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Acrylic paints

Can these be diluted with plain water for airbrushing or do I need to buy
acrylic thinners? (I'm using a Badger 200 airbrush, will be painting
aircraft and AFVs)
Also, is it possible to get Tamiya acrylics in the UK in any size larger
than 10ml? That's all Hannants seem to carry.
Finally if anyone can recommend a better acrylic paint then I'm all ears!
Regards
Graham 'Rip' Townsend
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Reply to
Graham Townsend
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seemed to have stopped the larger sizes
Reply to
JULIAN HALES
Most acrylics can be thinned with water, but you'll get better results if you use something with lower surface tension. Windshield washer fluid usually works well; don't worry about the tint, it's too faint to have any effect on the paint, even on white paint.
Reply to
Wayne C. Morris
Water *will* work, but don't forget about the larger variables. It really matters what *type* of water. Plain tap water usually leaves a lot to be desired. Try to use distilled water. Here in the U.S., it is available in grocery stores in plastic gallon jugs, for under a dollar. Also, the humidity has a *big* impact on how well paints will spray.
Many people sing praises for Polly Scale acrylics.
Reply to
Greg Heilers
should only use Tamiya thinners with Tamiya acrylics and water with anything else. This seems to work for me. The new xtra acrylics seem quite happy with POTW.
David
Reply to
David Pennington
I use windshield wiper fluid (yes, the blue stuff) to thin acrylics for airbrushing and I think it works better than water because it has a wetting agent in it that prevents it from drying out as quickly. You needn't worry about the blue color of the wiper fluid, as it will not have any effect on the paint color.
Reply to
AcornMan
Greg Heilers wrote in news:Pbamd.27350$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net:
Tamiya's carrier is alcohol based so I usually thin it with denatured alcohol and get very good results. I never really measure closely but it's about a 50/50 ratio. And I'm one who sings for Polly Scale because I have never needed to thin it and it covers extremely well with very thin coats. Cleans very easily, too. I prefer it over Tamiya any day, which ends up being most days.
TF
Reply to
TForward
Tamiya is good paint, I've had fine results with it. Their proprietary thinner is isopropyl alchohol. I've had fine results using drug store 70% percent alchohol. Tried the 91%; it tended to blush. Others have suggested the windshield fluid and denatured alchohol (methanol, methylated spirits) and these work well too. Try it all and see which you like.
It's my understanding that Tamiya still produces the larger bottles but very few places wish to stock them any more. The problems of course are space and the fact that people will go for the cheaper size without considering value. What a world...
The Keeper (of too much crap!)
Reply to
Keeper
snipped-for-privacy@aol.comedy (Keeper) wrote in :
I rarely empty the Humbrol tinlets I use. Usually the paint dries out before I'm halfway through the 14 ml tinlet, so I've no use for the larger containers (for most colors, at least). I suspect this goes for most modellers, hence no market for larger bottles, even if they are more economical.
Reply to
Harro de Jong
Many thanks to all for the answers! Think I will get some Tamiya thinners for the paint I already have, and then switch to Xtracrylix from then on. On the subject of tin/bottle size, I have some VERY old bottles of Tamiya paint from years ago when I last did any modelling, and most of them are still fine to use now.
Thanks again, all the best
Graham 'Rip' Townsend
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Reply to
Graham Townsend
Cheaper size??? My shop switched to the smaller price but kept the original price! Thanks a lot..............
-- John The history of things that didn't happen has never been written. . - - - Henry Kissinger
Reply to
The Old Timer
Thanks for that David. Could you tell me what the correct Xtracrylix colours would be for the spotted camouflage kit worn by German troops / tankers during WW2?
Cheers
Graham 'Rip' Townsend
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Reply to
Graham Townsend
Sorry - I am fine on RAF rescue yellow and most us colours but not armour :-(
Reply to
David Pennington
Ever tried making the Revell Peterbuilt Fire Engine. I got through 5 cans of Red with that one. I expect a similar useage when I tackle the Wrecker soon :-(
Reply to
David Pennington
£1 a bottle in my local shop
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Reply to
Kev Sparrow

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