Model Master Acrylics

DMK,

You really hit the nail on the head.  It's all about your own equipment and paint and experimenting to find what works best for your own applications.  You'll only learn through trial and errors.

bearcat-1 wrote:

Guys, I cannot stress enough to use the thinner that is made for the paint.  Plain and simple.  Will other things work?  Absolutely.  But who knows best with what to thin their paint with than the company who makes it?  I think most who makes modelling paints also makes a thinner to thin with.  Model Master Acryl is a beautiful paint and works like a champ when thinned with Model Master Acryl thinner.  Tamiya with Tamiya thinner and so on.  KG

  I think folks need to experiment with their own equipment and paints on scrap materials to find out what works best for them. 

  Ultimately though, an internal mix airbrush solved my problem best. Found this out through a lot of experimentation.

bearcat-1 wrote:

For enamals mineral spirits works pretty well.  Mainly referring to acrylics here.

I know, what I meant was, buying the name brand for an expensive price doesnt mean you cant get the same quality somewhere else for cheaper

bearcat-1 wrote:

Matt, that's unusual that you are having issues with Polly Scale acrylics.  They are usually a pretty nice acrylic paint to use also.  You may try a good airbrush medium to mix in with the PS paint such as Liquitex.  I have found this stuff to really work wonders sometimes when certain paints are being stubborn for whatever reason.  Just a few drops in the paint cup.  It really helps the flow.  Can usually find at any good art supply store. KG  http://www.liquitex.com/products/fluidmedairbrush.cfm

I'll have to check in to that.  I'm already using the Liquitex Slo-Dri for most of the acrylics when I'm using MM or PS acrylics with the MM/PS Thinner (in the large bottle with the dropper type cap).  I had tried using the Floquil retarder before, but for some reason, it smelled really harsh, like it was designed for enamels, of course the last time I used enamels was back in the mid to late 80s in high school.  I could have gotten a crappy bottle as well.  Only one place here stocks PS, and it's called "The Dungeon" for a reason.   

I am going to try the windshield washer fluid. I have 2 big bottles of the stuff in the garage. At $1 a gallon, it has to be the cheapest way to thin Acrylic paints! The brand specific thinner is way too expensive. 

Using the Windex for clean up is really inexpensive, also. I use it and it works great! It even has a nice smell!

Matt, that's unusual that you are having issues with Polly Scale acrylics.  They are usually a pretty nice acrylic paint to use also.  You may try a good airbrush medium to mix in with the PS paint such as Liquitex.  I have found this stuff to really work wonders sometimes when certain paints are being stubborn for whatever reason.  Just a few drops in the paint cup.  It really helps the flow.  Can usually find at any good art supply store.

KG

 http://www.liquitex.com/products/fluidmedairbrush.cfm

bearcat-1 wrote:

For enamals mineral spirits works pretty well.  Mainly referring to acrylics here.

Hence the title of the post... 

For some reason I can use the "brand preferred" thinner with MM Acryls just fine, but the same branded thinner is also supposed to work with Polly Scale (even has their logo on the bottle) but PS paints are spraying pretty crappy, both from a HP-CS and Paasche H.  Go figure.

For enamals mineral spirits works pretty well.  Mainly referring to acrylics here.

bearcat-1 wrote:

Guys, I cannot stress enough to use the thinner that is made for the paint.  Plain and simple.  Will other things work?  Absolutely.  But who knows best with what to thin their paint with than the company who makes it?  I think most who makes modelling paints also makes a thinner to thin with.  Model Master Acryl is a beautiful paint and works like a champ when thinned with Model Master Acryl thinner.  Tamiya with Tamiya thinner and so on.  KG

I agree 100%.  Use Windex, rubbing alcohol and other stuff for cleaning.  Thin the paint with the manufacturers recommended thinner and you won't go wrong.

-Jesse

Guys, I cannot stress enough to use the thinner that is made for the paint.  Plain and simple.  Will other things work?  Absolutely.  But who knows best with what to thin their paint with than the company who makes it?  I think most who makes modelling paints also makes a thinner to thin with.  Model Master Acryl is a beautiful paint and works like a champ when thinned with Model Master Acryl thinner.  Tamiya with Tamiya thinner and so on. 

