Portable Paint Can Shaker Patent Granted

**mixkwikis1st** · June 5th, 2010, 11:43 AM

Does any one know how many billions of spray paint cans are sold every year? There doesn't seem to be any stats available on this. Whatever it is, that's how many cans are being mixed by the old fashioned method of hand shaking. It just plain sucks. It hurts your wrists and elbows, is boring as hell and after all's said and done, it doesn't even work. The paint does NOT flow smoothly - but clogs up or runs out of gas too soon, leaving an unfinished can. After getting real tired of this scenario, I invented a little tool that is now changing all that. The rest of the world is still trying to mix paint the old way, but you fellas that do it for a living sure don't have to anymore ! This tool is an attachment for a sawsall so if you don't have a saw, check out all the cordless saws available now days. You can buy em on ebay or Walmart or Harbor Freight for pretty cheap. The attachment itself goes for under $20. Take your stagnant paint or cold paint and shake it up mechanically for 20 seconds with the simple squeeze of a trigger. The paint will flow like magic !! It's BETTER than a handshake - It's the MixKwik tool. Be my guest and enjoy a video demonstration of this awesome invention at -
www.mixkwik.com

**ifinditunderground** · June 5th, 2010, 01:40 PM

I do truly hope your invention is a success, but I can't see many, if any, field guys will go buy their own battery powered
Sawzall, nor are they gonna lug that bugger up and down the road strapped to their belt so they can mix the next can while they are 1,000
Feet down the road from their truck. And I can damn sure guarantee that locating companies will not spend their money for their field guys
To have such a gimmicky tool like that, especially for 1,000 sawzalls. Good luck, sounds like a tool that only a select few locators have time
And money to spend on things like this. Hate to be a bummer but I wanted to get that out there. Belongs with the Innspector 07 dustpan.

**Shadowcat** · June 5th, 2010, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by ifinditunderground

I do truly hope your invention is a success, but I can't see many, if any, field guys will go buy their own battery powered
Sawzall, nor are they gonna lug that bugger up and down the road strapped to their belt so they can mix the next can while they are 1,000
Feet down the road from their truck. And I can damn sure guarantee that locating companies will not spend their money for their field guys
To have such a gimmicky tool like that, especially for 1,000 sawzalls. Good luck, sounds like a tool that only a select few locators have time
And money to spend on things like this. Hate to be a bummer but I wanted to get that out there. Belongs with the Innspector 07 dustpan.

I do have to agree with you. While it is a great idea, it is most practical in a shop of some sort. I really can not see myself using this in the field. I myself do have a battery powered Sawzall, but I am not going to bring it with me out to the field for shaking cans. Damn thing it too heavy to be lugging around with all my other equipment.

I think this tool adapter is a great idea, and I do like how it was engineered. It's just not a practical field tool. I could have a can ready to go shaking it manually in the same amount of time. The problem with the clogs is due to old, aged paint. Marking paint was not designed to stay good forever. Key to this is proper rotation of your supplies in your truck to ensure you are using the freshest paint available. The other problem with marking paint is it freezes or becomes too thick during winter. Only heat a time can remedy this. Shake that can all you want, but nothing will happen until you give it sometime on the heater.

Like I said before, great invention. I hope it takes off well for you. However, if you want the locators and locating companies to buy it, you need to figure out how to make it more field friendly. Needs to be able to be carried with our other gear while on foot. I locate out in the sticks and most of the time my truck ends up being up to a mile or so away when I need to change cans.

**1idejim** · June 6th, 2010, 12:09 AM

better idea than the shaker may be a flagging tool, something to insert marking flags with a co2 cartridge, kinda like a nail gun. best of luck with the shaker

**FiosKing** · June 6th, 2010, 12:50 AM

you cant be serious... takes 5 sec to shake a can.... cool idea but really? do you really need something like this?

**sprayandpray** · June 6th, 2010, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by 1idejim

better idea than the shaker may be a flagging tool, something to insert marking flags with a co2 cartridge, kinda like a nail gun. best of luck with the shaker

Or invent a gadget to keep your leads from getting tangled - maybe re-tractable.

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 6th, 2010, 08:52 AM

Like mentioned before too heavy, awkward and expensive for a locator to use.

What locators need is an easy carry for extra cans of paint so they do not have to go back to the truck. Years ago Krylon came out with a paint can holster. Problem was the paint can fit too snugly and it took two hands to get the new paint out and put the empty can in. The locator needs to do this with just one hand as they are carrying the receiver and a paint stick. I threw my Krylon holster into the back of the truck and ignored it.

