Thinning help please!

[Gazmill]

Hi all,

I know it's probably been asked hundreds of times before but could someone please tell me, when thinning tamiya acrylics do I just use IPA or do I add water aswell? Also, I am going to thin down some Vallejo model color to go through my airbrush, do I just use distilled water for this? One last thing, I've got a bottle of Windsor & newton flow improver, will I be OK to add a drop to each thinned mix?

Any help/advice appreciated. Thanks. Gaz

P.S  I should have said, I want to know the above because I'm going to make a 200ml pre made bottle of each thinner so it's ready to add to the paint each time I need it.

Once again, Thanks

 

[IanC]

I use Tamiya X-20a thinner to thin Tamiya paint. Water is only used for cleaning up. Start with a 50/50 mix and go from there.

 

Again, Vallejo airbrush thinner for Vallejo paint. Especially if you're thinning Model Colour, as opposed to Model Air.

 

I've never used IPA or a flow improver. I like to keep things simple! 

[Tomjw]

I only use Tamiya thinner or Gunze Levelling Thinner for Tamiya paints. For Vallejo use Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner - works much better than thinner. I'vs not used water and IPA on either.

 

Hth

 

Tom

[Jusjay]

As others have said x20a is great for Tamiya (unsurprisingly) but IPA works on its own apparently I but you can also use me hobby self levelling thinner which I tried for the first time today and the results are pleasing indeed. 

 

Edited September 16, 2016 by Jusjay
Error

[Jerry V]

Tamiya paints are not a true acrylic and can be thinned with cellulose/lacquer thinner.  In fact, this is highly recommended by most modellers.  The Tamiya paint will spray beautifully, have plenty of 'bite' and will dry (quickly) to a hard, smooth surface.  I highly recommend this method.  

 

For initial coverage, I thin the paint 30-40% , set my airbrush pressure at 15-20 psi (not sure what that is in bar?) and use a wide, about 1/2-inch, spray pattern. For finer work or detail painting, I thin more heavily, about 50%, reduce my pressure to 10-15 psi and use a much narrower spray pattern.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Jerry V

[Jerry V]

For other acrylics, like Vallejo, I mix equal parts distilled water (tap water is ok, too) and IPA.  And, yes, a drop or two of flow enhancer is a good idea - the paint will spray a little nicer and smooth out (level) for a better finish.

[jrlx]

I only use Tamiya X20A thinner for Tamiya and Gunze acrylics.  I thin Tamiya 2 parts paint to 1 part thinner and Gunze 3 parts paint to 2parts thinner and spray at 15 psi. 

 

I've only used Vallejo once and thinned it with its own thinner.

 

Cheers

 

Jaime 

[Gazmill]

Thanks for the info! 

I'm going to do a 50% IPA, 50% distilled water and a couple of drops of flow enhancer for the Tamiya acrylics, does that sound about right to the people that use IPA?

For the Vallejo model color I'm  going to use distilled water with a couple of drops of flow enhancer because I think I've read somewhere that Vallejo model color and IPA makes the paint go 'gloopy', does anyone know if it's true?

once again, thanks in advance :-)

ATB Gaz

[jrlx]

I can't say if your mix proposals work or not, as I haven't tried anything similar. Anyway, you could easily try them out using some scrap plastic or old kit and see if they work or not. You could also make adjustments until you're happy with the results. It can take some trying initially, until one finds a mix ratio that is satisfactory.

 

Cheers

 

Jaime

 

 

[Tomjw]

9 hours ago, Gazmill said:

Thanks for the info! 

I'm going to do a 50% IPA, 50% distilled water and a couple of drops of flow enhancer for the Tamiya acrylics, does that sound about right to the people that use IPA?

For the Vallejo model color I'm  going to use distilled water with a couple of drops of flow enhancer because I think I've read somewhere that Vallejo model color and IPA makes the paint go 'gloopy', does anyone know if it's true?

once again, thanks in advance :-)

ATB Gaz

 

Yeah, Vallejo really does not like IPA.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Tomjw

[Jerry V]

On Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 3:26 AM, Tomjw said:

 

Yeah, Vallejo really does not like IPA.

No problems with Vallejo and IPA (I have heard this but works for me).  I agree with jrlx though, we modellers need to spend more time just practising on scrap kits/plastic.  Take our advice as a starting point but let your own experience dictate.

