Cleaning brushes?

[drewpster]

Ok this has got to be a simple one for you. Does anyone have a good way of cleaning out my expensive brush. I am working on my third brush because of dry paint buildup in the root of the bristles. I am trying to be environmentally conscience here so I have stopped slinging them out into the Ivy I hate next to the garage. (it just turns the ivy colors anyway, I was hoping it would kill it) I am getting some life out of the brush, but is there a trick I am missing?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

Drewpster, get a centrifugal brush spinner

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4046&NEXTAG

and a 5 gallon bucket. I use a 3 lb coffee can to do the intial cleaning, then spin the brush inside a five-7gal bucket. Then I pour more thinner into another 3 lb coffee can, rinse the brush again and re-spin it inside the five gallon bucket. I then pour the second can of thinner into the first can and let it settle out. After a few days the solids settle and I pour the cleared thinner back into a 'reclaimed' gallon thinner can. The little bit you spin out in the buckets will just evaporate.

I used to hate painting for all the reasons you mentioned, plus the toll on good brushes. Not anymore. My brushes are clean and I am not wasting thinner.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

Ummm your not rolling out your perfection are you... get the roller i posted and have you brush by your side, it will level dude, i take my time a bit more serious than you think and have a great deal of respect for other's/

So this is dam simple just pour 4 ounces of 2333n in a container , flush the brush , wipe it, dump the sovent on cement , and clean out the container with a rag if you feel that need.....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

also when painting you are suppose to just load the tip of the brush, i use the spinner also. any good paint store has them. they also work great with rollers, as you can slip the roller over it, and spin them.

 

[robster]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

You can also stick the brush in a ZIPLOC bag, store it in your freezer until your ready to paint again (with the same color). No cleaning required, just remove it from the freezer (and bag), lay it in the sun (to thaw) for a few minutes and it's ready to go...

If you really want to clean it, use a paintbrush wire comb and some brush cleaner in two small containers, one for the initial rinse, the other for the final rinse. Comb it out, rinse and repeat! You can save the cleaner, just cover it until you need to use it again.

This is obviously not as good as the brush spinner, but it works

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

Iv'e been looking at that boat, man that's a lot of painting. doing 3 coat's would probably kill a old man like my self, i shrudder thinking about it.
So here's a link to those foam roller's i posted, i strongly urge you to try them, they hold a generous amount of paint, they are very easy to control or dispense how much paint you want to lay down each stroke. As long as you dont use more than 10% of 2333n the paint will level smooth as glass in about 4-7 minute's

http://www.kpg-industrial.com/products/quick_solutions_premium_minirollers/


That's a 6 " roller0-78435-90490-3690193060Foam Cover6 in.

I've started the old Starcraft using bright side's, and well you do have to go back and reroll....that is roll it out exhaust all the paint from the roller you then roll it again to flatten it a bit more it does level out very nice.

Take a practive run, ill bet it shave's hour's off that project and by far less sanding...




Tennessee Distributors

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[drewpster]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

I have been using foam rollers and tipping brushes. Allot of the work requires using the brush overhead. Eventually paint runs into the root of the bristles. I normally have good luck getting the brush clean through several uses. However over time the paint builds up and the brush gets stiff. I have been looking for an excuse to get a spinner. Now that I know they work I will be ordering one.
TD, Are the rollers you suggested different from the phenolic core closed cell foam rollers at the marine store? Those are the ones I have been using. BTW your right its allot of painting! I have been prepping since the first sign of warm weather and I am just now getting to the second primer coat on the hull. What's been the most body damaging (my body) has been the sanding. I have blocked a good bit of this by hand. My wife commented the other night on how big my arms are getting. Its a shame they feel like jelly most of the time these days.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Cleaning brushes?

Yes they are by far different, the foam is a very dense and they have about 3/8 inch of padding, i tired using marine foam roller's from West Marine absolute junk compared to these.

They do not break up at all, ok here come's some truth...............Ummm Mrs TG was painting with them around the house, i couldnt help but notice they left very little nap using enamel paint. Of course i had to show her how to roll out the paint so there would be chance of flashing... and there ability to load up a bunch of paint and hold it really impressed me. So i took one out and did some painting, ill never use a sprayer with Bright Side's or Perfection again.


You can take them and really load them up and gob paint into tight corner's and just roll out the excess on the boat or a handy board laying around, they have very leave very little nap (stipple) and it level's as flat as glass. One thing i ran into with bright side's is you cant have more paint out than 20 minute's or it begin's to dry on the roller leaving mark's at the end of each stroke.

Try one, you will be impressed the Mrs still doesnt know, thing's would not be the same around the house if she did...... The only issue i can see with that monster you have there is leaving a wetted edge, that is once you get around the boat to the other side the paint is going to be to dry to blend........glad it's your issue not mine..