I work in a paint shop where we paint will all kinds of paint, from Polyurethane, Powder Coating to Kynar and so many more. My job is to mix and match samples brought to me. You may have seen the station at your local hardware store where they mix the paint to a color you may see on a sample. That is what I do, but I work with Kynar, I am allowed very little difference between the sample and my own paint.

The basics of what I do are simple. I take either a paint chip or a building extrusion (sometimes too big, I then need someone to hold up the opposite end.) I place the sample on a my Spectrophotometer and have the Hunter Lab software read it. I can either decide what colors I can use to match said color, or I can just simply ask the computer to give me the best possible combinations. I pick from a list, input just how much I need to make and start a pouring on an empty can. Mix the paint, go out to the shop, shoot a small sample on a chip, let it dry a bit, then bake it to care the paint. This paint needs to be baked at 470º for at least 10 minutes to properly cure. Once cool, I take the chip and read it on the computer, note the difference in levels, and add paint if needed to adjust. Repeat the process until I have a very minimal difference. All my tints and bases are from Valspar.

Okidokie now, I've given you my job description (I'll explain the hotel job some other time.) So, what made Thursday so bad? I was making 7 gallons of an off-white paint, and while mixing between 2 five gallon cans, one of the can's handle decides to give way. I end up with a wire in one hand, and with my other hand I am trying to catch the can to no avail. HUGE MESS. At least 2 gallons spilled to the floor, (I swear it almost felt like this) and in my haste I start scooping up the paint with my hands back in to the can. As I am picking the paint, since it is basically just white with the slightest hint of yellow, I notice that there are some darker colors mixing in. When my manager came and saw the mess, I could only point at the wire that came loose from the can and could not utter a word, I was sweating bullets and had paint all over me, my face and glasses, and this stuff stings, heck it breaks dow nitrile gloves in mere seconds. The good thing is that clean up was easy with some sand.

I only had about 6 gallons left, and with the high white level this paint requires it was hard getting back to acceptable. I ended up mixing about 8 to 8½ gallons, but had to stay over-time to finish my job since they needed the paint the next day early in the morning. All day I felt like crap.

So there you go, I could have written more on the whole thing, but that's be too BORING.