Acrylics

[Jinxter13]

Due to some objection from family members it seems my days of using solvent based paints are limited. So, me fine fellow modeling felons :D , it seems my only option is to switch to Acrylic paints. My use/knowledge of acrylics is very limited; at best 8-12 hours total, and when I did it seems very little if any thinning is needed, and that was with Tamiya's. I have on occasion used their flat white with a primer to get some good results on landing gear, but to do a complete build...not even close. Is it necessary to thin acrylics, if so how much for a half bowl of an Iwata HP-CR, also how much retarder; if needed do I add?. A very good friend suggested 1-2 drops of retarder, but I didn't tell him how much paint I'd be using (which is my fault <_< ). I haven't used acrylics because Mr. Color solvent, and MM solvent based paints have good matches for FS 595, which I use a lot of for US aircraft models. The Ghost grays light/dark and dark Gull gray are the three most used by me, after that the SEA colors greens and tan, and camou gray. With all the solvent paint I've got a good solution for me would be to find thinners that had little or no odor. If I had a hobby room isolated from the house, great...however I don't...talk about a catch-22; that would be easy I'm in a condemned if I do, d@mned if I don't situation.

....any and all assistance/suggestions/solutions gladly and gratefully accepted

[Crazy Snap Captain]

I don't thin them as much as enamels. I use Tamiya and Gunze almost exclusively. For 1/2 a cup of your Iwata, I'd put in around 12 drops max. Others may disagree but it gets me good coverage and the finish is pretty smooth. Never used retarder in my life.

[denstore]

I usually thin Tamiya acrylics about 50/50. Sometimes even more. But then I use smaller nozzle airbrushes than the CR, and I like the way more thinned paint build up.

Tamiyas own thinner works fine, and seem to have some retarder in it. Usually don't need more.

I have started using Vallejo more and more, and even if its a great paint, it is a bit harder to thin correctly and spray than Tamiya or Gunze. But it brushes a lot better. And with proper thinner and preparation, it sprays quite good.

[ChippyWho]

Clif, if the odour is the cause of grief with other family members be assured you'll still get a 'fall-out' from acrylic thinners (actually, I quite like the aroma of Tamiya X-20A -'Remember...what the Doormouse said'! Duh!) but Mr Color thinners can be pretty yucky, even behind a filter mask.

I've never heard of acrylics being airbrushed successfully without thinning, but I imagine your brush's innards would quickly end up looking like one of those huge bat-colony caves in Peru or somewhere!

Trouble is, there isn't a prescriptive solution to thinning anything -roughly 50/50 is the usual catch-all, but really it's a matter of trial and error to find what suits you, your airbrush, the specific paint, the effect you require, air humidity (ohh, the humidity!) ambient temperature and, of course, compressor pressure setting.

X-20A is often quoted as a sort of 'Swiss Army Knife' thinner in that it (allegedly) works with just about any paint, but I would recommend ALWAYS using the paint manufacturer's own thinners (especially with Mr Color).

Again a personal thing, but I've come to regard retarders (W&N Galleria, anyway) as a mixed blessing -if you feel you really need it, just use a couple of drops per cup and see how it suits.

There, that was a lot of words but probably not much help! Of course, you could always suggest to your nearest & dearest that a little solvent scent is preferable to being homeless...

Hope you get sorted; All The Best!

Edited December 13, 2014 by ChippyWho

[denstore]

Another Point about Vallejo. Don't use any alcohole based thinners! Use their own, Ultimate or Liquitex thinners.

Also, even if I have only tried a few colours, the Agama line of acrylics are quite nice, and they have a lot of colors available, with matching enamels as well.

[Triarius]

Rule of thumb for thinning any bottled paint for airbrushing : to the consistency of 2% milk. It doesn't get any more precise than that outside of a paint lab. Even here there are exceptions, as some are so thin they don't need it.

Everything ChippyWho said is pretty much spot on.

As for retarders, I use them depending on conditions. If it's very dry, I use them. If the temperature is high, I use them. If the paint is Tamiya or Gunze, I use them. NOTE: Tamiya X-20A does contain a retarder. I don't use X-20A because I essentially mix my own, but I have more familiarity with paint technology than most.

Which leads me to another point: When in doubt (and you currently are, as you are just starting with acrylics) use the manufacturer's recommended or proprietary thinner. If you are using a paint that thins with water, use only distilled water for thinning.

Finally, and this is vital: Acrylics are not enamels. They behave differently in the bottle, on the brush, in the airbrush, coming out of the airbrush, and on the model. I strongly recommend you practice on a paint hulk or other non-porous medium until you are reasonably comfortable with them.

Cleanup is simple: Windex (the kind with ammonia) or any glass cleaner with ammonia, Simple Green, and water.

