'Welded on' pot lids

[jcf]

I put the pot in a container of thinners, upside down so the lid was totally submerged, and it's been there all night.

No effect whatsoever, the lid's STILL welded on! 

What kind of thinners? Regular white spirit
type isn't going to have an effect. The
methylated spirits/denatured alcohol that
was mentioned previously is a good choice
it's one of the components of the carrier
in the Tamiya acrylics. Plain old lacquer thinner/cellulose thinner will probably
work the best.

[Old Wombat]

For acrylics, I put the can upside down and squirt some solvent (denatured alcohol/methylated spirits) into the gap between the lid and the bottle and wait 10-15 minutes. The lid will come off easily, or with some help from pliers. If it doesn't I repeat the process with acetone,

I've had good results with this, myself.
Hope you find something that works, Kit.

Plus One here, too.

[PR19_Kit]

It's Gunze Sangyo acrylic paint and I used Revell acrylic thinners, which was the only stuff to hand at that time of night.

I suspect cellulose thinners might have dissolved the pot lid itself! While that WOULD have got the paint out, it wouldn't have been where I wanted it..............

[The Wooksta!]

"Right. Cut it open!"

Plastic lid?  Flathead Screwdriver under the edge and break it open.  If it's hard plastic, it'll break, flexi should break away from the paint and may allow it to turn.

[Rick Lowe]

If you have a spare container you can decant it into, that's probably the best option.

If you do use pliers though, be careful you don't crush the top of the bottle, or twist it right off.

[zenrat]

I use Frank's trick but I drip General Purpose Thinners (bought from the car parts store in 4 litre containers - I use it to clean my airbrush) into the gap.  Usually works in seconds*.

But I don't have to do that so often since I bought something similar to this.

It came with a silicone rubber cup with which to grip the pot.  It works very well.  I can't remember where I got it.


*GP Thinners dissolves all model paints, the model itself, the latex gloves I am wearing to hold the model and the soles of my shoes should I spill any and stand in it.

[PR19_Kit]

I've never even heard of that tricky tool Fred, but I could surely do with one! I'll keep an eye out.

[Later] Hmm, they're all over ebay, but not the real thing. Someone's made a CAD design from the original and copied it for a 3d printer and it doesn't come with the rubber cup, but you can get them in pairs, so two are on the way to me now.

[andrewj]

I;ve never failer with tamiya pots uing the hot water method , just need a bit of patience ant keep the lid under the tap for long enough .

Andew

[PR19_Kit]

As I said, these are Gunze Sangyo paints I'm having the problem with.

[Rick Lowe]

I've never even heard of that tricky tool Fred, but I could surely do with one! I'll keep an eye out.

[Later] Hmm, they're all over ebay, but not the real thing. Someone's made a CAD design from the original and copied it for a 3d printer and it doesn't come with the rubber cup, but you can get them in pairs, so two are on the way to me now.

That's probably better than going straight to the Nuclear Option of cutting the lid off the bottle.

To be fair, the original looks to be 3D printed anyway. But something more non-slip than your hand, to hold the bottle is a good idea. 
I have a small 4" Tupperware rubber square that works pretty well, though two are better.

[PR19_Kit]

In the short term I found a single pot of Tamiya Sky in Hobbycraft today, so that's solved the immediate problem of painting the Ju 588's underside.

Sorting the welded pot lids will come later I'm sure.

[zenrat]

I've never even heard of that tricky tool Fred, but I could surely do with one! I'll keep an eye out.

[Later] Hmm, they're all over ebay, but not the real thing. Someone's made a CAD design from the original and copied it for a 3d printer and it doesn't come with the rubber cup, but you can get them in pairs, so two are on the way to me now.

Mine wasn't sold as being for Tamiya paints specifically and it looks different.  Its injection moulded in Yellow.
I think it came from HLJ but I can't find it on their website.

<edit>
Found it.

Its a Mr. Cap Opener by GSI Creos.
https://www.hlj.com/mr-cap-opener-gnzgt56

[PR19_Kit]

That looks VERY well engineered Fred. 

I expect my 3D printed ones won't be quite so good, but we'll see, and I'll report back.

[Martin H]

I've never even heard of that tricky tool Fred, but I could surely do with one! I'll keep an eye out.

[Later] Hmm, they're all over ebay, but not the real thing. Someone's made a CAD design from the original and copied it for a 3d printer and it doesn't come with the rubber cup, but you can get them in pairs, so two are on the way to me now.

Mine wasn't sold as being for Tamiya paints specifically and it looks different.  Its injection moulded in Yellow.
I think it came from HLJ but I can't find it on their website.

<edit>
Found it.

Its a Mr. Cap Opener by GSI Creos.
https://www.hlj.com/mr-cap-opener-gnzgt56

I picked up one of these off MDP at SMW a year or two before lockdown. works a treat.

[PR19_Kit]

I gave in and bought from HLJ too, I'll have loads of things soon.