Tree Marking Paint

[Brian Beauchamp]

I bought a lot of paint quite a while back that has begun to clump-up inside the unopened cans. It's constantly clogging up my guns now. Do you all just buy it as you need it, or do you just shake the cans up every so often? Are there any brands you know that perform better? I guess I could filter the chunks out with some sort of mesh when pouring it in the cans...but if I don't have to, I'd rather not!

[TRanger]

I use Nelson, and it last several years in the can, it does clump up, as you call it, but the clumps break up with vigorous shaking.  If you filter out the clumps, you have a weak paint, wont last as long on the tree.

[SwampDonkey]

This is what I've always used on both coasts

Nelson Tree Marking Paint

Tex got ahead of me.

[Brian Beauchamp]

I use Nelson, and it last several years in the can, it does clump up, as you call it, but the clumps break up with vigorous shaking.  If you filter out the clumps, you have a weak paint, wont last as long on the tree.

Thanks, ya'll...guess I've been getting an 'off brand'. I can't shake it vigorously enough to get those chunks to go back into solution. I haven't used Nelson before, but I'll give it a try...thanks again...very much appreciated!

~Brian

[Brian Beauchamp]

This is what I've always used on both coasts

Nelson Tree Marking Paint

Tex got ahead of me.

Thanks, SD...looks like Nelson-'Canada' has their own logo...does every product up there have a maple leaf on it?

[TRanger]

Swamper, its still hot down here, keeps us up to speed and motivated.

[Ron Scott]

I use mostly Nelson's since they are local here in Michigan and I know them well. I pick the paint up at the factory in Kingsford, MI. I purchase it in gallons, cheaper that way, and then pour into quart cans to the paint guns.

I usually only purchase what I will use over a reasonalbe time until my next trip to the U.P. I still shake it well, flip the cases over from time to time and screen from can to can if they have sat in storage well awhile. They have the paint in econ spot and boundary line grades.

As TexasR said, you need to break up and utilize the clumps to keep the paint color strong. In the winter, we will thin it some with paint thinner though so flows through the guns better.

[WDH]

I have used Nelson too.  You need to strain it as you pour it into the paint gun.

[Brian Beauchamp]

Thanks for the advice. I messed around with trying to get the clumps to dissolve this morning...put the closed gallon cans in the sink and filled it with hot water...after about 15 minutes, shook em up and that did the trick. Almost as good as when I first got em.

Do they make nozzles for the gallon cans to pour into the quart cans easier? I've been using a funnel, but those full cans are still hard to pour without getting it all over.

[Ron Scott]

The hot water or applied heat works well during cold weather. I usually carry a "Buddy Heater" to warm the paint some on the tail gate of the pickup during cold weather. It usually doesn't take much heat and it beats the need for excessive shaking.

I've been on Nelson's for the past several years to develop a spout to ease  pouring the paint from the gallon cans, even to the threat of my using another brand of marking paint.

The problem is that their can's spout size is not standard and is unique to them. Otherwise one could get a spout for a few bucks at any hardware or discount store. I've done that and have resized the caps myself with casket material, but then it wears down and I'm back to the funnel.

Nelson recognizes the need, but tells me that they have not been able to find a company that will make a spout for their special size need at a reasonable cost. They say that they are close to getting it done though.

It wouldn't hurt for you and some other Nelson Paint uses to let them know that you "would like" a pouring spout for their gallon cans to prevent constant spillage.

[Brian Beauchamp]

Well, they could change their spout design fairly easily and solve that problem if they wanted to do so...just my honest opinion on that. There has to be another reason why they're not getting it done...I wouldn't think each one would be more than $.50 to produce. If they're so specific, I'd think they could turn around and sell them for $5 a piece. I think I spilled enough paint the past week to cover that cost, so I'd buy one.

...maybe that's just it...they think their paint sales may suffer. Perfectly legitimate reason not to make them available...from a profit perspective, that is...not a customer service one though.