I was wondering if there is any special precautions I should take to ensure the safety of the contents of my dip tube (2 cans of epiphanes/artist grade turps) between rods?????? Presently I have the cap on the tube and have duct taped around the seam of the cap. Is this enough??????


Thanks

There is a product called Bloxygen that is available from Golden Witch (and Woodcrafters). Essentially It is an inert heavier than air gas that you use to displace the air in your tube.

Bob

Bloxygen is what I usually use, but in an emergency you can mix some baking soda and vingear (remember the old volcano science project from elementary school?) in a bottle. Let some gas build up then 'pour' it over the varnish - just the gas, not the liquid mixture. This will displace the oxygen in the tube with carbon dioxide and keep the finish from turning on you. Then cap and seal like you have it now.

Thanks guys. I'll look around for bloxygen. A guy at my work (an ex sign painter) rec'ced I hold the cap half way down and blow in the tube(blowing out the oxygen and replacing it with carbon dioxide). I'll look around for the real deal.

Thanks again.


Cheers

Darrin,

All the suggestions are good ones. Epiphanes is too expensive to allow to go bad. Coupla additional suggestions: First, you can return the varnish to the cans after dipping. Storage in the original cans is usually safer than in a dip tube. Keep 'em full and the contents should store for years. Second, if you store your varnish in the tube between rods, consider using a rubber stopper. Stoppers seal better than caps. Large stoppers can be purchased at hardware stores -- even Home Depot and Lowe's. A squirt of bloxygen and a rubber stopper have kept my expensive spar varnishes safe for 2-3 years and counting.

Harry