Since coming back to the hobby last year, after a 30 year lay off, much has changed concerning painting, and paints. Testor enamels were the standard, and weathering was just in its infancy. With my return acrylics seemed to be all the rage, and I quickly became frustrated with it's application compared to my old comfort zone.

I learned how to use both Tamiya Acrylics and Model Master Acrylics, which are much easier to purchase locally. Tamiya stock in both LHS are always low to say the least.

I started out thinning both brands with 70% Isoprobyl Alcohol, and my air brush constantly clogged. I tried 91% Iso and it was worse. I then found a bottle of X20-A
and the paint didn't seem to dry so quickly, and clogging the cone of my Paasche H-1 air brush was less frequent, but still an annoyance.

I did several Google searchers and eventually found out that Model Master Acrylic paints are true acrylics, and can be thinned with Distilled water, while Tamiya Acrylics aren't true acrylics as they're alcohol based. Hence the need to use X20-A
which always is short to no supply.

Since joining here, I've read some very informative articles, and it seems that thinning Tamiya acrylic paints with Lacquer thinner is the way to go. My question is does Lacquer Thinner work equally as well with Model Master Acrylics?

I have some bottles of MM enamels, but I'm having second thoughts about switching back to enamels at this point.

Joel;

Hi!

I can identify with you as I returned just a couple years back after about 35 off the bench - and things really have changed, specially in the paint-locker (say... wist for any antique Testor's enamels...? I have some.)!

About those paints and thinning...

I use Tamiya "acryls", and ModelMaster (MM) enamels and acryls fired from an antique Paasche AB and much newer Iwata HPCS and Badger Patriot AB. IMHO, ALL of these have worked very well for me and have proven both controllable and to give good application and finishes.

For the Tamiya, I thin with mixes of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol, or with the "blue windshield washer stuff" recommended by Matt (SsgToms), etc. on other threads. Watered-isoprop and windshield cleaner (a mostly water and alcohol mix) both are reliable and effective. And SAFE for the plastic panzer.

For the MM acryl - it's distilled water. Works just fine, for me.

For MM enamels, I usually go with better-grade enamel thinners, though the cheap "odorless enamel thinner" or white spirits work fine.

Now this is just my opinion, but I'm hardly sure that lacquer thinner, which is "MEK" or methyl-ethyl-ketone (same stuff as in your thin model cements), is "the way to go" with Tamiya acrylics. It's my impression that many Tamiya users probably do some version of alcohol or that windshield stuff - seems to me that the lacquer thinner has only pretty recently popped into much discussion, and not without controversy. Just as it is not really established as the way to go for Tamiya acrylics, I think it likely is no more so for MM acrylics.

Personally, I'm not un-happy with the results I get from the "old tried n true" thinning agents... As lacquer thinner has a lot of potential to badly affect your plastic (see the thread this site, Mar 2008 "Subject: Lacquer thinner vs. Mineral spirits" for some discussion of lacquer thinner and MM PAINTS, etc.), I shy away from it and stick with those nice, calm "established" thinning agents.

But that's just my opinion and preference!

Bob

Firstly, I'd like to dispel some misunderstandings.

The term "acrylic" refers to the chemical compounds used in the base of the paint. It does not mean "water based". The type of reducer (thinner) used does not determine whether a paint is acrylic or not.

In the case of Tamiya's acrylics, they contain acrylic polymers in the binder, so that does indeed mean that they are acrylic paints.

Actually, it's been known for quite some years that you can use lacquer thinners with Tamiya's acrylics. I seem to recall reading something about this over 20 years ago.

It's only been in recent years, since Tamiya produced their own lacquer thinner, that the use of said lacquer thinner has really taken off.

Tamiya's own lacquer thinner (and Gunze's Mr Color thinner) seems to be milder than generic lacquer thinners and, I suspect that it contains a high proportion of alcohol, which is probably why it seems to work so well. Both brands of lacquer thinner are specifically formulated for modelling use and appear to be styrene friendly.

To further confuse the issue, I also use denatured (ethyl) alcohol with Tamiya acrylics and this works just fine.

Phil, thanks for that most informative reply.

Since I have several 250 ml containers of Tamiya's X20-A, which is there Acrylic thinner. I was wondering if I cut it lets say 50/50 with regular lacquer thinner, if that would be preferable to using straight lacquer thinner.

X20-A works just fine, but I'm looking to duplicate the smoother surface finish which results from using Tamiya's lacquer thinner.

hi joel,ive been using tamiya acrylics for 30 years and ive always use laquer thinner for every thing ,the type i use is just general purpose thinner that they use in the car and furniture industry ,its great for cleaning airbrushes and it will even disolve old paint, when it comes to tamiya this will do anything.

Thanks to all that have replied to my questions. Just a great site with a great bunch of guys.