Paint color not constant between cans

[Lugnut56]

Recently painted a rocket with Krylon Metallic Gold, and my wife liked it so much, she waited me to paint some metal wall hangings with it. I had purchased another can because I knew I had used most of it already. I finished what was left in the original can and started painting with the new can, but it was much darker than the original. I thought it might have been a can of Krylon Metallic Copper that was mismarked, so I bought a new can of each (Gold & Copper) to compare. The new can of Gold was still dark, but after spraying some Copper paint, it didn't match it either. Luckily, my wife liked the copper color, so I was able to at least get that project completed. I did buy all the paint at the local WM, so I might try at Lowes to get a can from another batch. Has anybody else ran into a situation like this. I really liked the original Metallic Gold color (it made my Little Bucky Jones look sooo sweet).

 

[Bill S]

I have seen this with other paints before, mostly brush or airbrush paints. Sometimes a lot can be slightly different, sometimes a lot. Stinks, I know.

 

[prfesser]

This thread made me think about the Very Stupid that I did when painting the Interceptor E. Painted the body with Krylon gloss white, almost none left in the can when I was done, so I did the nose cone using Rustoleum gloss white. VERY noticeable difference when the nose cone is in place. Rustoleum white covers much, much better than Krylon white, but it's also "less white"; looks like it has a gray tinge vs. Krylon.

Unfortunately I applied the decals before noticing the problem. Could have gotten a new can of Krylon and re-painted the nose, but that would have meant re-doing the decals on the nose. Instead I sprayed a 2" wide band of metallic silver around the forward end of the airframe, to separate the two different "whites". Imperfect but the difference in whites is much less noticeable when they're not right beside each other.

Best -- Terry

 

[jqavins]

Pro house painters, if a job needs more than one can or bucket, will combine them to avoid this very problem by averaging the colors. Of course, that's not an option with rattle cans. Maybe just one more reason to make the jump to airbrushes.

 

[David Schwantz]

This can happen with spray bombs. A lot of the time it is just about mixing, shacking it up more. The metallic will settle in the bottom, around the edge of the can. Just because the little ball finally breaks free does not mean it is mixed well. So when spraying the pickup tube is in the bottom around all of the flake and can lead to color not being the same.
Terry, I have had NC's come out different before also. I spray with a gun, same paint, same cup, did not switch to a new mix. But it was because I sprayed the body, which is a solid tube, be it card board or glass, and the sprayed the NC which was hollow plastic. The different surface caused the difference in shade.

 

[jqavins]

Just because the little ball finally breaks free does not mean it is mixed well. So when spraying the pickup tube is in the bottom around all of the fine and can lead to color not being the same.

If mixing for a given minimum time, I don't start the timer until the ball is free. If the ball ain't rattlin', you ain't mixin'.

Terry, I have had NC's come out different before also. I spray with a gun, same paint, same cup, did not switch to a new mix. But it was because I sprayed the body, which is a solid tube, be it card board or glass, and the sprayed the NC which was hollow plastic. The different surface caused the difference in shade.

It seems like a good, solid, opaque primer coat would fix that. Is that your experience?

 

[Lugnut56]

I'm pretty sure the paint was mixed well because I'm using the "Binford 3000" paint shaker.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

 

[John Kemker]

I want that grill....

 

[David Schwantz]

I want that grill....

I can build it for you