I've had it with Rustoleum Rattle Cans

[John]

These things clog consistently after only a few uses - I've had enough .. At $6 a pop, you would expect the can to provide you paint until it's empty ..

[dem34]

The only rattles in my stash are Krylon and Tamiya. Yeah because I ran into the same thing.

[jagged ben]

I don't think rattle can nozzles are really intended for more than a couple uses, especially without cleaning.  I'd bet the majority of uses of spray paint use up the whole can in one or two sessions.

Tried anything like this?

[Chris333]

$6 ?  where do you get them that cheap? Home Depot want $8+ now.

[Ike the BN Freak]

I use the camo colors for work, I got a can of black that I've been using about once a week for over a year now

[basementcalling]

Hold the can upside down when you finish painting and keep spraying for a few seconds to clear the nozzle.

[mmagliaro]

Funny you say this.  I have just the opposite experience.  It's always the Krylon cans that seems to clog up on me.

I was just spraying some Rustoleum black today, and was thinking how good the can worked and how clog-free it was.  The can's been on a shelf for a year in my garage.  I sprayed 3 times, an hour apart. 
It is important to turn it upside down after each use and spray until it just sprays clean propellant.  Do you do that?

[John]

Hold the can upside down when you finish painting and keep spraying for a few seconds to clear the nozzle.

From their website


Clogging - Aerosol Cans

    Updated 7 months ago

As superior performing products, our aerosol formulas contain premium pigments and resins to provide faster coverage, and ultimately, better performance. Over time, and as with any paint, these solids will start to separate from the liquid and the cans need to be shaken to get the mix into a homogenous state again. The longer it sits, the longer it may need to be agitated. Upon shaking the can to get the mixing ball dislodged, we then recommend an additional full minute of shaking to incorporate all of the material. Once mixed and the application has begun, we recommend shaking often during the application. Those solids need to be kept suspended to avoid things like clogging and sputtering.


Many of our aerosol cans now use a spray-anyway valve system, which will allow the can to be sprayed while held in any direction.   While this will prevent the ability to invert the can to spray it to "clear the can", this process should not be necessary.  After each use, the nozzle itself should be wiped clean to prevent paint from drying around the nozzle opening.  This should prevent the tip from clogging prior to the next use.  However, should the can become clogged, the tip can be rinsed in mineral spirits or paint thinner to loosen any dried material that may have accumulated there.  If cleaning the tip does not alleviate the clog, it may be inside the can, which will not be able to be cleared.

[John]

Funny you say this.  I have just the opposite experience.  It's always the Krylon cans that seems to clog up on me.

I was just spraying some Rustoleum black today, and was thinking how good the can worked and how clog-free it was.  The can's been on a shelf for a year in my garage.  I sprayed 3 times, an hour apart. 
It is important to turn it upside down after each use and spray until it just sprays clean propellant.  Do you do that?

Yes I do .. but the newer spray cans don't work that way anymore - see below .. it's been hit or miss lately .. going to pick up some mineral spirits today and soak all the tips overnight to see what we can clear .. it's just frustrating ...

[wvgca]

i never had a problem with tips plugging, but then i never used the tips .... when i got a can [usually krylon] i would punch a small hole in the top to let the pressure out, and then decant the liquid into an empty gatorade bottle ... the liquid was the right consistency to airbrush then ..

[Sokramiketes]

i never had a problem with tips plugging, but then i never used the tips .... when i got a can [usually krylon] i would punch a small hole in the top to let the pressure out, and then decant the liquid into an empty gatorade bottle ... the liquid was the right consistency to airbrush then ..

This sounds exciting.  Are the rocket cans hard to catch?

[basementcalling]

From their website


Clogging - Aerosol Cans

    Updated 7 months ago

As superior performing products, our aerosol formulas contain premium pigments and resins to provide faster coverage, and ultimately, better performance. Over time, and as with any paint, these solids will start to separate from the liquid and the cans need to be shaken to get the mix into a homogenous state again. The longer it sits, the longer it may need to be agitated. Upon shaking the can to get the mixing ball dislodged, we then recommend an additional full minute of shaking to incorporate all of the material. Once mixed and the application has begun, we recommend shaking often during the application. Those solids need to be kept suspended to avoid things like clogging and sputtering.


Many of our aerosol cans now use a spray-anyway valve system, which will allow the can to be sprayed while held in any direction.   While this will prevent the ability to invert the can to spray it to "clear the can", this process should not be necessary.  After each use, the nozzle itself should be wiped clean to prevent paint from drying around the nozzle opening.  This should prevent the tip from clogging prior to the next use.  However, should the can become clogged, the tip can be rinsed in mineral spirits or paint thinner to loosen any dried material that may have accumulated there.  If cleaning the tip does not alleviate the clog, it may be inside the can, which will not be able to be cleared.

Freaking progress

[Lemosteam]

This sounds exciting.  Are the rocket cans hard to catch?

This is actually VERY easy to do and surprisingly quite safe since there is nothing to ignite the propellant.

Three rules:
1: Let the can rest for a week in the vertical position.

2: Minimize any movement of the can when transferring it to the decanting place (outside is best)

3: Once decanted, store in a partially open container for a few days to allow any remaining propellant to separate or it can depressurize at first open. Avoid movement too. (ask me how I know, lol)

I documented this process a while back:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=45599.msg590988#msg590988

[peteski]

This subject seems to bring positive and negative responses on other forums (usually negative).  I never use that stuff myself.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/181168-rust-oleum-paint/

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/178173-rustoleum-paints-are-terrible/

[Scottl]

I only use spray paint for trees but the Krylon brand can be used repeatedly over a month or so without cleaning the head upside down or otherwise.  It was a pretty heavy stream of paint so I can't imagine it being useful for models.

I suspect that the ability paint upside down is to serve a major consumer of spray paint- taggers.