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Pre-heating my finish cans solved a common problem

I used to get lumps in my varnish when it was cold. Now I set the can near a heater for ten minutes first. The finish goes on smooth and dries evenly. This trick saved me from sanding out rough spots later.
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4 Comments
william_garcia
In my old shop, we always kept varnish at room temp, about 70 degrees, before using it. It's not just a tip from a painter, it's because the resins thin out when warm. If you heat it too much, though, it can skin over faster. Ten minutes by a heater is perfect, like the post says, but avoid direct flame or it might flash off. Learned that the hard way with a can that got too hot once.
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caleb_fisher44
Yeah, I heard that from a painter friend last year.
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seth_singh20
Wait, it can actually catch on fire if it gets too hot? That's wild.
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henrydixon
henrydixon1mo ago
Totally, that heater trick @caleb_fisher44 mentioned saved my cold garage projects last winter.
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