[Ken]

Running out of paint near the end of painting a car will ruin a paint job.

A full can of Tamiya spray paint ranges from 133-grams to 138-grams. Empty, the can weighs 60-grams. (cap included)

It takes more paint to cover a car when you make an extreme colour change. It also take more paint to cover a car when you use paints that are weak in pigment strength like yellow. You can sometimes get 2-paint jobs out of a can of paint if you don’t fight the colour. Sometimes it’s just not possible.

I weigh the cans before, and after using them to see if there’s enough paint for a second car. For me, the can becomes touch-up paint only once they go below 95-grams. Specially yellow. The last 5 to 7-grams grams of any can are often not useful because the spray becomes erratic near the end. All used cans get marked with a permanent marker stating the weight, and are weighed with the cap on.

Testors paint cans are about the same.

Best of luck with what ever you’re painting and building!

Topic

[JMSracer]

Ken

This is very useful information.  I have been caught twice trying to finish a project, only to run out of paint near the end and having that erratic end spray ruin the finish of my project on the final coat.

Thanks for posting.

[DB]

Yes, very useful information Ken.  Many thanks as my paint supply is running low so I can get an idea of what is left in the cans. :good:

[Felix]

Excellent approach, Ken. Thoughtful methodical technique, very practical as well. Should help us avoid some  sticky problems while spray painting.    Just an afterthought: The other problem I’ve encountered once in a while (not very often!), is premature loss of pressure. Don’t you hate it when that happens! There’s still stuff inside, but you just can’t make it go out the nozzle!

 

[Ken]

Hi Felix. It wastes a lot of propellant to turn the can upside down to clear the nozzle. Propellant alone comes out of the nozzle far more than twice the rate it normally would when pushing liquid.

Instead of flipping cans upside down to clear the nozzle. Save and wash a few nozzles before throwing an empty can away so you have spare nozzles. I’ve never had a problem running out of propellant using Tamiya spray cans. Should a can of paint clog (they very rarely do). You can just grab one of the spare nozzles and keep painting without a delay.

That doesn’t take into consideration that a can may be defective and under filled. Or just very old and propellant leaked out the top of the seam where there was no evidence of liquid. I recently found an old can of Testors paint spilled it’s contents on a shelf all by itself. Very messy. I store my old cans of paint in clear plastic totes in case they let go before I use them.

[Author]

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