Quick Paint Thinner Questions

[slupanter]

1) The MIG DVD says use alcohol with model colour. What alcohol do I should I use?

2) I'm using Liquitex airbrush medium for Tamyia but again the MIG DVD says use Lacquer thinner. Is Lacquer thinner better than Liquitex?

[Guest]

Lacquer thinners in the UK is Cellulose thinners like for car painting available at Halfords. I certainly wouldn't use it for Tamiya acrylics though. They work well with alcohol. Enamel thinners is a turps/white spirit and Acrylics use water or alcohol. I use the Xtracrylix thinners from the Forum Shop before which I used a generic "Acrylic Thinners' from a local railway modellers shop. The Xtracrylix is slightly cheeper though and it works well with all my acrylic paints such as Vallejo, Xtracrylix, Tamiya and Revell.

[slupanter]

Do you think Xtracrylix is better that Liquitex?

What alcohol do you use?

[Gern]

What alcohol do you use?

Knowing Graham, it could very well be gin! He wouldn't waste his scotch diluting paint! lol

Gern

[slupanter]

So will an alcohol work I.E. Vodka

[Guest]

Nooo Vodka is not the thing to use although getting high on the fumes could be interesting., Xtracrylix is alcohol based, I have no experience of Liquitex so I cannot comment on that. Gin is for thinning a drop of tonic Dave, I would not wast it any other way.

[stona]

So will an alcohol work I.E. Vodka

No. The alcohol is isopropyl alcohol. Last time I got some it was from Maplins. Most branded acrylic thinners are essentially isopropyl alcohol with some additions,typically a drying retardant.

Incidentally I'm amazed to here lacquer thinners suggested for use with tamiya acrylics,are you sure you heard that correctly?

Lacquer thinner can be used with enamel paints as an alternative to turps/white spirits,it helps reduce drying times.

Cheers

Steve

[slupanter]

Yeah 100% I'm watch the mod colour DVD now. So xtracrylic is the stuff to use for extending paint time for model colour and airbrush. I'm use airb medium and it just drys in the brush (both tamyia and modcolour). I was hope adding something like alcohol it would make the paint wetter, if that sense.

[stona]

The alcohol will dry even quicker than water. I use IPA (the alcohol,not the beer unfortunately) at work for cleaning electronic components and dichroic glass filters so I know how quickly it evaporates. The best way to stop paint drying in the brush,or in the air before it reaches the model giving that grainy surface,is to add some drying retardant. I thin with water rather than alcohol (just my choice) and add a drop of Liquitex "Slo-Dri Fluid Retarder" to my paint cup. Also check your airbrush needle. The slightest little hook will accumulate paint and cause the nozzle to clog.

Cheers

Steve

[slupanter]

I'll get some slow dry in the week and let you all know. Ive heard to day that you can an acrylic pallette that extends paint life on the brush. If I add a drop of slow dry to my airbrush ready thinned paint will that help?

[Guest]

Just go easy with paint retarders,Acrylic retarders are made from glycol which slows the drying by holding on to the water,a ratio of 1:10 paint.over do it and your paint will pool.

Enamel retarders Delays evaporation of thinner.

I must be one of the few who like my paint to dry ASAP, when I brush paint my figures I use a wet pallette to delay the drying up of the paint.

[stona]

If I add a drop of slow dry to my airbrush ready thinned paint will that help?

Yep,that's what I do (in the paint cup)

Steve

[slupanter]

Yep,that's what I do (in the paint cup)Steve

Im thinking of adding a drop to the pallette.

I mix my airbrush model colour paint 30:70 thinner. The plan! 30:70:1 slow dry. Any thoughts? Is that to little?

[stona]

I'm a bit unscientific I'm afraid. I just put a drop or two (if it's full) in the paint cup on my airbrush. That's probably something like the ratio Ray advises. I can only suggest you have a play and find what works for you. The ratio you gave doesn't seem like much retarder but Ray is also correct when he warns about overdoing it. I inadvertantly added a second dose of retardant to a premixed paint with exactly the result he described. I had to walk away and then later remove the entire botched coat....Aaaaaaargh!

When I switched to spraying acrylic paints I had sprayed enamels for many years but it still took me a while to get to grips with them. Once you find the system that works for you, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

Cheers

Steve

[slupanter]

I have just brought some slow dry and going to try it out tonight. Thanks everyone.

Stona,

I have a play with the mix and let you no. To be honeist I have a bit of a love hate with humbrol/revell great to paint but pain to spray and I HATE painting with tamyia but Sparys great when thinned.