k_k

I don't have any vallejo AB cleaner or IPA, so will try them when I get some. At the moment, I am getting good result with screen wash. The glycerine works, but be careful not to add too much. The paint will never dry. I am giving up on vallejo thinner. As other have said, it is an extender, does not work like a thinner. It seems them change flat paint to be quite glossy. And if you over thin the paint, the result is not "nice". Since it is an extender, you have less "pigments" but the more paint (if you know what I mean). so to have the same coverage, you need thicker layers. I find it quite hard to get nice smooth thin surface when using vallejo "thinner". I get a fat/thick uneven glossy surface, totally not what I am after, take longer to dry too. Now, i just add a few drop of these vallejo extender to the screen wash/paint mix if I over thin, to reduce separation. Should have listen to paul and buy a small bottle to try first. Now I have a 200ml bottle that I almost do not use. I also find that Vallejo model colour works better, once thinned correctly with screen wash, water (+ glycerine) mix, better than Vallejo model air thinned using the same (maybe it is just the german grey I am using). Since screen wash is cheap, model colour will give you "more" paint once thinned compare to the pre-thinned model air. But since model colour range might contain ingredient that is not "safe" to atomise, good respirator is a must. -kk

ASDA might have some old stock left. I might visit ASDA later (the Cambridge store), if I see some, I will let you know. -kk

Tried the vallejo own thinner, works wonderfully. Thinned paint is smooth and non grainy. Still have dried tip problem, so flow-aid is still required. Have heart that people who paint minis using vallejo use glycerine as a flow-aid/retarder, so I gave it a try. I can buy it from ebay or ASDA (in the baking section with all the food colouring and stuffs). I added a tiny drop to the paint mix. Wow, almost no dry tip. Even when I try to paint very thin line by puling back the needle just a bit. I can get a smooth thin line with no break. Didn't seems to interact with the paint too. Have anyone else tried this? Any problem that I need to know about?

Just received a bottle of gator grip. Tested it for clear window making and attaching PE. Seems almost identical to Micro Krystal klear. I can stretch MKK to cover opening of 7mmx3mm with ease while gator have some problem (might need some thinning). Hmmm..... I think I can use MKK instead of the gator grip for most things. Will do more test.

I do plan to get this or the W&N flow improver. Thanks. The shopping list just keep growing....

Hi, I started with something similar (also from rdgtool via ebay) years ago. I regretted having that compressor. It works. But it is noisy and over-heat quite easily. The air flow is barely sufficient to run the AB, so if you have a air-hungry AB, you might have a bit of trouble keeping the PSI above 20. If you are sure you are going to stay using AB for your hobby, I would start with something better. I have upgraded to a "silent" type, it will serve me well for years to come. Hunt around, new one cost quite a lot but if you don't mind used, ebay is your friend. For example: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT The AB itself is ok, I still use mine, even after I obtained other more "capable" one. I use it for doing priming and klear/future coating. But you already have one "cheapy" AB, so maybe you don't need another one of those. If you want to do fine line, there are other better AB for that which doesn't cost a lot more. Just my 2 cent, hope it helps. -kk

Ok, will add a bottle of that to my order of vallejo thinner. Thanks.

Denstore, Will definitely try the Vallejo thinner. Also look forward to a cheaper alternative from your experiments. Thanks. -kk

Tanks Paul and Gruffy for the info. Will try out the Vallejo thinner. I have both Game color and model air range, Will the 200ml model air thinner work for both? I have also found that, once the paint dry in the AB paint cup edge or become gummy at the bottom of the cup, it is very hard to clean it out. Even hot cellulose thinner have trouble. And I dare not put hot thinner in AB that have rubber needle packing. Any good solution for cleaning for vallejo paint? -kk

