Making the Switch from Enamels to Acrylics

[scapilot]

Enamels take a lot more work than acrylics to get a smooth, and level finish...but it is possible, whereas enamels are rock hard as far as durability goes compared to any acrylics. Just a matter of choice I suppose. I've found that spraying thinned enamels and buffing out the final paint job can look equally as good as any acrylic jobs, and they're bullet proof.

[bashace]

I found myself going back to enamels (MM and Humbrol) once I got a spray booth, but I still use Mr Color and Tamiya often.

V/r

Ron

[Marcel111]

Enamels stink!

:rofl:/>

Ha, that's the reason I am under pressure from my better half to change.

Thanks again for all the discussion on this, all very valuable points. Full disclosure is that I completed a model quite a few years ago with Tamiya acrylics and got a good result. Main reason for changing to enamels back then was that they are just "easier"... less nozzle clogging, better coverage, no lifting... and Modelmaster Enamels have an easy to reference range.

Since I am now a little older and wiser, health considerations are more pervasive. It is good to get feedback on what the curent state of affairs is with acrylics.

:cheers:/>

Marcel

[Sebastijan]

Since I am now a little older and wiser, health considerations are more pervasive.

What health considerations? Majority of people think acryllics because they are water based, are safer than enamels. While it's true the medium is safer, paint particles that you are inhaling are as dangerous than enamel ones. Either way if you wanna play the health card, you have to use the mask.

I am a lucky guy, I guess, since my girlfriend is a chemicist and she told me that my enamels smell rather nice compared to what she has to smell at work :D

[Marcel111]

What health considerations? Majority of people think acryllics because they are water based, are safer than enamels. While it's true the medium is safer, paint particles that you are inhaling are as dangerous than enamel ones. Either way if you wanna play the health card, you have to use the mask

Agree that using a mask and working in a well-ventilated area is very important either way. But the difference in medium is a big deal.

Marcel

[RichardL]

What health considerations? Majority of people think acryllics because they are water based, are safer than enamels. While it's true the medium is safer, paint particles that you are inhaling are as dangerous than enamel ones.

Water based acrylics are much safer to your central nervous system when handbrushing, even without using a respirator. There are no harmful fumes to worry about. I can handbrush water based acrylics all day long without getting dizzy or light headed.

[Rex]

Not to mention that odorless paints are better for the other inhabitants of the house

With model paints, if you can smell them, they are affecting your health, even if across the room and no particles are traveling that far

With real Acrylics (not loop-hole Acrylic Lacquers), you have to be right over the desk without a mask to be at any risk

[RichardL]

There is nothing in an opened bottle of LifeColor or Model Master Acryl that can potentially kill your brain cells. The same cannot be said for enamels or lacquers.

[Sebastijan]

Believe what you want ;) I never got dizzy working with enamels (even after 8-hour shifts with nitro based lacquers without any mask) and I'm pretty sure health hazards connected to hobby paints and the "large" amounts we are exposed to, are more of a marketing trick than anything else... but that's just my opinion, though I know I'm not the only one.

[RichardL]

Here you go, directly from Wikipedia: Chronic solvent-induced encephalopathy

And another: Neurological deficits in solvent‐exposed painters: a syndrome including impaired colour vision, cognitive defects

And another: Chronic painter's syndrome

"neuropsychological examination showed signs of intellectual impairment in 39 patients and neuroradiological examination by PEG or CT demonstrated the presence of cerebral atrophy in 31 patients"