ARMY PAINTER problem - spray cans

[Muzzle]

Hey guys,

Few days ago I have discovered... "something"...
My white primer and anti-shine varnish cans had... bulge/swelling (damn, my English isn't pro and I don't know which word to use). Just look on photos - you'll know what I mean.


View attachment 14577

View attachment 14578

Additional - white primer is "bulged" at the bottom. Why? I don't know...

View attachment 14579


So I went to test them. Shaking, shaking, shaking. About 5 minutes each can - to make sure it's shaked well.
First anti shine varnish - with my old nozzle:
First press - ok
Second press - ok
Third press - ok but spatter is smaller...
Fourth press - even more smaller spatter
Fifth press - very small spatter and finally clogged

So I think - "ok, maybe this nozzle was dirty or something (but I really, really doubt)". I have put new one (original, I got it from AP). And... this same story. Clogged in few seconds.
I took nozzle off and pressed it with match and it was working ok (spraying like a crazy!).

So I have put nozzle again and tried to spray. Again, after fourth/fifth press it was clogged.
First time I have used it on... six (!) models... and it's dead already?

Different story is with white primer. It's not spraying with old nozzle. Not even with new one. But when I use match - it seems that it's working.
It's funny because I have used it only... twice! I have primed five models, went upstairs and took next five models, primed them and it was done.

Next day I've made a final test. White primer - shaking, shaking, shaking... ah, what the hell?! This "bulged thing" under the can is bigger! Unfortunately I can't make a nice photo of this (my old camera makes ugly macros and I don't have the new one with my at the moment) but believe me - it's bigger. So I didn't do anything with this can again... I don't know if this thing can explode... but I won't check it ;-)


What's the cause of this?


These two cans weren't used since end of May. And now I can't use them...
Did anything like that happend to you guys?

I was looking for similar problem but I didn't find any... Some people says that AP cans are like Russian roulette - my first primer was ok, second had damaged can (AP replaced it for a new one) and third is again broken? Also my first anti shine was ok, second is broken?
IMO their stuff is great... but only if it works ;-)

I'll be grateful for your help in solving this mystery!

 

[airhead]

Looks like they got hot.

Gasses expanded and bulged the cans.

Where'd you have them stored? Garage? Closed up in a car?

 

[10 ball]

Ive seen cans do this when we used to throw them in fires when I was a kid. BANG!!!

 

[Muzzle]

Looks like they got hot.

Gasses expanded and bulged the cans.

Where'd you have them stored? Garage? Closed up in a car?

My cans are always lying on the shelf in my room, about 7 centimeters above the ground. The place is dark - no direct sunrays.
I just read on the can: "Protect against sunrays and do not expose to temperature above 50*C."
There's no direct sunrays on cans in my room. We have summer right now, but there was 30-35*C maximum in last 30 days. Please don't tell me that these cans are that much delicate... damn.

 

[AndyG]

Err yeah throw them away.

 

[airhead]

OK, any chance they froze then?

In any case, the stuff is gone bad.

time to pitch them and move on to better products.

 

[Muzzle]

OK, any chance they froze then?

I don't think so... It's not cold at night (10-12*C or more, outside). More probably is that it's because of hot but still... 30-35*C isn't "above 50*C".

I guess there is no way to fix it, right? ;-)

 

[kathrynloch]

I've only seen bulging like that on aerosol cans when they were exposed to direct heat. There's not a vent for heating near where you had them in your room? And you're certain they weren't like that when you purchased them. Unfortunately there is no way to save them now. Once the metal of the can does that, it's weakened and so is the seal around the bottom. They are definitely a potential hazard now so you need to get rid of them.

 

[Muzzle]

There's not a vent for heating near where you had them in your room? And you're certain they weren't like that when you purchased them.

Nope.
I'm always checking stuff which I get - and the cans seemed to be ok, working without any problems. I would notice if they were damaged etc.

 

[Egrimm van Horstmann]

Hmmm, my experience with Army Painter Spray isn't the best anyway. I tried the Silver Bascoat on a Chaos Cannon and the color I applied afterwards was repelled. I always thought, that Primer was meant to do the opposite ;-)
Someone I know used the red primer on his Bloodletters and the color was rubbed off quickly, so you could see the metal shine through (they were the old metal bloodletters).
I recommend to use a different manufacturer.

cheers, Egrimm

 

[Kmd]

White primer was so-so.
Skeleton Bone and Angel Green both are great.

