Paint shaker for Vallejo-style bottles

[Guest]

There was an article in the TWENOT club magazine, De Tank, a few years ago about building a paint shaker for Vallejo-style bottles from a glue clamp and an electric jigsaw.

JR asked about that, and I said I’d look it up. Unfortunately I couldn’t find it at first, but have now: it’s on pages 30–31 of issue No. 228 (June 2014), and I thought I’d scan the relevant bits:

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Paraphrased, it boils down to taking a small glue clamp, drilling out the jaw at one end to 8 mm (slowly to avoid melting the plastic, and pre-drill first so it doesn’t split) and adding a felt pad like the kind you find on the underside of chair legs to the other jaw. Then cut and file down the tail end of the clamp so it fits snugly into an electric jigsaw (use a saw blade as a guide). The important part here is to make sure the fit is tight, so it won’t come flying out when you turn the jigsaw on

The green blobs in the photo in the second image are a comparison between hand-shaking the bottle for thirty seconds (on the left) and using the machine for only ten seconds.

[JR]

JR asked about that, and I said I’d look it up. Unfortunately I couldn’t find it at first, but have now: it’s on pages 30–31 of issue No. 228 (June 2014), and I thought I’d scan the relevant bits:

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Paraphrased, it boils down to taking a small glue clamp, drilling out the jaw at one end to 8 mm (slowly to avoid melting the plastic, and pre-drill first so it doesn’t split) and adding a felt pad like the kind you find on the underside of chair legs to the other jaw. Then cut and file down the tail end of the clamp so it fits snugly into an electric jigsaw (use a saw blade as a guide). The important part here is to make sure the fit is tight, so it won’t come flying out when you turn the jigsaw on :smiling3:

The green blobs in the photo in the second image are a comparison between hand-shaking the bottle for thirty seconds (on the left) and using the machine for only ten seconds.

Jakko.
Many thanks for taking the time to look this up and to post . I'll post a photo of mine later . Basically all using same method of mixing the paint using a mechanical method. As opposed to shaking your arm off:smiling3:

[Guest]

I saw something along those line which to me seemed a better version of the idea.

The guy had fixed a screw capped pill bottle to an old jigsaw blade (using cable ties and epoxy). It was then just a case of screwing off the cap of the pill bottle, popping your paint in and screwing the cap back on. The paint bottle looked very secure and changing it was a doddle.

Obviously the clamp style would be more adjustable for differing sizes of paint, but if you only use one kind, having it secured inside another bottle seemed a great way to do it.

[Guest]

I suspect there are a lot more similar devices out there, all made by people with the same feelings about shaking paint bottles Using a pill bottle sounds interesting, as you say it should certainly be secure against the paint going airborne.

[JR]

Greetings from a very stressful weekend watching Wimbledon, can't watch any longer and the F1 which was exciting .

Paint shakers.
This is my version.

I made this from ply, machining out the sides and back. Then making a lid to slide in held shut with a turn button. Instead of making it to only take a Vallejo bottle I decided to make it take up to a 60 ml bottle of primer. This gives me the ability to take up to 3 Vallejo bottles at once.

I took a long reach blade, and glued it to the back of the box using a two part glue. As long as I remember to leave the jigsaw set to low and standard cut all is well. I did fire it off once when I'd been using the saw for cutting some ply and had it on high speed and in reciprocating. Ripped the box clean off !



One 60 ml bottle


Up to three Vallejo size.


This is how it is used.

[BarryW]

seems a lot of bother when a nail varnish shaker is only a few quid and can be left on shaking a bottle while you do something else.
https:tongue-out3:/www.amazon.co.uk/...-2-spons&psc=1

While I recently got this, a vortex mixer, cost rather more but also works well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camlab-1189983-Choice-Vortex-0-2500/dp/B019OLSPNY/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=vortex+mixer&qid=1563171038&s=gateway&sr=8-11

[Tim Marlow]

Seems like the only known use of the wood butchers tool that is a jigsaw.....I too have used a vortex mixer (whirlymix in professional circles) but I’ve been able to get a couple of second hand ones from lab refurbishment at work. I think they are a dear option for hobby use if you have to pay for one......it’s more important to add an agitator to the bottle. Rattle cans have had them for years (hence the rattle ).....the secret is to shake them fast enough to move the agitator in the paint....

