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Mixing Tamiya paint

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  • Member since
    January 2020
  • From: Maryland
Mixing Tamiya paint
Posted by wpwar11 on Monday, May 25, 2020 7:43 AM

Hello All

My current build calls for several parts to be painted in 2 or 3 mixed paints.  I‘d like to mix all these before hand and store in small glass jars with screw on lids.  Does mixing paint reduce shelf life?  If I mix them now will they be usable in 2 months?  I’m sure adding the thinner should be done as needed.

Thanks in advance

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Monday, May 25, 2020 8:05 AM

It will be fine. I have a few tins of Tamiya mixed paints that i have had for ages. I keep old Tamiya jars for this.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Monday, May 25, 2020 8:31 AM

Yes, as Bish said.

I have a box of brand new empty tamiya paint jars sold for this very purpose. I'm sorry, can't remember where I bought them.

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by oldermodelguy on Monday, May 25, 2020 8:36 AM

Doesn't matter the brand, you can mix for color and expect it to last long term if sealed up good. I'd avoid thinning it though till nearer ready time to paint. I've done this with tamiya acrylics, craft paints and enamels stored in little mixing bottles or even spare airbrush bottles.

  • Member since
    July 2018
  • From: The Deep Woods
Posted by Tickmagnet on Monday, May 25, 2020 8:37 AM

I use Tamiya and mix it as well. Like Bish, I use old Tamiya bottles that I clean up real good. I tried other bottles and they dried up but the ones in the reused Tamiya bottles are good to go.

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, May 25, 2020 9:54 AM

Try to mix all you need at once. An old house painter trick that probably isn't done anymore- mix all your paint in a series of buckets poured back and forth. Otherwise you'll see the variation bucket to bucket.

But don't thin until use. That does seem to reduce shelf life or at least cause the paint to separate.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by oldermodelguy on Monday, May 25, 2020 11:34 AM

I second what Bill said, mix enough ! I screwed up a Duesenberg hood not following that instruction years ago. So if you have two different bottles of even the same color then mix them together and pour them back into the bottles before you even get started. That's what I didn't do, it wasn't a custom mix but one ran out before I got to the hood. The second was not exactly the same shade. Now it doesn't matter, it's been 40 years and the model needs some freshening up, it's on my list of to dos for some day.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, May 25, 2020 1:11 PM

With Testors enamels mixing does seem to reduce the shelf life a bit, and the life of an opened bottle is short enough anyway.  Still, unless I take months to build, it usually lasts long enough.  With acrylics or lacquers I have not had that problem.  I like to mix up enough to finish the model, to keep a consistent mix.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    January 2020
  • From: Maryland
Posted by wpwar11 on Monday, May 25, 2020 3:58 PM

Right on.  Thanks everyone.  Got plenty mixed up and like the results so far.

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