perfect paint job.

http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?w...g-neater/04-17


Nifty tool. Thanks for the reference and, when googled, I find it's
available at Ace.

On Feb 15, 4:35*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 14, 8:24 am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class.
Here
are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to
clean
speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot)
of
liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a
brush
only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no
more than 1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic
milk jug or bleach
bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll have a handy
container, a
handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel for putting the excess
back in
the can. With a suitable cut, you can fashion a grip for your brush
so the
brush hangs vertically inside the bleach bottle.
* Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM (regular, not
garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't
describe it
here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to
drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is
designed for
this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other
plastic
glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and seal
the open
end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic
sack, spray
it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into the
can three
times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of plastic over the
can (PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into place. Turn the
can upside
down and store. The PAM will rise to the surface in the paint,
forming a
thin film atop the paint, protecting the paint from any residual
oxygen in
the can. Remember, paint doesn't "dry" so much as it "sets" due to
contact
with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull
object
rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This
slightly
heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts the
wax that
holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much better seal.
* Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of vanilla extract
to your
paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a
brush is
a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to allow
excess to
fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the brush.
* Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the
bottom UP 'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint
(LOAD), then DOWN to
smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better.
Using the
Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten seconds.
* If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint supply,
here are
two tips: Line the container inside with a large Zip-lock bag, it
makes
clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape (one shorter than the
other)
you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the short piece of duct tape on
the
larger, sticky-side to sticky-side. Hold the container in the palm
of your
hand and tape your hand to the container. Well, your hand really
slides in
and out, but this enables you to hold the paint dish in your palm.
* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty 5-gallon
paint
buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the
lids of
the paint buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay
your feet
to the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high
stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You
attach
your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and forth.
This
action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps cleaning.
You
cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores might have it)
but
here's a link for four different models (about
$20).http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader
(like for
mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a
scraper
invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water
(based
paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Oxygen is
the
enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the
book
containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.

All in all, excellent advice. *Wagner Glass Mask is a nifty product.
It applies a liquid wax precisely 1/16" from the edge. *You trace
around the window pane zip-zip-zip, the wax dries quickly, and when
painted the paint laps over onto the glass the way it's supposed to.
The applicator cover has a scraper to remove the wax and overpaint.
First time I saw it a DIYer friend had gotten spectacular results on a
glass-front cabinet with many panes. *Pretty much a perfect paint job..

http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?w...ng/edging-tool...

Nifty tool. Thanks for the reference and, when googled, I find it's
available at Ace.

You're welcome. Ace's price seemed to be higher than some other
places.

R

On Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:28:02 -0700, "chaniarts"
wrote:

Steve B wrote:
"chaniarts" wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's
tool is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed
containers of all time, at least from the point of view of the
user. (Probably works great for the manufacturer, which is why
we're stuck with it.) I'm sure I'm not the first person to point
this out. I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the
"gutter".
I've heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the
paint that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But
it also seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big
problem especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for
air to get in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers
prepunch the holes for consumers?

It's the liability involved. Someone would break a nail, or use a
40d nail, or do anything stupid, and then blame the manufacturer. I
live in dry dry dry desert. Rust is not an issue here, and besides,
water has to sit on there for a while to rust, so it is better if you
store your paint inside. Still, inside condensation can cause surface
rust. And you have to admit, it takes a while, so chances are if you
don't use a can of paint within five years, there's a chance of it
rusting. Especially if you live in a wet place.

there's water in the paint. internal humidity can migrate out the holes into
the rim.

i live in phoenix, and have had plenty of rusty paint cans. i try to only
buy the plastic cans now.


I'm in Nevada. I had some paint cans sitting around so I put them in
the garage sell for $.25 - $.50 each. They had not leaked at that
time. By the time they sold one can was leaking. I noticed it and
told the buyer, we wrapped in a plastic bag and off she went.

I don't bother with holes around the can lid. I use a painter's
cotton cloth and wipe it clean, then replace the top.

On 2/15/2011 12:14 PM, Steve B wrote:
wrote in message
...
David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 2/14/2011 7:36 AM spake thus:

On 2/14/2011 8:24 AM, HeyBub wrote:

Went to the local Home& Garden Show and sat in on a painting
class. Here are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of
them.

* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows
paint to drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool
is designed for this purpose.

Never ) Run a strip of foil around the rim, pour out the paint,
take off the foil and replace the lid. If the rim gets rusty, then
the rust gets inside the can.

Ya know, paint cans have got to be the most poorly-designed containers
of all time, at least from the point of view of the user. (Probably
works great for the manufacturer, which is why we're stuck with it.)
I'm sure I'm not the first person to point this out.

