Tamiya X-20A vs.Tamiya Lacquer Thinner and DIY X-20A

I use denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner. Mostly denatured alcohol though. To me, it shoots just as well as with LT. I've been told that it doesn't work as well with the gloss colors but I use mostly flats so when I do use gloss I use LT. Either Tamiya or Mr Color. In the past I experimented with all different alcohol percentages, retarders, flow improvers, glycerin. Even used X20A once. Tony

Just fwiw, breathing alcohol isn't any better for you than breathing lacquer thinner fumes just because it smells less. Your real issue is evacuating the fumes and particulates. Years ago ( like 4-1/2 decades now I guess) I used to put a fan in a window blowing outward and shoot in front of that and it really did quite well at getting floquil paints/particles/fumes out of the kitchen I sprayed in at the time. A little less effective with Testors and Pactra enamels but it did eventually remove those too.

That said, I use either hardware store LT or 91 ipa in my Tamiya acrylic paints. The lacquer thinner used in gloss paints will produce a wet looking gloss finish, the 91 ipa knocks the wet look out and is a more natural just glossy finish. Both buff up beaitifully. In flats it doesn't matter. Tamiya says the paint dries with a harder surface using LT than X-20A fwiw ( I don't know that it's an issue of any sort, it's just what they state). And 91 IPA is not X-20A. I find retarder to help almost completely eliminate tip dry using after market thinners.

I thin Tamiya with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner,it works well for me.My workplace is large and open,so I never accumulate enough fumes to be obnoxious.I also have a respirator for longer sessions

I use stright 91% alcohol from walmart. It paints perfect!

Windshield washer fluid?  

 

T e d

First, best to avoid any paint or thinner fumes, without at least a good respirator. Next, for me Tamiya acrylic thins well with X-20A, Tamiya LT or good quality drugstore alcohol.

Probably best to stick to those ingredients, as opposed to "homebrew" stuff, because some say custom brews can even have a negative affect on airbrush components.