Ive had it. I've tried most of them....I have YET to find a single one that has a decent shelf life after you open the can. Those quarts of finish are expensive and when I lose 1/2 or 3/4 of the can it really frosts my ass. I've got cans of Dalys and spar varnish that are 5 years old and are still good as new.

Its a racket these guys have to get us to buy more cans of their product. IMHO. Im done...going back to good ole Seafin and marine varnish.

Bill,

Put the cap on tight and store the can upside down.

Hi Bill,
I know what you mean. 10 - 15 years ago I started puting a little piece of plastic, like a plastig bag, over the opening and then screwing the cover on good and tight. Then I turn it upside down and leave it that way. I have some that I did at least 10 years ago and it is still good. When you open it you may have to take a knife and cut a little hardened finish out of the opening but the rest is usually good.
I,ve been laidup for a couple of years after a bad fall. After surgery and a bunch of other stuff I getting back to my OLD self and working in the shop again.
How did the little fan for the sweat box work out?

There is a very easy cure for your problems. It is called Bloxygen. It comes in an aeresol can and you spray it in your open can as you are closing the lid. It displaces the oxygen that allows it to dry out. I have been using it for several years and swear by it.

www.bloxygen.com

I checked the MSDS sheet on bloxygen web site. says it's nitrogen, argon & carbon dioxide. Wonder if I could just give the finish a squirt of argon from my tig welder and accomplish the same thing????

Bill, the idea is to displace the oxygen in the can, and I assume you are buying it by the gallon. Even if not, there is a simpler way.

Get washed gravel or do it yourself with round gravel and wash it and dry on a screen. When you remove some of the finish, add gravel to the can until it is again up to the top and then put the lid back on. So instead of spraying in non oxydizing gas, throw rocks.

I can just see Bill trying to explain to his wife, what the hell are rocks doing in the dishwasher

Sort of like me trying to explain why gun parts are in the oven being "baked"

Hey Bill
My kids can find some rocks for you! They usually end up going through the washing machine.

quote:

I can just see Bill trying to explain to his wife, what the hell are rocks doing in the dishwasher

Sort of like me trying to explain why gun parts are in the oven being "baked"

Man you just do this when the little lady is out of the house. What she doesn't know..... won't hurt me. Only kidding dear!!!!!

I've use several things over the years to try and stop it. From the squeeze bottle, oxygen removal, plastic wrap. I transfer what I will need to a small bottle and then quickly close the large can. I bought some cheap stone made for a fish tank. It was already pretty clean. Washed it and flushed with thinner and allowed to dry. I then use it to replace the volume and then lay plastic wrap over the top as I seal the can. Might be overkill.

quote:

it really frosts my ass.

Your just confused with the weather we've been having.

I had -12 at my house this AM.
Chad

Brrrrrrrrr...........its a good day to stay out of the shop and under the checkering lamp.

For the rocket scientists among you. Washing means putting the rocks on a screen and hosing off the fines and small rocks. Get the dirt off. Then dry ( in the air, not the clothes dryer)

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
Bill, the idea is to displace the oxygen in the can, and I assume you are buying it by the gallon. Even if not, there is a simpler way.

Get washed gravel or do it yourself with round gravel and wash it and dry on a screen. When you remove some of the finish, add gravel to the can until it is again up to the top and then put the lid back on. So instead of spraying in non oxydizing gas, throw rocks.

I heard of putting glass marbles in there too.

Kill two birds with one stone. Buy your wife a vacuum sealer for the kitchen and some of the jars/bottles that go with it. Then sneak some of them out to your shop to store your finish in and just suck the air out of the bottles when you go to store them.

Marbles!!!

I do as Jim suggested above--store the bottles upside down--and it works well for me.

baby food jars work REALLY good... just keep them full, and use a single jar at a time... if you loose one, no big deal...

jeffe