paint thinner secret formula!

Stefano Picozzi

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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Does anyone know what is the (approx) composition of paint thinner such
as
Tamiya acrylic thinner?
The aim is to mix my own to reduce the cost. Any opinions on this?

ModelerAl

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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In article <352AA520...@netscape.com>, Stefano Picozzi
<pic...@netscape.com> writes:

Try using automobile windshield washer fluid. That should be inexpensive
enough!
Al Superczynski, MFE
IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968

Check out my want and disposal lists at "Al's Place":
http://users.aol.com/modeleral

"Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to,
and the critics will flame you every time."

Cathy/Andy Irving

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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Stefano Picozzi wrote:
>
> Does anyone know what is the (approx) composition of paint thinner such
> as
> Tamiya acrylic thinner?
> The aim is to mix my own to reduce the cost. Any opinions on this?

--
I have a flyer issued by Tamiya that recommends *)% water, 20%
alcohol, I used it for a long time until I found out winshield(blue)
washer fluid worked just as well and did not affect the colours. Cheap
enough at a buck or two a gallon.
Regards
Andy

Cathy/Andy Irving

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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-- 80% water that is!
Andy

Iain Ogilvie

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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Stefano Picozzi wrote in message <352AA520...@netscape.com>...

>Does anyone know what is the (approx) composition of paint thinner such
>as
>Tamiya acrylic thinner?
>The aim is to mix my own to reduce the cost. Any opinions on this?
>

I use Isopropyl Alchohol (Rubbibg Alcohol) - smell the same a the Tamiya
stuff but far, far cheaper.

Iain

Hiroaki Fukuda

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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Stefano Picozzi wrote:

> Does anyone know what is the (approx) composition of paint thinner such
> as
> Tamiya acrylic thinner?
> The aim is to mix my own to reduce the cost. Any opinions on this?

I recently started using rubbing alcohol and it costs 79 cents for a 16
once bottle.
I think it's cheap enough.

Hiro

Wayne C. Morris

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Apr 8, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/8/98

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Stefano Picozzi <pic...@netscape.com> wrote:

> Does anyone know what is the (approx) composition of paint thinner such
> as Tamiya acrylic thinner? The aim is to mix my own to reduce the cost.

No idea what Tamiya's formula is, but you can thin their acrylic paints
with any of the following:

- water
- rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol
- windshield fluid
- a 50/50 mixture of water & alcohol or water & windshield fluid

(The blue tint of windshield fluid doesn't have any noticeable effect on
the color of the paint.)

Alcohol and windshield fluid are better than plain water because they
have lower surface tension.

DAN RUTMAN

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Apr 9, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/9/98

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Try white or clear ammonia to thin Tamiya, it works great if you want to
speed up the drying time.

Janus

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Apr 10, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/10/98

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ModelerAl wrote:

>
>
> Try using automobile windshield washer fluid. That should be inexpensive
> enough!
> Al Superczynski, MFE
>

I use methanol and a bit of Tamiya X20-A thinner. But watch out for sigarets or
your airbrush is
transformed in a flamethrower.

Jan Van Sweevelt

Belgium

Kelvin Mok

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Apr 11, 1998, 3:00:00 AM4/11/98

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On Wed, 08 Apr 1998 08:13:53 +1000, Stefano Picozzi
<pic...@netscape.com> wrote:

>Does anyone know what is the (approx) composition of paint thinner such
>as
>Tamiya acrylic thinner?

>The aim is to mix my own to reduce the cost. Any opinions on this?
>
Haven't tried windshield washer or any of those other stuff yet
although I did at one time use (Hardware store) methyl alcohol and
distilled water mix For some reason the paint carrier gelled on
storage and ruined the whole bottle but that may be due to something
else I added to the mix. Can't remember.

The thinner I really recommend is a tube of acrylic retarder and
extender gel from an arts supply shop. My 150ml tube cost under $10
and has lasted me more than a year and I am a heavy user for more
applications than just thinning bottled acrylics. The advantages
include

1. total miscibility. You can't over thin the paint with this gel.
With the alcohol/water mix an overly thinned paint beads up and does
not adhere properly.
2. it evens up the reflectance. On a camoflague job some color tints
may be more matte than others. Just brush a coat of this gel over
your paint job and it will give the look of an original factory job.
3. good for holding down decals and making the clear carrier film
disappear. Makes the decals appear as part of the paint job as
described in paragraph 2.

Its just a clear thin gel that is idiot proof in its use. The more
you use it the more applications you will find. Try it.

Kelvin Mok
kl...@NOSPAM.shaw.wave.ca
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