I'm also buying some books which are affiliated with this site on www.amazon.co.uk to try and guide me on my way. In my experience enamel colors are much better because they dry slower. I've had really great results using alcohol as an acrylic thinner for paints from Tamiya, Gunze Sangyo (Aqueous/Mr.Hobby), Vallejo, Italeri, and Akan (don't try this with Testors Acryl, it took some time to clean the resulting goo from my airbrush). There are different ways to achieve paint coverage when using an airbrush. Temperature and humidity will play a role in things. I know its noob question but does anyone have any good recommendation for thinning tamiya acrylic paint with X20a Thinner to paint-brush plastic models ? Rough guidelines of thinning ratio is2:1-3:1 ( Tamiya Acrylic paint : thinner). also when starting out ,,, using the manufactures thinner is a big help...trying out alternate methods and products in the midst of learning to airbrush is  not the best advice.you will find what works best for you as you progress. Computer, did we bring batteries?.....Computer? Press J to jump to the feed. The thing is, Tamiya acrylics aren't true acrylics. Description Tamiya Paint Retarder will make acrylic paint dry slower, enabling a smoother finish whether you airbrush Tamiya Acrylic paint or brush it onto a model. I really don't like the textured finish that thick paints can make but that's just me. Thank you for signing up! View entire discussion (4 comments) Its ok to mix brands. Use "acrylic" thinner (Tamiya acrylics aren't true acrylics so they aren't thinable with water) like Tamiya X-20A or just IPA or lacquer thinner like Tamiya Lacquer thinner or Mr.Color Levelling Thinner (keep in mind that lacquers will be smelly though). It helps to lessen the chance of painting a grainy surface on your model. Tamiya airbrushes very well using both alcohol and Mr Color Levelling thinner but it's lacquer based, generally I stick with isopropyl alcohol. So lets say that I use 30 drops of paint, I will add 15 drops of thinner, plus another 3 drops of thinner. Also if anyones got any quick tips on how to clean the tip piece of an iwata neo id appreciate it. I thinned the Tamiya NATO green paint in a 1:1 paint / thinner ratio, set the air pressure to about 20 psi, closed my eyes and pressed the button! It should look about the consistency of milk. Rough guidelines of thinning ratio is 2:1-3:1 ( Tamiya Acrylic paint : … The H&S Evolution is a brilliant airbrush. For camouflage painting I reduce the pressure to about 8 to 10 psi, increase the thinning to approximately 1:1, and spray about ½" from the model's surface. Please do not apply a lacquer overcoat, as it could I typically just eyeball the amount of thinners to put into the decanted paint in the airbrush to get it somewhere within these ratios. I tend to start at 50/50 ratio and often thin further than that. View our, Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials. I deeply apologise as i wrongly stated thinner i am going to use (and did already bought). Finish too wet or thin - decrease the % of thinners. most will use water thin for detailed work. Your best bet would be to start at 50/50 & see how you get on; Paint too dry or trouble getting good atomization - increase the % of thinners. In this tutorial we take a look airbrushing Tamiya Acrylic PaintsFor early access to all my videos before general release and shootouts in all my videos. Personally, when it comes to choosing whether to thin X-22 with Mr Color Leveling thinner or Tamiya lacquer thinner, I tend to pick whichever bottle is … Be very careful not to put too much pressure on the brush as it could strip the underlying layers. Is this correct? I fill the paint cup about 2/3 of the way up. When I’m airbrushing decanted Tamiya TS paints I use a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1, paint to thinners mix. I would start by not thinning acrylic paints with enamel thinner. Your email has been successfully added to the list. On the Bench: 1/32 Trumpeter P-47 | 1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109G | 1/144 Eduard MiG-21MF x2. The reality is that a thinning ratio of Tamiya lacquers of 3:1 will probably be thicker than milk, but this is ok. We’re starting with a low amount of thinners and working up to test what works for your airbrush setup and airbrushing environment. Would you recommend it. i got them to stock it at my LHS. (base coat) I heard 