Isopophyl Alcohol

You can use both types for thinning some acrylic paints, but make sure you check first. Paints are best thinned with the apropriate thinners(same manufacturer thinner), but IA can be used to thin ones such as Tamiya and Gunze. Don't use it to thin Model Master or Floquil Acrylics.

I've never heard of using IA to remove putty, and it doesn't seem reasonable since it has no effect on putty. I heard that you can thin Squadron putty with alcohol, but I tried both Isopropyl and Ethyl to no avail. You can use finger nail polish remover to remove toulene based putties such as Squadron, but in my opinion it doesn't work very well and just smears the putty around. You should use finger nail polish remover with acetone, but I have heard of people using the kind without acetone.

It would be nice if Squadron putty was slow drying so you can easily clean it up. That's why I use Model Master Red. Plenty of working time.

nail polish remover with acetone will melt the plastic if you are not carful.

I tried thinning acylic paint with isopropyl alcohol and I got a terrible finish. The alcohol evaporated quickly and the paint was drying almost the minute it hit the model if not sooner.

Now I use ordinary windshield washer solvent (the blue stuff). It's cheap, contains a little soap, alcohol etc and it doesn't dry on contact.

I tend to use milliput for gap filling. It can be smoothed with a cotton swab and water.

QUOTE: Don't use it to thin Model Master or Floquil Acrylics.

I use isopropyl alcohol to thin Model Master all the time and don't have any problems. I do add acrylic retarder to the mix though. I've never used Floquil acrylics, but for PollyScale I use water (I think they are the same company now).

QUOTE: I use isopropyl alcohol to thin Model Master all the time and don't have any problems. I do add acrylic retarder to the mix though.

Not all Model Master acrylic colors want to be thinned with isoprpyl alcohol. Some will reject it and form the dreaded goo. Floquil will do the same. Pollyscale and Floquil are the same company. Both Pollyscale and Floquil acrylics are best thinned with distilled water.

I've heard Future should be thinned with water, but it doesn't work to well for me. Maybe I should try isopropyl alcohol?

Future airbrushes fine out of the bottle without thinning.

QUOTE: Future airbrushes fine out of the bottle without thinning.

Doesn't seem that way with my Aztek, but it has been destroyed. I bought a Vega. Hopefully it will perform better.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Flyingraptor Hi guys, Got me some Isoprophyl Alcohol 70% and 90 % at the pharmacist. I read on naritafamily.com that you can use 90% for rubbing off putty when it's still wet, so no anding is requiered. Is that true? And what about 70%. I think that you can use it for thinning Acrylics? True? Cheers and thanks, Jürgen

IA can be used to rub off MR.Hobby's Mr.Surfacer 500,1000, & 1500. when used like putty to fix seams, cracks,scratches etc..

2-propanol/isopropyl alcohol can be used to thin *some* paints. I take 90% and mix it 50:50 with deionized water then use that to thin Future, Gunze and Polly Scale clears. For putty removal methanol works best but denatured works almost as well. Ethanol and 2-propanol do not work near as well at removing putty. Methanol also removes CA smears quite well with a bit of scrubbing with a q-tip.

While Future does not *need* to be thinned, I find it shoots better from a Paasche H if thinned.

Ron, what should Future be thinned with?

QUOTE: Originally posted by ryanpm Ron, what should Future be thinned with?

The 50:50 mix of deionized water and isopropyl alcohol......it's listed right before Gunze.

I too have used IA 70% to thin Model Master Acrylics without any problems at all

For those interested Testor's owns both Floquil and Poly S brand paints

I thin my future with Tamiya X-20a acrylic thinner and it goes on like glass consistently, my Badgers and Iwatas spray future ok without thinning, but it goes on smoother for me a tad thinned.

---edit--- Tamiya thinner is probably mostly alcohol from the smell... some retarder as well in it...

I use fingernail polish remover to cut squadron putty, but don't go heavy on the thinner as was mentioned... it will cut through the plastic if you're not careful...

QUOTE: Originally posted by grandadjohn For those interested Testor's owns both Floquil and Poly S brand paints

How about cutting that sigline photo down to a reasonable size....say 100x200?

QUOTE: How about cutting that sigline photo down to a reasonable size....say 100x200?

I noticed lots of people have huge images in their signatures that take forever to load and then get shrunk down. I use firefox and have the adblock extension, so I just right click it, adblock the thing and I don't see it anymore.

It's definitely a good idea to keep the signature pictures small.

QUOTE: Originally posted by nathaniel QUOTE: How about cutting that sigline photo down to a reasonable size....say 100x200? I noticed lots of people have huge images in their signatures that take forever to load and then get shrunk down. I use firefox and have the adblock extension, so I just right click it, adblock the thing and I don't see it anymore. It's definitely a good idea to keep the signature pictures small.

It's called common courtesy and like common sense is all too rare.