What are the latest otions for paint racks for large paint collections?

[Gus Landt]

Time to start yet another 'how do I display my paints on my paint desk' threads. I've looked at the previous threads, but none of them specifically address large paint collections. I have complete sets of Reaper Master Series (234 bottles), Reaper Pro Paint (108 bottles), & GW paint (including foundation set & wash set) (93 bottles). So we're looking at 435 bottles, plus some duplicates and a few vallejo, so lets call it 460.

 

I currently have two of the 4-tier Paintier spinner things, and I'm thinking about getting 3 more, but figured I'd ask here before I did, to see if anyone else has 'solved' the 'large paint bottle collect' problem...

 

I'll also add that portability is not an issue, since the only other places I paint provide it (reaper paint club & a friend's house.)

[GreyHorde]

FWIW, I built my own shelves to hold RMS triads and some Vallejo - two sections for a total of 240 bottles. Shelves are tilted slightly forward so they are short enough to reach from without getting up. I have partial plans and some of the materials to build two more sections for more Vallejos, Pro paints, Foundation, P3 and such. But, I don't have those paints yet, and even if I did, I would be tempted to transfer any pots to large dropper bottles. In other words, I could finish it out and house up to 480 standard droppers, more or less if the size of the bottles change or if I keep adding pots.

[Nial ap Morai]

Time to start yet another 'how do I display my paints on my paint desk' threads. I've looked at the previous threads, but none of them specifically address large paint collections. I have complete sets of Reaper Master Series (234 bottles), Reaper Pro Paint (108 bottles), & GW paint (including foundation set & wash set) (93 bottles). So we're looking at 435 bottles, plus some duplicates and a few vallejo, so lets call it 460.

 

I currently have two of the 4-tier Paintier spinner things, and I'm thinking about getting 3 more, but figured I'd ask here before I did, to see if anyone else has 'solved' the 'large paint bottle collect' problem...

 

I'll also add that portability is not an issue, since the only other places I paint provide it (reaper paint club & a friend's house.)

 

Gus,

You could package them all up and mail them to me and not need the rack/shelving or Try this link http://minipaints.com/

Its run by Joe Kutz (hes on the reaper board but I havent seen him recently) he makes custom racks and displays

 

Kit C

aka (NaM)

[Wilwarin]

I have quite a large collection as well. However, I found a container at Target that is HUGE and has another container that latches on to the first. It's working out great thus far for my paints and other materials that I use for painting. Also, maybe a shot-glass rack could work as well if you can get it large enough or even get multi racks.

 

I don't really display my paints so I'm somewhat lost on what else you can do :) I Hope that those ideas help :D

[cerebro1974]

My wife got me a three tier spinning rack, which works good, but I find I have to dig a bit to find exactly what I'm looking for! I do have them seperated by colors (all green in one tray, blues in one, browns in one etc.) and this helps, but again, I have quite a few so my "more popular ones" stay right on the desk!

[-Q-]

I'm a bit behind on this thread, I hope it's OK to revive it.

 

I use Lewis stacking storage bins from US Plastic Corp. They come in Blue or Grey and several different sizes. The ones I use are:

Lewis Divider Box Containers

49035 or 49405 Grey or Light Blue Divider Box 16.5" x 10.875 x 3.5

49006 Snap on clear cover

49054 Long Vertical Dividers - order 11 per box

49051 Short Vertical Dividers - order 7 per box

 

That will give you a bin that perfectly fits 80 Reaper Master Paint bottles per box, 3 boxes would hold 240 bottles. Each divided square perfectly fits one bottle with plenty of wiggle room for easy in and out. I store the bottles upside-down so I can see all of the colors through the clear cover or when I grab a bottle. They are made to stack so you won't have any problems there. The Dividers above are 1.875" tall, you could get 2.875" tall ones with different item numbers. Those would go to the top but make it a little more tricky to get the bottle out, especially if you're storing them right-side-up.