[Guest]

In case anyone is interested in the pill bottle type I mentioned, I managed to find the video.

[JR]

seems a lot of bother when a nail varnish shaker is only a few quid and can be left on shaking a bottle while you do something else.
https:tongue-out3:/www.amazon.co.uk/...-2-spons&psc=1

While I recently got this, a vortex mixer, cost rather more but also works well.
https:tongue-out3:/www.amazon.co.uk/...ateway&sr=8-11

It's no bother Barry when you have 2 redundant jigsaws sitting about and enough time and ply :smiling4:

Seems like the only known use of the wood butchers tool that is a jigsaw.....I too have used a vortex mixer (whirlymix in professional circles) but I’ve been able to get a couple of second hand ones from lab refurbishment at work. I think they are a dear option for hobby use if you have to pay for one......it’s more important to add an agitator to the bottle. Rattle cans have had them for years (hence the rattle ).....the secret is to shake them fast enough to move the agitator in the paint....

Ha :nerd::smiling3: wood butchers yes but highly skilled



Just had a look at those shakers on Amazon, battery operated and a strap that looks poor ,no wonder they supply spares.
I'll stick to my home made unit, at least it is multi use.:nerd::smiling3::smiling3::smiling3:

[Tim Marlow]

Wasn’t implying you were a wood butcher John.....but I always think a jig saw is a power tool for people that can’t use power tools .....

[spanner570]

Like 453 I am, or was, a wood butcher too (Fred Coxit's my name!) A jig saw is for folks who can't use a coping saw.... :face-with-head-bandage::tongue-out3:

Here's my stirrer which I've been using for ever.
Screwed into the coils, the bottle grips like I don't know what, and has never come loose during stirring / revolving.

Laugh at it if you like, it really does work.





It's real purpose. To hold a hot soldering iron when not in use.

Cheers.
Ron

[Guest]

Wasn’t implying you were a wood butcher John.....but I always think a jig saw is a power tool for people that can’t use power tools .....

I still find my jigsaws handy. I have a mitre saw, circular saw, plunge/track saw, multi tool, a wide array of hand saws and 3 routers, but still find times when the jig is the best tool for the job :smiling3:

[Neil Merryweather]

Like 453 I am, or was, a wood butcher too (Fred Coxit's my name!) A jig saw is for folks who can't use a coping saw.... :face-with-head-bandage::tongue-out3:

Here's my stirrer which I've been using for ever.
Screwed into the coils, the bottle grips like I don't know what, and has never come loose during stirring / revolving.

Laugh at it if you like, it really does work.
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It's real purpose. To hold a hot soldering iron when not in use.

Cheers.
Ron

Ingenious and creative as always, Ron!
I'll take your word for it , though. I wouldn't DARE whizz that around in my loft for fear it would fly out and trash everything :flushed:

[spanner570]

Ingenious and creative as always, Ron!
I'll take your word for it , though. I wouldn't DARE whizz that around in my loft for fear it would fly out and trash everything :flushed:

My late dad's 'Invention', not mine.
Trust me Neil, it does work. The bottle screws into the steel coil rather like a screw into wood and grips like you wouldn't believe! The bottle can't be pulled out, it has to be unscrewed. Obviously one would use a variable speed drill.

[JR]

Wasn’t implying you were a wood butcher John.....but I always think a jig saw is a power tool for people that can’t use power tools .....

Yes I know you weren't Tim,:smiling: I loved the jigsaw, mind you it certainly wasn't a cheap one. Couldn't have been with out it when fitting kitchens, bedrooms. Superb with a down cut blade. That one in the picture is about 15 years old.