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Thinning Humbrol Enamels


beetcleaner

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Tried spraying Humbrol acrylics but not getting on at all. Moving back to Humbrol enamels for the present and wondering what to thin with. I have white spirit, turps substitute and also model enamel thinners from my local hobby shop. Should I thin with the thinners and clean the airbrush with white spirit or turps? Thanks for any suggestions

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You can thin acrylics with an alcohol or solvent based thinner, but not oily thinners like white spirit and turps.

Currently I use Tamiya thinners but it can be hard to source. You may want to try Automotive Screen Wash or isopropyl alcohol... I haven't tried this yet, I have some surgical spirit here, but it seems a bit oily compared to the stuff I used to use at work. Maybe somebody can post what percentage to look out for.

[Edit] You could try just spraying Humbrol Enamel thinned with water and a flow enhancer... Did you try thinning with a drop of water?

I use 'banana oil' for cleaning my airbrush. Good old fashioned Nail Varnish Remover that smells of pears, not the acetone free stuff. It's cheaper than the purpose made cleaners but much the same.

Edited by ~Dan~
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Whoops. Looks like I misunderstood the question.

I just thinned Humbrol Enamel with Humbrol thinners and cleaned the air-brush with the thinners, nail varnish remover or 'Standard' cellulose thinners if I have any knocking about.

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This is possibly heresy but I've always used cellulose thinners to thin Humberol enamels amd flushed the airbrush through afterwards with turps substitute. The thinners can attack and craze the paint sometimes - if it's too much or its very cold and the thinners don't evaporate but most of the time I get the paints, particularly matt ones settling straight onto the model with no pooling or running.

This is probably dangerous/unhealthy but I like the way the paint goes on though the crazing is a risk. Plus I get it cheap from Halfords.

I find white spirit is really vicious and attacks any plastic it's near and don't like using ita s cleaner; it makes a good glue though.

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I usually thin Humbrol Enamels with either white spirit (for brushing) or cellulose thinners (Halfords own brand) if I'm spraying with my air brush.

I also sometimes use Humbrol's own thinners when spraying.

I find that if I thin with cellulose thinners or Humbrols own thinner's when spraying it dries quicker; I don't know if I am imagining it though..

Never really had a problem with any of these methods.

Karl

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I usually thin Humbrol Enamels with either white spirit (for brushing) or cellulose thinners (Halfords own brand) if I'm spraying with my air brush.

I also sometimes use Humbrol's own thinners when spraying.

I find that if I thin with cellulose thinners or Humbrols own thinner's when spraying it dries quicker; I don't know if I am imagining it though..

Never really had a problem with any of these methods.

Karl

Thanks for all your advice. Just wish I could get on with acrylics but the thinning agents suggested are so varied I don't know what to use. Will put your advice into practice.

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Thanks for all your advice. Just wish I could get on with acrylics but the thinning agents suggested are so varied I don't know what to use. Will put your advice into practice.

You're welcome :)

I know nothing about acrylics unfortunately, I have tried to get along with them myself but usually make a complete hash of it.

I usually mix my enamel paint for air brushing between 50/50 (gloss) or 70/30 (matt) paint/thinner ratio; so long as it's about the consistency of semi-skimmed to skimmed milk it should be ok.

For brushing I use 40/60 paint/thinner ratio, usually doing about 4 coats over a previously primed surface. I leave a good 24 hours between coats.

As I say, this works for me; you may wish to experiment before you commit it to an expensive kit.

Good luck.

Karl

Edited by Karl
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I am an avid user of Humbrol enamels and when spraying I thin it by 50% (sometimes more) using general purpose enamel thinners from any hardware shop. It has always worked very well for me, I spray using 20psi.

To clean my air brush I use lacquer thinners, it will disolve any type of paint you have run through your gun. Most important though is to wear a respirator when using lacquer thinners, it is real bad stuff if inhaled.

Des.

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  • 2 weeks later...

For thinning humbrol enamels i use humbrol thinners, if im using say Tamiya acrylics i use mr colour laquer thinners, but the best thing i have invested in, is an extraction unit, expensive yes, but your health comes first, also you can spray anything you like with no fumes or nasty whifs. Hope this helps.

Dave

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I tend to use Humbrol Thinners or Halfords White Spirits, when I am brush painting with Humbrol Enamels, and Halfords Cellulose Thinners when airbrushing.

After various House moves I switched to the "new" Humbrol Acrylics and Xtracrylics, and used a variety of thinners and flow enhancers, but I didn't like them very much.

Last year I splashed out for a proper spray booth from Little-Cars, and started back on the Humbrol Enamels. You will also find, when using Cellulose thinners, the enamels dry quicker than with White Spirits/Humbrol Thinners.

As mentioned, proper ventilation and respirator are a must have.

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G'day All,

White Spirit or Enamel Thinners for thinning Enamel paint.

For Acrylic paint use the manufacturers Acrylic Thinners.Not many Acrylic products are compatible between different manufacturers and do occasionally end up in a gooey unuseable mess.

Cellulose Thinners is a particularly effective cleaning agent.It works on Enamels,Acrylics,Klear and is recommended for removing Humbrol Maskol from a brush.

On no account should Cellulose Thinners be allowed in any quantity anywhere near plastic,unless you want to wreck the plastic.

When using Cellulose Thinners to clean your airbrush,leave the rubber seals to dry out for an hour or two.The thinners causes the rubber to swell slightly and consequently damage occurs when putting it all back together too soon.

Happy Painting.

Edited by Alex Gordon
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On no account should Cellulose Thinners be allowed in any quantity anywhere near plastic,unless you want to wreck the plastic.

Happy Painting.

Strange that.

I have been using cellulose thinners, in moderation, to thin enamels for about 25 years and have yet to melt a kit. The secret is not to over-thin the paint. The upside of using cellulose is that it really keys the paint onto the plastic. I have still got some tins of Compucolour and early Xtracolour which will only stay on a model using cellulose thinner.

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hi i use revell colour mix all the time for enamels as long as the model is primed cellulose will not affect the plastic i used to use two pack paint when i used to make cars as i painted the real things i would take the models into work and spray them in the spray booths and the shine was great also i never use sprayaway i always use either brake cleaner or carb cleaner you get 600ml for £2.99 and it removes alclad from the airbrush

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