here's a good question. I just came across 5 pints of dbu , 4 qts. of dc1100 clearcoat , 3 quarts of dc1290 activator abs 1 gallon of drr1170. All are 15 years old never opened or even removed from the box. So i opened the clear perfect looking crystal clear. same with the dbu no seperation. I had forgotten all about it till the car it was meant for came rolling up the drive. obviously way out of date code, but still looks new... Who's a gambler and wants to advise on this one? I'm ready to flip a coin... thanks

The oldest thing I have used is PPG Starthane. It had been opened and used over 15 yrs ago. I shot a tool storage cabinet with it a yr or two ago. Looks fine and feels hard. Went back and checked the hardener 3 months later it was like jelly. You roll the dice IMO.

Timbo, thats what i'm afraid of. I'm considering shooting a test panel and letting it set out over the winter. thanks for the responce.

I'd mix some and try it on scrap.
Recently I taught my son how to paint with SS and BC/CC (he was building and painting skateboards with spray bombs and wanted to step up his work). I had a shop in the 80's/90's and still had cans of various Sherwin Williams products that I let him pick through. He used a SS black on one board with hardener that had been opened and used last around 1990! Couldn't believe it hadn't hardened. Then he shot one with leftover '87 Montreal Blue (Honda) basecoat, black and cleared it with CC690 (made it look like carbon fiber). That basecoat, clear and hardener were all opened and used around 1992!! Went on beautiful, hardened and buffed out just like when it was first used it 20 years ago. Sadly I have about 2 gallons of the clear left but the hardener is no longer available and SW says their current hardeners are not compatible.
No matter as I discovered ********** and he uses all of their products (still buys SW Ultrabase or 4th Dimension line for basecoat like he used on his minibike/skateboard project).
I wrote this so you would know my experience with opened, aged materials and I would certainly consider using unopened materials.
Here's a couple of his projects...



NYT

Like said, it's probably rolling the dice, so test first. I've used some really old Centari that worked out great is still looking good to this day. About a year ago I bought a mixed lot of Imron, Limco, and various ppg projects from a jobber going ounce business...most was usable but I had a few cans I disposed of

nytrainer wrote:I'd mix some and try it on scrap.
Recently I taught my son how to paint with SS and BC/CC (he was building and painting skateboards with spray bombs and wanted to step up his work). I had a shop in the 80's/90's and still had cans of various Sherwin Williams products that I let him pick through. He used a SS black on one board with hardener that had been opened and used last around 1990! Couldn't believe it hadn't hardened. Then he shot one with leftover '87 Montreal Blue (Honda) basecoat, black and cleared it with CC690 (made it look like carbon fiber). That basecoat, clear and hardener were all opened and used around 1992!! Went on beautiful, hardened and buffed out just like when it was first used it 20 years ago. Sadly I have about 2 gallons of the clear left but the hardener is no longer available and SW says their current hardeners are not compatible.
No matter as I discovered ********** and he uses all of their products (still buys SW Ultrabase or 4th Dimension line for basecoat like he used on his minibike/skateboard project).
I wrote this so you would know my experience with opened, aged materials and I would certainly consider using unopened materials.
Here's a couple of his projects...

NYT

I was expecting some one older. He did an awesome job!

test panel looks like the safe bet. i agree rolling the dice on an expensive job Isn't the way to go. thanks for everyones help.