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Lifecolor acrylic paint?


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That's interesting, Frank. Never thought of trying Vallejo with MM Acryl thinner. I always use Vallejo's own thinner or distilled water. I have four bottles of the Testors' Acryl thinner just sitting there since I don't use Acryl (bough many thinking, foolishly, that I was going to switch to Acryls for good) so I'll really have to give it a try. I also have a couple of bottles each of Liquitex Flow Aid and Slow Dri but never really know which one is best for delaying the drying time. I assume it's the Slow Dri but I've heard others have success with the Flow Aid. Which one is it?

Rob

I just use flow aid because that's what I have. I also have something that is an gel form - I can't remember what it's called. But I found out after getting it that is supposedly designed for mizing with tube paint - doh!

Flow aid works - but don't use too much because it will cause the paint to develop a strange white haze to it which is very noticable the darker the paint is.

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There are two things that might be happening when you let the paint sit after thinning. One is wetting the pigment. Some pigments, especially in a reduced viscosity paint, tends to clump together. Letting it sit allows the solvent-binder to rewet the pigment particles and the clumps fall apart. The other I will call polymer relaxation. It works like this: Using a solvent blend that contains one or more solvents not compatible with the binder (polymer) causes the polymer particles to shrink, initially. Acetone and other ketones are well known for this (at least in coatings technology) especially for hydrophillic polymers like many acrylics. This probably is what you are getting when you have trouble with clogs. When the thinned paint is allowed to sit for a time, the "bad" solvents are sufficiently diluted that the "good" solvents predominate, and the polymer particles relax into their normal prepolymerized state, or close too it. Not all polymers that shrivel up like this when exposed to incompatible solvents will return to normal under any conditions. Some will get worse. Some will relax but change shape and never cure. Others will remain stable for a time, then suddenly turn to sticky goo.

that makes sense - I found this out by accident. That's part of my problem with pollyscale/vallejo though -I don't like mixing up paint and waiting a long time before using it.

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks for posting the great info on thinning Lifecolor. I botched my first attempt using the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner stupidly. (hey I am still learning).

I know my local hobby shop is able to order the Lifecolor in individual bottles which is usually where I get mine. But unless you live in the DC area that is useless to you. However I have found that you can order it from sprue brother online by the bottle. Just thought I would offer that source up for those who where wanting to get it.

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  • 9 years later...

After reading this topic, while looking for any info that could help me to save my limited but, necessary stock of Lifecolor paints from solidification, I would like to add my 2c and say that Tamiya X-20A thinner is probably the best way to thin the Lifecolor acrylics. At least, this is what I remember an old friend of mine telling me many years ago.

 

I have also read somewhere that you could also use Ultimate's acrylic thinner, as a good alternative.

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