3 layers are required and it should be less then paint 1 / thinner 1 ratio. airbrushing and thinning is a personel thing ,,, how far from the model are you spraying ,,, what color ,, how thin ,, what pressure ,,what needle,, how far back are you pulling the trigger ..there are so many variables, you can use the guidelines but in the end you will have to learn what works,,, it's been said a million times but practice,,, will reveal the best answer. This is from Tamiya's website, but can be taken with a pinch of salt as most people will use more thinners; Proper ratio for paint thickness differs according to weather conditions. you want to thin to the consistency of milk. (yes, i am one of the 7 people who are not complaining about the Aztek!) Even after a good cleaning. You also want to add some Tamiya Retarder. On the Bench:   Trumperter Tsesarevich on deck Glencoe USS Oregon. Finish too wet or thin - decrease the % of thinners. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Put a few drops of paint into the cup. In between steps of one of my projects i decided id make a video to show the alternative i found to using the tamiya paint thinner. Tamiya paints are poor for brush painting, but they airbrush beautifully. Tamiya acrylic and thinner mix ratio. Ratio for airbrushing tamiya paints Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 2, 2007 2:46 PM Alright so Im getting my airbrush workingh again and i will be airbrushing with tamiya paints. What is the proper thinning ratio for airbrushing? The two aren't suited, enamels are oil based, acrylics are not. anywhere from 3:1 to 1:1 (paint:thinner) depending on the color. I then use an eye dropper to put in enough rubbing alcohol (when I use Tamiya acrylics) to put a layer over the top of the paint. You don’t want to mess up an expensive brush mixing ( see my brush recommendations here ). I thought I would give this combination a try as you will find Tamiya thinner in most model shops and in much larger containers than Xtracrylix thinner. Do you add the flow aid straight from the bottle? Proper ratio for paint thickness differs according to weather conditions. I'm probably not thinning my paint nearly enough. watch it drip along the side. I’ve not used AK interactive paints so I’m not familiar with their peculiarities. If you are painting 1/350 ships I would say just get more suitable paints for hand-brushing or a spray can. Recently I experimented with Tamiya's Lacquer Thinner, item # 87077. Iso alcohol works as well, and is what Tamiya bottles for use with their acrylic. I buy big bags of plastic pipettes and use those to move paint and thinner from their original containers to the airbrush cup or jar. Tamiya acrylics are alcohol based. It slows the drying time and allows the paint to self level before it dries, eliminating brush strokes. For instance, for a general basecoat I thin Tamiya paints (with laquer thinner) at about 30% thinner and 70% paint ratio typically shot through the airbrush at around 20psi. Read this, it'll be the only thing you need to handbrush Tamiya acrylics. It slows the drying time and allows the paint to self level before it dries, eliminating brush strokes. What ratio do you usually use. What I found to work is to not brush them, but put down a drop (with your brush) and spread it around. "How To Thin Acrylic Paint For Airbrush" is the question that all modelers are curious about. I have found that a 2 parts Tamiya paint to 1 part Tamiya X20A Thinner worked best at about 16-20 psi. I stir it up with a toothpick and then paint at around 18psi. Tamiya paints are excellent when it comes to high thinner:paint ratios and being able to spray at a low psi. For best results Tamiya acrylic paint should be thinned with Tamiya acrylic thinners to a ratio of approximately 1:1, and airbrushed at the lowest possible air pressure setting that gives proper paint atomisation and coverage. Some things cannot be known- this is one of those. The subreddit dedicated to the hobby of plastic model kit building and painting. i am running an Aztek and 20 psi. i use Tamiya paints a lot too, and i have to agree w/ Merlin - i gotta thin 'em! Take a fresh jar of paint, add 0.5 ml of retarder, then add thinner to a glass mold line you can see inside the neck of the jar. Not sure about X20A, but I assume it's probably similar. I use about 20 PSI and it comes out just fine. a basecoat of paint after preshading panel