a quality metal 'touch up' paint roller tray

[strik9]

Just is not sold locally.  Maybe none are made.

   So a little alu left over from the Lincoln hood and an old car air filter stepped up.    I have a lot to go in just finishing my house and future efforts to keep it up so no disposable flimsy plastic for me.

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Pop rivets in folded alu are not a good seal so a little caulk was dabbed into the joints.

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My usual motley crew of junk and a new Milwaukee drill bit that really is better than most.  I endorse them. 
   No cheaper bit had ever been this sharp.

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With the one working so well another was made.  A tin microwave oven shell donated its dignity.

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More mesh from an old car air filter

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Why:

  The one that can be moved during the work has canals on the edges that leave a sloppy roller on ceilings. 
    The other which is too floppy to move loaded is too narrow for most rollers and slows me down accomodating the error.  Otherwise fine to use.

  Now both relegated to helpers if I ever get lucky and cosmic miracles line up all the stars right. 

[muddy]

Great now you can come help paint my she'd..  if it ever stops raining around here!

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

[strik9]

We'll do it the Amish way.  I help you (and get some genuine Philly cheese steak subs) then you help me paint those outside 2nd floor walls.  And you get real Mexican tacos.  Or tortas, molotes, dobladas .......

    You will truly earn them too.

[J.A.F.E.]

The molotes and dobladas sound really good. I had to look them up never heard of them before.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molote

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doblada_(Mexican_cuisine)

[muddy]

Deal, as long as this includes some nice cold cervezas!!!

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk

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I have spent some "quality time" with both of them now and can report a result.   Both were made to fill a hole in the market and to fix what plagues the commercial units.

   Therefore I can say that both met the demands of one insignificant moron perfectly.  no flimsy poor fit  to anything in any way.

    Everyone LOVES cleaning up after painting I know.  Almost as much fun as painting....     Both cleaned back to metal perfectly leaving only small traces under the expanded steel.   I could have gotten that too but water spent to do it would not be worth the result.

     i do like how the tin one cleaned faster than the alu really with minimum time spent. 

  So gents.   if anyone gets the tin bending bug and has as  much %¿¡?+:  painting to do as I do where cheap disposable tools are an issue this is a real solution.  And you can hand them down to your kids so they to can learn the fun involved in such sport.

     The cost of both was the cost of the rivets.  Whatever those are worth.   the rest was all recycled old crap.

[J.A.F.E.]

So now you can roll another one my friend.

Sorry had to do it.

[strik9]

These things are dangerous.

Brush and roller in one hand with the ladder hooked on your arm to move a bit then grab the tray with the other hand.  Make the move without a drop hitting the floor.
    Then later try the same with a cheap plastic tray  not fully thinking about it all....

[ScoutDriver]

That pan is well executed!  Very nice.  I made some strainers for parts at work.  Like you, I found the filter screen to be a good material that would otherwise be thrown out.

Scott

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Thanks!

   A shitty job that cannot be avoided forever and inadequate tools was my deal.  So I fixed what was possible.

    It has made it at least to where I am not fighting the tools as much.  Next up is to increase capacity to make for less refills.  Another new one coming.

[strik9]

Another take on the idea.   Make it bigger to make for less refills.  This one holds more than a commercial tray by half again but making a deeper well gets messy.  So I made it longer and wider. 
     Full box section under the ramp just because its rigid and stable.  Tin is cheap too.

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The other picture

[J.A.F.E.]

Your tin bending skills are getting quite impressive.

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I am just getting a bit better at torquing out light twists and hiding errors.  I made the lower plate move a bit to get it to set right before rivets.  Liquid nails tightened up all movement and water sealed. 

    Then I painted crap half the day sunday and never used a tray or roller....  just a dollar store cheapo brush.

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a question to the crew:

  Am I the only one here irritated by frequent refilling or is it just something most just adapt to?
the reason I ask is because as shown they can be made to greater capacity and the one shown here is proof.  But by just looking at more real estate and making one a bit bigger....     you could get a full gallon or 3/4 a gallon in one shot to make it a one fill room paint. 

   This isn't science to bend tin but obviously  a limit will be reached where too big is achieved and it becomes silly.   I understand that  much.   

[DeadNutz]

I think the smaller capacity is much better for me. Not as much to clean up or waste for when I step on it and spill it.

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a shot of black on the outside to cover up the ugly some .   Now they are ready for use.

[J.A.F.E.]

Looks good and I like the color choice.

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And a last hurrah.  The turn to the silly side of this.

   How about a 21" tray with 3/4 gallon capacity on a roller cart?

    Just push it about with your foot as you progress in painting a room.  No need to lift the tray until clean up.

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How it compares to a normal commercial tray.

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And the ugly backside.  I used the cheapest casters as it is unlikely to ever wear anything out in its lifetime. 

  There you go.  Fill twice and go go go to finish a room. 

[slip knot]

I've always hated the flimsy plastic trays as well. But I went the other direction. I use a 5 gallon bucket with a commercial roller grid. put @2gallons of paint in it and lets roll. When done, wash the grid off and toss the bucket and roller cover. I've never been able/willing to get the roller cover clean. I just grab the 6pack at Shermy Williams and go.

[J.A.F.E.]

Pretty clever. I like the idea. Does it move around when you load the roller?

[strik9]

Ultra cheap casters ensure it stays put more or less but a push with the foot and it rolls the right direction.    No way it will ever get the miles on it to wear them out.

  Cleaning old paper core rollers was an art.  Two uses and the core unwound making my boss mad as this NEVER happened to him before I came along.  Modern plastic core rollers I get three cleanings before it just gets ugly and we part ways. 
       Old brushes and I are long friends.  I buy spares each job and have only used dollar store crap from five years ago.  They just do not die. 

   I searched for a bucket screen if to just copy it and found none.  So to do something this beast came of earlier ideas.

    It probably won't stay pretty long but who cares.    I put maybe 5 bucks into the entire project.