You also have to look at this from the locator's view point, especially the one's working for the contract locating firms. They do not pay for the paint and it does not matter to them if they get a few more lines of paint out of each can. The buyers for your product would be the owners of the firm who would have to buy both the attachment and the sawsall which is not normally stocked in locating trucks. They know, the smart ones anyway, that they would be buying products that would not be used by their locators.

We could use a paint holster for our belts but even better is a holster that can be attached to a paint stick, up near the top where the weight would not be on the bottom end. A paint holster for our belts requires emptying every time we get back in the truck.

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 6th, 2010, 08:54 AM

Consider another need of locators, carrying around the various sized flags. Usually we have to go back to the truck to get our locate equipment out of our hands and get flags. I use an arrow quiver to carry around flags and save an extra trip. Flags come in different lengths from short to long.

**TMO** · June 6th, 2010, 03:19 PM

I agree with most guys here , not very practical for in the field. Dont get me wrong , I'm glad this invention is being shared with us !
My tip is to keep stock rotated , i empty my full cases into milk crates in my bed ,( 1 standard crate = 2 cases ) , and if some sit for a week , i pull them and flip them upside down. That seems to help , and make the hand shaking very quick. Btw-- Handshaking means rotating the wrist quickly side to side , not the old style pumping the arm up and down!
Also , if you wanna get real fancy ,either keep a case in the cab during the winter , or use the inverter and throw an electric blanket over your bed-stock on low. This may work if your USIC and have the plug already in the bed. We dont have one , but a wire aint that tough to run to the bed if cold paint is a real problem for you.

**Turk182** · June 6th, 2010, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by ProfessionalLocator

Like mentioned before too heavy, awkward and expensive for a locator to use.

What locators need is an easy carry for extra cans of paint so they do not have to go back to the truck. Years ago Krylon came out with a paint can holster. Problem was the paint can fit too snugly and it took two hands to get the new paint out and put the empty can in. The locator needs to do this with just one hand as they are carrying the receiver and a paint stick. I threw my Krylon holster into the back of the truck and ignored it.

You also have to look at this from the locator's view point, especially the one's working for the contract locating firms. They do not pay for the paint and it does not matter to them if they get a few more lines of paint out of each can. The buyers for your product would be the owners of the firm who would have to buy both the attachment and the sawsall which is not normally stocked in locating trucks. They know, the smart ones anyway, that they would be buying products that would not be used by their locators.

We could use a paint holster for our belts but even better is a holster that can be attached to a paint stick, up near the top where the weight would not be on the bottom end. A paint holster for our belts requires emptying every time we get back in the truck.

On long extents when I know I will need more than 1 can of paint I use a backpack to carry extra paint, and I carry my flags in pieces of 1" PVC taped to my paintsick.

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 6th, 2010, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Turk182

On long extents when I know I will need more than 1 can of paint I use a backpack to carry extra paint, and I carry my flags in pieces of 1" PVC taped to my paintsick.

Ah yes, duct tape, the poor mans answer to structural engineering needs.

**ProfessionalLocator** · June 6th, 2010, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by 1idejim

better idea than the shaker may be a flagging tool, something to insert marking flags with a co2 cartridge, kinda like a nail gun. best of luck with the shaker

Giving us what is essentially a gas powered crossbow is not in the interest of public safety.

**Goldenboy** · June 6th, 2010, 06:07 PM

It is a good idea and I know when I'm doing a real long spray up your wrist can get very sore from shaking a bunch of cans in a row. I just wish everytime I had to shake up a can I was near my truck.

Originally Posted by ProfessionalLocator

We could use a paint holster for our belts but even better is a holster that can be attached to a paint stick, up near the top where the weight would not be on the bottom end. A paint holster for our belts requires emptying every time we get back in the truck.

I have used a water bottle holder for holding extra paint cans. They only cost a couple dollars at Walmart and fit the paint stick fine and the paint cans fit in them perfectly.

**TMO** · June 6th, 2010, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

It is a good idea and I know when I'm doing a real long spray up your wrist can get very sore from shaking a bunch of cans in a row. I just wish everytime I had to shake up a can I was near my truck.

I have used a water bottle holder for holding extra paint cans. They only cost a couple dollars at Walmart and fit the paint stick fine and the paint cans fit in them perfectly.

Genius!!
I like the long trigger on that paint stick . what kind is that GB?

**locator00566** · June 6th, 2010, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Goldenboy

It is a good idea and I know when I'm doing a real long spray up your wrist can get very sore from shaking a bunch of cans in a row. I just wish everytime I had to shake up a can I was near my truck.

I have used a water bottle holder for holding extra paint cans. They only cost a couple dollars at Walmart and fit the paint stick fine and the paint cans fit in them perfectly.

why not just tape 2 paint sticks together???