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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Has anyone found a way to preserve POR-15

Posted by: bondo Jan 27 2005, 11:52 AM

I buy my POR-15 in quarts, but still never use nearly that much at a time. I tried to seal it in a plastic soda bottle, but it kept pressurizing it and I had to vent it every once in a while (exploding soda bottles are messy, but exploding soda bottles full of POR-15 are messy beyond all comprehension). Eventually it solidified, and I had to toss it.

An unopened can will last for years.. has anyone found a way to preserve that life after opening?

Posted by: jr91472 Jan 27 2005, 11:56 AM

great question. I think you are suppose to just reseal the can as quickly as possible, but I have never tried it.

I have been buying the very small (pints?) cans as I have been doing fairly small jobs. Thats the only solution I have so far, but not very economical.

good luck

Posted by: Root_Werks Jan 27 2005, 11:57 AM

Use a piece of plastic bag when you put the lid on. Then stick it in the fridge. It will last longer, still not forever, but longer. Tip from a 914 buddy of mine. If you don't use the plastic on the lid when you put it on, it is hard if not impossible to open again.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Jan 27 2005, 11:58 AM

I cover mine with kitchen plastic wrap and install the lid just enough to make a seal on the can.

Posted by: bondo Jan 27 2005, 12:00 PM

I tried the can reseal thing, (with saran wrap) as well. If I don't deform the lid into a non-sealing taco the first time I open it, it happens the second time.

Has anyone ever painted an entire 914 with POR-15? Any reason why I shouldn't? It seems to cover very large areas.. but I've never tried spraying it. Could make a real mess of the garage IPB Image Does it run easily when sprayed? (seems like it might) I'd like to make sure this is the last time I'll have to soda blast this car

Posted by: bondo Jan 27 2005, 12:01 PM

Ooh, refrigeration.. good idea!

Posted by: Root_Werks Jan 27 2005, 12:03 PM

I have read somewhere,,,,, can't recall where that POR-15 doesn't spray well at all. It likes to be poured onto things or brushed. I have thought of it. Make sure you clean out that spray gun really good afterwards! IPB Image

Posted by: Elliot Cannon Jan 27 2005, 12:07 PM

I poured the rest of mine into a large pickle jar. Put plastic wrap over the jar and tighten the lid over the plastic. If you want to use it later and can't get the lid off the jar, poke a hole in the lid and pour it out into something else, like another pickle jar. It doesn't matter if it is a can or a jar, you just have make certain that it is sealed well. I guess no one needs to be cautioned not to get any on ya huh?
Cheers, Elliot

Posted by: MarkV Jan 27 2005, 12:20 PM

I bought a new can & lid at the harware store.

Posted by: type11969 Jan 27 2005, 12:21 PM

I have a can of por 15 that has been sitting in my garage for at least 4 years. Its been opened about 5 times over the years, always resealed with plastic wrap. No problems with it hardening. I remove the amount I need with a small measuring cup, then seal the can again quickly.

Don't put POR in a plastic solo cup though. I did that once, didn't use the amount I poured into the cup, and just set the cup down on my workbench to let it harden so I could throw it out. Next day, the POR in the cup was all over my bench. It melted right through the cup, maybe it was the heat from the reaction when the por hardens?

-Chris

Posted by: SirAndy Jan 27 2005, 12:21 PM

QUOTE (Root_Werks @ Jan 27 2005, 09:57 AM)
Then stick it in the fridge.

IPB Image seal it, then refrigerate ...

air, moisture and warm are no gud for por-15 ...

hint:
if you leave it in the can and it's not sealed right, the top will harden, but underneath it'll stay liquid forever. all you need to do is poke a hole in the top layer ...

werked for me ...
Andy

Posted by: SirAndy Jan 27 2005, 12:25 PM

QUOTE (Root_Werks @ Jan 27 2005, 10:03 AM)
can't recall where that POR-15 doesn't spray well at all.

we sprayed it on my car. the por-15 guys make a thinner that works very well with it, just for that purpose ...

sprayed interior ...
IPB Image

Andy

Posted by: JCG Jan 27 2005, 12:31 PM

I bought a few new paint cans at Home D and just decant into a fresh can each time I use it. BTW, I can't get the stuff to mist spray out of a hand sprayer. I took a coat hanger wire and tied a piece of fabric to the end, soaked it in por15 and shoved it down the longs. Kinda like cleaning a gun.

Posted by: SirAndy Jan 27 2005, 12:35 PM

QUOTE (JCG @ Jan 27 2005, 10:31 AM)
BTW, I can't get the stuff to mist spray out of a hand sprayer.

you'll need the thinner they sell ...

IPB Image Andy

Posted by: Urban Redneck Jan 27 2005, 12:38 PM

Andy's correct keep the paint from being exposed to the air as much as possible. I believe the POR is a "moisture cure urethane". Moisture in the air release the blockers of the isocyanate (catalyst) which gives the paint its very durable and chemical resistant properties.

Basically POR's making the paint more user friendly. I'm in the coating business and am impressed with this product.

