Mixing Paint in the Summer

For many homeowners, painting is a summertime hobby. Whether the project is a simple canvas tote bag, or a more involved floral creation, the warm weather provides an ideal opportunity to add colorful accents to your wardrobe, while also contributing to the environment by using natural and recycled materials.

Before Mixing 2 year old paint, make sure that the acrylics are properly mixed. To do this, select your colors of choice and mix them with Textile Medium or Fabric Paint. This makes your paints more durable, machine washable, and helps the paint to stick better to the surface of the bag.

Once your paints are mixed, mask off any areas that you don’t want painted. Then start filling in your design with a wide brush. Avoid using too much water as this will cause the paint to smudge or run on the bag. Once you are done, allow your masterpiece to dry completely before tossing it over your shoulder.

INDCO’s new line of IBC mixers are designed specifically for blending traffic paints used to mark highways and roads, as well as marking parking lots. These heavy-duty, top-mounted mixers are ideal for this application as they have a larger mixing volume than traditional pail mixers and are able to agitate thicker and heavier bodied products. They are available in air, electric and hydraulic operation with shaft-mounted, foldable impellers that fit 6-inch tote openings and are a good solution for blending high solid content, reflective glass beads or other additives commonly used with traffic paints.

The BGTC series of mixers are also suitable for a variety of other applications requiring the agitation of bulk liquids or powders. They are available in air, electric or variable speed hydraulic with a wide range of horsepower and torque ratings to handle products ranging from a five-gallon pail up to a 55-gallon drum.

Mixer selection is based on a combination of factors including the specific gravity and solids content of the product being agitated, as well as the size and shape of the container. These considerations help determine the proper power rating, rpm range and impeller type and size to achieve successful solids suspension and homogeneous product ready for application. Traffic paints with higher densities and viscosities typically require a higher mixer horsepower rating, greater torque and a larger impeller to ensure adequate product re-suspension and flow. A reputable mixer manufacturer’s engineering staff should be able to direct customers to the right model to meet their needs.