Ways to keep the Nozzle clean on a Rattle Spray Paint Can

[TelePlay]

Anyone into their own painting may find this home brew set up useful to get the most out of their paint cans.

A couple of years ago when finally getting into serious painting and discovering I was only getting a few uses out of a new can or spray paint before the nozzle would clog and would have to throw 80-90% of the paint away, I bought one of these to clean the nozzle after realizing that tipping a paint can upside down to clear the nozzle still left paint in the nozzle which dried and after a few uses, could clog the nozzle.

It's a bit expensive for low volume painters but it has more than paid for itself by allowing me to use a can of paint 15 to 20 times, until it was empty, without any signs of nozzle clog (spatter or blockage). Since most phone parts require only a small amount of paint, keeping the nozzle clear of dried paint is important.

I put a cup of Lacquer Thinner in the container, pressurize it with my air compressor (about 70 psi) and after painting, immediately take the nozzle off of the spray can, place it on the cleaner can and spray a small amount of thinner through the nozzle. I immediately remove the nozzle from the cleaner can an blow compressed air through the nozzle from the front, spray opening to dry the nozzle and glow out the thinner and any paint before it can dry. I spray the thinner, a very small amount is needed, into a small tin can to both catch it and then let it evaporate slowly.

There are two types of nozzles, those having male or female connections to the spray paint can. This cleaner can works directly with female type nozzles. For male nozzles, I use a short, 1/2" of clear plastic tubing to connect the male cleaner can spiggot to the male spray paint can nozzle.

Haven't had a nozzle to bad on me since I started to use this set up to clean wet paint out of nozzles.

     https://www.ebay.com/itm/Refillable-Aerosol-Spray-Can-Sprayer/322355785391

[RB]

Nice setup John!
yeah, a little spendy, but as you say, if you do a lot of rattlin, it is worth it.

[dsk]

Thanks for the hint, I just have to be sad 
I like the can, shipping to Norway $50.15  and on top I will get tax of 1/3 how all of it. That gives me a total of more than $108.


I hope it turns out better for you!

By the way do you think this one will do the job? http://tinyurl.com/y83xwmrb

dsk

[Ktownphoneco]

Great idea John.    Here's what I use :    I service telephone dials, and when doing so, I need to thoroughly clean the parts.    I use lacquer thinner to do that, and it can be purchased either by the gallon, or by the quart from Home Depot, Lowe's and quite a few hardware stores.    The plastic nozzles on most paint spray cans is impervious to lacquer thinner.     I use a small stainless steel container that would probably only hold a few ounces if completely filled, to soak the spray can nozzles for a few minutes.    The lacquer thinner completely dissolves pretty much any type of off the shelf spray paint.    I then blow out the nozzle with air.    I have a shop air compressor, but even the small spray bombs of compressed air, normally used to blow dust out of computers and such, will do just as well.   At that point the nozzle is totally clean of any left over paint residue, and I put the nozzle back on the spray can of paint, and it's ready for the next job.

Example of the Spray Bombs of Compressed Air on eBay:  https://www.ebay.com/b/Computer-Cleaning-Equipment-with-Air-Duster/175678/bn_651163


Jeff Lamb   

[TelePlay]

Initially, I tried the soaking method but never trusted it go get into the nozzle opening or the small internal tube getting the paint from the can to the nozzle.

I then went to using Gum Out Carb and Choke cleaner which worked fine for wet paint but it had stuff in it that wasn't needed (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, xylene, petroleum distillates and uses propane as the propellant). Was just trying to clean out the still wet paint, not strip varnish off of metal.

And, I didn't care for the propane propellant being dispersed in my dungeon either.

Somehow spotted the refillable can about then, bit the dollar bullet and ended up really liking how it works. A bit faster than soaking and blowing but more expensive than Jeff's preferred way - same results.

I would think anything or any way used to get the thinner into and through the nozzle would work just fine. It's like anything else, once you find a way or method you like, you stick with it.

If anyone else has a different way to clean nozzles, please add it to this topic.