KG

This is taken from a post on the Armorama forums, dealing specifically with Polly Scale acrylics.  The post is from someone who has been around for quite a while in the modeling community:

For Tamiya acrylics, Polly Scale acrylics, and Model Master Acryl, thin with $1 a gallon windshield washer fluid. All of these paints use isopropanol, glycol, and water as their carriers. Windshield fluid is isopropanol, glycol, water, and detergent. The detergent acts as a wetting agent for the paint, breaking the surface tension of the paint and making it flow and self-level. This is exactly what Tamiya thinner is made of, but Tamiya thinner is $128 a gallon! Don't worry about the blue tint, it doesn't show up in the paint, even white.
Vallejo acrylics and Plaid acrylic craft paint must be thinned with distilled water. If it dries too fast and clogs the airbrush, go to an art store and buy a bottle of acrylic medium extender. It lengthens the drying time so the paint won't clog or pebble. Extender (also called retarder) can be used in any of these paints.
If you want to find out what any model building substance is made of, if it's sold in the US it has an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). This will tell you whats in it, and therefore what to thin it with. Googling the product will direct you to the MSDS for it. Many times the carrier medium is right on the label of the product.
Start with thinning 50/50 and adjust from there. Different brands need different ratios. Even different colors within the same brand will need different ratios, due to the different pigments used.
As you get closer with the airbrush for tighter patterns, you need to go thinner on the paint and less on the pressure. Paint will accumulate on the needle/nozzle as you airbrush for long periods. Keep a cup of Windex and a Q-Tip handy to clean the needle/nozzle as you go. If it clogs or spits, you need to clean the needle/nozzle.
Finally, you don't need to take apart your airbrush every time you change colors or use it. That's just asking for trouble, a bent needle, and diminished performance. Between colors and when you're done, wipe out the cup and shoot Windex through the airbrush until clear. Make sure the nozzle is clean. Put a drop of Super-Lube in the cup, and hang it up. Done.

I can attest to the windshield washer fluid thing.  Don't ask me why, but it works for all three (I have all three types that I use without fail) brands of paint.  I use an Iwata HP-CS and use the little Badger hand held paint mixer, then strain it through a small patch of stocking (pantyhose, just don't tell the wife...actually DO tell her, then she won't look at me all crazy when I ask for her old hose...but I digress).  The mesh filters out crap and also the air bubbles, and I can FINALLY get a 1mm fine line after a week or so of splotching, running and clogging tips.

Just my but it definitely helped me out a great deal.

Here is the original post on Armorama:

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=116146&page=1

First, reduce your operating psi to about 10-12 psi. That will give you a gentle, even coat. Too high of a psi can cause overspray, runs and spattering. Thin with 70% alcohol or the MM thinner at about 60% paint and 40% thinner and try it. It's not an exact science. Just have to test first. Make sure the paint is mixed well prior to thinning. Run laquer thinner thru the airbrush to clean between colors or after a session. Lacquer thinner won't harm your airbrush.

Andy

I'd be interested in hearing the result of mixing ModelMaster Acryl with water for airbrushing. I'm trying to find a good substitute for Tamiya paints ( I want acrylics only) that have a wider range of colours. MM Acryl has most colours if not all. So keep us informed please.

Thanks, Rich

smokinguns3 wrote:

Harvezter wrote: What is best to think Model Master Acrylics with? I have Tamiya acrylic thinner and I used it the other day to think Model Master primer grey but it seemed to spray in a bit of a spatter. I was thinking maybe I over thinned the paint?   Model masters is a water based paint. tamiya is not water based paint you can thin tamiya paint with iso alchoal, model masters recomends their acrylic thinner. but water should work.

oh ok thank you very much. I will try to use straight water and see what happens :)

H3nav wrote:

How do you like the Talon?  I was thinking of getting one. E

 Im probably the last person who should be answering this question as I know so little about ABs but I do like it a lot so far. I havent figured out how to make an ultrafine line yet like i see it is suppose to do but I am sure its just me and not the AB hehe

Harvezter wrote:

What is best to think Model Master Acrylics with? I have Tamiya acrylic thinner and I used it the other day to think Model Master primer grey but it seemed to spray in a bit of a spatter. I was thinking maybe I over thinned the paint?

Model masters is a water based paint. tamiya is not water based paint you can thin tamiya paint with iso alchoal, model masters recomends their acrylic thinner. but water should work.

How do you like the Talon?  I was thinking of getting one.

E