ManvsMini Posted February 16, 2021 Author Share Posted February 16, 2021 12 hours ago, Gadgetman! said: Drop in a ball baring or something, then try the P3 paints again... 10 hours ago, WhiteWulfe said: I'll second the agitator Pfft, this isn't my first rodeo, good sirs. Agitators have been in there since the moment I opened them. 7 hours ago, haldir said: Yah the P3 metallics are very thick, especially Brass balls. Excellent paints thou. That's exactly the paint that won't mix well. All the others mix well. And yes, excellent paints (except my Umbral Umber is too thin for that dark of a brown, can't basecoat at all with it). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem91 Posted February 16, 2021 Share Posted February 16, 2021 I've had a LabGenius HS120598DS Mini Vortex Mixer Advanced for 18 months. I'll run through 20 or so paints through it in one sitting, each about 30s. I've not had any issues with it to date. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 On 2/15/2021 at 10:20 PM, Gadgetman! said: Drop in a ball baring or something, then try the P3 paints again... +1. But make it non-corrosive. I used cheap metal bearings at first and now have "rusted" ball bearings in those bottles. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparrowMarie Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Thanks for the suggestion @R2ED ! I picked this one up and am loving how it's working. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2ED Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 @SparrowMariethat's wonderful! I have really enjoyed the hell out of mine. I know one other person in the forum who got one, too abs he's enjoying it as well. Getting consistent paints made a big difference in laying them down on the minis, but also speeds up how quickly i can go from paint to paint. Not to mention my arm not being all shook-out. Thanks for letting me know it worked out. Stoked for you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 2, 2021 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) On 2/5/2021 at 12:04 PM, slimninj4 said: I just have the Robart Paint Shaker. Friend gave it to me after he got a vortex. This still works for me except I have to buy the straps every once in a while as they snap. This one does 5k shakes a minute. Much faster than my wrist. Don't need the ivory colored straps ... use rubber bands. You'll figure out how to attach them. Not as convenient as the issue straps, but work just as well. And are really cheap and easy to replace. Edited April 2, 2021 by Highlander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baugi Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 After reviewing this thread some time ago, I ordered the Intellab mixer. I've been using it for about 2 months now with wonderful results so far. More consistent than manual shaking and gets me painting faster. +1 recommend for anyone that's out looking. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valthorn_Illian Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 On 2/1/2021 at 9:10 PM, R2ED said: Says it goes 2800 RPM. I have no reference against other paint shakers or vortex models. I read up on a few different kinds. This one looked like it could do the trick. Takes a small amount of learning where the sweet spot is to get the right mix. I often to a spin right side up and the one upside down. So far the consistency I'm getting is way way better not to mention my wrist is grateful. For its price, how quiet it is, how small it is on my table - totally worth it. I recommend. This one has a bad habit of not working. I have one and I have to spent time playing with it to get it to run every time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManvsMini Posted April 20, 2021 Author Share Posted April 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Valthorn_Illian said: This one has a bad habit of not working. I have one and I have to spent time playing with it to get it to run every time. I have this one, and will admit that it definitely has a "sweet spot" to get it to run properly, but I only notice that with paint pots (I use a lot of P3 paints). When I use a dropper bottle that will fit into the test tube groove, I haven't noticed any problem. I'm pretty content with my purchase. For those who get frustrated easily and don't like fiddling around, there is probably a better mixer if you use pots instead of droppers. At some point I'll upgrade my mixer to a Typhoon, but that won't be in the near future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2ED Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 I've been using mine with excellent results. Not that i can say I've used others to compare against, but it's been doing a great job of paint consistency. I've also been noticing a lot of the YouTube painters using this exact model, too. Miniac, Ninjon, Luke's APS, etc. I'm sure there's much, much better (and more expensive models), but for the small price this is - I still say it's absolutely worth it. There is a sweet spot, yes. For dropper bottles, I spin them first on the bottom, then flip it and do the top, then tap it down on my palm so Idon't get a paint "cough up" when I open the cap. The few seconds extra I do these steps save me TONS of shaking time, arm fatigue, or just taking more time away from painting while I'm struggling with shaking them up. BE AWARE!!! This machine is not meant to handle heavier bottles, so anything bigger than about 4 oz, you'd be pushing it's limit. There was a YouTube video I saw, where someone who bought this model used a hot glue gun and made a fitted ring for dropper bottles to fit perfectly in the center. I'm sure I'd feel comfortable doing that, but it looked like it was a good solve if you have trouble hitting the sweet spot. I have yet to have it stop working, not work when I needed it to, or had issues with it burning out or slowing. I know much of how it reacts to doing it's role is how you have to apply slight pressure and be in the right spot. Is there better? Absolutely sure of it. For it's price though, this is good for a few years for me. Already with how much time it's saved and the improved painting I've had from it - I'd have paid double. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valthorn_Illian Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 28 minutes ago, ManvsMini said: I have this one, and will admit that it definitely has a "sweet spot" to get it to run properly, but I only notice that with paint pots (I use a lot of P3 paints). When I use a dropper bottle that will fit into the test tube groove, I haven't noticed any problem. I'm pretty content with my purchase. For those who get frustrated easily and don't like fiddling around, there is probably a better mixer if you use pots instead of droppers. At some point I'll upgrade my mixer to a Typhoon, but that won't be in the near future. Even the dropper bottles give me fits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeman Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 (edited) I know this is a bit late but I've only just discovered this thread. I recently bought a vortex from eBay. This one. It lasted 2 months and the seller has been a right pain, not willing to pay for the return, then cancelling my return and offering a replacement which never arrived. I wasted £20 on this so I learned the hard way that you get what you paid for. Don't get this heap of junk. There's loads of people selling them on eBay and Amazon but they aren't worth the money. But I did get a second hand HATI Rotamixer for £48 which usually goes for £100+. This is much better built and made to survive the test of time, actually designed to be used in research laboratories. (HATI is Hook & Tucker Instruments.) I'm very happy with it. I used to work in medical research and used to use these a lot to shake up the pellets at the bottom of centrifuged tubes. You don't need to be gentle with it, that's nonsense, having worked in a lab if a piece of kit like this stopped working becuase you pressed too hard then it would be thrown out and a better piece of kit used. They're meant to be rugged. Edited August 23, 2021 by Treeman Add text 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2ED Posted August 24, 2021 Share Posted August 24, 2021 I'm still super happy with my little vortex mixer and for what it does, it's size, quiet, and cost - worth it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treeman Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 On 8/24/2021 at 2:29 AM, R2ED said: I'm still super happy with my little vortex mixer and for what it does, it's size, quiet, and cost - worth it. The HATI is quiet too. Does need a couple of seconds to spin up to full speed but it's great. And I know it won't kick the bucket any time in the next year. But I'll let you all know if it does so you can gloat. 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billeecats Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 (edited) Dropping in to add my $0.02 with my latest experience, should it help anyone still looking. I've been using this little Intllab gadget for months. It's functional and does what you need and is also usually somewhere between $40-$60 on the Big River site. If I had no other vortex mixer but this one, I'd still be happy with it. Yesterday, a friend got me a Typhoon mixer as an early birthday present, which I really, really like. It's basically a refurbished industrial mixer, so it has a more powerful motor, and it has a solid metal body, making it a lot sturdier. However, it does retail for about twice the cost of the little blue guy. Edited August 30, 2021 by billeecats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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