[Tomjw]

6 hours ago, Jerry V said:

No problems with Vallejo and IPA (I have heard this but works for me).  I agree with jrlx though, we modellers need to spend more time just practising on scrap kits/plastic.  Take our advice as a starting point but let your own experience dictate.

 

I certainly tried IPA and Vallejo and it turned to a semi solid gloop. Fortunately for me, I thin paint in little plastic shot glasses rather than in the airbrush paint cup.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom.

[spursn17]

Anything with alcohol will gum up Vallejo paint, I tried loads of the usual stuff that worked OK in other acrylics without success.

 

I now use Createx airbrush cleaner to thin Vallejo...

 

Createx Cleaner

 

I use this to thin all of my acrylic paint and it works really well, also cleans the airbrush pretty good afterwards!

[Jerry V]

On Tuesday, October 04, 2016 at 2:50 AM, Tomjw said:

 

I certainly tried IPA and Vallejo and it turned to a semi solid gloop. Fortunately for me, I thin paint in little plastic shot glasses rather than in the airbrush paint cup.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom.

 

I stand corrected.   Actually, I mix Vallejo with water and some Windex, not IPA.  Don't use it that often so, sorry for the confusion.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Jerry V

[Tomjw]

29 minutes ago, Jerry V said:

 

I stand corrected.   Actually, I mix Vallejo with water and some Windex, not IPA.  Don't use it that often so, sorry for the confusion.

 

No problem mate. I've probably made every mistake possible with paint. I stick with Gunze and Tamiya these days only because they are very forgiving.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom.

[Jerry V]

Thanks Tom.  Personally use Tamiya (acrylic) and Testors or Humbrol (enamels).  I have used Vallejo and found them a bit 'fussy' so I don't use them as often and had to refer back to my notes.  Still, I expect I will experiment more with Vallejo as I find the range of colours very large. Otherwise, my advice stands - 😊

[ianpolinar]

I just bought a bottle (250ml) of W&N Galeria Matt Medium

(I guess it's acrylic stuff, and looks dense and milky when i opened the bottle)

for the final finishing on my military aircraft kits,

and i wonder what's the best thinner for spraying the WN matt with my Evolution airbru.

 

Anyone has tried this stuff for own kits. What thinner was used?

Thanks in advance!

 

http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/oils-solvents-mediums-and-varnishes/acrylic-colour/mediums/galeria-matt-medium-8-45-us-fl-oz-250ml-pot-3040821

Edited October 27, 2016 by ianpolinar

[John Laidlaw]

7 minutes ago, ianpolinar said:

I just bought a bottle (250ml) of W&N Galeria Matt Medium

(I guess it's acrylic stuff, and looks dense and milky when i opened the bottle)

for the final finishing on my military aircraft kits,

and i wonder what's the best thinner for spraying the WN matt with my Evolution airbru.

 

Anyone has tried this stuff for own kits. What thinner was used?

Thanks in advance!

 

http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/oils-solvents-mediums-and-varnishes/acrylic-colour/mediums/galeria-matt-medium-8-45-us-fl-oz-250ml-pot-3040821

 

If you bought the Matt Medium, this is something that is mixed with a colour to 'extend' it - in other words, to make it go further and to give it a matt finish. If you wanted a varnish to spray as a top coat over an already painted model, you need the Matt Varnish:

 

http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/oils-solvents-mediums-and-varnishes/galeria-matt-varnish-2-53-us-fl-oz-75ml-bottle-3022802

 

This is the one that I use, and I thin it with 91% IPA at a ratio of 60/40 thinners/varnish.

 

Hope that helps.

[LaurieS]

Vallejo is water soluble not water based.

 

If you want to thin Vallejo the best is to use Vallejo thinners. It has the same constituents as the paint.

The thinners dryers in Vallejo has the drying quality and also lays he paint out flat.

Use water and you are diluting the integrate of the paint.

 

Place a drop of water and a drop of Vallejo thinners on the work top. Water sits as a blob due to its structure

The thinners flattens out. If you let Vallejo thinners dry you can see the adhesive nature of the thinners.

 

Vallejo Cleaner actually has a percentage of IPA in it.

 

Laurie

[LaurieS]

Should have added. Vallejo Flow Improver is a great addition to the Vallejo Paints.

 

It is not the same as a retarder. The improver is very thin. Found that with Vallejo Air

I can happily airbrush with out thinning through a .2 needle/nozzle which I cannot with out it.

 

Laurie