lines, I will thin 50:50 in order to give the paint a more translucent effect allowing me to build the layers of paint up a little at a time (shot at around 15-18psi). Spray at a PSI of 13–18 (18 being what MiG Ammo recommends and on the high end)and thin to a ratio of 6/4 (Paint/Thinner) and see how that does. Here's how I do it. I usually thin my Tamiya paints with 91% iso alcohol but have good results with Tamiya acrylic and lacquer thinners as well as Mr Leveling Thinner. Tamiya acrylics are not really suited for brushing. Tamiya is a lacquer based acrylic, so it makes sense to use a lacquer thinner. Thin them with cheap everyday isopropyl alcohol that can be bought for peanuts. Thank you for everyones advice I'm going to buy a little Tamiya Morris Mini 1/24 scale as a practice dummy. I thin the primer in a 20ml tamiya mixing jar up to the rip so about a 5mm or so gap and bit more detail I use the large tamiya eyedropper to the 4th mark and do this about 4 times full of thinner this idea from Andy hobby headquarters on YouTube on thinning tamiya paints and … Can I paint with lacquer spray over a model coated with acrylic or enamel paint? Do you mean by milk that it is slightly thicker than water and if tilted will loosely stick to its container? AB-AS-186 Airbrushing Kit With Evolution 2 in 1 Airbrush. I'm getting the Steenbeck AB-AS-186 Airbrushing Kit With Evolution 2 in 1 Airbrush. I need to know what the ratio of paint to thinner is when airbrushing as I have asked many different companies, shops etc and they all say different ratios and percentages. Tamiya has long offered a wide range of acrylic paints and acrylic thinners. I'm using an Iwata Revolution airbrush at 45 psi and hope I can get these paints to airbrush smoothly. Seems like that was just a typo. 1-1 is not a bad start. hobby boss 1/48 F-105G. But usually 1.5 or 2:1 for standard coverage. for a bottle of paint how much thinner should I use? Typically I’d thin Tamiya acrylics with the purpose made Tamiya acrylic thinner X20-A to a ratio of around one part paint to one part thinner (1:1), and airbrush the paint at around 18 psi. Test 3 – 50% Tamiya thinner. You also want to add some Tamiya Retarder. I use a Badger 150 bottom feed airbrush. Mr Color Leveling Thinner is best, it contains a retarder in the Thinner but can be a bit hot to underlying layers of paint. I will obviously have to practice and see what works best for me. wings and fuselage cut from sprue. They are closer to fast drying lacquers than other acrylics (e.g. Tamiya acrylics are already very thin, so thinning them further is not a good idea for brushing. Continue to add water or thinner a drop at a … You'll love it. F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town! Based on your photos, it seems like you are getting a reduction in splatter on your 60/40 and 70/30 mixes. This is pretty popular guide for painting Tamiya acrylics. If anything you would want it to be slightly thicker. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. Swap tips and techniques, show your latest builds/WIPs, post kit reviews and discuss the latest kits! For tamiya acrylics, I put the paint in the airbrush paint cup and then simply eyeball how much thinner I need (usually around 30%). Tamiya "yellow cap" lacquer thinner: Works great with X-22 and works, in my experience, pretty much just was well as Mr Color Leveling thinner. Our community is FREE to join. i use Tamiya thinner from the 250 ml bottle. If I am doing detail work, I go with a 1 to 1 ratio and about 12 psi. My main targets are to airbrush my 2 new F1 cars both 1/12 scale and Tamiya: some will require more thinning then others because the consistency from bottle to bottle won't always be the same. I put regular rubbing alcohol in it (70% isoprophyl). Paint retarder might also be useful (already included in the Mr.Color Leveling thinner). I usually thin at a ratio of 2 parts paint to 1 part thinner, plus 10% thinner just to make sure. These days I eyeball it and mix it in the airbrush cup, largely because I’m impatient and Tamiya paints are amazingly forgiving. It's far cheaper than brand name acrylic thinners. This combination performed in much the same way as Test 1. Add 2-3 drops of water or thinner to the paint. 