Do you thin Tamiya paints for Airbrushing?

I ALWAYS do, and I use Tamiya acrylic thinner only. Flat acrylics, will start drying even before they touch the model out of an airbrush. There is a retarder (so I'm told) in the Tamiya thinner that prevents this. Some guys use Isopropyl alchohol alone, and some have developed thier own thinning mixtures, but I would recommend that if you are airbrushing, thin it about 2 to 1.

Steve

Would that be 2 paint to 1 thinner?

I always thin tamiya too... some paints are 2 parts paint to 1 thinner, some more like 3 parts paint to 2 thinner... some of the tamiyas (at least that I've gotten) are thicker than others...

sometimes you have to play with it a little to get the right consistency... what I do is put a drop or two of paint on something non-porous and then drop by drop of thinner till it is the consistency I want, then I know (approximately) what my ratio is...

And like Crockett said... you're always safe using Tamiya thinner... in fact that's ALL I use... you can get a 250ml botle that lasts forever for like 8 dollars I think.. the small bottle is like 6.59 so you end up saving.

You are referring to Tamiya Acrylics, right? I asked because they still have the Enamel line of paints, too

Yes, I still thin Tamiya Acrylics 2:1 for starters, even though most of them are airbrushable out of the bottle. I use 70% isopropyl alcohol as a thinner mixed with a drop or two of dishwashing detergent to reduce surface tension and improve the flow. Some modellers though find that alcohol cuts down on the sheen of gloss paints and so they use Tamiya Acrylic Thinner, but that's not a problem for me since I do mostly aircraft. If I'm doing fine line work or mottles, I'll thin the paint even more and reduce my air pressure (<10 psi).

Cheers,
onyan

I rarely thin Tamiya paints. I only do it if I need large coverage or getting low on paint to stretch it out. Never have a prob with it myself.

ya know... this is wierd, I've seen several people say it, so I know it's not an isolated case... The acrylics (Tamiya) at my LHS must have something wrong with them... literally about half the bottles I have bought have been rather thick, some of the glosses almost a thin "gel".... I've heard too many people now comment on using it right out of the bottle.. even with airbrushing.. I think I am going to order a bottle of something I have here that is thick from Squadron or somewhere... I want to see if it is the same consistency from somewhere else, somehow I am starting to think it wont be...

About the only thing I DON'T thin is Poly Scale, and the reason for that is that the bottles I have (not many, admittedly) are already the consistency of water. Tamiya and Model Master always get thinned.

MM is usually that way with me... hardly ever have to thin them, if so just a tad... Tamiya I ALWAYS have to thin, but I'm going to check that out by ordering another bottle online so I can compare it to my LHS stock...

I have found that I always have to thin my Tamiya paints ( 2-1). They just seem to ab better when I do

Thad