twhite80 Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 SO I was airbrushing a cockpit last night and I didn't have my usual Polly Scale paint to airbrush so I had to go with some Tamiya paint. It went on really nice! It seems like I was having all kinds of trouble with the Polly Scale coming out unevenly and not thinning so well. It was hard to get a fine and consistent spray. I had no such problems with the Tamiya. I figured it was just my airbrush getting old, but I might be wrong. What are the best paints to use in terms of airbrushing if I am an acrylic guy? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Triarius Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Erm… Polly Scale, properly mixed and thinned. Sounds like you didn't have it completely mixed, and the thinning ratio/pressure combination may not have been quite right. I love airbrushing Polly Scale. What did you use as a solvent? That being said, Tamiya is excellent paint. One of its sterling qualities is that it never seems to settle hard, and is very easy to redisperse even after sitting for years. Polly Scale requires more intense and prolonged mixing than Tamiya. You did stir the Polly Scale, didn't you? Never shake hobby paint to mix it (Vallejo Model Air and lacquers are exceptions, but they have low viscosities.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twhite80 Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 I did stir it and I use the Tamiya thinner to thin the Polly Scale. Sometimes I get great results, but for some reason lately I just cant get the mix right. The Tamiya was much easier to mix. I am just having a difficult time with excessive overspray with the Polly Scale. Maybe I need to rethink how I am mixing it. Go a littler thinner and build up? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
model_madness Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 (edited) Another for Tamiya from me. Never looked back since moving from enamels and binning the modern Humbrol rubbish they call paint! Tamiya mixes easily with IPA, add a touch of retarder/flow improver, apply with Badger a/b - goes on smooth as a babies bottom. For best colour range though, Gunze/Mr Colour are superb too.Dogs danglies. I'm thinking of moving over completely to them...slowly as I sell off my Tamiyas. Edited May 25, 2010 by model_madness Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Triarius Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I did stir it and I use the Tamiya thinner to thin the Polly Scale. There's the problem! Don't use Tamiya thinner with Polly Scale! Tamiya thinner is essentially isopropyl alcohol with a retarder already added—great for Tamiya and Gunze, disasterous with others that don't use an alcohol solvent system, like Polly Scale. Use only distilled water to thin Polly Scale. For the older formulation, 10 to 15 percent by volume of paint. For the newer formulation (2007 and after), 25 percent (4 parts paint to 1 part thinner). These are the instructions on the bottles. Adjust slightly as conditions dictate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twhite80 Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 There's the problem! Don't use Tamiya thinner with Polly Scale! Tamiya thinner is essentially isopropyl alcohol with a retarder already added—great for Tamiya and Gunze, disasterous with others that don't use an alcohol solvent system, like Polly Scale.Use only distilled water to thin Polly Scale. For the older formulation, 10 to 15 percent by volume of paint. For the newer formulation (2007 and after), 25 percent (4 parts paint to 1 part thinner). These are the instructions on the bottles. Adjust slightly as conditions dictate. alright! i will give distilled water a try! Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ming Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I like Tamiya because it brushes well and it is the easiest acrylic paint to clean up. Simple Windex wash is all you need to clean the cup and brush, no scrubbing needed at all. But almost no kit manufacturer (except for Tamiya itself) recommend Tamiya paint in the instruction, which makes choosing the right paint THE most agonizing experience in the whole model building process Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mhoupt Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Properly mixed and thinned is a key - even with Tamiya. I thin mine and then pop three or four BB's into the bottle to give it a good shake. The BB's help mix it all up, especially the pigment that stays on the bottom. I personally like Tamiya and Model Master Acrylic. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
model_madness Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 I like Tamiya because it brushes well and it is the easiest acrylic paint to clean up. Simple Windex wash is all you need to clean the cup and brush, no scrubbing needed at all. But almost no kit manufacturer (except for Tamiya itself) recommend Tamiya paint in the instruction, which makes choosing the right paint THE most agonizing experience in the whole model building process Hence my referal to Gunze! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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