Airless Rig Storage Routines

PowerPaintingUK

Hi guys, I want to find out how we all store our rigs when they're not in use. I store my 2 rigs (oil & water) both with white spirits(solvent thinner) at the moment but I've just bought some graco pump armour to try out on the latex rig and would like to know if any of you use it? Do you dilute it at all? Also, do you guys take your hoses off the unit for storage? Both my rigs are stand mounts but I like to keep the hoses connected for ease of use really. I keep them filled with storage fluid too but I think that will be expensive using pump armour in my water based rig as pump armour over here is £15 a quart (thats $30US)..
So please, allow me to 'pick your brains' guys, how do you store yours?
thanks for your help
regards, Phil

PowerPaintingUK

anyone?

PowerPaintingUK

I'm thinking after this quart of pump armour I have, I'll buy some auto antifreeze for the latex rig, main ingredient glycol..same as pump armour

samiam

clean pump well then store with linseed oil

jackrabbit5

I bought a bottle of Sherwin Williams pump protector (I think it's similar to the Graco prduct) awhile back thinking that it would be better, easier and cheaper to use than mineral spirits. According to the dilution ratio it would make up to 16 gallons of solution which would last me a loooong time since I don't use my pump that often. I mixed it a little stronger than recommended and found out the next time I used it that the ball had stuck. Now I'm back to the mineral spirits for long term storage and the pump protector only for short term. There was a thread awhile ago about using a little motor oil mixed in as well which is how we did it many years ago and I may go back to doing it that way too.

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Stacy

S B Bolson & Sons

PowerPaintingUK

Thanks mate. In my oil base rig I use mineral spirits with a 3 or 4% mix of Silkolene Pro S sythetic engine oil. I use this oil in my car so I have some around but also it's bright pink/purple in colour which means it colours the mineral spirits just enough so that it can easily be seen when it comes out of the end of the spray hose/prime hose. That makes it easier and saves wasting any solution. I use this for oil base but i want to make it a bit easier for preparation & clean up on my water based rig which is why I'm trying pump armour. It's only after buying the pump armour that I realise the main ingredient in pump armour is Glycol which is basically antifreeze. So, when this P.A. runs out I'll use auto antifreeze in my latex rig.

edit: I think even the manufacturers recommend using mineral spirits for longer term storage. When I'm on a job I'll use glycol for storage but when I'm storing for a longer period I'll use mineral spirits.

PowerPaintingUK

Also that S.W. stuff doesn't sound like pump armour; not if it can be diluted to make 16 gallons I've only ever heard of people diluting pump armour by about 10%. Has anyone here thought of using auto antifreeze for latex rigs?
Also, do you guys keep your hoses attatched during storage? filled with storage fluid?

Workaholic

I have a few quarts of that pump armor that i keep meaning to try. I use thinner, with hoses attached. I have heard many times to use antifreeze but just don't trust it. Plus thinner is something that we painters almost always have around.

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Sean

ProTouch

I store latex pumps in mineral spirits. Sometimes Kerosene or even Diesel at times.

PowerPaintingUK

thanks for your responses guys.
Hey Sean. Have a look at your quarts of Pump Armor and on the label it will say "contains: Ethylene glycol & diethelene glycol. Glycol is antifreeze ....and flushable with water. Some people have been using it for a lont time with no bad effects.

Workaholic

Phil, yep it sure does, i guess i will try out the armor, and if i like it switch to the antifreeze.

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Sean

PowerPaintingUK

same here mate

Tim0282

When you guys talk about storage, are you talking a week, month or what?

I'm a drywaller that primes most of the work I do, so I have a couple pumps and wondering if I am doing the storage thing wrong. Umm...

PowerPaintingUK

Well I'm talking about any time that the rig isn't being used.
Short term storage (up to a couple of weeks) I will use mineral spirits for oil base rig and pump armor/antifreeze for the latex rig, however,
long term storage (over a couple of weeks) I will use mineral spirits in both rigs.
I hope thats of some help Tim?

regal

windshield washer fluid short term, and thinner long term.

Workaholic

Windshield washing fluid? There's a new one.

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Sean

KJLinden2002

Antifreeze or pump saver

regal

yeah we put a steel nail in a vile and put some windshield washer fluid in it and let it sit a week and no rust formed. The same if done with water will rust it. We got the idea from a pump saver display in a store, and a guy who used to work with me said, "I bet windshield washer fluid does the same thing", so we experimented.