hi everyone. Are tamiya acrylics and vallejo model color mixable? and if so, can i add GSI Mr. mild retarder to improve handbrushing finish?? Thanks.

Depends on what you mean by mixing.

If you mean taking a tamiya color out of the bottle, and mixing it with a Vallejo out of the bottle, then no....2 completely different types of acrylic paint.

However if you mean putting Tamiya paint over dried Vallejo, or Vallejo over dried Tamiya, then that is perfectly fine.

For the retarder, as long as it is an acrylic paint retarder it should work fine.

oh...i meant the former. I just thought that since both are acrylics they can be mixed together.
I have a limited stock of both paint brands so i did not bother experimenting anymore. Thanks bro.

X20-A is more then just IPA. It's cut 50/50 with distilled water, a retarder, and flow agent. You can easily make your own using 91% IPA, distilled water, and add a few drops of a retarder and a flow agent if you really need one to your air brush cup or jar. Just go to a art store for those supplies.

To go back to the original question (what's up with Tamiya paints?): My lhs told me that it's a problem both with some issues of importing the product through California (something to do with California's environmental rules) and also something to do with problems in Japan due to the earthquake/tsunami last spring. If, as one poster wrote, it took two years for tamiya paints to show up on store shelves, I may never get to fnish my current project! Maybe I will just switch back to Testor's MM series of acrylics.

It is the former, problem with importing it into California (as that is where Tamiya USA's head office is)

Nothing to do with the earthquake, as other countries are having no problem sourcing anything from Tamiya. It is starting to trickle back into US suppliers and shops, but it is a slow pace.

There is a very easy solution, buy them from overseas.

Just checked with "Conrad" ( a chain of german hobby/electronic/DIY shops) and they have 23ml glas bottles in stock (82 different colors, 3.75€/jar) So the paint is available in europe.

Maybe we should organize "CARE" packages for US modellers in need

US$1.90 from Hong Kong shops.