Cermark clogging

[vic casware]

Hi everyone,
I am using Cermark LMM-6000 spray can,
the problem i have is over the last 3 years i have used about 3 cans so far, no problems, great stuff
but the last one i bought at the beginning of this year only got half way through before it clogged
and wouldn't spray anymore, I cleaned the nozzel, even changed it over with no luck
so i sent it to my supplier and they exchanged it for a new can.
Now the new can is not quite down to half but there we go again, clogged with no fixing.
Has anyone else come across this issue?

Regards
Vic

[Brian R Cain]

Yes, many times. When it was first introduced we bought around 20 cans to sell on then started getting complaints. We took it up with Cermark who told us they had become aware of the problem and fitted different nozzles and replaced the batch. They would still get clogged, even the ones I used and I took great pains to shake the cans well before use. In some instances, replacing the nozzle never helped.

[Keith Colson]

I keep my nozzle in a lid full of water. I can't remember where I saw this idea but it is recommended.

Cheers
Keith

[Bill Stearns]

I do kind' a what Keith does - I keep the nozzles in a shallow plastic container filled with water - and 'little dawn dish soap; exchanging nozzles 'fore each use. From time to time, I have run across Cermark LMM-6000 cans that punked out on me, for whatever reason: Laserbits (at the time) replaced 'em. But, I kind' a got the feeling they weren't expecting me to ask ever again.
Even so: if you only use the product periodically, as I do, it's kind' a hard to ask for replacement weeks 'n weeks later; a month or so later. (With nozzle being okay, spray failing half way thru the can would seem a defect - IMO.

Bill

[Gary Hair]

I've never had a 250g tub clog... just sayin'

[Mike Null]

I'm with Gary. The aerosol can is wasteful to boot.

[vic casware]

Thanks for your opinions, i will give 1 more can a try, if it fails i might just use the brush on paste it seems to work fine.
my supplier is really great, so i might suggest if the can stops half way through i could pay for the half i used.

[Dee Gallo]

Some products are just designed to work better with a less "convenient" application system - Cermark is one of them. An airbrush with the paste is the best way to apply it, period. The convenience of a spray can or tape is tempered by wastefullness, frustration level and cost effectiveness. Cermark is an excellent product but needs to be applied correctly in order to work well. Small areas coated with a brush work well, but larger areas need to be sprayed.

Sometimes a shortcut is a detour.

[Kev Williams]

I've been thru maybe 100 cans of Cermark in the past 10 years. The nozzle isn't the problem. It's the main tube and valve. That, and the fact you MUST shake the can almost CONSTANTLY. Cermark turns to mud in the bottom of the can within about 10 seconds of the last can shake. Anyone who's sawed open an empty can will attest to this. The mud goes up the main tube, and eventually clogs the main valve as it builds up. A new valve usually helps, but it can only spray as much Cermark thru it as the main valve will let past, and slow thick flow will soon clog the new nozzle...

The main valve can be fixed, but it's messy- First, shake the can well for a minute. Pull the nozzle off, then run a small stream of hot water down into the valve on top of the can, in 10 second shots. Then shake. Then hot water. Repeat for a couple of minutes. Now for the fun part- get a small phillips screwdriver, and a rag. Or use your hand if you're brave. Do what you can to catch the mess, then depress the valve with the screwdriver, for about 1/2 a second. It's going to blast a lot of Cermark out, and should loosen up the buildup in the tube and valve. Rinse the valve, can and everything else with water. Clean the nozzle, shake the can like crazy for a minute, and it should work fine. For every 3 seconds of spray, shake the can for 10 seconds. It should help...

Should...

I've always wondered why Cermark doesn't put in a little less mud and twice the alcohol in these spray cans? And charge us less, of course. -The canned mix has always been wayyyy too thick, IMO. Even spraying extremely thinned out Cermark with an airbrush, if I don't get enough alcohol in the mix, the air brush nozzle will build up and clog in very little time. It's a wonder the cans work at all...

And speaking of air brushing, the absolute best thing you can do with a can of Cermark, especially clogged ones, is to poke a small hole in the top to let out the pressure, then hacksaw the can in half and put the contents in a glass jar with a good sealing lid. If you've never done this, you'll be surprised at how much un-mixed mud will be caked in the bottom of the can. Just the remnants of a typical "empty" can, can yield 1 or 2 ounces of airbrush sprayable mixture! That much "free" Cermark can be good for hundreds of $$ in sales...

[Bill George]

FYI Its not just Cermark, I have found in general the past few years they have put less and less propellant into the spray cans. Liquid Wrench brand is one I can think of right off hand. You can tell the can has about half the contents left when the pressure is gone.

[Gary Hair]

I've been thru maybe 100 cans of Cermark in the past 10 years.

just think how much money and time you would have saved by using an airbrush instead - 100 cans at $75.99 (plus shipping) $7,599.00 - that's over 32 of the 500g tubs - I guarantee you would have used about 1/2 of the tubs and would have been ahead of the game in time spent shaking, cleaning, futzing, etc.

Just a thought...

[Kev Williams]

I actually did airbrush (or paint brush) probably 70% of each can. I have a nozzle with a 1/32" drilled-out hole I use to spray the Cermark into jars, which I thin out to airbrush or paint-brush with. I only recently started buying the tubs of mud, wish I'd done it sooner! But I still always have a can around for quick touch-ups.

[Bill Cunningham]

120 is the magic number. That's the number of times you shake the can before you even think of using it. I also pull of the nozzle after each use drop it into some alcohol for a few min. The blow it out with a air blast then leave it off until the next time I need it.

[Jeff Greer]

A tip I heard on the cans is to lay them flat ...gives a larger are for it to settle in and thus is easier to mix again when you shake it. I use the poor mans air brush of the compressed air can and the little bottle that snaps in front of it. It is a Testers paint kit - works great and I have yet need to get out my real air brush.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Air-B...XPG0964FW6XX7N

[Keith Colson]

I know this is an old topic but I had my first can fail yesterday. I assume the stem tube inside the can is blocked. I had it for 3 months and only used 1/3 of a can. I took it back to my supplier Tilt importing and they would not replace it. I now have $100 of Cermark in a blocked can. What should I do?

I purchased an air brush online today and plan on chopping the can open and using the rest with the airbrush. I think this will be my last can of Cermark. As Dee says the air brush and paste is the way to go. Plus it will save my relationship with my supplier as I am a bit upset about it.

Cheers
Keith