Directly from the paint bottle?

Vartan041 wrote:

Enamels "going bad"? Could somebody please explain? BTW Mitsdude: Micro-mark has an adapter lid that fits polly scale and testors MM

Here goes:

Usually enamels "go bad" because the seal on the container is not air-tight, and the bottles are stored for a while. This can happen due to a poor seal from the factory, or the modeller not taking the time to ensure the bottle's properly sealed after the job is finished.

Also, it can happen simply from storing the paint too long without rotating the container, where the thinner and pigment fully seperate in the bottle, the seal dries out, and the thinner evaporates, etc., etc.

This results in the thinner evaporating and all you have left is a thick paste with the pigments, that may be too far gone to re-thin.

The other thing that happens is when a modeller (like myself) thins the enamel with a general hardware store thinner for airbrushing, etc., and stores the remaining thinned paint for later. Although it might be OK for the job you are doing, if you store a bottle of modelling enamel paint thinned with generic thinner, eventually it will break down, and become a strange mixture of solid pieces of pigment in a weak solution of colored thinner.

That is why if I am using a special bottle of modelling paint that I have bought specific for a particular subject, I try to stick to the manufacturer's thinner, so if I need it again in a few weeks, I can be fairly confident I will have it.

Also, I store my model paints in snap-lid clear plastic compartmented containers (like you can store the little Hot-Wheels cars in), and now and then I literally shake up the entire lot, rotating the containers lid-down, and then lid-up again a few weeks later. I got my containers at a local store called Big Lots for $2.00 apiece, cheaper then the cost of a single bottle of the paint they protect.

When I finish a modelling job, I place the few paints I used that still have paint in the bottle in a small box, lid-down for at least 24 hours. This allows any gaps in the cap seal to fill with paint and set-up for a positive seal before I store them back in the plastic containers.

OK?

  Tom

grizz30_06 wrote:

Mobe1969 wrote: Grizz, Are you talking airbrushing? Or brush painting? I am talking about airbrushing.  I don't thin Tamyia acrylics and it seems to work fine. Grizz

My

The newer Testors acrylic line advertises that it needs no thinning for air-brushing.

Since I do have an Aztec open-mixing, single action aitbrush, I bought the set at Wal-Mart with the 1/4 oz siphon bottles (the cost of the set of basic colors, if priced by the bottle is cheaper then the per bottle price).

So I tried out the various colors, and found that the aluminum paste in the metallic colors clogs the tiny siphon tube, whereas the plain colors do not.

Also  I have heard Tamiya works straight out of the bottle, so this looks like Testors bid to "keep up with the competition".

Tom

f-4phantom wrote:

My goodness! I couldn't get Tamiya acrylic through a soda straw without thinning it. For me 50-50 with Tamiya thinner works. Dean

Hmmm, maybe I have a "new" formula?  I read the bottle and I thought it said airbrush it straight from the bottle but thin it if using on figures?  Anyway it has worked great for me.  I am using it on armor and it's a flat finnish if that makes a difference.

Grizz

Enamels "going bad"? Could somebody please explain?

BTW Mitsdude: Micro-mark has an adapter lid that fits polly scale and testors MM

My goodness! I couldn't get Tamiya acrylic through a soda straw without thinning it. For me 50-50 with Tamiya thinner works.

Dean 

Mobe1969 wrote:

Grizz, Are you talking airbrushing? Or brush painting?

I am talking about airbrushing.  I don't thin Tamyia acrylics and it seems to work fine.

Grizz

I don't want to steal your thread here but, I have just started using Tamyia acrylics and have just been using them straight from the bottle (it does say you can do that on the bottle).  I was using enamals and know about them "going bad".  I have had no problems and it doesn't stink up the place.  I do stir or shake the bottle well first.  Any thoughts?  Or, are you talking more about glossy paints (which I don't use).

Grizz 

MikeV wrote:

Also remember that paint becomes unstable when thinned and will not last as long as unthinned.

Thank you, but we are not talking about six months to a year here, only a week or so at the most.

Then after that if it deteriates, I just figure on tossing it out and mix a new batch.

Tom

Mobe1969 wrote:

Exactly. Plus there is plenty of room in most bottles for thinning.

Also remember that paint becomes unstable when thinned and will not last as long as unthinned.  

MikeV wrote:

Why would you want that when the paint needs to be thinned?

When I am using a single color extensively, or I have to interrupt my project to get a car repair, etc., I like to keep a regular paint bottle with the thinned mixture ready to go so I don't have to re-mix it for finishing the job, the next project, touch-up's, etc.

Tom

As I've recently heard the Badger jar adaptors will fit on a tamiya or gunze bottle and fit suction feed bottles.

The part number is BAD50208 for the dual action feed adapter (30 degree fitting).

At Wal-Mart I recently got a Testors paint set that had an airbrush adaptor for their 1/4oz bottles, plus a spare empty bottle.

The thing is that the adaptor is for the Testors Aztec airbrushes only, which have a smaller tube size then standard.

 Tom