discussion Frost proofing my paints, MacGyver style

[Guest]

I mentioned in another topic that I came to the shed one morning to find my brush cleaning pot frozen solid

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Now whilst I haven't built up a large selection of paints yet I didn't want to lose the ones I already had, and clearly I'm making the assumption that freezing would damage them as it does with waterbourne acrylic car paint, so set about a solution.

First off I lined one of my plastic drawers with expanded polystyrene, and used some dividers I'd made previously.

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Then the actual chest got wrapped in foam too. Since this is a shed the only acceptable fixing method was, of course, black duct tape

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I've moved my other acrylics paints over to these drawers as well. I also put my lacquer & oils in here, not that they need the protection, but it's keeps all the wet stuff together.

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And safely tucked up for the night

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Also lined a cardboard box for the larger stuff that wouldn't fit in the drawers, like PVA, AB cleaner & thinners etc. This is before I had a big clean up and vacuumed the floor!

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It's not pretty but it'll work, and only needs to see me through to the spring when I'll hopefully be knocking the new shed/workspace together, which will be properly insulated and have frost proof heating.

 

[prichrd1]

This is before I had a big clean up and vacuumed the floor!

Andy,

Does you're wife know that you can use this complicated piece of household equipment?
and more seriously vacuuming the shed???? :surprised: :surprised:

Good idea insulating them - especially if you can't insulate the whole shed.

Paul.
:smiling:

 

[BattleshipBob]

Good job sir, i also spray paint in a dusty cold garage so i bought the paints in to my modelling room, nice and warm lol

 

[Steven000]

Good job sir, i also spray paint in a dusty cold garage so i bought the paints in to my modelling room, nice and warm lol

I also do it like that! :tongue-out3:

Nice work Andy, I hope it will work fine this winter :thumb2:

 

[Guest]

Cheers guys.

Andy,

Does you're wife know that you can use this complicated piece of household equipment?
and more seriously vacuuming the shed???? :surprised: :surprised:

It's what the Yanks would call a shop vac. It used to be connected to my router table as dust extraction, so would never be allowed near the house. I'm not allowed near the house vac as I killed our last Dyson by trying to suck up brick and plaster dust :smiling5:

 

[adt70hk]

I just wish I had a separate space to do my modelling in.....,

 

[PaulTRose]

. I'm not allowed near the house vac as I killed our last Dyson by trying to suck up brick and plaster dust :smiling5:

well played sir......cos i bet since then you never get asked to hoover up :thumb2:

 

[Si Benson]

I just wish I had a separate space to do my modelling in.....,

Me too!

 

[Si Benson]

Cheers guys.



It's what the Yanks would call a shop vac. It used to be connected to my router table as dust extraction, so would never be allowed near the house. I'm not allowed near the house vac as I killed our last Dyson by trying to suck up brick and plaster dust :smiling5:

My son (when he was a toddler) loved to use our dyson, mainly the hose attachment. Until one day he suck all the water from the dog bowl up! Surprisingly after I dried it out it work fine for a few weeks before the motor started smoking :smiling5:
It was still under warranty and Dyson sent round a chap, who put a new motor in, no questions asked :thumb2:


Andy, it’s a shame you dont live nearby as I work at a place that makes expanded polystyrene boxes and lids (amongst other stuff). We recycle 5 or 6 tons, yes tons, of rejects and returns a week!

 

[Guest]

Wow, I'd have to buy another shed just to store some of that in Si lol. I'm a bit of a hoarder. 5 or 6 tons of foam must be a huge volume! :surprised:

 

[Guest]

5 or 6 tons of foam must be a huge volume! :surprised:

Density is apparently between 11 and 32 kg/m³, so 5 tonnes would be between ca. 150 and 450 m³. Yes, I think that needs a shed or two to store

 

[Guest]

As a consequence of moving my paints I ended up with a bit of storage space in the white drawers under my bench. This allowed me to finally move some tools & stuff off the bench top (the only place I've had to put them until now). This means a (slightly) tidier work area!

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[Ian M]

I used to have an old refrigerator in the shed that I kept household paints in. Worked quite well. Not plugged in I hasten to add. Shelves, nice big door, insulated.
I put a plastic bottle with water in inside. Even over a very cold and snowy winter. the water never froze.

 

[Guest]

Good idea Ian. Like you say, an insulated cupboard, ideal.

 

[Si Benson]

Here’s a short film from one of our EPS processing plants.

 

[Si Benson]

Density is apparently between 11 and 32 kg/m³, so 5 tonnes would be between ca. 150 and 450 m³. Yes, I think that needs a shed or two to store :smiling3:

I snapped a picture of one of our recycle storage areas this morning to give you some perspective of the volumes.



Dependant on grade, the raw material can cost up to £3000 a ton so recycling isn’t just ecologically friendly but financially beneficial

 

[Guest]

Ooh I'd love a good rummage through that lot lol

 

[Si Benson]

You could build more than a couple of sheds out of that lot Andy!

 

[flyjoe180]

With that lot you could insulate the entire shed

 

[tr1ckey66]

Nice, bright work space Andy. I like the way you’ve coloured the tops of the Vallejo bottles too to iindicate the colour!
Just a thought but is it possible to insulate the entire shed? Could you board some insulation in between the studwork?
Cheers
Paul