New to me, but perhaps unknown to others

[stona]

I use glass beads, no rust.

Me too, but only in varnishes and things like that. Paints (enamels) I usually stir.

[dalej2014]

New to the forum, so browsing old threads.

Just a thought - would "lead" shot for fishing do the same job? Reasonably cheap, and safe in water/liquid. Also, softer than steel ball bearings, so less likely to damage bottles and so forth... This kind of thing:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anchor-Tackle-Unisex-Extra-Double-Cut/dp/B00D2KYII0/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=anchor%2Btackle%2Bone%2Bshot%2Bpot&qid=1628069964&s=sports&sr=1-1&th=1&psc=1

[Tim Marlow]

New to the forum, so browsing old threads.

Just a thought - would "lead" shot for fishing do the same job? Reasonably cheap, and safe in water/liquid. Also, softer than steel ball bearings, so less likely to damage bottles and so forth... This kind of thing:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anchor-Tackle-Unisex-Extra-Double-Cut/dp/B00D2KYII0/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=anchor%2Btackle%2Bone%2Bshot%2Bpot&qid=1628069964&s=sports&sr=1-1&th=1&psc=1

Probably not with acrylic paint. Lead reacts with PVA glue to form lead acetate, and acrylic paint is pretty much PVA glue with pigment and flow improvers…..
I have also found that stainless steel reacts with some colours, but not all. I have concluded that the steel is reacting with the paint pigment, not the paint binder or solvent. Stainless steel reacts badly with anything producing free chlorine (dump some in dilute bleach and watch it go orange!), so it could be that some pigments evolve free chlorine over time and react. I’ve stopped using them as a result. The best non reactive mixers are probably glass beads…..

Edit: looking at the link again, that stuff is lead free, so not knowing what it’s made from I don’t know……

[dalej2014]

Probably not with acrylic paint. Lead reacts with PVA glue to form lead acetate, and acrylic paint is pretty much PVA glue with pigment and flow improvers…..
I have also found that stainless steel reacts with some colours, but not all. I have concluded that the steel is reacting with the paint pigment, not the paint binder or solvent. Stainless steel reacts badly with anything producing free chlorine (dump some in dilute bleach and watch it go orange!), so it could be that some pigments evolve free chlorine over time and react. I’ve stopped using them as a result. The best non reactive mixers are probably glass beads…..

Edit: looking at the link again, that stuff is lead free, so not knowing what it’s made from I don’t know……

Ah yes. Good point. Off to the arts and crafts shop then... Cheers.

[Gern]

I drop one of these into dropper bottle paints like Vallejo. Stainless and seem to mix the paint better than ball bearings.
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I've used these for about three years and I've not seen any issues with staining in any of my Vallejo paints. I also think the irregular shape is likely to be better at breaking up any thick clumps than a smooth sphere - but that's only an idea.