A further saving can be made by using cellulose thinners instead of acetone
as the cleaning agent. Standard cellulose thinners can be obtained in the
UK from car paint shops for about GBP9.00 for a 25lt drum or even less if
you shop around. I found it performs just as well for cleaning all the
tools, but you have to be careful of anything plastic. The standard Europa
mixing cups are not affected however, so it is even economic to wash and re
use them a few times. Also as a bonus I found it did not affect the
Plexiglas so it was very useful for cleaning up after fitting and painting,
but don't take my word, try it on a scrap bit first !
Jim
>Hi! All.
>My solution to cleaning brushes was to wash out in about 3/8" Acetone in
>the bottom of a mixing pot(must be Europa style) then dry out the brush on
>a rag , really well. Then rewash in another 3/8" of the same in another pot
>, dry the brush again on more rag, place this pot into the original pot ,
>on top of the original contaminated acetone , then repeat a third time ,
>finally putting a fourth empty pot on top of previous three.This all serves
>to stop the acetone evaporating and lasts about two weeks, as each pot gets
>more contaminated discard the first one and move the others down , and
>start a clean one at the top. Sounds labourious but brushes and tounge
>depresors are about the only thing Europa got right on their original
>supply( You must dry the brushes well since any liquid left is inclined to
>stick the bristles )
>PLease note this is not quite as 'canny' as a Scot.
>
>-----Original Message-----
From: Edward Gladstone [SMTP:Ted_Gladstone@compuserve.com]
>Subject: Cheap Epoxy Brushes
>
>
> Re the recent mention of bristles coming out of cheap brushes:-
>
>As a canny Scot it goes against all my upbringing to throw away a brush
>after only ? hr of use (have not yet found an easy way of cleaning them)
>so, for all those small lay up jobs (such as Root Close Outs, Tape
>Joints etc.), I make my own !!!
>
>To emulate my --- ingenuity --- creativity --- originality ---
>resourcefulness --- cautiousness --- carefulness --- prudence --- pure
>dammed penny pinching meanness --- stupidity ! ! ! Proceed as
>follows:-
>
>1 cut a piece of card 4" square ( Corn Flake packet is ideal) And
>fold card in half
>
>2 Cut a piece of 1" wide insulating tape, or cellotape or masking
>tape 6" long. Fold 1" at each end back on itself such that the sticky side
>is out and stick it on the folded edge of the card by means of the 1"
>folded bits at each end. You should now have the sticky bit outermost
>along one side of the whole folded edge.
>
>3 Take about 6 ft of nylon string (twisted stuff about 1/8 " dia)
>and, starting about 1" in from the edge of the card, wind about 15 turns
>close & neatly round the card
>
>4 Cut the edges of the sticky tape where it folds back on itself.
>
>5 Cut all the string loops by inserting the scissors between the
>folded cardboard and cutting between the unfolded edge (similar to making
>the old Pom Poms from wool round a couple of cardboard donuts)
>
>6 Remove the card --- you should now have about 15 bits of string 4"
>long stuck, just above their middle, to the sticky tape.
>
>7 Wrap the start of the sticky tape round the end of a stirring stick
>(Tongue Depressor) such that the short end of the strings overlap the end
>of the stick and continue wrapping the tape round the stick to trap all the
>strings between it and the stick.
>
>8 Fold all the longer string lengths ( at present lying along the
>handle) over the tape to line up with the shorter ends sticking out from
>the end of the stick. Bind the folded string tightly with more sticky
>tape and continue 1" up the handle.
>
>9 Place the stick on the edge of your bench with the string ends
>overhanging the bench and tease the ends of the string out with a wire
>brush.
>
>And there you have it ---- your own home made brush!! It only
>takes 2 minutes to make --- less time than it takes to describe --- never
>had a bristle coming out of one yet ---- and I don't mind throwing it
>away.
>
>Ted G-ZTED
>
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