Tom-

Posted by: scott thacher Jan 27 2005, 12:39 PM

here is a trick

put the lid on what ever container you are using to store it in, lift the corner of the lid and stick in the tube on a can of super duster ( the computer stuff ) and give it a good squirt to displace the o2 and moisture in the can then seal. if you ever do plastic casting, the resins will not give good castings when it absorbs moisture.

Posted by: charlesmac Jan 27 2005, 12:43 PM

I've sealed it with plastic wrap before and it works great. Another suggestion is to take a sheet metal screw and screw it into the lid on both sides, one hole to pour, the other to vent. When your done, just put some sheet metal screws back in the holes, the por15 that dries around the screw seals it nicely. When it's time to use again, just pull the screws out.

charles

Posted by: Joe Ricard Jan 27 2005, 12:57 PM

QUOTE (JCG @ Jan 27 2005, 10:31 AM)
I bought a few new paint cans at Home D and just decant into a fresh can each time I use it. BTW, I can't get the stuff to mist spray out of a hand sprayer. I took a coat hanger wire and tied a piece of fabric to the end, soaked it in por15 and shoved it down the longs. Kinda like cleaning a gun.

Genious I'd a never thought of that. Now I got a new item on the "to do" list

Posted by: lapuwali Jan 27 2005, 01:08 PM

I should note that it doesn't have an infinite shelf life, either. I bought a six-pack of the plastic pint containers in about 1998, and didn't try to use them until 2002. I hadn't even removed the shrink wrap from the package, let alone touched the tops on the containers. They were always stored on a high shelf in the garage. Every one of them was useless. I bought another package and used one of the pints right away, but still have the other five, unopened. I'm hoping they're still useful when I need them this summer.

Posted by: ewdysar Jan 27 2005, 01:13 PM

My wife paints scenery for TV shows and the likes, using small amount of various paints bought in bulk. She's got 2 tips:

Press plastic wrap down onto the surface of the paint in the can, it'll float. This separates the paint from the air in the can. The wrap can be sealed onto the wet paint on the sides of the can. Do not shake up the can until you've removed the plastic before the next use.

Like the suggestion above to use a shot of keyboard cleaner in the can, use the inert gas from your welder. Heavier than air, it will displace the air from the can if fed gently into an upright can. My buddy does this to preserve open bottles of $$ wine. It's alot cheaper than the little cartridges sold in wine snob stores.

Eric

Posted by: 736conver Jan 27 2005, 01:14 PM

Another tip that works with any kind of paint. Punch a few holes into the recess of the can top. When you pour the paint it drains back in making it easier to get the top off next time. The plastice wrap also wont stick as bad either.

Posted by: 7391420 Jan 27 2005, 01:18 PM

I had the same problem, -if you dont get a good seal, the top will harden, but below will stay liquid. If this happens, be carefull when you cut through the top so you dont spray your self with it!!

-good idea on the new empty paint cans, by the 3rd time or so I use one of the quart cans, the top is totalled from using a rubber mallet to re-close it..

-i guess decanting it immediatly into a metal cup and sealing the origional container would be a good idea, so that no residue gets onto the top...

Posted by: TonyAKAVW Jan 27 2005, 01:22 PM

I am not sure how well it is going to work, but I bought a regular 1 gallon paint can at my local hardware store and put my 1 qt POR-15 can inside that. Since I pour out of the smaller can, the big can doesn't get anything on the lip.

Not sure how long this will work, as there is a lot more air that the POR-15 sees, but we'll see. Not a bad idea to evacuate the can with duster, or maybe even some welding gas that might be handy.

-Tony

Posted by: SpecialK Jan 27 2005, 01:34 PM

I've had pretty good luck using cap plugs (size #18) for the little cans. The sides of the cap plug is tapered and wants to pop back out, but the suction/vacuum caused by pushing the cap into the can keeps it in. POR doesn't stick to the caps so removal is easy, not sure what size the quart can would be, but I'm pretty sure they'd work just as well.

Refrigeration (not freezing) would help I would think, but the guy's at POR told me the shelf-life is only about a year, even for unopened cans (had some new ones cure on me IPB Image , they replaced them free of charge )

Sorry about the focus of the pic, forgot to press the macro button

Attached image(s)

Posted by: Eric_Shea Jan 27 2005, 02:16 PM

A painter friend says thin it with Lacquer Thinner rather than buying their over-price thinner.

Posted by: type11969 Jan 27 2005, 02:51 PM

do the small cans only have a shelf life of a year? I wonder why my quart can has lasted so long . . .

Posted by: Brian_Boss Jan 27 2005, 02:54 PM

QUOTE
I believe the POR is a "moisture cure urethane". Moisture in the air release the blockers of the isocyanate (catalyst) which gives the paint its very durable and chemical resistant properties.

IIRC, the moisture is actually a catalyst that triggers the linking of the urethanes. Since a single H2O molecule in the can will _eventually_ make the whole mess solidify, anything you do is just delaying the inevitable.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Jan 27 2005, 03:22 PM

slightly off topic....

but how do i get it off my hootus? IPB Image

Posted by: jkeyzer Jan 27 2005, 03:22 PM

Keep it under dry nitrogen. IPB Image

Not you Aaron, the POR-15.