Like everybody else, I’ve had my share of drips and spills while pouring paint from a can to a more manageable container. I’ve tried using funnels, but the results are inevitably the same: paint dripping down the side of the can and filling up the rim.
After dealing with a can of paint that included dried flecks of paint from the rim, I hit upon the following idea. I had just given my 16-month-old son some medicine using one of those measuring syringes that you place into the bottle and suck up the amount of medicine you need by pulling up on the gasketed plunger. The next day, I went to our local medical-supply store and bought a 60cc irrigation syringe for $1.95 (you can also find them at pet stores). This type of syringe can put up to 2 fl. oz. of paint into your paint cup at a time. No more messy rims and obliterated labels. And with the graduated scale on the side of the syringe, you can easily measure exact amounts when thinning or mixing colors. Cleanup is a breeze. Just pump your cleaning solution through several times, followed by some warm water.
Doug Coats, Orem, UT
View Comments
You have to be careful with some syringes because the have silicone lube on the rubber part. This would contaminate your paint and you would get fish-eye all over your paint job. I found some nice 50-60ml 2 part syringes, AirTite Products #AC50 but they have been discontinue so now I'm looking for a replacement.