Hey All,

I want to try to use Vallejo Satin Varnish for the first time. I know this stuff is water based, so I assume that you can use water to thin it for airbrush use, but I have seen posts where folks talk about using Vallejo thinner. I see that Vallejo has thinners for Model Air, for Model Color paints (are these different from each other?), but nothing that seems specific for the clear/satin/matt clear varnishes. Does anyone have a thought about what would be the best way to thin the Satin Varnish? Is water the best thing, or one of the Vallejo thinners, and if so, which one? Sorry to repeat this question is it's been answered before.

I haven't used their satin varnish in a while but I do use their matt one regularly and it can be used without thinner but I find it is a bit too thick when it sprays. A little distilled water thins it out just right. It was the same with their satin varnish if i remember correctly.

Curt,

you can try 91% Isopropyl Alcohol or denatured Alcohol. It speeds the drying time unlike water. I use it as a thinner and for cleaning my airbrush.

Irvin

I used Vallejo 71-161 worked fine.

I believe that Vallejo and alcohol are a bad mix,please correct if I'm wrong.

Dear Curt,
recently I used Vallejo Satin varnish for the first time. I diluted with Vallejo Airbrush Thinner and Model Air Thinner (062). Both worked very well.
I kind of flooded the model with the varnish (learnt that from Tamiya varnishes). Don´t be scared when you see milky spills here and there. Once it dries it gets perfectly clear and leaves a nice smooth surface.
However, like with everything in our hobby you can screw it up if you overdo it

Good luck, I am sure you´ll achieve great result.

Thanks, guys. Gives me a few ways to go! I appreciate it.

Alcohol works fine for me with all acrylics except Tamiya which is really a lacquer, however, if your using the model air no thinning is recommended. model color does need thinning to prevent clogging.

From the Vallejo website:

Satin Varnish:

Water based acrylic varnish with new, quick drying formula, and an acrylic resin of extraordinary hardness and permanence. Protects painted models from dust and scratches, dirt and humidity. Acrylic Varnish should never be applied until the paint has dried completely (see note), and it is recommended to wait at least 24 hours. Varnish should be applied in fine coats at approximately 5-10 minutes intervals.

IPA or Windex + Vallejo = Gooey Mess

On the label I remember it saying that you can use water to thin it down. This is for the Satin Acrylic Varnish. The newer ones are acrylic polyurethane based so I'm not so sure this is still indicated on the label. I'd use the vallejo airbrush thinner to be sure.

You don't need to thin model air colors and the varnishes are part of the model air line. They are formulated (thin enough) to be used right from the bottle in an airbrush. The thinner Vallejo makes is to make the model color line of paints usable in an airbrush (which they are not made for) because they are so pigment rich (thick) for brush application. Because of the pigment richness model colors has become the most used paints for figure painting replacing humbrol.

Curt the point I'm trying to make is it's better you not thin it. and use it right from the bottle.

If you do want to thin it or any other paint, test it first. All paints behave differently to water (which I don't use because it can make a mess and it slows the drying time, and water will cause the pigment to separate from the paint) Alcohol is pretty universal for acrylics.

Hi All,

Just wanted to say thanks for all the replies. I ended up getting the satin varnish and Vallejo thinner. I've not tried to use any of it yet, but I think I've got all the materials I need to try many combinations to see what works best. Planning to use the satin as a clear coat over which I'm going to use AK chipping effects and then Tamiya or Model Master acrylic for the color coat, which will be chipped.

Really looking forward to trying a German Grey base coat, with a white 'winter' coat on top which will be chipped. I've seen some example of this that are just spectacular. Hoping I can get something even close to what I've seen.

A word of caution, although vallejo and tamiya are marketed as acrylic, tamiya seems to be leaning on solvent based rather than water based. The thinner (X-20A) by tamiya is roughly alcohol and react very badly with vallejo paints. You can test it and you will see the pigments separate if you use it to thin vallejo paint.

Also, I find that vallejo paints are tougher once dry. You can easily strip tamiya paint using windex or mr. muscle but vallejo paints require quite a bit of scrubbing. Hence I'm not so sure how tamiya paints would react to chipping mediums. Based on what I've read, vallejo, AK, ammo paints are roughly similar so I don't think there will be a problem with the chipping medium. It's the tamiya paint that you might have to test out first.

As for me, I love tamiya paints as main base colors but after sealing it with satin varnish I move to vallejo for detailing (since tamiya is a PITA to hand brush). I haven't had the need to thin out the varnish but the model color really needs a good thinning.

Another thing is that I've tested the vallejo airbrush thinner for water based acrylic polyurethane primer (stynylrez) and it worked well, might hold true with the newer varnish