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Really stoopid question re: Vallejo Model Color paint


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I decided I wanted to switch to Vallejo Model Color paint for my brush-painting, as I've heard a lot of great things about it. So, for my birthday in July,the parental units got me a beautiful 72-bottle set of the military colors, and I was thrilled. I haven't used any of it yet, because, well, I haven't had anything to brush-paint, but I will soon. So this brings me to my question...how do you mix the stuff? With the Tamiya/Testors/Model Master bottles, I have my battery-operated paint stirrer. I obviously can't use that for the Vallejo colors because they squeeze out. If I just shake the hell out of the bottle by hand will it mix it well enough? Should I invest in one of those paint-shaker table things? I know it's a silly question, but thanks in advance for the help!

Edited by TomcatFanatic123
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Go to Hobby Lobby and look at their necklace and bead section. Once there, you should run across Hematite beads hanging on a card. For the Vallejo type of bottles, get a string of the small beads. (the correct beads look like dull steel ball bearings, and you will feel the difference in the heft compared to the other beads)

Then, using a cloth, pop the dripper end off of your Vallejo bottle. Drop the bead in there, and pop that cap back on. When you shake them, even though that dripper cap is a pretty tight fit, also shake them with the cap screwed back on. The bead could hammer the dripper loose. (ask me how I know this, lol) Since you will know what the gap looks like between the dripper and the bottle, check that before you tip the bottle and drop paint into your palette or airbrush cup. (again, experience taught me to look at the joint each time, lol)

Then you can just reach for a few paint colors that you will use, and shake them 4 or 5 at a time.

Don't worry about the stories that say we shouldn't shake our Acrylics,,,,,the newest paint range to get released come with "drip down" caps and a shaker bead in them from the factory. (the cap design is the key)

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Either what Rex said, or use marine grade stainless steel hex nuts that are large enough to still fit into the opening.

Don't use normal stainless nuts, as they will corrode and mess up the paint. Hex nuts don't block the nozzle, as I've heard stories of steel balls blocking the nozzle, resulting in a rather rapid ejection of the nozzle from the bottle (and the bottle's contents).

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Oh, yes, never use a solid ball.

Beads or nuts only.

Another thing is to not hold the bottle vertically, you should be able to get enough paint out by holding the bottle horizontally, or very slightly elevated. That way, the bead or nut will be at the bottom of the bottle, and won't "work through" the paint before you have the few drops you need dispensed.

If you are dispensing your paint as if it were Ketchup,,,,,don't put anything in the bottle. Then just pop the dripper out and use a stirring tool such as the Badger, with the end changed out so as not to cut the bottle when you turn it on.

A finishing nail in the cheap Wal Mart toenail sander works well for this.

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  • 1 month later...

I was in a similar predicament, tired of tossing Testors and MM bottles barely

used away when they turned to rubberized gel. I was torn between Vallejo

and Humbrol, I am old, Humbrol is in "mini cans". I am just too old and set in

my ways to squeeze paint out of a tube, but that's just my personal preference,

also I like my "toxic colors" AKA enamel. At least I'll die happy!---John

Edited by john53
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  • 1 month later...

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