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Another Question for all the experts out there. After using 1shot enamel, what's the best way of cleaning and storing of the brushes so that the hairs don't dry out? I heard some people dip them in baby oil when sitting idle for an extended period of time.
At the prices of lettering brushes today, you sure want to take good care of them. I wash mine in mineral spirits by spinning them between my hands. I use three seperate wash cans, starting with the dirtiest and finishing with one the has clean spirits in it. I then oil the brush with Sapphire Brush Oil and lay it flat in a plastic brush box. I take care to sort of squeegee the brush out against the bottom of the box with my finger, so that it holds it's shape. When you oil the brush, hold it with the hairs pointing up, and work the oil down into the heel of the brush.
I've seen other painters use baby oil, lard oil, transmission fluid and all kinds of other stuff to oil their brushes. If you use lard oil, be sure to keep the brushes in a secure box or container as the mice will chew on them.
Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
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Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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For the last few years I've cleaned my brushes in waste reducer- no mineral spirits for me- and store them in a tupperware type pan with a snap on lid. I also face all the brushes in one direction, and put in enough 1-shot brush cleaner and conditioner to cover them and lift the bristle end of the container on a small piece of scrap wood held in place with a rubber band. I'ts messy, but it has been a very long time since I trashed a brush. The hard part is getting the stuff off your hands and the brush the next time you go to use it.
------------------ Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA signpntr@capital.net
Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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Hey Tim, I have a few brushes that are over 50 years old! The trick is to thourghly clean and oil your brushes as both jmathel and Sarah have already alluded to. I too, prefer transmission fluid. If paint does dry in the ferrule, you can use a little lacquer thinner to loosen up the paint, I call it a hot bath. Some brush soaps and conditioners work.
------------------ There is nothing new under the sun. What will be has already been and what has been will be again. Daniel R. Perez Daniez Dzines Fresno, CA daniez@netzero.net
[This message has been edited by Daniez (edited July 11, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Daniez (edited July 12, 2000).]
Posts: 299 | From: Fresno, CA, USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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------------------ There is nothing new under the sun. What will be has already been and what has been will be again. Daniel R. Perez Daniez Dzines Fresno, CA daniez@netzero.net
[This message has been edited by Daniez (edited July 12, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Daniez (edited July 12, 2000).]
Posts: 299 | From: Fresno, CA, USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I have been using an ultra-sonic cleaner like the dentist offices use. I have a spring stretched across it and hang the brush in a bath of mineral spirits adn turn it on for three minutes. Seems to get out more than I can get out with a conventional washing. Thank you to Joey Madden.
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I had been doing something similar to you where I let my brushes sit in the 1-Shot Brush Conditioner/Cleaner, but I stopped after reading something on the label that says you shouldn't do that. It's night and I'm not at the shop so I don't have a can to refer to, but check it out and see if my memory is correct...
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Guess you guys havn't discovered Rapid Remover yet ? Well I'll make you this offer, if you loose any brushes or if you just don't like the results ,call me I'll pay for your brushes ! Hows that ? Roger
------------------ Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated Merlin, OR
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Peter Manzolillo: The label does say you can store brushes in this stuff, it also says avoid skin contact. How one does that short of wearing gloves I don't know. I've had a lot of skin contact with this for a lot of years, and so far my liver hasn't fallen apart. At any rate, this product has worked very well for me for a long time. Before I started using it, I retired a lot of brushes after using thinners, motor oil, vaseline and God only knows what else in an effort to prolong brush life. This product so far does the best job.
------------------ Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA signpntr@capital.net
Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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This is not a slam against anyone about what they use to "store" brushes... Just a question.
As most of you know I am mostly a vinyl guy, but I do own a few brushes that I use on the odd occasion. I bought them from Pete Payne (AKA..Red Green of the Canada vs. U.S. hockey game in Mazeppa). I respect Pete's opinion and when I bought the brushes I asked about brush oil. He recommended Sapphire Brush Oil so I bought a pint of it. I store my brushes for a lot more time than I use them and so far they seem OK.
My question is..Since there is a product that is specifically designed to preserve these brushes, why is there such a large variety of materials (some of which sound really weird to me) that are used? I know it can't be price because this stuff I bought was only about $10 Cdn and will last me the rest of my life (and probably a "full time" brush user at least a year).
Is it just like software/cutters/vinyl brands? Kinda just what you grow up with and have always used? Or is there a more to it than that?
This isn't an earthshattering question, I know, but I am curious.
------------------ Dave Grundy shop#340 AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley "A PROUD $ supporter of the website"
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Dave... ya got it right!!!! In the old days lard oil was the preffered brush preserver... unless you had mice, or other little creatures in your shop (they ate all the hairs off); a few shops used Vasoline, thinned with a little mineral spirits. Some thoroughly cleaned the brush and stored them dry, and added a "mothball or two... to keep the moths out). Over the years, it was dicovered that "Baby oil", motor oil, salad oil, and all kinds of other oils would keep you brushes soft. Guess it all boils down to what they used where you apprenticed! (Before we had a bulletin board like this to help each other out!)
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Brushasaurus on Chat
Gladly supporting this BB !
Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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In the old days lard oil was the preffered brush preserver... unless you had mice, or other little creatures in your shop (they ate all the hairs off); a few shops used Vasoline, thinned with a little mineral spirits. Some thoroughly cleaned the brush and stored them dry, and added a "mothball or two... to keep the moths out). Over the years, it was dicovered that "Baby oil", motor oil, salad oil, and all kinds of other oils would keep you brushes soft.
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