 

These bins are one of the greatest investments I've made in the hobby. Total cost per complete box with lid and dividers is around $26

 

You can also get cheap paint bottles from USP, the ones similar to Reaper Master bottles are called Boston Rounds. You can choose your cap style too, for example when I got P3 paints I chose the "Yorker" style cap because it has a good large hole which allows normal sized drops of paint but without much pressure and no clogging. However I'll use the traditional screw cap and smaller insert style dropper with inks. The Yorker caps are also much easier to pick up out of the bins with tall dividers. They *do* sell Yorker caps that will fit the Reaper Master bottles if you wanted easier paint flow and less clogging. I think what you'd want is 66111 15/415 at $.19 each. If I'm going to stand them up normally, for the red cap part, I stick them down on a piece of cardboard either by blu-tac, double-sided tape, or sticking down strips of painters tape upside-down then pushing the cap on the sticky tape (works best for me). Then I spray prime them white, paint each color on the cap, and Dull-Cote the caps. Even though they're flexible they hold the color pretty well that way.

 

They also sell cheap funnels for making paint transfer easier.

 

I don't work for the company, this isn't an ad ;) I've always had great service from them, accurate orders, speedy replies to my emails.

 

EDIT: posted to another thread and thought I'd add here. When I am buying new bottles and transferring paint I add fishing weights as agitators. Specifically: from Wal*Mart, Eagle Claw size 5 non-lead environmentally friendly removable split shot. They have good weight to them for working around paint and the odd shape makes them less likely to block the bottle compared to the perfect sphere of a glass marble.

[Darkstar]

I use the paintier carousel, but one is all I need even though I have the full line of MSP, VGC and most of VMC. I won't count the several hundred other paints I own, as they aren't used as much and are on 3 work shelves I put up for paint, solvents and sealers.

 

One paintier is all I need since I need my work table "wide open" so to speak since I get in to other projects that aren't so miniature at times, airbrushing, sculpting, terrain etc... Over time I realized I don't use a third of the paint I have with any sort of frequency so I just set up the ones I do often on my paintier and one seperate lazy susan for my main paints, the stuff I'm guaranteed to reach for all the time.

 

But, if I was to display all the paint I own I would probably go for more paintiers, I think they are very convenient but overpriced. I wouldn't want to lose the one I use though it's ideal for me. But yeah I think they should cost about half of what they're charging for it. Sigh, art supplies. $$$

[Valloa]

My painting desk is now a computer armoire, so I just screwed cheep little plastic containers from Walmart onto the doors. Currently holds all my MSPs, Vallejo and misc stuff that I use and keeps it out of my painting desk table space.

 

 

Maya~

[pae]

meh...how many paints do you actually use?

 

I used to carry around a bunch, but now I probably only have about 1/4 of my paints out where I can get to them easily.

[Helltown]

I've got my case from Joe Kutz, but mostly I just grab the colors I want to use chuck 'em in a ziploc bag or old deck box since I paint whenever and wherever I can.... usually the laundromat.

[Rastl]

I keep all my MSP in the plastic caddies I use to haul them to and from the gaming store. I used to have them on a tiered rack at the back of my paint table but it took me very little time to adapt to using them from the caddies.

 

This way I can stack them out of the way when I don't need them but have them accessible wherever I choose to paint.

 

It's not completely perfect. I can't really keep all the caddies accessible at once and the one I want is always at the bottom of the stack but it works for me.

 

Extra detail on the plastic caddies. Technically the measurements show I can put 16 triads in each caddy but the 'styling' means that I can get 12 triads and then the last compartment fits 2 bottles. I cut matteboard dividers for each one so the triads stay together and there's a piece of felt at the bottom to hold things in place and provide a bit of a cushion.

 

I have 5 caddies right now, each one with an attempt at grouping. Skin tones and metallics in one, browns in another, etc. There's room for growth as well. And of course, once I got these all set up the manufacturer discontinued that caddy. I bought up extras for later.

 

When I paint at home I open and cross-stack the caddies on the floor next to me. No, I do not have children and the animals aren't allowed in the paint/craft room. The lids are made for stacking as well so when I'm not painting I can close them up and stack them or put them into the totes I use to carry them out for paint events.

[Maltique]

I use the reaper caddy and just paint the top of the lid with the contents of it. I have a few triads rubber-banded together to make it easier to find some more frequently used ones easier to find.

 

As for portability It all fits nicely into a beach bag I got a few years ago.