Shopsmith Forums

I have been using the StopLossBags for awhile now and figured I would post on what I have found. The bags work really well for keeping your finish from hardening in the container no matter how much or little is in the bag. However, you need to get as much of the air out of the bag as possible before sealing, if you do not the top layer in contact with the air will harden over time just like in the original container. When I run out of one of the finishes in a bag, I refill the bag instead of using a new one. The StopLossBags are only available in one size so be aware of that when purchasing your finishes and stains. When purchasing the StopLossBags, shop around as the price can vary drastically depending on where you get them.

The funnel that they sell for use with the bags does not work very well. Why would you make a funnel that fits around the outside of opening of the container you want to fill and not go inside the opening?

As an alternative, I have found that the plastic flask bags work just as well for the finishes and stains as the StopLossBags. The flask bags are available in different sizes and larger quantities for less money usually.

Overall, I like the bags for the ability to keep the finishes longer without hardening. They do not stack as easily as the cans though for storage.

I have not used StopLossBags but I know people who have. They tell me they work well but can be messy. The messiness might be that funnel design!

The StopLossBag is interesting - an idea whose time has come, so to speak.

I just paid Sherwin-Williams $147 for two gallons of water-based paint. Good paint, but the price is getting outrageous. Of course people are going to start trying to conserve paint and varnish.

Shown below is what I use for water-based coatings. I will either attach a sponge to the lid, or put the can in a ziplock bag and put the sponge in the bag. I have stored "used" paint this way for years and it works for me. I have 10 year old paint that is still useable - after stirring. Problem with attaching the sponge to the lid is you can't shake the can without messing up the sponge, but I just avoid shaking the can.

A wet sponge works because it maintains a "saturated" environment inside the can - so water cannot evaporate out of the paint, and the paint cannot polymerize (skin over) in the can. The paint can still separate in the can, but it cannot polymerize. Stir the paint and its OK.

I have not tried a sponge with oil/solvent-based paints or varnishes, but I do not see why it would not work for them also. Just need to use a sponge that does not react with the solvent...

I have also used a "sponge-in-bag" method. Put any lidded paint container in a ziplock bag along with a wet sponge. Keeps the contents "juicy" until next use. This "bag" method will not work for long-term, but it will keep an opened paint can juicy during a long job.

The sponge can be glued directly to a metal can lid underside, but for plastic lids , better to drill the lid and screw the sponge on. Put a metal -foil tape over the screw head (see pictures) to prevent possible air infiltration through the hole.

Brenda, Steve,

Thanks. I hadn't see StopLossBags, but have seen varying ways/products to keep finishes over the years and always wondered if any worked well or not. Appreciate your feedback on what works well for you, so something for me consider for the future. Also, had never heard the sponge trick, but it sounds interesting. One thing I learned over the years for all finishes left in a can is to keep the rim of the can pristinely clean, i.e. if I have any drips or mess to clean that lid and rim before closing it up. Doing this and also using a rubber mallet to gently re-close the lid has helped greatly prolong the life of finishes in my shop as it minimizes any air infiltration into the can. Finishes with high solids content, i.e. latex paint will separate out of course, but I have successfully kept 1 gallon containers or 5 gallon buckets this way for years around my house. Never found a quality issue after remixing and painting later, but then I always buy the more expensive 100% acrylic latex paint so that may make a difference. I have even moved finishes to a new paint can if for any reason the original can becomes damaged as new cans are very cheap at the big box store, so why NOT replace the can if needed? Also, those plastic pouring spots for 1 gallon cans are fantastic for keeping the rim of the can clean. For my more woodworking centric finishes, in recent years I have gravitated towards HDPE containers. They are a bit more expensive, but I don't need many in my shop. I am only a hobbyist and work on one project at a time and tend to have only a few finishes I prefer. These containers hold one pint of finish which is ideal for me. Historically, I have favored natural finishes where I just need a clear top coat so Shellac and Poly have been ideal for this. I have also done stains a good bit in the past, but recently I switched to dyes and have been learning and loving them. Just for reference those are the finishes I store. So far, these containers have worked well because there is an air tight seal under the lid, so for example I can put a dye finish in one and when I go to use it again, simply shake the container in my hand and that is sufficient to start using it again - no stirring required. Another benefit of an HDPE container is that it can safely store caustic finishes, e.g. I have a recipe that uses lye for aging cherry wood so storing it without leaks is kinda important. Anyway, if any of this is useful to anyone, these are the containers that I buy from Amazon ($3 per container):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CR ... UTF8&psc=1

The plastic flask bags sound very interesting. I may try some.