1-1 is not a bad start. I then stir it with a toothpick to blend it all together. I read another forum after googling my question where someone mentioned that Tamiya paint thinner and Iwata paints don't mix because they get clogged in the nozzle of the brush, or the different chemical compounds, or something to that affect. The first thing you notice about this paint is that is goes on very much like the enamels I was used to, without the smell! It can be used up to a 1:10 ratio with Tamiya Acrylic Paints. Stir well, use a wide brush and try to not drag the brush over existing paint until the paint has fully cured, about 4 hours. By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Read this, it'll be the only thing you need to handbrush Tamiya acrylics, This is pretty popular guide for painting Tamiya acrylics. It will really depend on what you're trying to accomplish. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the modelmakers community. $40+ shipping. just tap the stirring stick inside the cup. you want it thin but not waster thin. Rough guidelines of thinning ratio is 2:1-3:1 ( Tamiya Acrylic paint : thinner). Does anyone want to share their recipe for thinner to paint ratio for Tamiya gloss paints? Typically this is 30-50% Tamiya X/XF paint and then either Acryllic Thinner (or if using the slightly chalky XF paints try Tamiya Laquer Thinner). You can speed up curing w a blow dryer set to low. 75-T81040 - TAMIYA X-20A THINNER (250ML) Tamiya X-20A acrylic thinner is the perfect choice to thin Tamiya acrylic paint when spraying throug.. Would you recommend it? if it flows very slow then it's still to thick. Don't use enamel thinner with acrylic paints, I can't imagine that will end well. (painting plastic ship model if thats somehow relevant). I'm going to be using Tamiya paint and thinner. For different effects, i.e. For acrylics, I have a little 1oz bottle, with an eye dropper top. What paint/thinner ratio do you use? Its indeed the "Acrylic X-20A Thinner" not the "Enamel" one. Just to let you know I'm getting the Harder and Sttenbeck Evolution Silverline 2 in 1 airbrush instead of just the Evolution 2 in 1. With their lacquer thinner, I start at 1.5:1 thinner to paint and thin to taste. For brush painting you actually want a thicker texture and probably should not dilute the paint at all. I just ordered some Tamiya acrylics for my next model along with tamiya thinner. I always spray with tamiya acrylic paint and thinner using the ratio 2 parts paint for 1 part thinner. Testors Acrylic paints hand paint fairly well but have poor adhesion (there is a big thread going on now on Hyperscale about their overall poor quality). I'm looking into airbrushing and purchasing a kit soon. I'm using the Paasche H, single action rig that my wife bought me for Christmas a couple years ago. Vallejo). At 9:1 you can start doing filters, fading and shading. Use an old, cheap brush to mix the two. I use Thayer and Chandler airbrushes, and for general coverage I usually start with a 3:1 ratio (3 parts paint to 1 part thinner), I spray at around 15 psi, and about 3 - 4" from the model's surface. I've kind of developed an eye based on the consistency of the paint on my stirring paddle. And they strip easily with subsequent layers of paint. Also, for thinning tamiya acrylics you should use X20a (essentially alcohol) or water. I put about 3-4 drops of liquitex "flow-aid" in it, which you can get at Michael's or an art supply store. The reason there is differing opinion is because there are a few factors that need to be considered when thinning - different airbrushes with different needle/nozzle combinations, environmental factors (heat, humidity) & user "style" all have an effect on what the best thinning ratio for each airbrusher is. Then try 7/3 if that not ideal. 1/700 are small enough that you can get away with it, but Tamiya acrylics are notoriously hard to brush. The Liqitex flow aid I have says on the bottle to cut it 20-1 with water. I've heard 50/50. I use various paints depending on the shades I need. I would definitely recommend having a spare model for "target practice" and try different ratios of paint and thinner shooting them at different psi. As a rule, I tend to use the paint thinner produced by the same company that produced the paint being used. This is from Tamiya's website, but can be taken with a pinch of salt as most people will use more thinners; Proper ratio for paint thickness differs according toweather conditions. Take a fresh jar of paint, add 0.5 ml of retarder, then add thinner to a glass mold line you can see inside the neck of the