Cheap and Cheerful Paint mixing kit

[Rob Pulham]

While mixing some acrylic paint up this evening for the underframe of the Tevan, I thought that I would show folks what I have recently started to use for paint mixing.

 

I tend to use acrylics where possible but the same technique does work for enamels but it's especially effective for the denser pigmented acrylics when you are letting them down with thinners - even though I can buy many of the Vallejo colours that I use premixed for spraying I still like to mix my own because it's much more cost effective.

 

For years I have used either a cocktail stick or bamboo skewer with the point cut of for mixing my paint in medicine cups that I bought years ago of ebay. I have also used cheap childrens glue spreaders for spreading PVA for a long time (4 for £1). A short time ago I was struggling to get some especially thick paint to mix with the thinners to let it down and I hit upon the idea of using the glue spreader. 

 

Its brilliant the flat edge against the flat bottom of the medicine cup allows the paint to be effectively mixed without splattering all over and if you only want to mix a small amount you can tilt the cup and still mix it in.

 

A quick browse of the tinternet found me images of the type that I use.

 

 

[Steadfast]

Thanks for the suggestion, duly eBay'd. 10 stirrers and 100 cups for under a tenner. Should last me years

 

Jo

[Stubby47]

Cat food tins ( empty & washed) make good paint mixing pallets, especially the semi-cone variety ( Sheba).

I also bought a catering bag of 1,000 coffee stirrers, which provide at least 3 mixer sticks each.

Edited April 18, 2017 by Stubby47

[70021 Morning Star]

Hello Rob,

Yes indeed, these are an ideal starting point for paint mixing. They're great for the initial mix, where you need to get the heavier components off the sides, base, and corners of the paint jar.

 

Unfortunately, as you'll be aware, recent health and safety changes mean paints take a lot more -- an awful lot more -- mixing than they used to.

 

I'd suggest adding one of those little battery powered electric coffee frothers to your kit. They really do mix things up and ensure that the paint will behave correctly.

 

Have fun,

Rick

[Ian Morgan]

Beware, I picked up some cheap plastic 'shot' glasses for paint mixing, but as soon as white spirits or thinners hit them, they split across the bottom.

 

The medicine mixers look much better.