Recommend an acrylic range

[model_madness]

Hi

For a number of reasons, mainly health and drying time related i've been thinking of switching to acrylics. :)

I do 1/48 jets post WW2 50's to early 80's, what i want is a range that i don't have to mix to get the colours like US Light Gull Grey, White, Silver,etc, dry quickly, easy to clean, don't lift off plastic when handled.

Pollyscale is out as it isnt available here, so im left with Tamiya, Gunze and Vallejo Air and Xtracrylics.

Any advice,comments,considerations appreciated.

tx

Kevin

Edited October 2, 2006 by model_madness

[almac]

Hi there, I switched to Acrilycs 2 years ago for the same reasons as yourself, safer and quicker to work with. I use mainly Lifecolor Acrilycs from Italy. They have an extensive range of colours so you should find what you are looking for. I buy mine from a model shop in Glasgow so you might find them in a shop near you. I also use Xtracrilycs from Hannants which also have an excellent range of colours. Both brands are suitable for brush and airbrush painting and I have had no problems using them.

Regards Allan

[Jamie Cheslo]

Tamiya acrylics are quite good for airbrushing. They go down smoothly. Just make sure you thin with Tamiya thinner. It seems to like Tamiya thinner better than others. The Model Master Acryl line is quite good too, and I believe has more variety as far as colours go. Don't know if they are available in your neck of the woods though.

HTH.

J.C.

[madmike]

Pollyscale, Vallejo, Tamiya and Gunze in that order are what I prefer.

Pollyscale makes the best flat clear bar none.

MikeJ

[virsago_mk2]

I prefer PollyScale or Gunze. Tamiya Acrylics these days doesn't stick very well, maybe it's just me but it''s getting annoying.

[Henrik B]

Excellent question, I came here to start this topic today, now I don't need to!

There's a small Vallejo selection in a toy store nearby so I'm leaning towards them. Unfortunately my prefered online store (Hannants) doesn't stock Vallejo, so I may have to look for another online supplier. UK preferable because of the language, but any european online shop would do as long as long as they have a english translation. Any recommendations for THAT?

[PapaSmurf630]

Model madness, I don't know about you, but around my area all that is readily available in the acrylics section is Tamiya Acrylics. Thin with a bit of Isopropyl alocohol and you're laughing. They go down superbly with an airbrush (they're however, terrible for handbrushing)

Xtracrylics are also good. I've got a couple of bottle and they go on very smoothly (with the same thinners I use for the Tamiya paints) and dry rapidly.

[Bennygmanuk]

I have nothing bad to say about Xtracrylics, except Hannants weird requirement that you order them with a kit. That can be got around however by careful timing, and thinking a model or two ahead. It would be a strange modeller who doesn't order the occasional kit - I normally buy them more often than paint.

Tamiya Acrylics I have a love/hate relationship with. They can produce a lovely finish, but I find them temperamental - probably just me and the fact they are thicker than Xtracrylics to start with so I need a different paint/thinner ratio and have to go outside of my 'comfort zone'.

If you're going to Telford perhaps its worth waiting and picking up one or two of each and doing some experimenting?

Steve.

[Chuck1945]

Living in the US, I can't really address what is available to you in the UK, but as others have mentioned Xtracrylics have an extensive range of colors as does Gunze. Tamiya is also nice, but you may find that the color you require requires custom mixing if you want to use Tamiya. I have tried Vallejo and didn't like the results, but others do appear to like the paint, same with Lifecolor. We can skip PollyScale since those are not generally available in the UK except via mailorder from the US and have become quite costly even here, almost 2x the price of Gunze.

[smutz]

hi, i use xtracrylics they dry in 15 mins brush well & spray great thinned or neat thin around 50-75%.

gunz are also very good, again spraying & brushing on well + fast drying, i get my xtracrylics from SBX

in ipswich & gunz from MDC. tamiya spray great , but don't brush well, lifecolor .....ugh.

hope this helps andy.

[Norrie S]

If you want mail order paints etc from the UK without buying a kit at the same time try here,

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/c7944/Xtra...lic-Paints.html

Regards,

Norrie

[model_madness]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

As a matter of interest which online store is most reliable and delivers the fastest out of the ones listed above i.e Hannants, WonderlandModels, Netmerchants?

Im thinking of buying some Xtracrylics online.

[AnthonyWan]

I would suggest Tamiya Acrylics...I have always used them, and they have never let me down

[model_madness]

Well In the UK, if you order from Netmerchants in the morning, you will see your order in the next mornings post, so I'm willing to bet their international shipping is darn quick too :blink:

They dont stock Xtracrylics.

[model_madness]

No, I order Vallejo Air from them.

Skii,by the way, what do you thin the paint and clean your airbrush for vallejo Air? I read you can use water for both, but what about IPA?

Are they truly water-based, and are they the only water based acrylics you can clean solely with water?

[madmike]

Skii,by the way, what do you thin the paint and clean your airbrush for vallejo Air? I read you can use water for both, but what about IPA?

Are they truly water-based, and are they the only water based acrylics you can clean solely with water?

Vallejo are true acrylics, yes.

MikeJ

[aidan]

Kevin, think I read that Hannants will ship their own brand paint without kit. Consider , as someone mentioned, SBX. Same price but free P&P. Xtracrylix require a spotless airbrush and will dry quite quickly on the tip if stopping and starting. Gunze would be my choice if they were more readily available. Tamiya are not bad but a pain in the @rse to mix the right colours. Just my 2p of course. Aidan

[Chuck1945]

cleaning the airbrush afterwards... There are several solutions (pun intended). Most effective is usually lacquer thinner (cellulose thinners in the UK) but that is what you are trying to avoid, so rule it out except using in a closed jar to saok parts when needed. Isopropyl Alcohol will work, so will any household cleaner that contains any ammonia. In the US, Windex, which is a window cleaner with ammonia, is often used. I am sure there is a UK equivalent. Water will work, but it probably the least effective, once the acrylic starts to harden, such as the residue on the sides in the airbrush cup, water has a difficult time coping. I use Windex and in more severe cases a general purpose cleaner called Simple Green. In really stubborn situations, I will let the tip soak in a small bottle of lacquer thinner for a couple of hours.