Snaz Pro-Palette 54 - Review

I received one of these palettes on Friday (as a trade!) and I now have first hand experience.

I was intrigued with them all along but never purchased for myself as:

1) they are TOO big for my toolbox
2) they are TOO expensive .. $60USD for an empty plastic tray is ridiculous IMO

So, when one came up offered in trade I jumped at it. I figured it would be handy on my multi-painter gigs for my assistants to use because it would give them all the colours in a handy single tray.

My parcel arrived Friday morning... I emptied out all the paints out of the tray and washed it (it washes completely clean BTW - not stained!), and then rinsed off all the paints (just to clean it all up!). Then I spent 3 hours last night filling it up. I removed all the paints that had been included (these were what it came filled with) from their plastic trays and containers, and then refilled the pro-palette the way I wanted. I filled most of the holes up completely (I have lots of paint on hand!! ) arranged the colours my way, added a few colours from other brands, and made a split cake in one of the large holes...

I haven't even taken it out on a job yet and the bloody thing is cracking... picking it up once you've filled most of the holes nearly to the top causes the plastic to split from the strain. And I was only carefully, with BOTH hands, picking it up to carry over to show to my mom!

It has been stated that you can fill up the holes to have more than 2ml in each hole... but the extra weight this adds to the tray obviously caused a lot of stress on its structure.

I was planning to use this on today's gig (for my two assistants to use) but am now stumped on how to transport it. It won't fit flat in my toolbox, I don't want to slip it into my trolley on its side (I think it would break into pieces!!) and it is -45C outside and I think the cold will shatter it!!

After today (if I can get it to the gig and it survives) it will be staying in my studio... at least it will be of use there.

I am VERY glad I didn't pay for this cause I would have been VERY upset!!

So, to add to my list of negatives started BEFORE I acquired it...

3) they are TOO fragile to hold a full load of paint and be transported without cracking
4) they are TOO flimsy to hold up to regular wear and tear - the length of the tray causing stress points when you pick it up (based on the amount of paint I've loaded into it.)
5) the 48 - 2ml holes are inconvenient for sponge loading in this model of the palette (the Pro-22 palette would be better for this.) I did know this already, but, it is a valid point.

This would work better in a harder plastic or a "filled" version (some sort of lightweight foam or styrofoam insert into the back of it to add some structural support).

The concept is still a great one... just, needs to be a better material.

Do you have a picture? Please

Jenny

This is what arrived... as it comes from Snaz. I did take a photo of how mine looks now... I'll post it later. I'm just packing up to leave for my gig in about 20 minutes!

Well, it does look pretty, sorry it was so flimsy. Maybe if you filled the back side with some sort of filler. It would make it heavier, but that might really help strengthen it. Dot Com (John Scott) did a filler on the blue snaz pallet and it has held up extremely well for him.

Jenny

maybe spray foam or something?

it looks like the same material as the round palette I have with my walk around and while that one held up alright, it is smaller and was always on top of the walk around plastic palette. The 2 ml holes are a bit of a pain for sponges, but I did alright for most of a year with it and it would be ok if it was just for once in a while.

Yes, it is exactly the SAME plastic as the round walk-around palette tray... I have that too (won it). The round tray has travelled well and hasn't cracked. I am actually very good with flimsy plastic... generally!

Just got home from the gig... we ended up carrying this tray all by itself separately. What a pain.

I asked the girls what they though and the both said

1) liked having so many colours in front of them
2) did NOT like the tiny holes as they had difficulty loading their sponges (they are used to the 18ml cakes).

So... this will stay in my studio where it will be of some use to me, but I will not be taking it anywhere!

And... for $60 why should I have to figure out how to strengthen it???

I agree....

But then I don't use Snaz either.

Jenny

I bought tons of it when I started and used part of that pallette and was not thrilled with the way it went on. I prefer the colors of Wolfe and DFX... I still have those damn other jumbo palettes that I need to sell!!!!

Has anyone tried muffin tins? I was at a store today eyeing one that is shallow for making just the fluffy top part. It was sturdy, made of metal, only $2.50 each. But no lid and I'm not sure how well the paint would fit.
That price sat on me for a bit considering how much I paid for the blue empty snaz trays, which work great, but I've already cracked the lids. I'm thinking a little Glad press n seal and it might be just fine.

I'd be leary of metal... the constant dampness could cause problems. AND... it is non-stick there are leaching chemicals from the coating.

Those silicone pans might work, but they are flexible...

It looks like crap from the get go. I would rather have a paradise sampler for $20 more. Plenty of color better case.

Magic wrote:It looks like crap from the get go. I would rather have a paradise sampler for $20 more. Plenty of color better case.

You make me laugh. Do you have any strong opinion on this?

I do like the Paradise sampler case, It is easy to carry, looks professional, and is very sturdy.

Jenny

Jenny -there's no way to sugar coat it -it looks flimsy-and the wells are too small. How many different shades of a color do you need. I am a working artist -booked just about every weekend at this point -I wouldn't have time to clean that -I like my pallet clean and wipe everything down between gigs so the white plastic with tons of little holes will never make it. Black is the way to go. I can do a whole gig with a dfx essential pallet and a glitter poofer and it's sturdy and easy to carry. (I don't normally but I can). The way I feel we are here to help each other grow our businesses and I will give my honest opinion it's more valuable than being politically correct or sugary sweet. Just sayin....

I changed the colours out (posted a photo on my blog of the palette after I had filled it my way)... but it is still flimsy and the holes too small and yes, cleaning it up involves a lot of wipes and quite a few minutes!!

I'm sticking to my blue Snaz Jumbo Palettes... they've seen me through all the years to this point.

I am so into simplifing and looking professional in 2010-redoing my whole set up. Easy clean up is important to me. When I show up at a party I want it to look like I just cracked open the plastic and it's all fresh and clean.

I also want to settle on one brand to reduce costs and clutter and I am very happy with the DFX. The white and black can't be beat.

Definitely... clean and "new" is the way to look!!

Hey Shannon, have you thought of going to like a hardware store and getting a thin bored cut to the size of the palette and putting it under?

Nah... extra weight, extra cost, it would have to have holes drilled to fit inside the back or it wouldn't stabilize it terribly well. And it doesn't fit in my kit anyway - which is why I had never purchased one as I KNEW it was too big.

It will work fine in my studio... convenient to have all those colours in the one tray, that can just sit there... saves me pulling out certain colours every time I'm doing something different.

I'm happy to have it... for that reason!

Thanks for the heads-up on the metal stuff... that's why I think out loud here.