Faulty Spray cans increasing ?

[WranglerX]

Had a brand new can of Rust-oleum paint just being miserable, was sputtering and causing runs and just nasty to work with..... Set can in pan of hot water for about 10-15 minutes and can was comfortably warm to touch and it sprayed great....

 

[DaveD1944]

I have been re-pressurizing my spray cans with compressed air for some time; this is easy to do and useful for a few sprays but had to be done again at each use. I set the compressor output regulator for 60PSI when I do this. My questions are just how much pressure can these cans take and what pressure to you use? My compressor output is 160PSI but I don't want to put that much pressure into a can as it may not be safe to do so. Comments?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Yep, I have had a few dud cans in the last 6 months.

 

[Gregster613]

I have been re-pressurizing my spray cans with compressed air for some time; this is easy to do and useful for a few sprays but had to be done again at each use. I set the compressor output regulator for 60PSI when I do this. My questions are just how much pressure can these cans take and what pressure to you use? My compressor output is 160PSI but I don't want to put that much pressure into a can as it may not be safe to do so. Comments?

DaveD1944, How is this done? I just can't conceive any idea of how to get air into a spray can from an air compressor. This "could" be a good trick to know when you've got a can that goes dead but still has paint in it; just how to do so?? Will you please expand on the entire process? Thanks, Greg

 

[orezok]

A little off subject, but when I was a kid 70 years ago, one of my older brothers found a rattle can. He shook it and heard the ball rattling inside. Tried to spray it and it didn’t work. He decided he wanted to get the ball out so he went in the kitchen and used the can opener . It took my dad hours to get spray paint off of everything including him as he ran outside

 

[DaveD1944]

just fill them back up with a air compressor

Yep, a compressor and one of the old school non-osha rubber tip guns that give full pressure from a pinhole. They clear a plugged pickup tube easily, you can hear the bubbling.
View attachment 728541View attachment 728541

DaveD1944, How is this done? I just can't conceive any idea of how to get air into a spray can from an air compressor. This "could" be a good trick to know when you've got a can that goes dead but still has paint in it; just how to do so?? Will you please expand on the entire process? Thanks, Greg

Rebeldad1 and flyerdan mentioned this on page 1 of this item. Some details: The plastic stems sticking out of the cans appear to be somewhat standard with an OD of 1/8" and a slightly larger shoulder about 3/16" down. My rubber tipped air gun looks just like flyerdan's above and has a 1/8" ID hole in the rubber tip. Simply set your regulator to 60 pounds (or whatever you determine to be a safe pressure; no one has answered my query about just what pressure they use), press the air gun tip over the stem, then press down to open the can valve at the same time you get the air started. Let it blow until you release the pressure or you will get can contents in your air gun nozzle. It's that simple.

Don't expect much in the way of capacity, since you are simply injecting air into the can and they come pre-pressurized with a gas of some sort in liquid form (propane, refrigerant, whatever) that boils out when the valve is opened and provides ongoing pressure. But since this is so easy to do you can do it over and over until you have actually used the contents of the can!

 

[BravoXray]

I think I'm going to make a little adapter that will fit over the stem sticking out of the can with a 1/4" NPT female thread on the other end to put in a valve and a quick coupler.
Should be able to whip one up on the lathe in a few minutes.

 

[Gregster613]

Thanks for the explanation DaveD, I now have a remote idea of how it's done but until I get around to "actually" trying it I will remain unsure of its actual usefulness. But, at least I now have an idea of how to try it! A tad bit brighter than I was before.