Tell us something we don’t know.

[sixdogs]

I understand how flipping the can will work... but I had no idea what you guys were talking about with the "hole punch".

Found this vid that illustrates it

Those are pretty big holes. I use a larger nail and just poke the point in.

 

[ultrarunner]

I tried this at the cabin with left over paint cans…

When I return several months later several had popped open the lid… huge mess… neighbor said record heat wave so that’s my story.

Dad said it was a knuckle head idea…

Did I ever mention reading in a DIY home care book where it extolled the virtue of water heater flushing?

I was about 10 and thought I’d help the folks out… never been flushed and unknown to me it was not 100% sealed when we left on vacation… carpet was soaked upon returning a week later…

Dad said where did I get such a knuckle headed idea? From the book you gave me at Christmas.

 

[orezok]

Yes, I have done what you did and it didn't work for me. Air still got in the can and my paint skimmed over. That skimming makes it worthless.

Maybe you didn't do it right

 

[MossRoad]

...

Dad said where did I get such a knuckle headed idea? From the book you gave me at Christmas.

That's a classic!

 

[MossRoad]

That's a classic!

When my dad was in his final days, he asked one of my sisters and me to get something out of the kitchen attic.

Dad: "Be sure and turn the ceiling fan off before you go up the ladder."

Us: "That's pretty obvious, dad."

Dad: "Yeah, you'd think so." and he smiled and rubbed his head!

 

[sixdogs]

I tried this at the cabin with left over paint cans…

When I return several months later several had popped open the lid… huge mess… neighbor said record heat wave so that’s my story.

Dad said it was a knuckle head idea…

Did I ever mention reading in a DIY home care book where it extolled the virtue of water heater flushing?

I was about 10 and thought I’d help the folks out… never been flushed and unknown to me it was not 100% sealed when we left on vacation… carpet was soaked upon returning a week later…

Dad said where did I get such a knuckle headed idea? From the book you gave me at Christmas.

So many doubting Thomases. Note that I mentioned to put the lid on securely. I've never had one pop off but thought about it and initially put the cans in a bucket. That was 15 years ago and nothing ever.

If someone works for us we do it and if it doesn't we don't do it. It's all OK as long as we love tractors, old tractors, machinery and most things rural. It's all good.

 

[ponytug]

So many doubting Thomases. Note that I mentioned to put the lid on securely. I've never had one pop off but thought about it and initially put the cans in a bucket. That was 15 years ago and nothing ever.

If someone works for us we do it and if it doesn't we don't do it. It's all OK as long as we love tractors, old tractors, machinery and most things rural. It's all good.

I learned punching holes in the rims a long time ago from my dad. Like you we always used a nail. I learned about flipping cans over when I worked as a painter, but I'm not sure who taught me that. It helped a lot then when paint chemistries weren't as good (I think that they had more issues with sedimentation), and lids didn't seal as well. I have never had one blow out or leak, but I'm pretty careful to get the lid securely on with a rubber mallet or hammer.

Now that I think about it, I did have a paint can leak, but it was one that was right side up being used as a door stop. Playing with the cats, our dog ran into the can by accident, and knocked it over. The cats and dog managed to stay out of the paint, but the driveway was stained from that point onward. Yes, we shouldn't have been using the paint can as a doorstop, and you know what? The piece of old 4x6 that we now use has not leaked in over ten years.

All the best,

Peter

 

[JJT]

I routinely go thru 25+ gallons of Cabot stain a summer. I buy it in 5 gallon pails and transfer to an old one gallon paint can for the actual painting. I've don't punch holes in the lid and 15 years later I'm still use the original one gallon paint can, with absolutely no paint in the rim.

I learned to paint from an old timer, ~50 years ago, yes, now I'm the old timer. The old timer never punched holes in the rim of his paint can. You use a quality brush, dip the brush into the paint no more than 3/4 of an inch, (way less for trim/cut in work) into the paint and apply. None of that slopping the whole brush into the paint can and scrubbing/scraping half the paint off the brush on the rim of the can. That old timer would out paint me day in/day out. At the end of the day I'd be covered in drips, my punched lid paint can would be dripping, my brush would have paint half way up the handle and he'd be clean as could be. It took a few days but eventually I did catch on......

 

[dodge man]

I take care of not worrying about paint cans being upside down, right side up by just throwing them out when getting old. I’d say I reopen an old can of paint to use more less than 10% of the time.

 

[gstrom99]

I’d say I reopen an old can of paint to use more less than 10% of the time.

House paint - yes. Rarely needed, for "touch ups...

Metal paint - ("Rustoleum" is my go-to) I use and re-open often. Usually they don't get the chance to dry up, so I don't worry about them.