By Andrew Liszewski
While I’m sure I’ve seen a device like this on an informercial at 3 in the morning, I think I would tend to go with this Black & Decker version instead. The PAINTSTICK looks like your standard paint roller on a telescoping tube, but what sets this apart is the tube itself which can actually hold about 18 ounces of paint, allowing you to cover an 8 foot by 8 foot section of wall.
As you paint you slowly apply pressure to a plunger on one end of the tube which in turn forces paint into the porous roller. To refill the PAINTSTICK you attach an included rubber lid to the top of your paint can which then connects to the roller VIA a short tube. Then like a syringe pulling the plunger causes the paint from the can to be sucked up into the tube.
The PAINTSTICK is available from Black & Decker though pricing is to be determined.
[Black & Decker PAINTSTICK] VIA [Uncrate]
Wagner has had one of these for some time and it works great
I’ve used the Wagner one. I think it uses a lot of paint, has to be refilled too often to be practical, and the rollers cost $8 each instead of $1 each.
F*** cleaning them after each use and saving them.
Cleaning all the parts pushes this thing into the worthless territory.
Yup, been using the Wagner one for about 4 years now.
I’ve used both, and prefer the Wagner version- it has a trigger ratchet mechanism to push the plunger in (like a quick-grip clamp) instead of requiring you to push on the end of the stick.
Cleanup isn’t too bad *if* you take the time to hit all the o-rings and bushings with a little bit of lube before your first paint job. This doesn’t help for the roller, though.
The big drawback I noticed is the paint in the stick makes the whole unit heavier (not to mention the added ratchet mechanism on the Wagner). Not too bad painting one or two walls, but the weight can get to be a killer on ceilings or for multiple rooms.