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mixing acrylic

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  • Member since
    July 2004
mixing acrylic
Posted by eddiemac0 on Saturday, October 30, 2004 11:53 AM
Yeah, so i've used metal teaspoons, plastic pipets (dumb, dumb, dumb), mixing whole bottles in ratio, and even toothpicks to mix drops on wax paper (my most successful method yet). Nothing really works!!

Ok, I'm trying to mix a fair amount of acrylic paint at once for my hull and deck colors, and I'm using brushes. When I mix my Tamiya acrylics (only paints I have), they stick to my measuring surfaces. Do I need to mix the pigment better into the water (alot seems to stick to the jar walls), if so how? Yeah, please help... Smile [:)]
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: SETX. USA
Posted by tho9900 on Saturday, October 30, 2004 12:10 PM
as in the gelled pigment sticks to the measuring surfaces? hmmm... could try a couple of things... try thinning it in the bottle a little when mixing... give it more diluent to dissolve into...

or buy one of those badger battery operated mixers... it might be aggressive enough to mix it up good... I dont use Tamiya much anymore, but when I used it a lot I only used Tamiya thinner to thin it... seemed to work fine everytime. you could also try isopropyl alcohol... I've heard of people thinning tamiya with that... Music City has a fomula he uses, do a search for simple green and you'll find his formula in there...
---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: phoenix
Posted by grandadjohn on Saturday, October 30, 2004 5:49 PM
I've had good luck using isopropyl alcohol(70%) with Tamiya paints but only with my airbrush, when brushing I use straight from the bottle. Cleaning brushes I use Tamiya thinner. Found that using straight water doen't always work, try breaking the surface tension of water with alcohol or dishwashing soap like Dawn. Doen't take much
John
helicopters don't fly they beat the air into submission
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Sunday, October 31, 2004 7:19 AM
I use these for stirring:

They are made from thin music wire, and I just spin them with my fingers to mix the paint.. When the paint is stirred, I lift it over the surface and spin it and most of the pain will throw off.

As to losing paint on the bottle walls and such, I think that's just a fact of life. Thin paint is going to be less likely to coat the bottle walls, but the whole idea behind paint is for it to coat the surface it's on.
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 1, 2004 3:50 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by grandadjohn

I've had good luck using isopropyl alcohol(70%) with Tamiya paints but only with my airbrush,



I've had real good results using Windex to thin Tamiya Acrylics.



  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Nowhere. (Long Island)
Posted by Tankmaster7 on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 6:43 PM
I use. . . Tamiya Thinner to thin my acrylics. Every kind of acryl paint too, including MM. I suspect it has a retarder in it, and it works great.
-Tanky Welcome to the United States of America, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, in partnership with Halliburton. Security for your constitutional rights provided by Blackwater International.
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: SETX. USA
Posted by tho9900 on Tuesday, November 2, 2004 7:58 PM
yeah it does Tank... it slows the drying time to get a better finish... I use it for everything from airbrushing to cleaning airbrushes. when you buy it in the 750ml bottle it's economical (ok, not as economical as windex or water but I like it)

Its only like 5 dollars for the bottle and it has lasted me through about 8 builds so far with at least 3 or 4 left.. not only painting the models, but 2 metal color cupfulls in cleaning, dripped onto a rag for wiping down the outside of the airbrush, on Qtips for cleaning dried paint in the cup and on the brush etc... even on a towel to wipe overspray off my table and such...

the small bottle is like 3 dollars and is only like 150ml. So it's worth it for the big one... and if the ones who havent used it tried it I think you'll like it.. it does make a difference!!!
---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 1, 2004 9:37 PM
Hey Folks!
I have found that the best method for mixing is to use small syringes. Available at almost any drug store, (explain that they are for paint mixing and not drug use, it may help in obtaining them!) they will give you an accurate ratio mix (eg:2 to 1 = 20ml + 10ml) simple math.
As to mixing, break down and buy a paint mixer, Badger has one for $11.20 available at www.scaleracecars.com.
On to cleaning. If you are using acrylics, use an empty margarine container half full of water, and run the mixer in that for a few seconds, remove, & dry. If you are using enamels, use a small glass jar with the appropriate amount of thinner in it, run mixer in it 'till clean and then rinse clean. It might help to hold a piece of paper towel over the top of your container of choice to avoid splashing.
I hope that this info is of use to you, all the best, John. Big Smile [:D]
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Bicester, England
Posted by KJ200 on Thursday, December 2, 2004 5:54 AM
Like JCDF I use the small syringes you get from the pharmacy for giving medicine to kids.

Accurate mixes every time.

Karl

Currently on the bench: AZ Models 1/72 Mig 17PF

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 4, 2004 12:27 PM
You can get that badger mixer here for only $8.49
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/bad/bad121.htm
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