Skim Over

djg

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Not really finish related, but any ideas on how to prevent quart and gallon cans of spar varnish and poly (as well as oil based paints) from skimming over after opening?

I close immediately after use and I clean the grove and pond lid home with a hammer. Should I transfer to a glass pickle jar with a rubber gasket?
 

Steve in VA

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You might want to try using stop loss bags. I've had pretty good luck with them and they are not expensive at all, especially compared to losing 3/4 of a can of expensive varnish.

The other option, which I've not tried, is using bloyxgen to displace the oxygen before putting the lids back on.
 

Sprung

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I've used propane with success, being too cheap to go out and buy something like bloxygen. Use the torch on a 1lb propane tank. No, don't light it - but open the valve and put the end of the torch in the can for a few seconds. Propane is heavier than oxygen and will displace it.
 

djg

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Thanks, don't know what stop loss bags are, but I'll look it up. Mean while, I'll try the propane thing.
Years ago, I read that if you held your breath and then breathed into the can as you close it, the CO2 would displace the O2. Been doing that, but it didn't always work. And I've tried saran wrap on the can before the lid is put on to act as a seal, but that didn't always work.
 

djg

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Another question about skim over. Does this occur with water-based poly, too? I would think not, but I'm not sure. I just opened a new gallon of water-based and transferred some to a jar. Now I want to seal the plastic can up.
 
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