discussion Paint racks... what you using ?

[langy71]

So guys,
I'm currently using some nail polish racks for the storage of my paints, mostly vallejo type bottles, and was thinking about upgrading to a better system, however I can't work out what... if any... is better than what I'm using.
so the question goes out... what do you use ? and is it worth the 'investment' ?

thx in advance

 

[Mickc1440]

I have three laser cut wooden racks for my mainly Vallejo paints which do keep them tidy but I'm now at the stage where I have more bottles than space in the racks and no space for more racks :smiling:

 

[Dave Ward]

I keep my paints in the dark - two plastic cantilever toolboxes - I see these racks, with the paints all open to the sunlight..................... It's OK if you have a rapid turnover of paint, but UV light will degrade those paints in their neat rows. I also store them on their side, but that's just a fad of mine! :tongue-out3:
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

I have three laser cut wooden racks for my mainly Vallejo paints which do keep them tidy but I'm now at the stage where I have more bottles than space in the racks and no space for more racks :smiling:

Plus one on that Mick. I use two of the hobby zone racks, by the way, located at the side and back of my painting bench.
Cheap, sturdy, and effective.
https://www.hobbyzone.pl/en/stands-racks-and-hangers-for-paints/97-paint-stand-26mm.html

My Tamiya, oils, and Humbrol paints are used much less so are kept in “really useful boxes” on the shelf.

 

[dave]

Got 3 Hobbyzone racks above their drawer sets and an MDF rack I made myself which is similar and holds 50 Vallejo bottles

 

[Guest]

Most of my paints are in two drawers in an ancient sideboard, much of them stacked two deep in each, while the paints I don’t use a lot are in a plastic chest of drawers intended for tools. More than once, I have given some thought to proper paint racks, but I came to the conclusion that don’t have the room for them.

 

[KarlW]

I also use the HobbyZone racks, have 5 of them on the wall, these two are temporarily empty.

But I have been looking around as HZ don't cover all bases and EBMA seem to hit the mark for my other types of bottles.

 

[Airborne01]

I use Bisley filing cabinets and HZ 'shelving as well as home-made storage for odd sized bottles - I also use the floor ...!
Steve

 

[Gern]

I knocked up these from a strip of MDF about 75mm wide.



As you can see, the paints are three/four deep which means finding the colour you want is a PITA. Short of expanding the unit to three/four times its size - I don't have any extra space to do that - there's no way around it though.

This is an old box for a keyboard:



Works really nicely with the labels (Until you run out. Must remember next time I'm shopping!) so I can see every colour but space is very limited. I've seen folks use similar shallow boxes and put a dab of paint on the top of the bottle. That does help with finding the colour you want - you can tell red from green - but it won't necessarily lead you straight to the exact version of Olive Drab or Dunkelgrun that you want!

Whatever you decide, you should bear in mind the Golden Rule of storage:

There is NEVER enough shelf space.

PS It also helps if you only keep ONE of each colour on your shelves. Duplicates and extras can be kept in a box or drawer until needed.

 

[Ian M]

I have started to use the HZ ones. they do them to many different size/makes of paint.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I knocked up these from a strip of MDF about 75mm wide.



As you can see, the paints are three/four deep which means finding the colour you want is a PITA. Short of expanding the unit to three/four times its size - I don't have any extra space to do that - there's no way around it though.

This is an old box for a keyboard:



Works really nicely with the labels (Until you run out. Must remember next time I'm shopping!) so I can see every colour but space is very limited. I've seen folks use similar shallow boxes and put a dab of paint on the top of the bottle. That does help with finding the colour you want - you can tell red from green - but it won't necessarily lead you straight to the exact version of Olive Drab or Dunkelgrun that you want!

Whatever you decide, you should bear in mind the Golden Rule of storage:

There is NEVER enough shelf space.

PS It also helps if you only keep ONE of each colour on your shelves. Duplicates and extras can be kept in a box or drawer until needed.

I‘m going to steal that label on the lid idea for my Tamiya paint…..it’s so simple it’s genius.

 

[KarlW]

I‘m going to steal that label on the lid idea for my Tamiya paint…..it’s so simple it’s genius.

Look on eBay, there's a lad selling coloured labels for Tamiya paints.

 

[Guest]

I‘m going to steal that label on the lid idea for my Tamiya paint…..it’s so simple it’s genius.

I don’t need it for Tamiya paints, because the cap colour is close enough to the paint inside, but I do paint the tops of all those eyedropper bottles with what’s inside of them.

 

[langy71]

"I do paint the tops of all those eyedropper bottles with what’s inside of them."

I've just started to do that myself, makes paint selection so much easier... :thumb2: :thumb2:

 

[mog]

Like most builder’s space is always a priority. In my shop I split space between model builds with big kid wood projects. I tried some of the prefab racks and found them not to my liking, However I did keep the Vallejo and Hobbies zone racks as fillers. But mainly built my own racks to fit the space, for quick paint ids, whenever I get new paints when I drop a mixing ball in I drip the cap it’s a great way to Id paint color at a glance

 

[langy71]

This is where I'm at with this idea... spotted these on that well known rainforest site....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01720DWKU/ref=ewc_pr_img_2?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B013WYJ4CA/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A17DLE79GYOEO5&psc=1

 

[mog]

I knocked up these from a strip of MDF about 75mm wide.



As you can see, the paints are three/four deep which means finding the colour you want is a PITA. Short of expanding the unit to three/four times its size - I don't have any extra space to do that - there's no way around it though.

This is an old box for a keyboard:



Works really nicely with the labels (Until you run out. Must remember next time I'm shopping!) so I can see every colour but space is very limited. I've seen folks use similar shallow boxes and put a dab of paint on the top of the bottle. That does help with finding the colour you want - you can tell red from green - but it won't necessarily lead you straight to the exact version of Olive Drab or Dunkelgrun that you want!

Whatever you decide, you should bear in mind the Golden Rule of storage:

There is NEVER enough shelf space.

PS It also helps if you only keep ONE of each colour on your shelves. Duplicates and extras can be kept in a box or drawer until needed.

for quick paint ids, whenever I get new paints when I drop a mixing ball in I drip the cap it’s a great way to Id paint color at a glance

 

[Valeron]

I don’t need it for Tamiya paints, because the cap colour is close enough to the paint inside, but I do paint the tops of all those eyedropper bottles with what’s inside of them.

Now that is a great idea. Never thought about that. I'll be doing that from now on when I next open the bottles.

 

[davecov]

I bought a lot of bits and bobs from EBMA - https://www.ebmahobby.co.uk/

I don't have any bottles/tins with paints in front of me as I my only window and second PC monitor are there. However, I do have a lot of bottle stands for my glues, MicroSol etc:

To my left are the paints which are kept away from direct sunlight and dust. I use Alclad 2 lacquers and enamels from Humbrol, Phoenix, XtraColours, WEM & Colourcoats.

The trays can be lifted out and I have additional trays for paints being used for current builds:

Spare paints are kept in a metal three-drawer toolbox and a Really Useful box.

Dave

 

[Ancientmariner]

So I bought the racks CarlW has and there were good but they really need to be firmly fixed to something. I got rid when I needed more space and just used 2x2 battons screwed to the wall, cheap and easy, just put up first one, paint pot on it plus a finger and that's height of next one.
This also takes up minimal space from your work area.