Best applicator for smooth paint finish?

[jziegler]

I'm also interested in cleaning, but mostly for oil based products. I feel pretty good about my cleaning for the water based finishes. I can never seem to get a brush decently clean after using anything oil based.

Jim

[mmgross144]

Brush clean-up

Hello again,
In response to the request about brush clean-up after painting, the first thing to remember is proper brush prep.
1.)If the brush is dirty or dusty, clean it, as the dirt/dust particles will accelerate paint sticking to and drying on the bristles.
2.) Dip it all the way to the ferule (metal that holds the bristles in place) in the appropriate solvent (Water - water based, mineral spirits - oil/alkyd based, denatured alcohol - shellac (also good for latex paint removal)). Then shake it out to remove the excess. This coats the bristles, giving you a head-start in clean-up and aids in paint flow. If you are painting over your head, you will appreciate removing the excess solvent before painting.
3.) Don't submerge the brush in paint. Brushes die from drowning as paint fills in the ferule and stiffens the bristles at their core, making them useless (except as dust brushes and scrubbing primer into rough surfaces). Some flow into the ferule is unavoidable, which leads to the next point...
4.) Don't let the paint dry on the brush (exception: shellac is reducable in denatured alcohol, and soaking the brush in more shellac or denatured-alcohol for 1 hour prior to use revives the brush...convenient in light of shellac's speed drying tendencies). If this means that you need to stop and clean the brush or put it in solvent and pick-up a second one (properly prepped of course) then do so. I guess what I am saying is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Good brushes are worth the effort.
5.) Clean-up tools: a.) Solvent (as listed above)

b.) A clean-up bucket or sink (5 gallon bucket for oil/alkyd & shellac)
c.)A wire brush and/or clean-up fork (Wooster makes a nifty combo)
d.) THE SECRET WEAPON a roller/brush spinner (cost $15.00-25.00 and worth every cent). Rollers slide over the prongs and brushes go between them (careful not to pinch your fingers, the prongs are strong). It uses hand pumped centrifigal forces to spin out the moisture (paint) from the tool. This is where the bucket/sink comes in as a catch basin for the solvent. Keep dipping/pouncing your brush in solvent (clean once dirtied) and spinning it until the spin-off is clear.

6.) Procedure: a.)Use a stir stick, the side of your paint-pot or the rim

of the paint can to remove excess paint. Be thorough.
b.) pour enough solvent into a narrow container (wide enough for the brush to flex on the bottom and deep enough to submerge to the ferule, but not so large that you use excessive solvent). Now plunge the brush up & down creating a suction that draws the paint from the ferule. Spin out the brush. Refresh your solvent and repeat. Most brushes come clean after three rounds of this procedure, but adjust according to need. Use the wire brush/fork to aid in removing any paint that has dried on the bristles. Then clean your brush (if synthetic) with soap & water, spin out (not in the solvent bucket) and let dry upside-down (hanging) or place it back into the sleeve that it came with. This aids in shape retention.

Water-based procedure: All of the above except use a sink and plunge the brush in running water (warm, not hot). NOTE: DO NOT pour paint/paint debrise into sinks with garbage disposals...bad, bad, bad, bad and very expensive to fix).
c.) RECYCLE SOLVENT! This will save you loads of money and make the squirrels and trees happy. Here's how. Make a two or three bucket system (or gallon paint cans, depending on your needs), and pour the dirty solvent into one container, seal it and let it sit. The pigments & solids will settle to the bottom, then slowly pour off the clear solvent into a larger bucket for storage & re-use. This can be repeated into a third bucket for more solvent refining. Once the first can is full of solids, open it to the air to fully dry & throw it away (check local regulations for proper disposal) and replace the paint can. Solvents do not "wear-out" and can be reused indefinitely.
If all this fails (or if you forget, or procrastinate - done it myself), then there are specific brush cleaners (harsh solvents) that will allow you to soak a brush for a few days & recover it. Warning! Solvents are dangerous to your health, a fire hazard, and bad for the environment, so act responsibly. Hang soaked rags out to dry and use a Red Fire-Proof Solvent Can for disposal. Solvent fumes are HIGHLY flammable, and can be ignited if present near a gas furnace when it lights up (seen it happen, don't want to go there again).

I hope that this helps. Post back if I can aid you further.