Best acrylic paint??

Thanks for the hint tho9900, I will try that.

GG

I've ***heard*** of people using plain old blue windshield washing fluid to thin acrylic Greenghost... (never actually talked face to face or keyboard to keyboard that has...) not sure of ratios or whatever... seems the same thing to use the alcohol/water/soap mix... that would approximate wiper fluid...

and I echo what 9x19 says... I've never gone wrong with Tamiya thinner... it's just easier to use that for me...

I use and love Tamiya acrylic paints and thinner. Tamiya thinner has a retarder in it and I find it easier to just use it rather then trying to add a retarder to say windex, distilled water or some other product. I also haved thinned Tamiya acrylic with lacquer thinner as plasticmod992 stated and found the reults to be very amazing (I ran out of lacquer thinner and my CRS has prevented me from getting more).

This may be little off topic however...what is the best thinner for acrylic paint? I´ve heard that you can thin it with windshield washer fluid. Is this correct, what brands can you thin with it?

I thought I was by myself when it comes to my discontent with MM Acryl, seems I am not alone gobears01. I have the same dificulties with it, specifically, I can't get it to spray consistant fine lines for more than 5 seconds when airbrushing my modern jet camo schemes! ARRRRGHH!!!!. Tried all the popular alternate and house-brand thinner for MM Acryl with no relief. My solution, I donated all the Acryl and stocked up with Tamiya. Boy what a difference! It thins beautifully with a 50/50 alcohol/ water mix and it cleans up completely with good ol' Windex. Fine lines are a breeze, consistant and predicable spraying characteristics with very minimal "tip-dry", if at all. For brush painting, I mix in a drop of alcohol/ water into the paint color. A small amount of dish soap added retards the rapid drying of the paint. To solve the dilema of weather to use a primer before painting with acrylic, I thin the first color coat with Laquer thinner. Yes, you read this right, laquer thinner! Laquer thiner can thin Tamiya acrylics beautifully- sprays like silk, and bites the underlying styrene like enamels, providing a very durable film. This is great becuase I can now use masking tapes over it with no fear of pulling up the paint layer underneath. For the rest of the colors, I simply thin the paint and airbrush normally using the alcohol/ water thinner. For over 20 years, I was a die-hard enamel user. Nowadays, Tamiya has help me produce the most realistic 1/72nd scale replicas in my modeling career, with an acrylic paint! Try the methods I've described above and good luck. Happy modeling!

PS: My total (almost) acrylic finishing supplies:

1. Paints: Tamiya (all colors)
2. Paint references: Flyttblocksv Urban Fredrickson's color matching reference
3. Thinner: 50% alcohol + 50% Distilled water + dish soap(retarder)
4. Airbrush & Tool Cleaner: Windex
5. Special Thinner: Laquer thinner (for thinning Tamiya acrylic for super strong adhesion) primer color coat only. (2:1 mix)
6. Clear coats
(a) Gloss: Future floor finish
(b) Flat: Delta Ceramcoat, Matt interior varnish (waterbased, low odor, non-toxic)
(c) Satin: Delta Ceramcoat, satin interior varnish (waterbased, low odor, non-toxic)
7. Washes: Tamiya heavily thinned with water with dishsoap added (Sudge-wash)
8. Airbrush: Iwata Revolution HP-CR (general spraying), Iwata HP-C (detailing and camo outlining)

QUOTE: Why would it be a bad idea to use these paints over ones like Tamiya, MM or Gunze?

Many of them are designed for porous surfaces such as cloth or paper and do not adhere well to plastic. Make sure the one you choose is designed for plastic or non-porous surfaces.

Hi,

I have been looking at an art store's collection of acrylic paints for airbrushes. There seem to be quite a few brands with broad ranges of colours. Why would it be a bad idea to use these paints over ones like Tamiya, MM or Gunze?

Thanks

I use mainly Gunze acrylics, as the range covers all the popular colours, and the paint quality is outstanding. Definitely the best in my book.

I also use Lifecolour, great for Italian A/C and armour, being an Italian company, and Tamiya, all thinned with Tamiya acrylic thinner.

Karl

QUOTE: I use Tamiya water based paint, I have no problem with my AB and there is not smell, or big clean up, and it have a fast drying time, To thin it I just use water, to clean it I also just use water. Very simple, very fast. Good luck!

took the words outa my mouth.........defintly tamiya.....only reason i use acrylic was the thinner smell.......so potent!

-Brian

Ok gang, seems my problem isn't anything special. But I think I'll play with some other paints just to satisfy myself as well as try some of your tips.

As to cleaning, very meticulus here, I hate even smudges on my shiny Iwata.

thanks so far................

My first choice would be Vallejo or Color of Eagles Aircraft Colors which are also Vallejo. Second would be MM Acryl. To be honest I still use the Tamiya thinner with the MM acrylics as it just seems to work better and it has a reterder in it to produce a more even coat of paint. The Vallejo paints use either distilled water or their own brand of thinner and work great.

Something that helps a lot with spraying acrylics is Needle lube, sold as Regdab needle juice and Medea Super lube it helps keep paint from adhering to the needle. All I do is every so often when the acrylic builds up on the tip I take a qtip moistened in water or thinner and gently clean the tip.

It's the nature of the beast with acrylics to get on the tip like that but it can be lessened by the needle juice and proper thinning.

Good luck!!

Actually my favorite acrylic is probably MM Acryl. I also use a lot of Tamiya and PollyScale but more ModelMaster than anything else.

As to your cleaning problem, a couple of hints:
1) DON'T let paint dry in your airbrush!
2) If you do manage to let it dry laquer thinner will clean it right out (assuming your airbrush can handle laquer thinner)

I use Tamiya water based paint, I have no problem with my AB and there is not smell, or big clean up, and it have a fast drying time, To thin it I just use water, to clean it I also just use water.

Very simple, very fast.

Good luck!