Question
What do you use when mixing up very small batches of finish? I use CV, but this is for anything that you have to mix, and can't just be poured back into its parent container.
I can't practically formulate less than one quart of CV. But if I don't need that much, it gets harder (and more tedious) to do. I've always thought it would be a great device that could both store the varnish and dispense it; something like a big cooler of ice tea at a picnic. You know what I mean? For absolute accuracy, some sort of metering device would be great, like used for colorants.
I do okay - though I don't like to lift the whole five gallons - with a large funnel into my two-quart pot (whether I am mixing one quart or two). Also, I know the reaction with the catalyst can be stopped by adding 300-400% more straight CV, but I don't have any great way to do that. Is it as simple as just having a clean can on standby?
To summarize, how are you folks getting the product into the pot? What methods are used for mixing very small batches? And for any leftover material, do you have any slick solutions for storing the deactivated, previously-potted varnish?
Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor O:
I mix and spray from a gallon can. I save empty stain cans as I buy the stains in gallons. When I clean up the system (I use AAA), I also rinse out the gallon can and leave some thinner in it so I can get several uses out of it.
I made a stick with notches cut in it to correlate to 1 qt, 2 qt, 3 qt and 4qt. I can then pour from the 5 gallon pail into the gallon can up to the desired notch. I just estimate if I need a pint or 1 1/2 qts. I use a paint mixing cup to measure the catalyst. I also have a small cup that holds 3 oz that I use if I need only 1.6 oz for a pint of material. When I used a pot, I always put the material in a gallon can, and place the can inside the pot so I didn't have to clean the pot, just rinse the can out.
I made a little spreadsheet chart that I keep on my phone so I can find it. At some point I will print out and laminate a bigger version, but it tells me 1 through 32 ounces, how many ml that is. That then gives me various breakdowns for a percentage, which allows me to pick an amount of CV I want to mix, gives me an amount of catalyst for that amount, and I added a couple of calculations for percentage of thinner I may want to add. Good thing is I can use this same cheat sheet for dyes, toners, etc.
With leftover CV, I've been spraying some nice pieces of driftwood I got from the river that are very dry that I intend to hang up somewhere. I don't know of any other good thing to do with it short of shooting something laying around. I hate to pour out even a small amount, I just see money running out on the ground. I work out of gallon cans I've poured off stirred up product into out of the 5 gallon can.
The sheet is based on an ounce being 30 ml. So if you're using 1 oz of catalyst to a quart of CV, you can do the math. I use Sherwin Williams CV and that's their ratio. I've found I can't really shoot less than 8 ounces total (CV, catalyst, and thinner) in my siphon gun and actually get enough product to work with as the gun needs a certain amount to work. I'm experimenting with a gravity gun to do even smaller batches but while I know it will work, I haven't done it enough to say "yes, this works."
As far as measuring goes, I got some small measuring cups at a local discount store (Fred's) that are really just shot glasses with various markings on them. Using those gives me the ml, and I mix up in a SW measuring bucket that will measure small amounts less than a quart.
You can buy measuring cups from your finish supplier in lots of different sizes. Get some big ones to pour and measure your CV into, then use a small one to measure and dispense your catalyst into your CV. Now you can pour this off into your spray gun, pressure pot, or simply drop a dipstick from your AAA into it. When empty, let it dry and you can pull the dried material out and reuse the cups. You can get quite a few uses out of a single cup. When pouring into your cup gun or pot, just be sure to use a cone filter.
I buy and keep in stock 1qt (1L) and 2qt (2.5L) cups. I buy them in cases of 100. A case of either size costs me less than $100 from my finish supplier, and they last a long time as they get used over and over until they are finally thrown out. IF you have an MLC distributor, they sell Campy cups and they are already graduated to mix their products.
My visual memory tells me where the CV needs to be inside the funnel for it to be either one quart or two in the pot. These ratios work, as does the visual estimation. I use SW products, and perhaps it's a forgiving system. That is, certainly I am not getting it exactly the same every time I mix up the varnish. In eleven years of using, no problem of doing it this way.
It's when it comes to relatively tiny quantities. Perhaps the whole job is substantially complete, but you forgot about the light rail or two bun feet, or the wood knobs that are being used on one piece instead of the metal ones everywhere else. A quart is way too much, and without being able to practically measure less, I usually relegate myself to the harsh reality of wasting that high-cost product. Grief, it almost hurts to type that! I like the idea of spraying driftwood for art, or whatever else ready-to-finish items for just such an occasion.
Perhaps I should invest in an 8 oz gravity cup for the itty bitty things. For the mixing ratio, it's just a bit of math, sure. So now we're back to getting the 5 gallon can poured into that little 8 oz cup.
Let's talk about plastic a minute. I like the idea of syringes. And the plastic jug that the catalyst comes in holds up just fine. Does anyone see any issue with plastic condiment bottles? The squirty type like you might find at a diner or cafe, red for ketchup (or catsup, if you like), yellow for mustard, or the clear that you, yourself, might already use in your own kitchen to hold olive or vegetable oil. It might be a good break down size for the catalyst, yes?
For the CV, one poster mentioned smaller gallon cans to store in. What are your thoughts on breaking down your 5 gallon can to the gallon size, then swapping the lid for a pour-through type with screw on cap? Provided there wouldn't be any detriment to the varnish to be stored and administered this way, it seems this would provide much better control (for me anyway) when needing to pour out a small quantity into a small cup.
I'm asking SW to shake my next 5, though the manager said he won't pour it off for me and won't let me pour it off in the store since "it might explode." So I'll pour it off on my tailgate and go home. Point is to get it out of that 5 and into something I can handle.
I believe the main criteria for storage is a good seal. Even pouring out of a 1 gallon can is easy if it's not slam full. I usually leave my gallon cans stay about a little less than half and move to next full if I'm making quarts. That way if I need to pour off 8 oz I'm working out of that smaller amount in the half-full can. Make sense?
Go by a discount store, blow a dollar or two on some small cups that will measure ml and try it. You won't need to come up with all these condiment containers then.