I also wonder about the wisdom of punching holes in the "gutter". I've
heard this advice before, and it does make sense to allow the paint
that inevitably pools there to drain back into the can. But it also
seems like an open invitation for the can to rust, a big problem
especially with water-based paints, or an opportunity for air to get
in and ruin the paint.

if it's such a good idea, why don't the paint can manufacturers prepunch
the holes for consumers?

Mainly because it would be a violation of my patent ............

Steve



Metal paint can design was locked in about 1890 or so? They were limited
in what they could make. Once something becomes a 'standard', hard to
change it. I see lotsa brands in plastic jugs now, like coffee did a few
years ago.

--
aem sends...

On Feb 15, 8:33*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Feb 14, 8:24*am, "HeyBub" wrote:



Went to the local Home & Garden Show and sat in on a painting class. Here
are some hints I gleaned. You probably know most of them.

* Don't mask window glass - use Chapstick! Use cling-wrap on mirrors,
door-knobs, and anything else from which it would be irritating to clean
speckles.
* Don't wash your brushes, use a bucket containing water and (a lot) of
liquid fabric softener. The brush will clean in ten seconds.
* There's a big difference between a "paint" brush (expensive) and a brush
only fit for slathering on finish remover.
* Never paint from the can. Plus, your container should contain no more than
1/2" of paint. A swell container can be made from plastic milk jug or bleach
bottle. Cut a large window in the bottle. You'll have a handy container, a
handle to hold it, and a ready-made funnel for putting the excess back in
the can. With a suitable cut, you can fashion a grip for your brush so the
brush hangs vertically inside the bleach bottle.
* Spray your hand (or other body parts) with PAM (regular, not
garlic-flavored). The paint splatters won't stick.
* The instructor made a painter's apron out of a 13-gallon trash bag,
complete with neck loop and ties for around the back. I can't describe it
here.
* Punch 4 or more holes in the rim of your paint can. This allows paint to
drain back into the can. The "point" on the painter's tool is designed for
this purpose.
* For your paint-holding hand, cover it with a nitrile or other plastic
glove. Dump some talc or baby powder in the glove first, and seal the open
end of the glove to your arm with blue tape.
* Unused paint: Take a bit of the cut off trash bag, or plastic sack, spray
it with PAM. Open the lid of the half-empty can, breathe into the can three
times (CO2 to dispel the oxygen), place the bit of plastic over the can
(PAM-side down), then the lid, and hammer into place. Turn the can upside
down and store. The PAM will rise to the surface in the paint, forming a
thin film atop the paint, protecting the paint from any residual oxygen in
the can. Remember, paint doesn't "dry" so much as it "sets" due to contact
with oxygen.
* To keep paint from leaking under blue masking tape, run a dull object
rapidly, one time, lengthwise, over the edge of the tape. This slightly
heats the blue tape via friction, and the heat slightly melts the wax that
holds the tape to the wall. This melted wax makes a much better seal.
* Don't like the smell of the paint? Add 4 drops of vanilla extract to your
paint can.
* Do not scrape the brush on the side of your container. Loading a brush is
a three-step process. DUNK the brush in the paint, DRIP to allow excess to
fall out, PAT the sides of the container with the brush.
* Likewise painting is a three-stroke process. Starting at the bottom UP
'til the brush no longer lays a complete layer of paint (LOAD), then DOWN to
smooth the paint (SET), the back UP (FINISH).
* Wash your brush or roller every two hours.
* Do Not Use fuzzy six-pack rollers. Get a Teflon-coated roller. More
expensive, but it won't leave fuzz and spreads the paint better. Using the
Fabric Softener trick above, it, too, can be cleaned in ten seconds.
* If you want to use a small, open, container as a paint supply, here are
two tips: Line the container inside with a large Zip-lock bag, it makes
clean-up easier. With two pieces of duct-tape (one shorter than the other)
you can fashion a palm-holder. Place the short piece of duct tape on the
larger, sticky-side to sticky-side. Hold the container in the palm of your
hand and tape your hand to the container. Well, your hand really slides in
and out, but this enables you to hold the paint dish in your palm.
* The next tip is mostly just clever and requires two empty 5-gallon paint
buckets and 4 longish pieces of Velcro tape. Cut four slits in the lids of
the paint buckets, thread the Velcro through the slits, and belay your feet
to the lids with the Velcro straps. Ta-da! Eighteen-inch-high stilts! No
more moving the ladder to cut-in the ceiling!
* A needful thing for cleanup is a "Brush and roller spinner". You attach
your brush (or roller) and rapidly move the handle back and forth. This
action spins the bejesus out of the brush and really helps cleaning. You
cannot get this tool at HD or Lowes, (some ACE stores might have it) but
here's a link for four different models (about $20).http://www.amazon.com/Linzer-6006-He.../dp/B000VYIRZK
* If your "scraper" bends, it's not a scraper - it's a spreader (like for
mud). You scrape only with a rigid blade. Using a spreader as a scraper
invariably results in gouges.
* Always remember: Oil or oil-based products (like wax) and water (based
paints) do not mix. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Oxygen is the
enemy of not-yet-applied paint.

