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Thinning Tamiya Paints the Andy's Hobby Headquarters way

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  • Member since
    November 2018
Thinning Tamiya Paints the Andy's Hobby Headquarters way
Posted by MCTHEPROMODLER43 on Sunday, March 22, 2020 2:08 PM

Hello everyone! Hope you all are in good health. I have recently discovered a technique by Andy's Hobby Headquarters on how to easily thin Tamiya acrylic paints. Andy (at least that is what I think his name is) suggests that if you have a new, unused bottle of Tamiya paint, you can put in Tamiya's acrylic thinner right into the pot until the liquid mixture reaches a certain notch inside the pot. I thought, well, this would make thinning really easy when I airbrush!

However, in his explanation, he used the regular size bottle. I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not this technique also works with Tamiya Color Acrylic Paint Mini.

Also, in addition, I was wondering if just straight up 99% isopropyl alcohol would also work and create the same result. 

This is the link to his tutorial:

https://youtu.be/CQsXFl3yLho?t=221

Any help is appreciated! God bless!

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Boston
Posted by Wilbur Wright on Sunday, March 22, 2020 4:38 PM

You would be wasting an awful lot of paint using that method if you don't use the whole bottle. Thinned paint does not keep well. 

 

It's extremely easy to thin Tamiya acrylics to a 1% milk consistency in a  clean empty bottle with the exact amount one needs.  I would always use their X-20 thinner.  With the extremely high price of models in 2020 why risk using an inferior thinner?

I don't understand why people want to attempt to reinvent the wheel.  Andy is paying wholesale for the paint he is using, unlike the rest of us.

 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Northeast WA State
Posted by armornut on Sunday, March 22, 2020 4:51 PM

   WilberWright is correct, thinned paint has a much shorter shelf life.

    If your in a position to thin as Andy does, I have seen that pod cast and thought...now why didn't I think of that?...then give it a shot. Seems and appears logical. However if your only gonna shoot a couple tiny pieces I would recommend thinning out of original container.

we're modelers it's what we do

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by MCTHEPROMODLER43 on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 4:31 PM

Thanks! I didn’t know that before, about the shelf life. I will keep that in mind.

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 8:23 PM

I have a prethinned jar of Tamiya flat black because I use it a lot. It's thinned with 91% alcohol. I just stir it before use and it works fine. I don't  see why their own X-20 won't work too. 

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 10:12 PM

Wilbur Wright

You would be wasting an awful lot of paint using that method if you don't use the whole bottle. Thinned paint does not keep well. 

 

I've never seen a bottle of Tamiya paint go bad. Had some bottles for almost 30 years...

Testor's enamels on the other hand... sometimes you're lucky to get 1 year out of a bottle...

On the Bench: Too Much

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