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I will soon try varnish on a guitar for the first time. One downside to varnish is that it can go bad with air exposure so I want to put all the unused portion in smaller containers for storage.

So I have a quart and I'm considering putting half of it in a pint Mason jar immediately after opening, seal it with a good Mason lid, and store it upside down. Thoughts?

For the remainder of the finish, can anyone recommend a container and a source for the container to store it in? These will need to be smaller than a pint so it may require multiple small containers. Can I get a plastic container at Hobby Lobby that I can squeeze the air out of for storage? A container that allows the volume to be adjusted seems ideal (like plastic). Do I have to worry about inconpatibility between the varnish and a plastic container?

I may ask this question on the OLF as there may be more folks there with varnish experience.

Thanks!

Marbles in the container will displace the air created after some of the varnish is used.
-tommy

I store my unused shellac in mason jars with screw on plastic lids. I find that exposure to light has as much if not more to do with it going stale than the air in the jar. A puff of argon will displace the air if you know someone who has a mig welder. Or there is a commercial product called bloxygen that will do the same.

Thanks for the info on light sensitivity. I did not know that.

I used to lay a piece of suran wrap on the top to seal the finish in the can lift and go on. That helped alot

Instead of marbles that need cleaning later, I use smooth pebbles the size of marbles or so. Wash and rinse, then toss when you are done.

There is also a product sold at paint stores - I believe it is nitrogen in an aerosol can. Something heavier than regular air. It is used to spray into the open can, forcing the air out, then you cover the can.

Ed Minch