Pet Peeve - Filled To The Brim!!!

[James Farrow]

O.K. I buy a quart of Minwax Wood Finish stain. On the can it says "stir well". Now, how do you do this when the can is filled to the brim? LOL!

Dang it, the stuff spills over the top if you just look at it. LOL!

I gather the reason they do this is so that people get a "full" can and figure they got their moneys worth.

But it sure would be a lot easier (and less messy) if they made the can slighly larger so you had a 1/2" or so at the top so you could stir it without spilling it all over the place.

This bug anyone else?

James :)

[Stuart Hough]

I HATE making a mess, and that is the first thing that happens. I used to try to pour some into a container first, but if you don't dump the entire can into the container (Tupperware bowl...and yes my wife hates that) you can't possibly get the mixture back to the correct concentration. All they would have to do is raise the sealing lip 1/2 inch and our problem is solved! Just goes to show you what happens when bean-counters over-rule common sense!

[Greg Cole]

If you are going to fill mine to the rim, please make it a malted barley concoction! :D
I too have heard about what is acceptable for use in the shop (ala tupperware)..... So after a few lessons, I now reach for the "gladware"! Much to the satisfaction of the LOML. We are also saving containers from the household for shop use as opposed to recycling them immediately. Screw type glass jars are great for home made "brews" of stains, finishes etc.... just don't think it will be good a year from the last use!

Greg

[Steve Schoene]

The fact that finish manufacturers leave no head room relates to the fact that the air that would be left could shorten the shelf life substantially. Of course they could fill with an inert gas, but who wants to pay the extra cost for doing that.

Solution: pore off enough liquid to thoroughly stir the rest. Then pore the well mixed stain into the material that you pored off and stir it up well. If you expect to only use part, return the amount you believe will be excess to the can before you use the rest. You always want to pore finishing material into another container for use. That way you don't contaminate the entire can with dust, etc.

[glenn bradley]

I think we're really after keeping the air to a minimum for shelf life. I picked up a couple large bowls with pour spouts at the 99cent store. I dump the whole can to keep things as intended mix-wise, stir it up and return it to the can (or use some first). By the time I'm ready to use the can again, I've lowered the level.

[Steve Schoene]

There is only one problem with dumping the whole thing initially and that is that with stains there is often a layer of pigment clumped at the bottom that needs to be stirred before it will pore out. That's why you need to pore off a part so that all the pigment on the bottom can be stirred up before the rest of the material is pored off.

[James Farrow]

Thanks for the replies. I am glad I am not the only one this bugs.

Some good ideas too.

Thanks again,

James :)

[Jason Roehl]

Another option, if you're patient enough, is to have a paint department employee at the place of purchase run it through their shaker before you buy it.