Thinning Halfords Acrylic paint for intricate airbrushing ?

[Merlin]

Hi,

I need to be using the same paint in the rattle cans from Halfords on both the car body coloured paint (not primer) and also for some fine detail work where I need to be spraying into the intricate shape from usual airbrush distance of 2 inches. Where hitting it with the can spray will not get into the areas an airbrush will, it will also clog up and ruin some of the detail as well as cause me to have to replace the airbrush filter given the amount of paint a can puts out in one press, and turn my studio a different colour in the process. Its simply far too much for the finer jobs.

Just what is the best way to decant and thin the Halfords can paint to go through a Harder and Steinbeck Evolution airbrush ?

The assistant couldnt offer me any thinners to thin their rattle can paint. He suggested Modellers acrylic thinners, but what.... tamiya X20, or Valejo ? or Hannants ?

They are all different formulae are they not ?

Merlin

[depressed lemur]

I am pretty sure that Halfords rattle cans need a cellulose thinner. I don't know if that will cause problems with any seals in an airbrush though.

[oggy4624]

if your halfords can mix the paint they will put it in a bottle for you.

They will also advise on the thinners

[vontrips]

Merlin, I posed this exact question here a few years ago! I contacted Halfords paint department (probably 10 years ago now) and they suggested using acetone for a thinner!!! Never been to keen to use it on model plastic as I assume it would rapidly turn into a blob, so who knows.

In that time Halfords may also have changed their formulation to meet current paint regs (VOC 2010) too?!

Edited July 4, 2016 by vontrips

[griffsrw]

i have always used cellulose thinners with halfords rattle cans, i use the little benecol drink bottles to decant the paint in. just point the nozzle towards the side of the bottle and let it go, make a few holes in the lid to let the propellant gas off, wear a glove as the paint tends to blow back a bit. paint lasts for quite some time too.

[vontrips]

i have always used cellulose thinners with halfords rattle cans, i use the little benecol drink bottles to decant the paint in. just point the nozzle towards the side of the bottle and let it go, make a few holes in the lid to let the propellant gas off, wear a glove as the paint tends to blow back a bit. paint lasts for quite some time too.

Never tried cellulose thinners with them. Does it not attack the Halfords primer coats?

[griffsrw]

no it all works fine together.

[Merlin]

Cellulose thinners it is then.

Thank you (a belated one !)

Do you modellers also decant and thin the Halfords white primer and again is that with cellulose ?

Same situation otherwise of clouds of spray in a small modelling studio and overkill especially if trying to prime intricate parts.

I have some Hycote white primer, is that also suited to cellulose ?

 

I like the Mr Surfacer primer but its grey not white so for red or a white topcoat for example I would prefer white.

 

Merlin

Edited November 3, 2017 by Merlin

[D1fuN0]

Morning Chaps

 

I'm trying to understand why you would want to thin decanted rattle can paint? 

By the time you have decanted it and all the propellant has bubbled away, you should have a happy airbrush ready pot of paint that doesn't really need thinning.

I've tried decanting both Tamiya paint right through to those el cheapo cans that you can buy from hardware stores etc, and none of them have needed thinning.

Its just a question, I'm interested in finding out the reason behind it. 

 

Mad Steve 

[fewr9fkr9595]

True to what has been said,

 

I have decanted various rattle cans by different manufacturers and they were all at an airbrush ready  consistency. 

 

Cellulose to clean out AB afterwards. 

 

Cheers, hope this helps!

[Skodadriver]

I normally build civil airliners so I tend to spray large-ish areas but like Mad Steve I've always found decanted Halfords to be airbrush ready and I've never felt the need to thin it.

 

If you don't have a spare Benecol bottle handy, I decant as follows.  Take a standard plastic drinking straw and tape it over the nozzle of the can. Take a standard airbrush glass jar and a piece of kitchen foil large enough to cover the top with a bit down the sides.  Put the foil over the mouth of the jar and punch a hole big enough to take the drinking straw.  Put the straw through the hole and squirt.  Once you have enough paint in the jar discard the foil and put the lid on leaving it a bit loose.  Allow the paint to stand for a couple of hours until it is fully de-gassed then away you go.

 

HTH

 

Dave G

[willie fixit]

Morning all,i have now sprayed 6 1/9 scale bikes with cellulose and had no problems, just make sure every bit is primed,i spray 2 light coats allow to harden off overnight then light rub with 1200 then 2 more light coats light rub with 1200,wash,then dry then spray top coats, when i sprayed my full size zx6r with cellulose  i started with 50/50, then for the last coat increase thinners to 75/25 paint,this gives a better blending into the previous coat. I have 4lt of thinners left from spraying that i use for cleaning airbrush ect.,for thinning i buy small bottle of thinners from wilkinsons or RUSTINS, just make sure the primer covers "ALL TO BE SPRAYED" or it will disolve the plastic,this is my method that works for me.

As for decanting as above, i have just finished spraying a bike using hy cote, i changed the nozzel for one with a spout from a can of carb cleaner, decanted gently straight into bowl of airbrush then sprayed excellent finish,can be clearcoated if want,hycote have an excellent range of colours and at £3.99 from the range stores good value!sorry for rambling on hope this is of use to anyone,

this article my help if anyone has not seen it http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2002/03/stuff_eng_tech_car_paint.htm

                     Willie