First Mack Brushes and not sure how to prep...

[WesleyAllenHartley]

Hi, I bought my first few Mack sign brushes the other day and I read somewhere on here about steps on how to prepare them for battle. There were steps about transmission fluids, motor/baby oils, spinning the brush and twisting the wire. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm very excited use them.

 

[bob]

Hi, I bought my first few Mack sign brushes the other day and I read somewhere on here about steps on how to prepare them for battle. There were steps about transmission fluids, motor/baby oils, spinning the brush and twisting the wire. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm very excited use them.

Everyone has their own favorite brush ritual. Some featuring beads, rattles, and naked dancing. All are provincial and some almost superstitious. Being a minimalist with over half a century of dealing with these sorts of things, here's my ritual.

When a brush is brand new just use it, it's never going to be better than brand new. After you clean it for the very first time [as best you can], palette it into and lay it in a shallow tray filled with lard oil. Not transmission fluid, not mineral oil, not boiled ozaza leaves. Lard oil. Lard oil is 100% soluble in spirits, the same might not be able to be said of the favorite nostrums of others. Moreover it stays liquid for seemingly ever.

When it's time to use it once again, wash it out a bit in spirits and have at it.

It's unclear what 'spinning', 'wire twisting', or sticking it up your nose will do for you. Perhaps that these sorts of things provide peace of mind to the more primitive.

 

[OldPaint]

1ST OFF...........lets deal with the TRANSMISSION FLUID!!!!!!! DO NOT USE THIS STUFF........true it is oil.............BUT GO TO A TRANNY SHOP.......and talk to people who are in this stuff day after day!!!!! it is nasty. it contains all kinda additives, non-foaming agent, cleaning chemicals, acids to promote non-sticking of oil to case(or parts). and look at al the people working there.....RUBBER GLOVES, RUBBER APRON, RUBBER BOOTS...why???? this stuff is really poisonous!!!!!!!! i dont care what other tell ya....LISTEN TO the tranny guy.
2NDLY......fresh "natural hair brushes" are made of the same stuff on your HEAD!!!! now what would you put on your hair..........TRANNY FLUID????
in all my years i have tried most all fluids other people told me to use. FAILED...
NOW......... the simpest, easiest product to use that wont evaporate, go to a solid state, or turn to gum........IS 10 weight NON-DETERGENT MOTOR OIL.
if you cant find that use 3 in 1 oil. all you need is something to help PRESERVE the natural hair from becoming brittle or dry. 2nd thing you want is OIL IN THE HEEL of the brush......before you ever PUT IT IN PAINT!!!!
brand new brush:
1.prepare a small flat container........long enough so the brush can LAY flat in it, without the end of brush handle OR HAIR TIP hitting the ends.
2. put a thin layer of 10w non detergent oil/3 in 1 on the bottom 1/8 in. deep.......
3. palette brush hair in this till it is totally soaked, now lay it flat and leave it for a couple day. this INSURES the oil will soak into the HEEL... so when you put the brush in paint.........the paint stays in the hairs and not in the HEEL......
4. when cleaning......keep changing the mineral spirits/turps until it no longer show the paint color you was using NOW IT IS CLEAN!!!
5.WITH INDEX FINGER AND THUMB........ lightly squeeze from heel to tip to remove cleaner........lay into oil)))

 

[WesleyAllenHartley]

Huge Thanks

Thank you both for your time and expertise. I'm looking forward to painting my first outdoor (standing on a latter) sign this weekend.

 

[SightLine]

If you do go with 3 in 1 oil get the blue can NOT the red can. The red can contains detergents / additives. The blue can is plain oil. I like Zoom Spout which is also a non detergent plain oil. Very lightweight and is also great for other things like bearings and whatnot on some of your machines....

 

[OldPaint]

i have a paint box, belonged to another local sign painter. he died in 1998-99. i got the box from his wife 2001-2002. he had his quills and truck flats laying in 10w motor oil. i have the box and was in it couple weeks ago looking for pin striping brush.....and this is 2014........and the brushes are still as good as they was in 2001-2002!!!!!!!

 

[studio 440]

i like wall dog brush oil

 

[The Big Squeegee]

Welcome from OK

:Welcome: to :signs101:

 

[Jillbeans]

...I was told to initially wash the brush in water and shampoo to remove the size, but I just use turpentine.
I only clean my brushes with turpentine.
I only use baby oil to preserve them. I think rodents or bugs might eat brushes soaked in lard oil, if you can even find it.

The Kafka brush oil seems to me like baby oil mixed with patchouli. It works OK and smells like hippies.

I do not use transmission fluid, and the one time I tried wall dog brush oil it made my brushes get stiff. I know people who clean their brushes with Rapid Remover in an electronic jewelry cleaner.

(this is is you are using oil based lettering enamel) For NovaColor I just use water.

Some people have a jar of clean thinner, a jar of dirty thinner, and a jar of really nasty dirty thinner. They swish their brush in the nastiest one first, wipe it with a rag or paper towel, and proceed to the cleanest jar of thinner.

Glad to see someone giving hand lettering a try.
Love....Jill

 

[limacchina]

Hello and welcome

 

[Jwalk]

You know I still haven't bought a fancy sign brush. Oh boy I will some day. I hear you have to drive to the out skirts of town and get the tranny fluid from an old beaten up broken down car .

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Jill & I are the same page for Brush Care.

When I started I used lard oil works great ..up North but yes bugs get interested so ya keep it covered, & squeeze out oil.

Hell in Florida I use Mineral oil, like Baby oil does not dry out, low cost, good for hands.

Most brushes will work in both paints
...But once you use in water it stays in water.
...Use in oil base stays in oil period

Cleaning yes 3 can wash & same on Acrylic except 1st wash I ad Ammonia letting brush soak 5 to 10 mins held by a clothespin so bruch is off the bottom standing up,..Using any type soap or conditioner will work same as oil with enamel.

You take of your brush, it will take of you.

 

[ddubia]

I think rodents or bugs might eat brushes soaked in lard oil, if you can even find it.

I lost a set of about 10 smaller brushes that way. I left the tin brush case open overnight in my basement and when I came back the next day all I had left was handles, mouse turds and footprints.

 

[OldPaint]

this is why i use 10 w non detergent motor oil..........nothing will eat it, it never changes its properties....you can leave a brush in it for 5 8 years.......and the oil will be there in the same state as when you poured it in there)))))
i lost my 1st set of quills to LINSEED OIL......up north it worked, but in florida.....heat made it turn solid.
NEATSFOOT OIL....... for a while....until it became a problem getting it. 10w motor oil......remeber oil based paint is based with OIL)))