PVC Storage for Craft paints

[RouterMike]

OK, so here's my test fit using a bag of 15 connectors. I really like this. If I can scare up a few minutes at work, I'll call a few contractor supply shops in the area, see if I can get a better deal on 200 (300?) of these connectors.

 

Just the right size for dropper bottles, and the depth is good too. You can see in the first pic there is a stopper ring in the middle of the pipe. This stops the bottle from sliding all the way through. I figure that's just about perfect for how much still hangs out the back.

 

I'll stop threadjacking Ludo's awesome craft room thread now. When I get to building this for real, I'll put together a real WIP and start a new thread. Again, thank you Ludo for planting the seed for an awesome idea.

 

 

 

[CrimsonStar]

I posted an image of a paint rack I made a while back in another thread recently, but here's the pic again.  It's made using PVC, foamboard, and hot glue.

 

[RouterMike]

another update. The Scalecolor bottles didn't like to stay in the rack nearly as well as hoped. Using the 3/4 inch schedule 40 PVC couplers works perfectly if you're only using Reaper paint, but everyone has slightly different bottle shapes. (see below)

 

Reper - works perfectly
Vellejo - a large amount hangs out on the front, but I could live with it for the few Vallejo bottles I have

Scalecolor - either they hang out too far if you just put them in just up to the bottle widening out, or with a little wiggling over the inner ring, they pass right through. Not acceptable
Army Painter - same issues as Scalecolor (pretty sure it's the same bottle)

Secret Weapon - these hung out a bit more than Reaper, but they're still fine.

 

You can see below that the Reaper bottle is sitting nicely, Secret Weapon is OK as well. Vallejo is out too far and Scalecolor and Army Painter don't sit far enough without fussing with them, and then they slide right through. 

 

I'm glad I tried this for science, but it's not going to work out for what I need. I could just go with 1" schedule 40 VPC cut to 2.5" lengths, but I don't have access to a saw setup that would allow me to make 300 identical cuts. So this is back to the drawing board for a while.

[RouterMike]

I posted an image of a paint rack I made a while back in another thread recently, but here's the pic again.  It's made using PVC, foamboard, and hot glue.

 

 

I wanted to do this on a grand scale, like 300 pieces. I was hoping to use couplings so I don't have to cut that may pieces.

 

~125 Reaper bottles

~72 Scalecolor bottles

~18 Armypainter bottles

~10 Vallejo droppers

~8 Secret Weapon droppers

 

So 300 spaces for whatever I end up with (and a little expansion). I'll happily take suggestions from the forum folks on how to proceed.

[CrimsonStar]

 

I posted an image of a paint rack I made a while back in another thread recently, but here's the pic again.  It's made using PVC, foamboard, and hot glue.

 

 

I wanted to do this on a grand scale, like 300 pieces. I was hoping to use couplings so I don't have to cut that may pieces.

 

~125 Reaper bottles

~72 Scalecolor bottles

~18 Armypainter bottles

~10 Vallejo droppers

~8 Secret Weapon droppers

 

So 300 spaces for whatever I end up with (and a little expansion). I'll happily take suggestions from the forum folks on how to proceed.

 

 

If you don't have an electric saw of some kind to cut, get a cheap pair of PVC pipe cutters.  Much easier than a hand saw.

[Cranky Dog]

If you don't have an electric saw of some kind to cut, get a cheap pair of PVC pipe cutters.  Much easier than a hand saw.

^^Ditto^^

 

A pipe cutter will make a cleaner cut and virtually no mess.

[RouterMike]

Well, the PVC monstrosity I was considering building wasn't going to work out. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with a wooden rack instead. I took pictures through the build process, and put together a WIP for it.

 

http://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/72607-wip-new-paint-rack/

 

 

 

[Gadgetman!]

Since I've been sick the last few days, I started on my own paint rack...

14meters of PP pipe(outer diameter 32mm, inner diameter 28mm) cut into 55mm long pieces... Takes a loong time with pipe cutters. It's frankly worth getting a bandsaw for it.

(252 pieces... )

Pipe cutters DO NOT leave a perfect edge. They will deform the plastic slightly, giving you a slight burr on the outside which must be taken care of with a deburring tool, a file or sandpaper.

First I tried a PVC cement, but either it didn't work with the PP tubing, or it had gone off.(quite possible. The can was old. )

Scraping glue off of 84 pieces was a pain... even when hopped up on cough syrup...

 

But I eventually found a tin of epoxy...

(paste-like stuff. messy to work with)

 

Each row is 12 pieces long, and I have pieces enough for 21 rows.

(But ran out of epoxy after gluing everything together into 4piece sections and those sections into 16 rows)

The rows are angled slightly upwards with the help of a plastic rod I laid under the front edge of the first row.

 

The bottles in the rack is mostly random bottles, except for the Redstone Triad at the far left.

I may switch to have the bottom out, or I may 'pad' the bottom of the tubes since it seems 55mm was a bit too deep.

 

I still haven't decided what to use as backing for it.

(It won't be the Lexan plate I'm currently using. That would be a bit of a waste. )

 

The same store(Biltema) also has pipe with 40mm outer diameter(approx 36mm inside diameter) which is a perfect fit for 1 & 2oz bottles from Vallejo.

 

When looking for tubes for similar racks, remember that plastic tubing is used a lot of places.

Electrical installations, drains, air circulation... Even central Vacuum systems use them, so check all areas of the HW store for different sizes.

Edited February 12, 2017 by Gadgetman!

[Gadgetman!]

Just adding another, very important note, for anyone else also contemplating this;

PP plastic is very 'fat' and almost impossible to glue. It will NOT be able to take much abuse.

And quite a lot tubing sold as PVC is in fact PP because PP is almost completely resistant to chemicals such as Acetone.

The label just stuck in inventory lists and most people don't know the difference.

 

I'm using A LOT of epoxy compound in this build because I smear it on liberally. Wide and deep. Not just the contact area between the tubes. Instead of a 2mm wide patch, there's a 10mm wide patch. And I still feel that it's not enough. Whether this will work or not depends entirely on how I mount the backboard.

[MikeGolfJ3]

On 12/4/2016 at 10:18 PM, Talae said:

Great idea!

 

How big of diameter do these come in and still have a reasonable price? I could see using these for organization of toys in the kids' room.

 

Depending on where you live, you can get 6" and 8" piping at the box stores.