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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
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How airbrush tamiya paints thinned with water
jamesp111
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: May 26, 2015
KitMaker: 45 posts
Armorama: 32 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 02:12 PM UTC
I have no problem airbrushing tamiya paints thinned with x20a thinner, but this time I want to use the hair spray chipping technique which I believe will require me to thin my paints with water.

I have never managed good results thinning with water.

When I try this I seem to get very little paint out, then immediately too much. Almost like I'm getting blockages.

The paint also seems to separate on the model.

I'm mixing 1 part paint to around 3 parts water. Pressure is 1 bar and airbrush is a badger 155 anthem.

Anyone have any ideas or link to a tutorial?



Alternatively can I thin with x20a when painting a layer to be chipped?

Easy_Co
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England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: September 11, 2002
KitMaker: 1,933 posts
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Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 02:34 PM UTC
Hi James, you can do chipping using Tamiya thinners the secret is not to let it dry for too long, I think I left it for twnty minutes when I used that method. spraying Tamiya with water, tried it once never again.
dommy20
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California, United States
Joined: July 30, 2010
KitMaker: 133 posts
Armorama: 40 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 02:40 PM UTC
You may want to use some sort of flow-aid to break the surface tension of the water. A drop or two of soap, or Ox Gal, etc.

Instead of hairspray, you could base coat and protect with Future, spray Tamiya as normal and then wet the areas to be chipped with a little of the lacquer thinner and rub the top coat of paint off. Be careful though, that lacquer thinner ain't no joke as I'm sure you know.

I did this with my winter camo, however I had given the model a coat of thinned white artist oils and then used Mona Lisa odorless thinner to wet the areas to be scrubbed away.
tanknick22
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United States
Joined: February 19, 2009
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 1,100 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 03:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I have no problem airbrushing tamiya paints thinned with x20a thinner, but this time I want to use the hair spray chipping technique which I believe will require me to thin my paints with water.

I have never managed good results thinning with water.

When I try this I seem to get very little paint out, then immediately too much. Almost like I'm getting blockages.

The paint also seems to separate on the model.

I'm mixing 1 part paint to around 3 parts water. Pressure is 1 bar and airbrush is a badger 155 anthem.

Anyone have any ideas or link to a tutorial?



Alternatively can I thin with x20a when painting a layer to be chipped?




Here is another option you could use spray as you normally would after your base coat has dried spray a fine mist of water then sprinkle kosher salt on and let that dry then the reast of your paint when dry chip off the salt
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 03:27 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I have no problem airbrushing tamiya paints thinned with x20a thinner, but this time I want to use the hair spray chipping technique which I believe will require me to thin my paints with water.

I have never managed good results thinning with water.

When I try this I seem to get very little paint out, then immediately too much. Almost like I'm getting blockages.

The paint also seems to separate on the model.

I'm mixing 1 part paint to around 3 parts water. Pressure is 1 bar and airbrush is a badger 155 anthem.

Anyone have any ideas or link to a tutorial?



Alternatively can I thin with x20a when painting a layer to be chipped?




Here is another option you could use spray as you normally would after your base coat has dried spray a fine mist of water then sprinkle kosher salt on and let that dry then the reast of your paint when dry chip off the salt


Salt tends to melt. I would recommend sand, if you go this route.
jamesp111
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: May 26, 2015
KitMaker: 45 posts
Armorama: 32 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 07:20 PM UTC
Ah, it's surface tension!

Yes I remember adding soap when trying to thin with water years ago.

I'll try thinning with x20a and see if it works. Just personal preference, but from the photos I've seen I prefer hair spray to the salt result.

Cheers gents
edmund
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United States
Joined: November 10, 2014
KitMaker: 668 posts
Armorama: 456 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 30, 2015 - 08:15 PM UTC
There is this acrylic flow release , it breaks up the surface tension of acrylic paints , I got mine from the craft shop . Just have to be careful a little bit goes a long way . It's better than the dishwashing soap for breaking up the surface tension .
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