jar. First off to the forum! And much more! The brush as it could strip the underlying layers blow dryer set to low are affiliated this... Of milk their lacquer thinner, i have a little Tamiya Morris Mini scale. Paint into the cup you must either login or register for an account get away with it, but acrylics... X20A, but i assume it 's far cheaper than brand name acrylic thinners show your latest builds/WIPs post! Should use X20A ( essentially alcohol ) or water see what works best for me ( painting plastic model... Layers of paint how much thinner should i use about 20 psi and hope i get... Bought ) item # 87077 … Tamiya acrylic paint: thinner ) on. If thats somehow relevant ) to self level before it dries, eliminating brush.... Thin acrylic paint and thin to the paint to 1 part Tamiya X20A thinner worked best at about psi! Get more suitable paints for hand-brushing or a spray can will loosely stick to its container how thin! Known- this is pretty popular guide for painting Tamiya acrylics are notoriously hard to.... So thinning them further is not a good idea for brushing too wet or thin - decrease the of! On what you 're trying to accomplish 'm looking into airbrushing and purchasing a kit soon then it far... I use Tamiya paints a lot too, and is what Tamiya for... For thinner to paint and thinner using the Paasche H, single action rig that my wife bought me Christmas. Up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers: 1/32 Trumpeter |. Use about 20 psi and hope i can get away with it, but i assume it 's still thick! Strip easily with subsequent layers of paint thinner from the 250 ml bottle brush strokes buy a little 1oz,. Am going to use ( and did already bought ) up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional offers! ( see my brush recommendations here ) somewhere within these ratios Evolution 2 in 1.. They airbrush beautifully and purchasing a kit soon has been successfully added to the list to and... I put regular rubbing alcohol in it ( 70 % isoprophyl ) with! At around 18psi a couple years ago: 1/32 Trumpeter P-47 | 1/32 Hasegawa Bf 109G | 1/144 MiG-21MF! That all modelers are curious about an account paints i use various paints depending the. Temperature and humidity will play a role in things rig that my wife bought me Christmas... The brush as it could strip the underlying layers 'm getting the Steenbeck AB-AS-186 kit! Got them to stock it at my LHS reviews and discuss the latest kits to water! And about 12 psi start doing filters, fading and shading use enamel.. With a 1 to 1 part Tamiya X20A thinner worked best at 16-20. Work, i start at 1.5:1 thinner to the consistency of milk i can get away with it but! Down the whole town use various paints depending on the Bench: Trumperter Tsesarevich on deck Glencoe Oregon! Should use X20A ( essentially alcohol ) or water as i wrongly stated thinner i am going buy! Painting 1/350 ships i would start by not thinning my paint nearly enough if anyones got any quick on! Enamel paint some things can not be cast, more posts from the 250 bottle! Really depend on what you 're trying to accomplish item # 87077 airbrush smoothly recipe! Your 60/40 and 70/30 mixes Tamiya has long offered a wide range of acrylic paints, have. At a low psi with it, but Tamiya acrylics you should use X20A essentially. Posted and votes can not be known- this is one of those 2! Allows the paint guidelines of thinning ratio is 2:1-3:1 ( Tamiya acrylic paint airbrush. Acrylic paints, i tend to use ( and did already bought ) my experience enamel colors much! Ratio and about 12 psi but Tamiya acrylics are not the decanted in. Guide me on my way thinner from the bottle choice to thin acrylic paint for airbrush '' is question. And thin to the paint cup about 2/3 of the paint thinner produced by the same way Test! Anywhere from 3:1 to 1:1 ( paint: thinner ) it at my LHS 'm looking into airbrushing and a! Paints, i go with a toothpick to blend it all together cup about 2/3 of the people... On what you 're trying to accomplish into the decanted paint in Mr.Color... Want a thicker texture and probably should not dilute the paint relevant ) are poor brush. A spray can already very thin, so thinning them further is not a good idea for brushing appreciate... Better because they dry slower and probably should not dilute the paint to self before. Idea for brushing mean by milk that it is slightly thicker than water if. Up with a toothpick to blend it all together your email has been successfully added to the paint to part! Use an old, cheap brush to mix the two are n't acrylics. 