Good luck, and welcome to the Future (slight pun intended.)

[Jinxter13]

Thanx loads guys; I'll take it all in and, use it and figure out what my best path or options are and go from there, hopefully you'll see a finished build in the not too distant future; however I think the paint problem maybe just the tip of the iceberg.

[denstore]

If I where to start over, i would probably go with Agama, mostly because I like that they have the same color in different lines.

But they are a bit hard to find. Tamiya or Vallejo would come second, but it depends if you think you will do a lot of brush painting or not. Tamiya acrylics aren't very good for brush painting.

[Jinxter13]

I am a long time user of Testors MM, but of late have been using Gunze, and I really like the way they easily mix for airbrushing, I am not at all familiar with their Acrylic line, are they fairly simple to work with?. I favor Gunze because their solvent line has pretty much any FS 595 standard colors not to mention the British standards, RLM, and the IJ go without saying.

[denstore]

Agama have quite a lot of the FS colors as well.

http://www.hobbyshop.cz/shop/11-usa

They have a alcohol based line for airbrushing:

http://www.hobbyshop.cz/shop/23-usa

And enamels:

http://www.hobbyshop.cz/shop/23-usa

Edited December 13, 2014 by denstore

[airea]

For tamiya and gunze acrylics, mix 40 unit of water (tap water is ok) with 20 units of isopropil alcohol (also called isopropanol or rubbing alcohol I guess). Then add 1 (one) unit of acrylic retarder (can be found in hobbystores that have artistic paints) and 1 unit of acrylic flow improver (again artistic paint stores). The cost is next to nothing and tamiya and gunze acrylics, even revell aqua paints spray beautifully.

I have recently learned this mix in modelling forums and it has changed my painting results drastically.

The mixing ratio is I believe a learning process in itself. Milk consistency is the right answer but alot of factors affect the results. So just practice.

[Joel_W]

I'm a long time user of Tamiya acrylics. With that said, I do use Model Master enamels from time to time. My basic mix for Tamiya acrylics is 50/50, and adjust from there. Darker colors a little more thinner, lighter colors a little less. For detail work I do add a few more drops of thinner, and a few drops of retarder. Normally, I don't add any retarder. With my compressor I set the regulator valve for general work at 20 psi static, which gives me a flow rate of 15-16 psi.

I use to use Tamiya's X-20 thinner which is Iso Alcohol based and does contain a retarder. Over the last year I've started to use their Yellow cap Lacquer Thinner. It does a much better job of breaking down the paint particles, hence, the end result is a smoother surface. The down side is that it has a stronger odor.

Since I have my own model/computer room with a window, central air conditioning, and a home made paint booth (fits into the window), I really don't have any issues with family members on the smell issue, but I do with the noise of my compressor. When the current unit needs replacement, I'll get one of the silent/quiet units now sold for modeling.

Joel

[huntermountain]

I use Tamiya acrylics, and thin them as much(or as little) as the application warrants. I spray straight from the bottle if heavy coverage is needed, or when I spray white. I spray very heavily thinned to only achieve a slight mist of colour. The only thing to watch out for is the air pressure. Thicker paint will probably need higher pressure. I haven't felt the need for either retarder or flow enhancer yet. I struggled for years trying to get consistent result with Vallejo air, but after getting my hands on a jar of Tamiya acrylics I haven't sprayed more Valejo again.

Dare to experiment, that's the way to learn.

[vimana]

I've used acrylics almost exclusively for years. It got to the point where I realized, I can't use enamels on clear parts anyway, and just about everything I build has clear canopies, so what's the use of enamels.

[spejic]

The "2% milk" guide is better than ratios because paints are not the same thickness coming out of the tins.

I like the Model Master airbrush thinner because it comes in a container that lets you dispense single drops. It works with every acrylic I tried.

[Mike C]

I am a long time user of Testors MM, but of late have been using Gunze, and I really like the way they easily mix for airbrushing, I am not at all familiar with their Acrylic line, are they fairly simple to work with?. I favor Gunze because their solvent line has pretty much any FS 595 standard colors not to mention the British standards, RLM, and the IJ go without saying.

Greywolf, I've been using Tamiya and Gunze acrylics (Aqueous Hobby Color) almost exclusively. For me, they both behave virtually identically. I've even been inter-mixing them without any problems whatsoever. I thin both with either Tamiya X-20A or methylated spirit (a.k.a. denatured alcohol). In most cases, I use 50:50 ratio, sprayed at 12-15 Psi using dual-action gravity-fed AB with 0.3mm nozzle.

For cleaning, I find the best way for me is first spray plain water through (don't forget blow-back) right after a spray session, then followed with either Windex or methylated spirit. Then once every 3 months I also run the AB through a couple cycles in ultrasonic cleaner.