do vallejo acrylic airbrush colors need to be thinned?Can they be thinned with Tamiya thinner?

It really depends on the color and the tip size and the pressure you typically spray with. Some people spray unthinned but I never do. Use the Vallejo 71.161 thinner to thin the paint. Tamiya's thinner will chase it to congeal into a goopy mess as will isopropyl alcohol.

PH

Hi bairdlander,

Theorically you do not need to thin Vallejo Air.

I wouldn't use Tamiya thinner because people who did said they ended up with a gooo.

You better use distilled water or their own thinner.

Best regards,
Angel

It is not essential but I prefer to add 1-2 drops of Vallejo Airbrush Thinner to Vallejo Air, as it seems to improve both flow and adhesion. You can also use the white Vallejo Thinner but the dedicated Airbrush Thinner is better. AK thinner also works beautifully with Vallejo Air.

Tamiya thinner is however not suitable (as other alcohol-based thinners neither).

Model Master Acrylic thinner works as well. I've used it with Vallejo Model Color Model Air Lifecolor and of course Model Master Acryl.

I also have some Vallejo retarder as it is extremely dry where I live. One drop and all is well.

G

Dear Sir
Normally, Model Air range colors don't have any problem with direct use on airbrush, in fact ,it was designed for this purpose...Some modelers love to thin down a bit if they works with a very small needle tip or at low pressure, with a very close distance from model, with a ratio of three parts of paint for one paint of Vallejo Airbrush Thinner. Increasing this ratio, using alcohol based thinners or solvents, can ruin the paint response over the model or change the dry process.

Maybe this info will be useful for you too:
https://www.facebook.com/vallejocolors/videos/1570330492996007/
https://www.facebook.com/vallejocolors/videos/1476695585692832/

Best regards

G'day Bairdlander

I have just finished the interior of a King Tiger, and used Vallejo Air exclusively. It needs to be sprayed at a higher pressure (around 2 bar), but does not need thinning.

It does, however, have a nasty habit of drying on the tip of the needle, which soon shuts down your airbrushing session. For that reason, add some Vallejo Flow Enhancer.

As for cleaning, the best cleaner I have found lately, which works equally well with Vallejo and Tamiya, is Iwata Medea.

Regards

Rob

Do not thin it. Use their Airbrush Flow Improver and you won't have the problem with it clogging either just like Rob said.

I use it that way for both planes and armor. It works great.