Scooter Man Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 What do you use to thin the stuff with before you spray it? Thanks! Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bilkeau Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 Cellulose/ lacquer thinners. Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 It also has to be fairly heavily thinned. If it's not thinned enough, you'll get a 'spider webbing' effect, where fine strings of Mr. S will build up on the end of your airbrush. Sort of like a cotton candy machine. If this happens, just add more thinner and try spraying again. But yes, plain ol' hardware store lacquer thinner works fine for thinning the stuff, and cleaning your brush after. (it also works very well for thinning/airbrushing regular hobby enamels too). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spaced Marine Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 I tried Mr. Thinner once, and while the Mr. Surfacer sprayed fine, it took two days to dry. Laquer thinner works the best. Now, Mr. Thinner is perfect for wiping Mr. Surfacer away when using it as a seem filler. No sanding. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trojansamurai Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 I find Mr. Thinner or PPG's Acrylic Lacquer Retarder to work the best because they are more forgiving than regular lacquer thinner. Yes, they take slightly longer to dry, but they give you a much smoother finish with a slight bit of luster. Lacquer thinner tends to dry to a more flat or matte finish because it's drying in the air before it contacts the surface. The downside of this is having to be much more careful of spraying into angled surfaces such as wing roots, engine nacelle attachment to the wing, etc. With lacquer thinner, I've had to sand a few areas clear of pebbling due to the paint drying too fast. Now, I only use lacquer thinner for cleaning the airbrush. Note: Acrylic Lacquer Retarder is usually used as an additive to lacquer thinner when thinning acrylic lacquers to slow down the drying, but I found it to work just fine by itself. However, don't use Gunze's Mr. Retarder in the same way, as it tends to make paint and surfacers bead up and drip. Finally, you can spray Mr. Surfacer 1000 and 1200, but don't attempt it with Surfacer 500. The pigment in 500 is much grainier and you'll get a very rough texture if you try to spray it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooter Man Posted March 27, 2006 Author Share Posted March 27, 2006 Thank you gentlmen....you have been most helpful!!! May the "modeling gods" be kind to each of you. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I'd disagree about the pigments. I've sprayed the 1xxx and 500 types each a number of times - they're no different. 500 is just 'thicker', so needs more thinning to be sprayable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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