 

[Einion]

Meant to post yesterday, I too have never had a can do that unless it was directly heated - had the punt in the bottom pop outwards when warming a can up, due to the water being hotter than I thought... not a mistake you make twice ^__^

You should definitely consider contacting the manufacturer about this. There's a possibility it's a production issue, and if so they may have already gotten reports of the same sort of thing from others.

(damn, my English isn't pro and I don't know which word to use).

Better than our Polish, don't sweat it!

Einion

 

[RojoVermelho]

Uhh thats looks really bad

how have you handly this now ?

 

[Muzzle]

I was asking staff from AP about this problem. When I get some info - I'll let you know ;-)

 

[kathrynloch]

That sounds like a good idea. Although I'm afraid they are going to think you directly heated it somehow because you really don't get isolated expansion like that unless exposed to direct flame, heat source, or warming up the can in water like Einion said.

If there is no vent near where you stored them, would there be a window with a long curtain? I've seen good heavy curtains do their job and block the light but they literally can send it straight down the wall and to the floor - which will be warmer than the curtain facing into the room. But I've only had that happen when we had black out drapes sewed onto the curtains.

The only other thing is if it ever got cold and you have a space heater or something in the room or even the vent that's accross the room - check to see how the air flows through the room. When its cold and you introduce a portable heater, you can create new drafts and not even realize it.

Last but not least - is it possible a friend/roomie...or the most mischievous culprit...the infamous little brother/sister/relative under the age of 6 or so "borrow" the cans and didn't tell you :devil:
I'm grasping for straws here but that's all I can think of.

 

[Muzzle]

I have standard white curtain which let through sunrays (you know, pattern with holes... damn I don't know how to describe it - just look here - I have something very similar). There's about 90 cm from floor to it.

I don't use any heaters and stuff like that - I have radiator in my room ;-) The problem is that it's off since end of March/ beginning of April (it was hot enough after winter so administrator decided to turn off all radiators). And I got my cans in May... so it's not radiator fault.

I can call my brother "little" - he's 22 and I'm 23 ;-) But we are not like "ok I'll destroy you cans and won't tell you, haha" ;-)


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The most possible theory IMO is about temperature.
I was searching on AP website info about how to store cans - in what temperature. Nothing. The only one information is on can. It says "protect against sunrays and do not expose to temperature above 50*C". If there's nothing more and when you think logically - the can should be fine even if stored in place with temperature up to 49*C, right? Above mean above.
So... could 30-35*C kill the can?

Do anyone know anything about other brands? Do they have any info how to store spray cans?

I've asked AP staff about how to store their cans (what temperature) but they're on holidays so I should have answer in few days, I hope ;-)

 

[Dragonsreach]

Muzzle it sounds as if you are storing the cans correctly, but can I suggest that the cans could be :-
A) Not as well stored where you got them from,
B) Transported from Army Painter to Poland badly so that this is a delayed response to the bad treatment.

I've seen shop assistants drop items, kicked em across the floor before putting them on the shelves for sale, not to mention post office workers, couriers etc.

Personally I'd bin these paints for safeties sake.

 

[KruleBear]

I agree with the masses on only having seen this with extreme heat. But even then i have not seen the inconsistent spotty bulging you are showing on the bottom of the one can-- this would suggest to me a metal quality issue (ie thin spots in the metal can that are not to specification). The safe thing to do is to dispose of them.

Another possibility i have seen on a larger scale in chemical plants would be an exothermic reaction in the can. Seems unlikely unless the manufacturer got debris in the bottom of the can that was protected by a layer that was not released until you shook the can up the first time.

My more pleasing explanation is that you irritated the imps inprisoned in the can and they are using hammers trying to break out

 

[KruleBear]

Dang, i am not even competent to operate the IPad without creating duplicate posts.

BTW- i have some aerosol paints that are over 10 years old that i have not had any problems with.

 

[deathcorp]

I had the same problem with the one and only can of Army Painter black primer. After only using it once the bottom started to bulge and the muzzle was completely clogged with paint. The can was stored next to my other spray cans which where all still fine, so no storing issue. Throw the can out and buy any other brand