Paint Question

QUOTE: Originally posted by Molina00 MikeV, you use the same amount of thinner as you do paint? It seems like that would make it too thin, runny or whatever.

I usually thin it in a 2:1 ratio of paint to thinner.

Mike

I've got alcohol and Windex for the Acryl and mineral spirits for the enamel so I guess I'm good to go. Thanks for the help guys.

MikeV, you use the same amount of thinner as you do paint? It seems like that would make it too thin, runny or whatever.

QUOTE: Originally posted by onyan To add, there's a warning in the Testor's Product Guide NOT to use water when thinning MM Acryl for airbrush usage. It didn't explain why, but better to heed it (maybe the acrylic paint dries faster inside the a/b if one uses water).

I've used water to thin it and had no problems.

QUOTE: I've found that alcohol, MM Acryl Thinner, and even Tamiya Acrylic Thinner work well in thinning MM Acryl, although it seems the finish is a little grainier when I use alcohol (but that could be just from my mixing proportion).

Alcohol causes the paint to dry faster and that is why you are getting that grainy finish.
The paint it drying before it can lay out smooth.
I have had good luck with thinning MM Acryl with a mixture of Iso alcohol and water in a 1:1 ratio.

Mike

Hobby Lobby has the MM Acryl thinner in the glass cabinet with the spray paints in the model section... don't think it is too much. I'd recommend at least at first... until you get used to spraying it, to use the MM thinner... once you know how the paint reacts and sticks etc.. you can try different things... alcohol and a retarder would do the same I figure... the enamel thinner is in the same case, about 3.50 for this huge flask looking thing of MM enamel thinner for airbrushes tastes er... smells the same as the brush thinner so I dont think there is a big difference. it lasts a loooong time

I just use Tamiya thinner... from squadron you can order this 750ml bottle of it that lasts forever for like 6 dollars... I still haven't finished the bottle I started about 8 or 9 months ago... and I use it to run through my airbrush the first pass at cleaning... (been through about 8 kits with the bottle)

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And if you're like me and hate to pay 6 dollars shipping for 6 dollars worth of thinner you can add a kit to the order to make yourself feel better about it

To add, there's a warning in the Testor's Product Guide NOT to use water when thinning MM Acryl for airbrush usage. It didn't explain why, but better to heed it (maybe the acrylic paint dries faster inside the a/b if one uses water). I've found that alcohol, MM Acryl Thinner, and even Tamiya Acrylic Thinner work well in thinning MM Acryl, although it seems the finish is a little grainier when I use alcohol (but that could be just from my mixing proportion). Hope this helps.

Cheers,
onyan

Be careful ... you have two completely different kinds of paint there. The acrylic can be thinned with alcohol, Windex, or their thinner (I've never tried just water but it will probably work). The enamel CAN NOT be thinned with any of the above. You have to use some sort of enamel thinner for it, mineral spirits, turpentine, etc.

Also, if you paint enamel over acrylic make certain that the acrylic has thoroughly cured, as in at least 24 hours. Enamel can dissolve acrylic if it is not completely cured.

I guess I'll need to buy some thinner some time. I was just at Hobby Lobby buying the paint today and I always forget something. Thanks for the help.

It could just be thinned with a little water though couldn't it?

I use those paints, and I usually do it bye eye, so to speak. I just add thinner until the consistency seems right, and if it gets too thin, add a little paint. But to repeat the overstated rule, thin to the consistenmcy of milk. Oh and BTW, I find the model master acryl usually need very little thinning out of the bottle. You could almost use it as is. Hope this helps.