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Awesome Paint Shaker - Professional Tools For Modelers

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The first step in getting the perfect paint job is having a perfectly mixed paint!
There are heaps of different techniques for shaking paint and each of them have their pros and cons however... even with the cons of each method it's still better than having a poorly mixed paint.
Problems that can be faced with poorly mixed paint are:
  • ​Splattering paint from the airbrush due to large unmixed blobs of pigment being pushed through the airbrush
  • Uneven color and color variations midway through spraying paint
  • Poor color matching when trying to use the same color on different occasions 
Just to name a few.
Below you will find a collection of images with all of the measurements and dimensions that you'll need to know in order to build one of these paint shakers yourself.
You'll also find a list of the materials and links to where they were purchased from and finally at the bottom you'll find the STL files for the 3D printed components.  
The 3D printed files were printed on the Anycubic 3D printer however they could just as easily be printed on an FDM printer which is more commonly used in the 3D printing community. 

Video Tutorial

To make sense of the build process I recommend watching the tutorial video first to pick up on some of the basic tips and techniques for constructing the paint shaker.
Additionally, I used a speed controller to enable the speed of the paint shaker to be adjusted, this step can easily be omitted and you'll still have a fantastic paint shaker that thoroughly mixes paint. 

Materials & Components:

Photo Guide
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​5A 12VDC PWM Motor Speed Controller Kit
​https://www.jaycar.com.au/5a-12vdc-pwm-motor-speed-controller-kit/p/KD6102
​470RPM HIGH TORQUE WORM GEAR MOTOR
https://www.iot-store.com.au/products/470rpm-high-torque-worm-gear-motor-wg58-17k

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Various Untapped Metal Spacers
www.jaycar.com.au/search?text=untapped+metal+spacers&CSRFToken=e8bc6571-37a0-482b-b327-e6b654dc9624
35mm M3 Screws
https://www.bunnings.com.au/pinnacle-m3-x-35mm-zinc-plated-thread-screw-8-pack_p2310130

15mm M3 Screws
​www.jaycar.com.au/15mm-x-3mm-steel-screws-pk-25/p/HP0406
M3 Nuts
www.jaycar.com.au/3mm-steel-nuts-pk-25/p/HP0425
M3 Washers
www.jaycar.com.au/3mm-flat-steel-washers-pk-25/p/HP0430

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M4 Hexagon Bolt
www.bunnings.com.au/pinnacle-m4-x-20mm-zinc-plated-hex-head-set-screw-10-pack_p2310598
M4 Wingnut
www.bunnings.com.au/zenith-m4-zinc-plated-forged-steel-wing-nut-4-pack_p2320116
10mm M4 Screws (Motor Mounting Screws)
www.jaycar.com.au/10mm-x-4mm-steel-screws-pk-25/p/HP0450

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Aluminium Hub With Set Screws
www.jaycar.com.au/aluminium-hub-with-set-screws/p/YG2784
Just be sure to check the center hole diameter, the hub I used had a 6mm center hole however the DC motor had an 8mm drive shaft which meant I needed to dill out the center hole to enable it to fit over the drive shaft.

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Polycarbonate Sheet
www.bunnings.com.au/suntuf-400-x-400-x-10mm-clear-palsun-polycarbonate-sheet_p1010484
Clear Acrylic Sheet
www.jaycar.com.au/clear-acrylic-sheet/p/HM9509
Aluminium Flat Bar
www.bunnings.com.au/metal-mate-12-x-3mm-1m-aluminium-flat-bar_p1064249

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29mm Numbered Knob
www.jaycar.com.au/29mm-numbered-knob-skirt-with-number-0-9/p/HK7788
Mini Rocker Switch
www.jaycar.com.au/spst-mini-rocker-switch/p/SK0984

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2.5mm DC Power Connector
www.jaycar.com.au/2-5mm-bulkhead-male-dc-power-connector/p/PS0524
If you need the female connector as well here is the link:
www.jaycar.com.au/2-5mm-dc-metal-line-plug/p/PP0532

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Rubber Feet
www.jaycar.com.au/rubber-feet-large-stick-on-pk-4/p/HP0825

Measurements & Dimensions:

Photo Guide:
Core Measurements:
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Internal Component Measurements:
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3D Printed Components:
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6mm Diameter drive wheel, designed to fit with the aluminium mounting hub. Just remember that the drive shaft for the motor I used is 8mm and the center hole on the aluminium hub is 6mm, if you build this shaker to the exact same specifications and use the same components you'll need to drill out the center of the aluminium mounting hub with an 8mm drill bit.
paint_shaker_wheel__3_.stl
File Size: 156 kb
File Type: stl
Download File


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This paint bottle holder is specifically designed to hold the Scale Modellers Supply 30ml bottles however it also fits Vallejo, Tamiya and citadel paints as well, not perfectly but they do fit ok.
sms_paint_holder__2_.stl
File Size: 220 kb
File Type: stl
Download File


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This spacer is used to limit the amount of wobble that the aluminium arm experiences as the paint shaker operates.
paint_shaker_support_bracket__1_.stl
File Size: 61 kb
File Type: stl
Download File


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These clips are good for all sorts of different applications!
clip__3_.stl
File Size: 117 kb
File Type: stl
Download File


All of the information contained above should be enough for you to fully replicate the paint shaker I demonstrate in the video, just remember that the aluminium mounting hub I used didn't fit the DC motor drive shaft and I had to drill a larger hole (8mm) in the middle of the mounting hub. If you don't have a drill press then getting the hole exactly center can be very difficult, if I had more time to build this project I would have ordered an 8mm mounting hub instead which I highly recommend if you do try and build this paint shaker with the same DC motor I used.
If you have any question feel free to ask the below and I'll do my best to get back to you with an answer.
Boulder Creek Railroad is a fan funded website and YouTube channel, all your support is greatly appreciated
  • Home
  • Tutorials
    • Professional Tools >
      • Laser Cutting
      • 3D Printing
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      • Paint Shaker
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