Or jar of lacquer thinner, alcohol, etc. I dont know if this is a clever idea or not, maybe some of you cd suggest some improvements. I've always used inserts of wire mesh in 24 oz Ball Jars for cleaning brushes. The mesh allows the sludge to lie undisturbed when I clean the brush. This is what I devised for making the inserts -- a tin can with the bottom and top cut off, a circle of 1/4" wire mesh hardware cloth a little bigger than the can top, bent over with pliers, and soldered a bit to fasten it and blunt any sharp edges that might cut the brush hairs.
I lack a real carpenter's work bench with a vise because all my stuff is crammed into one room in the apartment, so I clamp the work as you see here, using a miter box, clamps, etc.
To speed up the soldering, I thought I wd try just dipping the thing upside down into a very shallow pool of melted lead in a pie pan, but I havent tried it and dont know if it will work.
Posted by Donald Miner (Member # 6472) on :
The dip solder thingy might work, can't say for sure, but your room looks like a busy place.
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
experimenting is great, I design things daily
Posted by Sam Staffan (Member # 4552) on :
I just bend the wire over to fit into the can, no soldering involved. . Posted by Dennis Kiernan (Member # 12202) on :
Sam, you mean over the outside of the can? If it fits inside, what's to keep it from getting pushed down?
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
OK ... then make it 2 inches high ... if you have more sludge that that ... TIME TO CLEAN IT OUT! Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on :
bend over on outside use hose clamp to hold screen and tighten up
Posted by Dennis Kiernan (Member # 12202) on :
"bend over on outside use hose clamp to hold screen and tighten up."
Now that sounds like the easy way.
Posted by Tim Barrow (Member # 576) on :
For my lettering brushes I use a quart and or gallon thinner can cut in half the long way to make a tray to lay my lettering brushes in while I work to keep them wet. if you cut it just right you get a tray that is about 1 inch deep and you can keep quite few brushes wet during a days work then cleanup is easy at the end of the project as none of the brushes have dried out. as for cleaning fitches and art brushes I use a five gallon bucket with a thin 1/2"x 3" board wedged vertically to slap the thinner out of the brush and keep them wet. I found out a long time ago to keep my brushes that can be stored vertically cleaned then wrapped and stored in oil upside down and or flat in order to keep the cup of the hair intact. If you store a brush vertically in a manner that sludge is an issue you are eventually going to damage the brush hair tips and or cup of the hair. This is especially true if you use a screen like you are describing. I find it easier and more practical to lay my brushes out horizontally for a majority of my work. otherwise for large projects that use cutters and fitches I use the five gallon bucket method to keep them wet and clean at the end of each day and or projects end then oil wrap and store them.
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
When in the beginning, working in a sign shop, we would punch holes in a can like a tuna fish can. Then place it in a little larger can. The holes were punched by using a nail and a hammer. Bill
Posted by Gene Golden (Member # 3934) on :
What is that "nail and hammer" thing you speak of?
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Yeah! why do it the hard way ... when a 12 gauge with #4 shot does it quicker and better!
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
I haven't used a mesh for years. What I have found to be easy is spring-loaded clothes pins. Simply clip one onto the handle of your brush/quill/fitch so that the hair is submerged in the solvent, but not so deeply that the hair ever rests on the bottom. The clothespins act as detatcheable clip that hold the brushes at the right depth to prevent drying out, and allow the solvent to disolve any paint residue, which goes to the bottom.
Works great if you're interupted, and when you return to the brush, it's clean and just has to be wiped on a rag or paper towel, to continue on.
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