Yes, lids that stick can be an issue.
As a life long professional sign painter, pinstriper AND a life long professional airbrush artist, I can honestly say "I’ve never had an issue with lids."
Simple, just keep paint out of that can lid valley. Sounds easy I know.
Last thing I would need on the job, is to have a can of paint be hard or form a dry crust that would give me an issue OR to have a lid give me trouble. Dispicable lids.
Some sign guys actually kept their paint can inventory placed up side down to prevent that dry layer from forming. I never did.
I never pored paint from the can unless I knew I would use all of it then toss the can or I made sure I cleaned the can lid valley thoroughly.
Time was always an issue and so was using product. Wasted paint is costly and a no no. The cost of One Shot sign paint has now gone through the roof!
Probably because there’s not as many professional sign painters as there once was. Pinstripers either for that matter. Vinyl sign guys killed it.
I managed to get most of my paint products for free from the Auto Body shops which I did work in. Those that had paint systems were a dream. Didn’t have that early on.
Didn’t have U-Tube either. Because of U-Tube, you can pretend you know a lot when you actually don't.
Popsicle sticks were a good tool to remove paint from the can. Dip the stick in then drag it, both sides, against the edge of the cups used in sign painting or for airbrushing, Pour the paint from the cup. Toss the cup.
Spraying, for large areas, can be a bit different, in that a stick may not be the best item to remove paint from the can, could take forever. Sooooooo, we simply cleaned the can lid valley with paper towels, doesn’t take long AND then the lid easily goes in place AND is easily removed the next time that can or color is used. Just like new!
Look Ma, no gluie paint in the can lid valley!
I picked up really good, excellent in fact, sign painting, pinstriping, and airbrushing tricks/skills, plus great job sight management habits, from some of the most generous and talented sign guys that were around back then when I started.
I actually shared work with many of these talented guys. You learn by sharing and I never considered another fellow sign painter a threat. The contrary actually.
True professionals beyond belief.
Much has changed.