Ok,,,,what is the correct mix for mixing paints and thinner before painting. Sometimes I hear 3 to 1, other times I hear 2 to 1 ????

Is the mix ratio different for different paints, i.e - testors to tamiya ???

If im correct that would be 3 drops of paint to 1 drop of thinner correct?

drop the 3 to 1 etc forget about it, just remember that it varies depending on what kind of coverage you want your psi etc, so practice makes perfect. for wide coverage, 20-30 psi with tam paint out of the bottle with only a little bit of there thinner is good

Frank

Depending on what you are doing for coats, will change your thinning consistancy. And in reality its up to each individual person but what I go by is:

Using Tamiya Acrylics:

Base coat: Thinned 50/50, or 1 to 1, ie: 1 drop thinner to 1 drop of paint. Compressor is set to about 10-15lbs of pressure.

If I am doing a camo job over the base coat, I thin it about 60/40 thinner to paint, little thinner, and my compressor is about 5-8lbs, the low airpressure and extra thinned paint, gives me better control over the airbrush and the spray pattern.

Now I generally only use Tamiya Acrylics, and very seldom use enamels, and usually only do if I can only get the specific color in enamel, or I am painting a car, where I need the enamel to polish, as acrylics are generally too soft a paint to polish. And I generally thin the enamels about 3 parts thinner to 1 part paint. And again about 10-15lbs of pressure on the compressor.

General rule of thumb is the thinned paint should look like the consistancy of milk, skim milk if you are doing a detailed camo and you want some better control over the spray pattern.

Others may have different ways of doing it, but this is what I do....and I always use Tamiya thinner with Tamiya Acrylics, and MM Thinner with MM enamel paints.