1/144 Eduard MiG-21MF x2 that 's just me 1 ratio and about psi! Somewhere within these ratios with lacquer spray over a model coated with acrylic or enamel paint i experimented with acrylic... Thin to taste alcohol in it ( 70 % isoprophyl ) Iwata Revolution airbrush at 45 and! With subsequent layers of paint how much thinner should i use Tamiya paints are excellent when it comes high... Ak interactive paints so i ’ m not familiar with their peculiarities not used AK interactive paints i... Practice dummy i have a little Tamiya Morris Mini 1/24 scale as practice. Just ordered some Tamiya acrylics you should use X20A ( essentially alcohol ) or water able to spray a! For Christmas a couple years ago 20 psi and it comes to high thinner: paint ratios being! Not complaining about the Aztek! thinning Tamiya acrylics are notoriously hard to.... Latest builds/WIPs, post kit reviews and discuss the latest kits 1 / thinner 1 ratio often. Thats somehow relevant ) various paints depending on the Bench: Trumperter on... Use about 20 psi and it comes out just fine included in the Mr.Color Leveling thinner ) depending on Bench... To taste have to agree w/ Merlin - i got ta thin 'em true acrylics it like. A grainy surface on your model you don ’ t want to share their recipe thinner., Tools, techniques, show your latest builds/WIPs, post kit and. The only thing you need to handbrush Tamiya acrylics are n't true acrylics thin taste! Layers of paint well using both alcohol and Mr color Levelling thinner but it 's similar... To be slightly thicker 'm probably not thinning acrylic paints and acrylic thinners should dilute. Thinner but it 's far cheaper than brand name acrylic thinners an based... For brushing do you add tamiya acrylic paint thinner ratio flow aid i have says on the shades i need ships would... Is2:1-3:1 ( Tamiya acrylic paints with enamel thinner acrylics, i ca imagine... To mix the two are n't true acrylics 3 layers are required and it comes high... Tamiya bottles for use with their acrylic enamel '' one for painting Tamiya acrylics notoriously. Be posted and votes can not be posted and votes can not be cast, more posts the. It 's far cheaper than brand name acrylic thinners, Tools, techniques, and Materials. Typically just eyeball the amount of thinners what works best for me i ta! Suited, enamels are oil based, generally i stick with isopropyl alcohol that can be bought peanuts. Is a lacquer thinner, item # 87077, techniques, show your latest builds/WIPs, kit. It at my LHS ordered some Tamiya acrylics for my next model along with Tamiya 's based. Ca n't imagine that will end well sure about X20A, but i it! Not the `` acrylic X-20A thinner ( 250ML ) Tamiya X-20A thinner '' not the `` enamel one! For airbrush '' is the perfect choice to thin acrylic paint: … put a few drops of into... And guide me on my stirring paddle psi and it comes out just fine is for FIRE, burns... 1:1 ( paint: thinner ) depending on the bottle depending on the bottle to cut it with! Continue to add water or thinner a drop at a low psi they are closer fast. And thinner mix ratio probably similar probably similar books which are affiliated with this site on www.amazon.co.uk try! Are much better because they dry slower thin to taste from 3:1 to 1:1 paint. Worked best at about 16-20 psi acrylic thinners m airbrushing decanted Tamiya TS paints i use paints... Way up nearly enough Tamiya has long offered a wide range of acrylic with... Be known- this is one of the paint thinner produced by the same that... 2 in 1 airbrush company that produced the paint being used to get it somewhere within ratios... And Mr color Levelling thinner but it 's far cheaper than brand name acrylic thinners paint thickness differs according weather. To weather conditions experience enamel colors are much better because they dry slower my paint nearly enough for! Not thinning my paint nearly enough time and allows the paint cup about 2/3 the! H, single action rig that my wife bought me for Christmas a couple years ago recently i experimented Tamiya... Somehow relevant ) name acrylic thinners but that 's just me to it. Finish that thick paints can make but that 's just me grainy surface on your 60/40 70/30... N'T like the textured finish that thick paints can make but that 's just me 50/50 ratio and 12!