paint

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Unmixed..... Until it goes bad.

Mixed and ready to spray (pot life if I have my terminology correct)...... Not long at all or until it goes bad.
 
I have paint sitting on the shelf that's 10 + years old and is still good.
Clears and hardeners don't last as long!!!
 
uncatalyzed paint as long as it isn't exposed to air has an indefinite shelf life.
 
res1vw21 said:
uncatalyzed paint as long as it isn't exposed to air has an indefinite shelf life.
Click to expand...

I've watched this thread for a few days with interest........

No paint technology on the planet has an infinite shelf life. Plain and simple.

The old air dry lacquers would seed out in a matter of 2 months if left in an unreduced state. Weeks if the chit was reduced. Man I hated this technology!!!

The old air dry enamels would go to gum in 4 to 5 months unreduced, Much quicker if reduced and uncatalyzed. Catalyzed = hours.

The acrylics were a little better for shelf life that air dry enamels, but not much.

2K Urethanes were better for shelf life yet if unreduced and uncalatlyzed = 6 months if the temp and humidity was just right Reduced 2 months max and catalyzed = minutes.

You have a lot of additives such binders, silicas, flow agents, rheology control agents, UV and light stabilizer packages, not to mention the old lead based pigments, etc. etc. would break down or gel. The paint may not look bad in the can but the coating's properties would be lacking or completely shot .

Catalysts break down almost as soon as they are canned so shelf life is short.


I hope this info has answered a lot of questions.

sscuda
 
I just used a quart (or part of a quart) of acrylic enamel plum crazy on my jambs, under hood, inside trunk, etc.

I had this paint mixed about 15 years ago when my painter said he needed more, but didn't use it. It sat that entire time unreduced (I did tape the lip of the can up when I got it, the lid was never removed) and it was fine.
 
I was told also not to leave your paint in an unheated garage in winter. Bring it in the house. Although I didn't know that before so I guess the other paints I had last year are garbage.
Really, what do I know? I paint in my driveway. I do push the envelope constantly on what NOT to do and how NOT to do it!:D
 
Thanks everyone,ss cuda sounds like you know your stuff.
just the info I was looking for.
 
sscuda said:
I've watched this thread for a few days with interest........

No paint technology on the planet has an infinite shelf life. Plain and simple.

The old air dry lacquers would seed out in a matter of 2 months if left in an unreduced state. Weeks if the chit was reduced. Man I hated this technology!!!

The old air dry enamels would go to gum in 4 to 5 months unreduced, Much quicker if reduced and uncatalyzed. Catalyzed = hours.

The acrylics were a little better for shelf life that air dry enamels, but not much.

2K Urethanes were better for shelf life yet if unreduced and uncalatlyzed = 6 months if the temp and humidity was just right Reduced 2 months max and catalyzed = minutes.

You have a lot of additives such binders, silicas, flow agents, rheology control agents, UV and light stabilizer packages, not to mention the old lead based pigments, etc. etc. would break down or gel. The paint may not look bad in the can but the coating's properties would be lacking or completely shot .

Catalysts break down almost as soon as they are canned so shelf life is short.


I hope this info has answered a lot of questions.

sscuda
Click to expand...
Um I have paint on my shelf that has 15yrd old dates and it still lays out just fine..... Lots of the paint at work (urethane, lacquer, singe and base) has been around for a heck of a long time and it still works just fine....

We commonly will mix paint and have it around for years until the owner wrecks the car again then use the initial paint we mixed.

This is what I do for a living and if paint went bad that quick we wouldn't be doing so well.
 
95teetee said:
yep- if it freezes it's done.
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I don't think he needs to worry about freezing where he lives. I used to live just north of Houston. It's hotter than a black car full of fat chicks or is it hotter than a chili-pepper fart with a sunburned a-hole. :D
 
What is in the old enamel paint that would freeze? It was all oil base. We have used enamel paint that set in storage for 20+ years and never had anything that didn't work and look correctly. That would have been 2002 when we bought the contents of the store. It had been closed for several years before that so it would have froze. It did take a shaker to get it mixed up evenly before you tried to use it.
 
I used to sell paint. As long as it hasn't dried and become thick or unmixable, it is fine. If it shakes up and looks as lumpy as grandma's gravy, well, it ain't gonna work. One you mix in the reducer, hardeners, catalysts, etc... the pot life is now in hours. It should say on the paint label what the pot life is. If not, you can find out from a dealer with a mixing bank. My advice to you is to take it to a paint store and let them shake it for a long time rather than trying to stir it. It will mix much more thoroughly and get all the colors blended so much better.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
What is in the old enamel paint that would freeze? It was all oil base. We have used enamel paint that set in storage for 20+ years and never had anything that didn't work and look correctly. That would have been 2002 when we bought the contents of the store. It had been closed for several years before that so it would have froze. It did take a shaker to get it mixed up evenly before you tried to use it.
Click to expand...

It was, but these days everything is changing to water base paints and it's going to be a new animal to deal with. All new problems to figure out and issue upon issue that will arise in the new mixing chemicals. All the reducers and hardeners in stock on the shelf will be worthless. It will be a gigantic PITA.
 
Mopar to ya said:
It was, but these days everything is changing to water base paints and it's going to be a new animal to deal with. All new problems to figure out and issue upon issue that will arise in the new mixing chemicals. All the reducers and hardeners in stock on the shelf will be worthless. It will be a gigantic PITA.
Click to expand...

Have they gone to water born paints there? Right now we still have the good stuff.
 
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