Robart Paint Shaker Review and My DIY Upgrades

[RobBye]

I ordered a Robart paint shaker from an ebay dealer in the U.S., and a few days ago it arrived.



This paint shaker doesn't look like anything special, and it may not qualify as a "must have" accessory, though it surely can make the chore of mixing paint quite a lot easier.

The paint shaker comes in the form of a black plastic box, 14 cm square, about 3 cm high. It sits on four small black rubber pads. The only user control is a non-illuminated click on/click off button, behind which is located a support cradle for the bottle of paint. To secure the paint bottle in place, Robart provides one rubber strap (more on that later). The Robart paint shaker is offered in two configurations: DC powered by four D cell batteries, or AC 100-240 volt 50-60Hz powered through a U.S. style two prong plug. Here in Canada, we use the same plugs and outlets as the Americans, so I, naturally, ordered an AC powered version.

The whole idea is to lay the paint bottle onto the cradle, then use the rubber strap to hold it in place. Once everything is secured, the unit is said to apply 5,000 shakes per minute. I've tried it with Vallejo, Tamiya, Model Master, and Alclad bottles, and it happily accommodated each. There was a noticeable reduction in shaking frequency while the machine handled the larger, heavier Alclad glass bottles. The manufacturer doesn't include any user's instructions with the unit, so I have no idea what limits there may be on the size or weight of paint bottle it can handle. The smaller sizes I mentioned above should be fine. A sticker on the bottom of the unit notes: "Intermittent Duty - Do not run for extended periods".






I purchased some Vallejo paint during a recent visit to the U.S. The retailer was selling them for half price because the pigment was separating from the binder. A perfect test for the Robart paint shaker!

It only took 20-30 seconds of shaking for any of the paint colours to become completely blended. Were I to add a ball bearing or stainless steel nut into the bottle beforehand, it would probably take even less time to achieve full agitation. This machine is a quite efficient at its job.

Frankly, I would wholeheartedly give the Robart paint shaker two thumbs up. There are just two little issues, though, I think could be improved upon. The first is the rubber strap they provide with the shaker. Over time, it's sure to dry out and begin tearing. Replacements can be ordered from Robart or various on-line dealers, but couldn't they, at least, have provided one spare? Instead of ordering more straps, I think I'll just make my own out of punctured bicycle tire tubes (a resource my kids ensure I'll never run out of).

The second issue leads us into the second part of this post - my DIY improvements to the unit.

In use on a smooth surface, the Robart paint shaker has a tendency to walk away. The forces created while shaking paint are too much for the unit's lightweight chassis to contain, therefor it starts heading toward the edge of my desk whenever I use it. There's no real risk of it hitting the floor, because I don't leave it unattended. It did get me thinking about ways to keep it set securely in place.

This was my solution:



I built a box out of scraps of hardwood - red oak and Canadian maple. Solid and heavy.



I glued three sides of the box in place, leaving the back piece removable.



The scraps of moulding I used for the sides already had a shallow channel milled into them. That channel accommodates a rubber vibration absorbing band I made from - you guessed it - an old bike tube. I just had to wrap the rubber around the unit's chassis, slide it into the box, fasten the rear panel, then connect the power plug through a pre-drilled hole.

Here's my finished creation:



Now, everything is safe and secure. My pimped-out paint shaker has sufficient mass to resist movement, it's substantially quieter, and it looks quite nice sitting on my desk. I know this is a bit of overkill, but until I get my new workspace built, little projects like this keep me out of trouble. I hope you enjoyed this...

Rob

[Twokidsnosleep]

Absolutely enjoyed this
Awesome review and great Canadian ingenuity
Well done my friend, well done

[1001kjk]

Love it. Now looking for a shaker of my own

[RobBye]

Thanks guys. It's a heck of a handy machine. You just need a way to keep it from wandering off.

[Coen]

Excellent

[ajdavidsome]

I purchased one of these a few days ago. I have been bringing my old paint collection back to life.
I brought the battery powered version. It seems that the advantage of the battery powered one, which uses 4 D size batteries is that it doesn't wander off due to the weight. It is also very portable.
I do wish I knew if the powered adapter model is more powerful and faster providing faster RPM speeds or not.
I will try and update to let you know how long the batteries last.

[Augustus]

I use one of these, $22AUD inc P&P. and 3 straps!

IMG_7290.JPG

[Jacklans111]

You can also use thick rubber bands when the strap dies. I don't even cut them to a specific size I just wrap them over the bottle twice. This has been the most effective solution for me as the robar bands are not cheap to replace. I agree that this machine is a must have. Great review!