I'm looking for suggestions on the best places or conditions to keep my paints. I usually keep them in my "tool box" but I have a problem with them drying up and they're not much use. Whats the
best conditions?
Well I suppose as long as you don't let them freeze or put them in the oven for a roasting they should be fine as long as the lids are on tight. I keep mine in a toolbox too and they go where ever
they fit, which is under my desk currently. The paints I had left over from my youth were boxed up and stored in many different locations(some hot some cold) over a 12 year period and most were still
OK when I pulled them out again, I still use some of them. I'd guess that the best conditions would be at room temperature and away from open flames.
Mike Dougherty
I've found Tupperware containers that make for great paint storage. The four that I have are about 9"x13" with a tight-fitting lid and hold lots of ModelMaster, Floquil and Polly S and even more
small Testors/Pactra bottles. One tip I use all the time - once you're done with the bottle of paint, wipe the top of the bottle and the inside of the cap so paint can't dry on the threads of the
bottle. I have a toilet paper holder installed on my desk for just this purpose. One sheet takes care of wiping the bottle and ensuring a clean seal. With a single bottle going for $2 and up, I've
had great luck in keeping my paint a good, long time by cleaning the tops and caps. The four Tupperware containers I have are stored in a big drawer in my desk, away from light and heat.
Frank
Another tip. If you can, store the paint bottles upside down. Learned this trick from an old housepainting friend of mine. When the container is upside down, air can't get into the bottle because the
fluid is surrounding the seal area. Of course you have to make sure that it is sealed pretty good before you put it away.
I found a wooden box that is just the right height to store my testors bottles in. I've had some of my bottles for more than 5 years and they haven't dried out.
Trevor Ylisaari
There was an old FSM tip or the like for making a cardboard container. Find a sturdy box witha slip-on lid, like a shoebox. Get a bottle of paint, place a pencil on top and trace around the outside
or inside. Cut the box off at the line. You now have a box just a little bit taller than a paint bottle.
Kurt Laughlin