Whats your favorite acrlyic model paint?

plasticmod992

Member since
January 2003
From: The Hoosier State

Whats your favorite acrlyic model paint?

Posted by plasticmod992 on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 3:59 PM

I wanted to start this post as an informative thread for those who have little-to-no experience using acrylics. Also for those who use modeling acrylics exclusively. I'll get the discussion started with a bit of commentary on my favorite! Well I have to say that by far, my favorite modeling acrylic has to be Gunze Aqueous! Having used Tamiya, MM Acryl, and Polly Scale; Gunze thins superbly with disilled water, has all the pros that we love inherent of acrylics and has an extensive color selection. The only thing I don't like about the Gunze line, is that....I have to special order the stuff!.....AARRGGHH! I tried some for the first time about 2 years ago on a prized KC-135R I found at a local contest. I was very impressed in the way it flowed through the airbrush, as well as brush-painting. While playing around with it once, I thinned it fairly thin and sprayed the finest line I've ever been able to get with an acrylic with excellent adhesion. Also there was no need for proprietary thinners- distilled water was a superb altrnative. For clean-up, good ol' Windex got my Iwata squeeky clean.

So whats your favorite, and why? What has been your experiences, and finally, what type of routine have you developed- if any with your favorite acrylic?

Greg Williams Owner/ Manager Modern Hobbies LLC Indianapolis, IN. IPMS #44084

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 4:54 PM

I second Gunze Aquas too (luckily my lhs stocks it), also I have a love affair with vallejo. Tamiya is an old standard I can rely on but that gunze is really nice.

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 7:38 PM

Yeah Gunze Aquaeouieaueiouauies would be my favorite acrylic too. Me & my nephews can actually finish stuff with that paint. However, I have pulled off one miracle by finishing a model with MM Acryl. Acryl happens to be the only white paint I ever use anymore, but everything I do with Acryl is thinned with Tamiya thinner.

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tho9900

Member since
July 2004
From: SETX. USA

Posted by tho9900 on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 9:07 PM

ditto on the Tamiya thinner, with every type of acryl except Vallejo... I have to say Vellejo is the best I have sprayed, but found a LHS with gunze recently that I am willing to try out Gunze and see how it goes.....

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!

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KJ200

Member since
July 2003
From: Bicester, England

Posted by KJ200 on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 4:03 AM

Gunze!

Tried it about 2 years ago, and haven't looked back.

Sprays a dream, thins with Tamiya acrylic thinner.

And comes in all the colours that I use!

Just my tuppence worth.

Karl

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

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Borg R3-MC0

Member since
September 2004
From: Utereg

Posted by Borg R3-MC0 on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 5:09 AM

I can only get Gunze via mailorder and I don't like mailorder! Dead [xx(]

I therefore use Tamiya for airbrushing, thinned with alcohol/water mix or windscreen wiper fluid (winter mix, because it contains alcohol)
I use citadel/games workshop paints for brush painting.

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MusicCity

Member since
January 2004
From: USA

Posted by MusicCity on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 6:52 AM

QUOTE: I can only get Gunze via mailorder and I don't like mailorder!

I therefore use Tamiya for airbrushing, thinned with alcohol/water mix or windscreen wiper fluid (winter mix, because it contains alcohol)
I use citadel/games workshop paints for brush painting.

Same here. Nobody in this area has Gunze and I never think about it when I order things. I do like mailorder though, just never think about ordering paint.

I use Tamiya, Model Master Acryl, and Polly Scale for most of my airbrushing. For brush painting I also prefer Citadel / Games Workshop.

Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:08 PM

What is a good tape to use that will not lift up the acrlyic paint ? Have you ever had this problem, and how long should you let the acrlyic dry before putting tape on ? I am thinking of using acrlyics only I do not like enamels !

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albert_sy2

Member since
May 2004
From: Singapore

Posted by albert_sy2 on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 11:47 PM

^Tamiya tape is the best. Use it after at least 3 hours drying time if you're in a hurry.

I've only ever used Tamiya paints. I tried Gunze Aqueous once, and tried using water, Tamiya thinner, even lacquer thinner on it, and I still had a terrible time with it. I had to strip it off and do it all over -- twice. I'll never use Gunze again. Sorry.

Groovy baby

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pingtang

Member since
April 2003
From: NSW, Australia

Posted by pingtang on Thursday, May 5, 2005 12:37 AM

I like Gunze thinned with Tamiya thinner too. They spray on smooth, and have a huge range of colours.

I use Tamiya tape to mask over it, and have never had a problem with lifting. If you let it dry overnight, you won't have any problems. Priming helps alot too, I use Tamiya grey primer.

-Daniel

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madmike

Member since
July 2003
From: Perth, Western Australia

Posted by madmike on Thursday, May 5, 2005 7:31 AM

Pollyscale/Aeromaster for airbrushing and Vallejo for detail painting and brush painting. Vallejo brush paints like a dream, no brush strokes evident!

I too use Tamiya tape for masking, it will never lift off Pollyscale/Aeromaster and vallejo over a suitable primer.

Although I have used Gunze paints, I am not a big fan of them at all and it seems these days that Tamiya acrylics are more fragile than they used to be. Anyone find that at all?

I always prime my models using Tamiya Fine white or grey primer.

cheers

Mike

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei

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zokissima

Member since
July 2003
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Posted by zokissima on Thursday, May 5, 2005 8:35 AM

I love the dead flat finish of Tamiya paints. MM has some good colours to chose from, and flows fairly well, but Tamiya is still better IMHO. I have not tried Gunze yet, but i hear nothing but good things about it, and Vallejo as well.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 5, 2005 6:26 PM

Thanks for the information. I am working on the RM 1/48 F-4 E. I used enamels and did not like them. Then when I peeled the tape of the area that I painted natural metal near the exhaust my paint came off with the tape. Now I have to retape and spray again. I went and purchased a bottle of tamiya acrlyic, sprayed a test piece of plastic and was really happy with the outcome ! So I think I will switch to Tamiya acrlyic.

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plasticmod992

Member since
January 2003
From: The Hoosier State

Posted by plasticmod992 on Friday, May 6, 2005 3:57 PM

Hey guys, don't remember if it's been mentioned before or not but; last night I made a 50:50 thinner formula for my Tamiya acrylic, with great results. I combined 70% alcohol and Windex. I thinned some colors for an F-15 i'm working on and I was very impressed with how well it worked ;specifically how thourough the paint was atomized during airbrushing. I even saw a slight boost in adhesion. I am going to try another experiment with Isoprophol and a small amount of Laquer thinner to see how it performs...check back for the results!

Greg Williams Owner/ Manager Modern Hobbies LLC Indianapolis, IN. IPMS #44084

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 8, 2005 8:33 AM

.....when AeroMaster released their acrylic line.......aside from a few metal colours for brush painting from Polly S.............the AeroMaster acrylics were the cat's meow................
Gunze's great to spray when you have access to their line...........however, i've discovered Xtra-colour's new acrylic line thinned with the Polly S thinner.......as well as MM Acryl line thinned the same.......sometimes 70/30 sometimes 60/40.......both have great colour selection........good adhesion, great application and with some acrylic retarder added, the charactistic of drying too fast is all but eliminated...........
either one will make a 64th" line for feathering cammo with about 8/15 psi and 70/30 mix with either paint..............
still the bestest Wink [;)]

brush paint is the Polly S...........
works great and last a long time..........
and Windex and/or de-natured alcohol cleans like a dream...........

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