Dumb question about threads

Janger

(John)
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Plastidip... Canadian Tire $25. Walmart USA $6. SIX! I hate shopping in canada.
walmart canada $46!!!

$17 at home despot. I guess...
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
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ok dumb question - liquid palstidip or spray? Would liquid tend to dry up once the can is opened? so aerosol stays useful for longer?
 

CalgaryPT

Ultra Member
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Premium Member
Spray. I’ve used the liquid. It has its uses but does dry up. I think you can thin with Xylene but I never had and luck after it thickened.
 

historicalarms

Ultra Member
I have never used this "plastidip stuff so this tip might not be a fix as such bit will pass it along anyways. In the gunstock refinishing bidness some of us "kitchen table gunsmiths" sometimes dabble into, the bane of us is that all the stock finishing com[pounds we use (either commercially bought or our own concoctions) have the same short shelf life as your Plastidip once opened. I think this tip originated in a Brownell's Gunsmithing Quirks volume.

Before you re-cap a half used jar of whatever you are using, add something hard that wont interact with whatever chemical juice you are using to fill the jar/tin back up to as full as you can get it to remove any excess air space and then re-seal. I purposely fill so that some even spills during sealing so I get every bit out. Case in point that this works...I had a small jar of Birchwood Casey stock finishing varnish that has sat on a bench for at least five years since opening the first time and used a bit a couple weeks ago...it was "as new" and Birchwood has a reputation of usually only a couple month's lifespan before it's hard as a rock inside the bottle.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
I always thought Lee Valley was onto something (from a marketing perspective) with high priced Argon.
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/finishing/30268-finish-preserve
Its denser than air so should gravitate on top of the liquid & thus in between the air, which has also been mostly displaced. The gas is relatively inert so shouldn't react with most finishes & goops we are trying to preserve. You welding guys might be sitting on a readily available shop supply to try. If it has a bit of CO2 or nitrogen in there, I doubt it will adversely affect most liquids, but you never know. I've always wondered if this would extend the life of my expensive CA glues that harden over a year or so. But it may not be an oxygen thing, it could be just slow speed inevitable 'curing' reaction. Molecular chains are growing & there isn't a lot you can do, although some folks advocate storing in a fridge.
 

CalgaryPT

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...Before you re-cap a half used jar of whatever you are using, add something hard that wont interact with whatever chemical juice you are using to fill the jar/tin back up to as full as you can get it to remove any excess air space and then re-seal. I purposely fill so that some even spills during sealing so I get every bit out.
This seems like a good idea. I wonder if those reusable/disposable caulking tubes sold on Amazon or eBay might be worthwhile for expensive products; you could then push the air out and store in the tube? Never tried it, but in principle, it seems sound.

https://www.amazon.ca/REUSABLE-EMPT...ocphy=9001338&hvtargid=pla-585162758589&psc=1

I have also seen guys buy those kitchen vacuum bag sucker things and put cans of open product in these too. But the bags can be pricey.
 
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