Thinning/cleaning Acrylics with Metylated Spirits

The stuff I've read most often for thinning acrylic is distilled water, Tamiya thinner or isopropyl alcohol. I don't really use acrylic unless it's MM Acryl, which almost never needs anything added to airbrush it.

Acetone seems to not be put to use much at all among model building airbrush users. I remember acetone as making sheets or clumps out of paint when what I really want is for the paint to be re-liquified for cleanup. For that, I use stuff like mineral spirits for enamels, alcohol for acrylic (or water if you're cleaning it immediately). Lacquer thinner for the ultra-potent cleanup. Lacquer thinner cleans up anything; it can destroy almost anything that's not metal too.

Hi
I use Tamiya and MM Acryl acrylic paints exclusively for airbrushing. I also use an Aztec a470 dual action airbrush. I usually thin it with distilled water, or with Tamiya thinner. I would imagine that the MM one works fairly well. I know that Vajello paints can be thinned with just plain old tap water. To be honest, I've done that enough times with my own paints, but the results are better when thinned with distilled.
As for cleaner, I'm sure acetone will work, but it's unneccessar. One cleaner I've found ideal for acrylics is Windex. After each spraying session, I run some thinner through then clean the AB normally, and leave the nozzle (separate it into it's two parts) soaking in a film container of Windex for 24 to 48 hours. After that, rinse with water, and it's like new.

Spirits will work, but as zokissma said, its overkill. Besides, one great advantage of Acryl is the low smell, so I why add the problems back with spirits or acetone. Windex as suggest works great to clean, so does acrylic brush cleaner that you can find in any art store. For thinning, I use Tamiya Acrylic thinner, it has a mild retarder in it that helps the acryl paint from drying too quickly on the tip - which can be a problem with the Aztek nozzles.

Avoid acetone like the plague! That stuff is really toxic and, unless your are wearing a haz mat suit, stay away from it. The key to cleaning acrylics from your airbrush is to do it right after you finish spraying. As you probably know, acrylics can set very quickly so speed in cleaning is critical. I use a mixture of Windex and Simple Green to spray through the airbrush and it does a good job. EZ Air also puts out a product called Airbrush Cleaner which they label as "Environmentally Safe". I have used it and like it but it is probably no better than a "home brew". Try to avoid lacquer thinner, unless your paint has really set, since this thinner is also toxic. If you use it, be very careful.

Hope this helps.

Mike M

Thanks for your replies !!!

Can I ask what "Simple Green" is ??

Thanks again
Ken

Ken,

Simple Green is a household cleaner that you can find at most supermarkets and stores like Walmart, etc.


Mike

Thanks Mike,

Perhaps I should have mentioned I live in Australia and I'm fairly sure this stuff doesn't exist in our supermarkets.
Is using Windex by itself OK ?? I assume Windex is the same as here, blue window/glass cleaner.

Thanks again for everybody's replies.

Yes Windex will work alone.

Mike

Bunnings in Australia stock Simple Green