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AK paints shelf life re seperation of paint
willow
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Tasmania, Australia
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 129 posts
Armorama: 114 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 31, 2013 - 01:54 PM UTC
Hi - Quick question re AK paints. Most of use have dozens of paints - some not seeing activity for months depending on what is being constructed.

I checked by AK paints the other night and noted the colour had drained from the pigment; it had pooled to one side of the bottle (gravity). A quick shake and colour returned.

Is there an issue with allowing the paint to separate with AK paints ?

It doesn't seem to occur as much with Tamiya and LifeColor paints - maybe they are thicker in consistency.

Does anyone know if there is a shelf life for modelling paints in general?

Thank you, WilloW
DaGreatQueeg
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Napier, New Zealand
Joined: August 01, 2005
KitMaker: 1,049 posts
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Posted: Thursday, October 31, 2013 - 02:20 PM UTC
Hey matey,
While I don't use AK paints yet most of my paints seperate to some extent, admittedly some worse than others. Depends a lot on the ratio of pigment to carrier. AKs are designed for airbrushing so I'd say they're fairly thin so separation would be likely. Shouldn't be an issue at all as long as it's thoroughly mixed before use, indeed all paint should be well mixed/stirred before using. Even house paint separates and requires mixing ....

xheers
Brent
willow
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Tasmania, Australia
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 129 posts
Armorama: 114 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 31, 2013 - 02:36 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hey matey,
While I don't use AK paints yet most of my paints seperate to some extent, admittedly some worse than others. Depends a lot on the ratio of pigment to carrier. AKs are designed for airbrushing so I'd say they're fairly thin so separation would be likely. Shouldn't be an issue at all as long as it's thoroughly mixed before use, indeed all paint should be well mixed/stirred before using. Even house paint separates and requires mixing ....

xheers
Brent


Thanks Kiwi - appreciate your note. I didn't think it was an issue but was curious to what others think, experience, etc. Cheers, WilloW
DaGreatQueeg
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Napier, New Zealand
Joined: August 01, 2005
KitMaker: 1,049 posts
Armorama: 841 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 31, 2013 - 02:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Thanks Kiwi - appreciate your note. I didn't think it was an issue but was curious to what others think, experience, etc. Cheers, WilloW


No worries mate

On paint separtion though, I've still got some Testors in small glass jars from the 1980's and they look like a solid slug of pigment at the bottom with a head of golden fluid - and amazingly they still mix up and paint!

willow
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Tasmania, Australia
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 129 posts
Armorama: 114 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 31, 2013 - 02:57 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Thanks Kiwi - appreciate your note. I didn't think it was an issue but was curious to what others think, experience, etc. Cheers, WilloW


No worries mate

On paint separtion though, I've still got some Testors in small glass jars from the 1980's and they look like a solid slug of pigment at the bottom with a head of golden fluid - and amazingly they still mix up and paint!



Glad I'm not the only one then.... I have a arsenal of paints. Best, WilloW
viper29_ca
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New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: October 18, 2002
KitMaker: 2,247 posts
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Posted: Friday, November 01, 2013 - 04:12 PM UTC
Vallejo paints do the same, just a quick shake and they are back to normal, have had some colors for well over 10yrs, and they are still like new once shaken up.

willow
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Tasmania, Australia
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 129 posts
Armorama: 114 posts
Posted: Friday, November 01, 2013 - 08:55 PM UTC
It's good to know the paints last many years..... You don't mind buying a little more than you need. Thank you. Best, WilloW
SSGToms
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Connecticut, United States
Joined: April 02, 2005
KitMaker: 3,608 posts
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Posted: Saturday, November 02, 2013 - 02:48 AM UTC
Iain,

All acrylics do the same, and they all come back with shaking and stirring. I have a bottle of Tamiya XF-2 flat white that I bought in 1986 (if you saw the girlfriend I was with when I bought it you'd know how I remember) and it's still good!
willow
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Tasmania, Australia
Joined: March 28, 2008
KitMaker: 129 posts
Armorama: 114 posts
Posted: Saturday, November 02, 2013 - 09:43 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Iain,

All acrylics do the same, and they all come back with shaking and stirring. I have a bottle of Tamiya XF-2 flat white that I bought in 1986 (if you saw the girlfriend I was with when I bought it you'd know how I remember) and it's still good!


Thanks Tom. Yes I remember the girlfriend bit too....
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