Very useful first-hand experience from Denstore. Thanks. Any Tony's mini review on the HP-C plus is very useful too. Thanks. I will resist trying to get the next quadruples member, HP-C or HP-C plus, unless I found a one with a bargain price (not likely, even used, they fetch quite high price). I like the XG because I can put "hot" paint in it and not worry. I use Mr. color, and sometime clean AB with hot industrial cellulose thinner. I am a bit worry about doing that to my olympos ABs. So HP-C plus will be nice, as a all round work horse. BTW, I have trouble using Vallejo model air with my ABs. What is the best thinner and cleaner solution? I used water, but it is not good, the paint became grainy and seems to "separate" (with sediment etc) which cause bad clogging and cleaning problem. I will try Vallejo thinner, but if you guys could share your experience, it will great. I want to thin Vallejo enough to use it with my .2mm nozzle AB (also the .18mm nozzle of my SP B ), and do fine line with no clogging. Tony, I am a bit worry about getting a HP-C plus from asia (there is one from Thailand that is quite cheap on ebay), not sure if the goods will be counterfeit or not. My next "target" should be a mojo (phoenix 213C tuned by Mike Learn), but £204 is a lot to shell out. But I heard very good comment about this. -kk

Hi, I have tried to use water (distilled) as thinner for model air paint. It seem to works, but somehow the paint become grainny. And it seem to separate a bit, leaving thicker sediment at the bottom of my AB paint cup. Which cause serious clogging problem. I thin it to very high ratio, beyond 50:50, more like 25:75 (paint:water), because it clog up my AB, when I try to do thin lines with it. I can do broad coverage un-thined no problem. But would like to use it for fine details (like panel-line pre-shading). When I thin other paint such as Mr. color or Tamiya water base using "proper" own branded thinner (X20, Mr. thinner respectively) then the thinned paint really looks like diluted solution with no graininess whatsoever. Should I use Vallejo thinner? -kk

Hi Tony, Just to give you more info as you consider what to buy, when I try to find a good deal for a Rich AB, I found that they are sold for near or over 100 Euro in most European dealer. This is not any proof about the quality of the product, but knowing that did give me a bit more confident that Rich is not "rubbish". I hope you will find a good AB eventually. My own search had resulted in me owning close to 20 ABs. It had turn into a "collection". It is good to own different brand and compare them, but I guess for modelling, you really just need one or two (one for detail and one for broad coverage). Good luck. Denstore, I never own or touch an iwata AB before. From what I read on the net, they seem to be really over priced like you have said. I know from reading other posts by you that you own quite a few AB, especially some good name like grex and olympos. I am still curious about iwata, since you have use them before, would you said that they are better in performance compared to grex or olympos? For example, how does the XG compare against the HP-C in your experience? I have an XG that had been converted to 0.2mm nozzle and needle. I also have an olympos HP-100C. Wondering if I should get an HP-C or HP-C plus. -kk

I brought a rich AB100 just out of curiosity, it can detail (really fine line) almost as well as my Olympos SP-B, and that is saying a lot. Really good quality, for the price we seen, it is really good value for money. I found out that rich had been use a lot in the nail-art business. Here is where you can get an even better deal: http://www.parksidenailsupplies.com/produc...D=26&PID=84 It you plan to do really fine detail, the .2mm nozzle (AB100 and AB200) could give a bit better control compared to the .3mm nozzle. I find that .2mm nozzle can handle most paint with the right thinning (as everyone else have stated), unless you are into pearl powder and such which might flow better if you have a larger nozzle (others have recommended .35 or .5 nozzle for these kind of stuff) If you are looking for one brush for all, maybe the .3mm is a slightly safer bet, but I believe have a .2mm and another larger nozzle brush for coverage is a much better strategy (if you don't mind the extra spending). Hope this is helpful. -kk

I have try to use krystal klear for attaching scrap PE parts as a test last night. This morning, it still have not dried fully and there is no "grip". So I do need to have something else if I do not want to use CA for PE. I think I will go with Gator, unless someone did a test and show that normal hobby PVA have the same "strength" as Gator glue. And for attaching clear parts or making window etc, I will try out Gator vs Krystal when I get the Gator. But the krystal klear seems doing its job fine. -kk

Col, Thanks for the very quick reply. That is very helpful. The thing that I am still a bit confuse about is that, krystal klear did all the things you have mentioned. It dry quite quickly and not tacky. I use it as clear part adhesive and making window mainly. but the "description" said that it can be use as adhesive for various things, so I guess etch will be possible too. So Gator glue is similar but better? Is the improvement enough to warrant me binning my krystal klear and get a new bottle of gator? Don't want to end up with two bottle of things that do the same thing, that is all. -kk