I just bought a big can of mineral spirits, and I was wondering what all it can be used for, like I read it can be used to thin oils, but can I use it to clean brushes and thin acrylics, and enamels also? Thank You for your input. Straightedge

Mineral Spirits can be used to chase away those nasty ghosts that hang out in rocks. Just kidding, I know, it was a bad attempt at humor.

Mineral Spirits are best used for clean up after using oil-based paints. Although I would not like to use MS for thinning oil paints, but yes for enamels. For oil paints you would be better off using a mix of linseed oil and MS to thin them. MS alone in oil paint will cause the paint films to be too weak.
MS is definitely not to be used for thinning or cleaning acrylics or any other water-based paints.

i also just got a big can of paint thinner and it says it has mineral spirits in it.
its kinda thick.
can this be used to thin paints like testors in the airbrush???
the guy at my club told me not to use this just use testors thinners

Tazz, I do not personally recommend using MS for thinning paint for the AB. I do however, recommend like the guy at your club, using the manufacturer's recommendations.
Like I posted above, MS is best used for cleaning up after using enamels and oil-bases paints. MS is really a solvent and can have different effects on paint's finishes.

I've been using MS in my AB enamel mixes and disappointed with my results.
Either too thick or sometimes to thin.
In fact I EZ-Off'd a model I airbrushed recently to get a better shot at it b/c i had painted the panel lines away.
What is it about MS that is not in the commercial AB thinner?
That testors airbrush thinner is expensive.
I used MS b/c I can get a gallon for three dollars or so.

Cant say I am pleased with all of my results though. Plus I know some of it is just needing to get used to the Aztek being a double action, and my old one was single, and I still think that way.

here is what it says on the can: Klean-strip low odor mineral spirits effectively thins oil-based paint and varnish, then it goes on about the recommended amounts then it says it is an excellant cleaner for brushes and equipment immediately after use. Now I see on the bottom of the can: do not use for a thinner for water based paint, latex coatings, lacquer or shellac, I missed that before sense it wasn't up with the directions, but the reason I bought it was to clean up my brushes, and hoping it could thin my testors enamels to brush with, but mainly clean up cause it was getting way to exspensive to use testors to clean with in them 1/4 oz. bottles

Great for cleanup, no doubt about it
(At least for enamels anyway, I dont use acrylics often but wouldn't mix it with an acrylic as stated earlier)