I'll post a follow up on other tips as I recall them, as well as the book
containing most of the hints and tips.

Right now I'm still hung-over.

All in all, excellent advice. *Wagner Glass Mask is a nifty product.
It applies a liquid wax precisely 1/16" from the edge. *You trace
around the window pane zip-zip-zip, the wax dries quickly, and when
painted the paint laps over onto the glass the way it's supposed to.
The applicator cover has a scraper to remove the wax and overpaint.
First time I saw it a DIYer friend had gotten spectacular results on a
glass-front cabinet with many panes. *Pretty much a perfect paint job.

http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?w...ng/edging-tool...

Hey, thanks for that great site! I haven't even visited all the links
yet, but already picked up some useful tips. Ex: Stirring old paint;
wood paddle insufficient; need mixer attached to power drill. I
bought that garget years ago and never used it. Now I have to paint
side of house, so if I can find it, will use to stir old stucco
paint. Have to repaint mullioned French door, so will try that Wagner
Glass Max.In that connection, there's a sharp-toothed device mentioned
for breaking bond between door and frame, f'rinstance. Pouring spouts
replacing 1 gal can lid, lots of neat stuff.

HB

On Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:16:38 -0800 (PST), Higgs Boson
wrote:

Ex: Stirring old paint;
wood paddle insufficient; need mixer attached to power drill.

Post that on You Tube.

Just in December I ripped the sides out of a plastic bucket. Faster
than Jiminy Cricket could have.

I just grinned. Water ran across the painter's tarp -- outside of
course.

It was a bucket of paint/tool water rinse.

Not all buckets are created equal.

On Feb 15, 8:16*pm, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Feb 15, 8:33*am, RicodJour wrote:


All in all, excellent advice. *Wagner Glass Mask is a nifty product.
It applies a liquid wax precisely 1/16" from the edge. *You trace
around the window pane zip-zip-zip, the wax dries quickly, and when
painted the paint laps over onto the glass the way it's supposed to.
The applicator cover has a scraper to remove the wax and overpaint.
First time I saw it a DIYer friend had gotten spectacular results on a
glass-front cabinet with many panes. *Pretty much a perfect paint job..

http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?w...ng/edging-tool...

Hey, thanks for that great site! *I haven't even visited all the links
yet, but already picked up some useful tips. *Ex: *Stirring old paint;
wood paddle insufficient; need mixer attached to power drill. *I
bought that garget years ago and never used it. *Now I have to paint
side of house, so if I can find it, will use to stir old stucco
paint. *Have to repaint mullioned French door, so will try that Wagner
Glass Max.In that connection, there's a sharp-toothed device mentioned
for breaking bond between door and frame, f'rinstance. *Pouring spouts
replacing 1 gal can lid, lots of neat stuff.

Yeah, it's a kind of different site, isn't it? It's got an old-timey,
DIY-tips-in-the-newspaper cartoon feel to it, but the information
seemed pretty reasonable. I think you've seen more of the site than I
have at this point. Anything you didn't like about it?

R

Higgs Boson wrote:

-snip-

http://www.homerepairworkshop.com/?w...ng/edging-tool...

Hey, thanks for that great site! I haven't even visited all the links
yet, but already picked up some useful tips. Ex: Stirring old paint;
wood paddle insufficient; need mixer attached to power drill.

Note that there are several different designs. I have one I use for
mud in a 5gall bucket. I use it for 5gal paint buckets-- but only in
one direction.
Like this
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Devil-4043...dp/B000I1EB9M/

I have another one I use for gallon paint cans- direction doesn't
matter.
http://www.amazon.com/10330-1G-PAINT...dp/B001HKHKKK/


I
bought that garget years ago and never used it. Now I have to paint
side of house, so if I can find it, will use to stir old stucco
paint. Have to repaint mullioned French door, so will try that Wagner
Glass Max.In that connection, there's a sharp-toothed device mentioned
for breaking bond between door and frame, f'rinstance.

This guy?
http://www.amazon.com/HYDE-TOOLS-452...dp/B000BPLMAQ/

I got one of them 25 yrs ago when I bought this 100 yr old house. None
of the double hung windows had been opened since the great depression.
Many coats of paint held them together. It was time consuming,
but that little tool sawed its way through layer after layer of paint.

I've replaced them all now, but that tool made them work for the years
they were still in service.

Jim