Old auto paint-toss it?

[nonhog]

I have many quarts some new, never opened. DP40, DP90 etc.
Most is from early 2000, some late 90's. I figure its not worth the risk right?

Toss it all? Or just the previously opened ones? I can add pictures later.
Or only use it to paint tool stands and the like?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

subbed for the info.

 

[sselander]

Any place nearby to take household hazardous waste?
I had to clear out old auto paint & chemicals from a garage for a neighbor who owned a body shop years ago. We have a place close by that unloads it for you and properly disposes of it.

 

[countryroad82]

Depends how it's been taken care of. If it's not been frozen it should be fine. But being primers it's most likely solidified into a gooey mess. I've got some paint in my cabinet pushing a good 30+ years old (lacquer) that I just give a shake every now and again and use for certain things. If it's been taken care of correctly, it is normally alright.

 

[MP&C]

Dupont Centari was invented in the 60's. The can this orange came from likely isn't quite that old, but I would put it between 25 and 30 years old.

The other day when we primed the frame a second time we also did the front side of the trailer wheels..

and today I mixed up some Centari that has been sitting on the shelf a few years.. It sprayed pretty decent...

 

[SteveH-CO]

I painted my Land Cruiser in 1991 with a single-stage Dupont paint, and it's still viable and cures properly (and I still have the truck). I used a modern catalyst with it. Auto paint is so expensive, that unless you HAVE to throw it away, I'd hang onto it. Never-opened quarts would be perfect for trailers, tool stands (as you said), etc.

 

[Milton Shaw]

I had a friend that worked for me that had a lot of small quarts of car paint left over. Mixed all the colors together and painted his car a purple color. Didn't look to bad for a plymouth duster. Looked a little better than it had with bondo patches on every side.

 

[Zeke]

I use old paint all the time. After opening and surveying what you have, mix it up if it will and do a small test patch. If everything dries as you think it should, it's good to go.

However, be aware on old oil based house paint that every time you remove a skin from the top you have taken some of the resin from the ratio. Too much resin missing and the paint will chalk up on you prematurely not to mention having lost some of it's intended gloss level.

 

[nonhog]

However, be aware on old oil based house paint that every time you remove a skin from the top you have taken some of the resin from the ratio. Too much resin missing and the paint will chalk up on you prematurely not to mention having lost some of it's intended gloss level.

Since you brought up house paint. I learned my lesson on using old latex.
The smell was so bad I had to go over it with kilz then repaint.
Was in my 2 bedroom bachelor pad so you could not escape it.

 

[nonhog]

Thanks for all the replies!
I will get some stir sticks and open some of the cans and see how it looks.

 

[jrsulo]

Back in the early 80"s we did a mix a color special on weekends real cheap for beer money,,,,,took the left over centari we had on paint bench and mixed it all together till we had enough,,,,thinned with lacquer thinner and out the door in a hour !!!!....Some crazy colors and mostly on vw bugs !!!!!!!!

 

[HMCFab9]

DP epoxy lasts a long time.
As long as you can still get the catalyst for it, I'd still use it.

 

[firebird990]

if its grainy throw it away,mix it up and strain it you will know

 

[southalabama]

I'd open it and use it for something small and non critical stuff around the shop. If it sprayed and behaved fine then I'd use it for something else.

 

[ZRX61]

Thanks for all the replies!
I will get some stir sticks and open some of the cans and see how it looks.

Don't open it, tip it upside down & shake the **** out of it first.

 

[drewski]

I've still got a fairly large amount of unopened acrylic lacquer and acrylic enamel that I've had since the early 70's. Most of it is factory pack colors of the mid 60's-70's and Martin Senour (Sherwin Williams) brand. The lacquers perform like I would expect them to, as if I had just bought them. I tend to be a little more suspicious of the enamels even though they have never been opened. Some of my friends have used it on their cars and motorcycles with no performance issues.

I've used some of it on my junk around the shop and experienced no problems. My rolling work bench and tire changer base coated in lacquer and cleared with Imron that a paint rep gave me in 1975. Fours years later they are scratched up and looking well used but the paint still shines.

Not endorsing use of old automotive paint........just my experience with it.

Drew

 

[SteveH-CO]

Your shelving unit scares me more than the age of the paint! ;-)