Thinning Aeromaster acrylics: with what?

[Seahawk]

The paint in my much-loved bottle of Aeromaster acrylic RAF Interior Green is beginning to get a bit thick.  It seems to me that every acrylic range responds to a different thinner.  What have people used successfully to thin Aeromaster please?

[lasermonkey]

For Aeromaster acrylics, I've always used water to thin it. If airbrushing, I  add a little acrylic retarder to prevent the paint from drying in the nozzle. I always thought that Aeromaster/Polly Scale was one of the best acrylic paints to use and it's a shame that they were discontinued.

[Seahawk]

1 hour ago, lasermonkey said:

For Aeromaster acrylics, I've always used water to thin it. If airbrushing, I  add a little acrylic retarder to prevent the paint from drying in the nozzle. I always thought that Aeromaster/Polly Scale was one of the best acrylic paints to use and it's a shame that they were discontinued.

Many thanks: didn't want to add anything that might turn it to useless gloop.  Quite agree: have never found another acrylic that came within a mile of Aeromaster.

[lasermonkey]

What I liked most of all about Aeromaster/Polly Scale is that they were so easy to work with. They brushed beautifully and sprayed very well indeed and were completely predictable in how they behaved. Never any unpleasant surprises.

 

 Although the colours could be a bit hit and miss, it was easy enough to mix them to get what I wanted.

 

 I still have a stash of Aeromster and Polly Scale from many years ago and the paints are still perfectly useable. The same can't be said for the Lifecolour paints which I heavily invested in when Aeromaster stopped. Over a hundred of them solidified in the pots. That's a lot of money down the drain and I just can't trust them any more.

 

 Personally, I think that Vallejo is dire. I cannot get it to go onto bare plastic and it has no adhesion qualities to speak of. I've pretty much given up on the currently available acrylics.

 

If someone could revive the formula for AM/PS acrylics and get the colours spot-on, I'd be as happy as Larry!

[spaddad]

Isopropyl alchohol from the chemists.

[Kev The Modeller]

This may be of use to you 

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_aeromaster_acrylics.htm

 

 

[LotusArenco]

Aeromaster paints are some of the best acrylics I’ve ever owned and used. Unfortunately I’m pretty much in the same boat as some of you in that my precious coveted stash is slowly diminishing.

 

I do the exactly the same as lasermonkey, water and a bit of retarder. It even recommends using water on the bottle. Works perfectly, every time.

 

I’m a bit of a tart, and use distilled or DI water when messing with acrylics. Distilled is preferable as it shouldn’t have any organic/bacterial nasties that some DI may contain. Having said that, DI is easier and cheaper to get (a few quid for 5litres). I used to work at the Windsor&Newton factory, and distilled was always used when making water based paints to prevent any future problems of a biological nature. A lot of people will say to just use tap water, but if you intend to add it to the actual bottle for long term storage I’d rather be safe than sorry.

 

The only similar acrylic paint to Aeromaster is the Revell Aqua range. I’ve used it on a few modern Luftwaffe builds due to their reasonably accurate RAL colours and it brushes and airbrushes much the same.

 

Mart

[Seahawk]

2 hours ago, LotusArenco said:

 It even recommends using water on the bottle. Works perfectly, every time.

Read instructions?  Moi?

2 hours ago, LotusArenco said:

I’m a bit of a tart, and use distilled or DI water when messing with acrylics. Distilled is preferable as it shouldn’t have any organic/bacterial nasties that some DI may contain. Having said that, DI is easier and cheaper to get (a few quid for 5litres). I used to work at the Windsor&Newton factory, and distilled was always used when making water based paints to prevent any future problems of a biological nature. A lot of people will say to just use tap water, but if you intend to add it to the actual bottle for long term storage I’d rather be safe than sorry.

A useful tip: thanks.

2 hours ago, LotusArenco said:

The only similar acrylic paint to Aeromaster is the Revell Aqua range. I’ve used it on a few modern Luftwaffe builds due to their reasonably accurate RAL colours and it brushes and airbrushes much the same.

Agree: I use mainly Revell with a few Vallejo and Games Workshop.  But Aeromaster could be used straight out the bottle whereas Revell frequently needs a lot of thinning, even for brush painting.

[Antoine]

Have a try with Future.

[lasermonkey]

Well, would you believe it? I just successfully bid on some PollyScale Dark Green, Dark Earth and Sky acrylics fit £4 posted. Result!

[cger]

On 20/1/2018 at 9:58 PM, Seahawk said:

The paint in my much-loved bottle of Aeromaster acrylic RAF Interior Green is beginning to get a bit thick.  It seems to me that every acrylic range responds to a different thinner.  What have people used successfully to thin Aeromaster please?

I used windshield wiper fluid with success to thin Aeromaster acrylics. That was more than 10 years ago ...

 

best,

 

Christian.

[lesliegl]

I've just sprayed some Aeromaster Dark Gull Grey for a Phantom cockpit and I used a few drops of Vallejo Airbrush Thinner and it went down pretty well..

 

 

Leslie