Point arrow towards red mark on can...

[John Coloccia]

Why??? What possible difference could it make witch way the nozzle on the spray can is pointing? This simple question has failed to succumb to my google prowess.

[Chris Damm]

That's where the end of the tube is so you will get more liquid out of the can unless you are spraying up.

[Mike Henderson]

That's where the end of the tube is so you will get more liquid out of the can unless you are spraying up.
That's what I always assumed.

Mike

[Steve Baumgartner]

That's where the end of the tube is so you will get more liquid out of the can unless you are spraying up.
I had always wondered too. So, if I get what you are saying, the pickup tube is sort of J shaped, and the mark is in the direction that the bottom of the J curves?

[ray hampton]

I think that you are mistaken, the nozzle are suppose to point toward the red line so that you can see the spray direction are away from your face, some nozzle are not user friendly

[Bill Miltner]

I think that you are mistaken, the nozzle are suppose to point toward the red line so that you can see the spray direction are away from your face, some nozzle are not user friendly

Sorry Ray but they are correct. I previously worked for a company that filled aerosol cans. The tube inside is slightly longer than the can height and curved at the bottom. The red dot indicated the side of the can that the tube "bottoms" out on.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It's my understanding the tube is slightly longer than the depth of the can. It's installed so the end is in the edge of the can touching on side at the bottom where the red dot is located. Thus when installed there is a slight bend in the tube. By pointing the nozzle at the red dot, as suggested earlier, you should be able to spray nearly all the liquid from the can.

[John Coloccia]

So if I'm spraying up, the arrow should be aligned opposite the dot. Interesting. It would be so much easier if they said "pickup tube on the red dot side" instead of giving vague instruction that are actually wrong depending where you're spraying. LOL.

Well, thanks. You learn something new every day :)

[Myk Rian]

What if the dot was black?

[Joe Angrisani]

What if the dot was black?

Different color paint.

[Lee Schierer]

What if the dot was black?

It means your paint is old and you need to buy a new can.:eek:

[Rick Moyer]

So if I'm spraying up, the arrow should be aligned opposite the dot. Interesting. It would be so much easier if they said "pickup tube on the red dot side" instead of giving vague instruction that are actually wrong depending where you're spraying. LOL.

Well, thanks. You learn something new every day :)

ONLY for those smarter than a boulder, thus the "point at red arrow" instructions! They're lucky most even read THAT part!

[Jim Rimmer]

They probably need to add a line to that instruction; "Point nozzle at red dot and make sure the red dot is on the side away from your face."

[ray hampton]

the red dot is not on all cans, I only recall seeing the dot on maybe 2 cans, like I said in a earlier post , pointing the spray nozzle away from your face is the important point, NOT ALL NOZZLE ARE THE SAME,and none of them are make for big fingers ,the nozzle can rotate under your finger without you noticed it

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ray,

Check out this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosol_paint

Look at the drawing on the right side.

I would suggest the dot is to show you where the tube is so you can get your money's worth and empty the can.

If you wanted to make sure the nozzle was pointed away from the user, you'd put the red dot on the nozzle not the can. Typically there is already an arrow on the nozzle.

[Jim Koepke]

Typically there is already an arrow on the nozzle.

And most people with half a brain can figure out that the side with the hole is where the paint comes out.

Unfortunately, it seems people with only a quarter of a brain do not understand this. We often see them with half of their face painted on TV at sporting events.

jtk

[ray hampton]

And most people with half a brain can figure out that the side with the hole is where the paint comes out.

Unfortunately, it seems people with only a quarter of a brain do not understand this. We often see them with half of their face painted on TV at sporting events.

jtk
Jim, are this post directed at me because I am the only one who mentioned spraying mistakes surfaces, I have spray the palm of my hand more than once because of the nozzle and it is not because of my missing brain

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ray,

I am not trying to insult you. I have, in haste, grabbed a can and discovered the nozzle wasn't pointed where I thought.

If you look at the drawing that I indicated in the link, you will see the bottom of the can is higher in the center than the outer edges. Thus the paint will flow away from the center of the can to the edges of the can. The tube is longer than distance to either the center of the can or to the outer edge of the can. This is done purposely so that when the tube is placed in the can and the can is sealed, the tube will not move due to tension and friction. Thus, it's inserted to align with the dot. So if you place the arrow on the nozzle pointed towards the dot, and you spray just so slightly "down hill"....I'm talking a small fraction of a degree.....the paint inside the can will drain to the tube and you can spray all of it IF you don't run out of propellant first.

[ray hampton]

Ken, I understand the placing of the tube ,actual the can do not spray very well unless it is held almost vertical ,10 or 15 degrees from vertical either way, you can try to insult me BUT it will be VERY HARD to do,If the tube was to branch off into four directions then the can could be held close to horizontal and the paint would still get pick-up

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ray.....reread what I said.....a fraction of a degree...............from vertical........... not 10º-15º......slightly down hill.............and I am not trying to insult you.........

[ray hampton]

Ray.....reread what I said.....a fraction of a degree...............from vertical........... not 10º-15º......slightly down hill.............and I am not trying to insult you.........

when you say " a fraction of a degree , are you talking minutes or seconds of degrees, I know that you can separate the degree to minutes but the average person will had trouble with 10 degrees

[Brian Kent]

If it had not been for the experts at the creek, I would never even know there was an instruction like that on a spray can.

And I am way too slow to know if I have been insulted.

I usually put the push-button thingie on the hole end of the spray can.

[Larry Edgerton]

You all need to try the new Premium Rustoliem cans with the trigger and ergo handle. Don't know if the paint is any better, but I can paint without getting a different colored index finger.

Larry

Always wondered what that dot meant......

[ray hampton]

If it had not been for the experts at the creek, I would never even know there was an instruction like that on a spray can.

And I am way too slow to know if I have been insulted.

I usually put the push-button thingie on the hole end of the spray can.
I like to read but the print on spray paint can and other can of spray are too small to read without using a magnified glass, when did this red dot first appear on spray-paint cans ?

[Damon Stathatos]

I think the spray paint guys all sit around and get a good laugh out of the red dot instructions every night after work. Some of the real pranksters even put TWO red dots on some of the cans, prompting an unusually good nightly session.

But seriously, I now feel better because I never get the thing pointing at the red dot and now I know that it doesn't mean beans until I get to the end of the can.

[ray hampton]

You all need to try the new Premium Rustoliem cans with the trigger and ergo handle. Don't know if the paint is any better, but I can paint without getting a different colored index finger.

Larry




Always wondered what that dot meant......

is this a pistol -grip handle ?

[Myk Rian]

when did this red dot first appear on spray-paint cans ?
About 1622. The Queens painter discovered the usefulness of it. :D