Hi,

Just getting back into modelling after a 18ish year break (children and a ex-wife later) and have just started using an airbrush for the first time.

I have read a lot about using distilled water mixed with Isopropyl alcohol (90% to 10%) as a thinner when airbrushing acrylics...

My first question is (sorry if this has been asked 100s of times before)... is deionised water the same (or close too) distilled water, as I can't seem to get distilled water very easily in the UK. Most car accessory stores and supermarkets only sell deionised water?

My second question is, again sorry if I'm repeating old questions... I see mentioned adding window cleaner or detergent (liquid type) to the paint to help with spraying... is this correct or am totally off target?

Sorry if this is going over old ground again, but things have moved on in the time I've been away!

Hi there

Welcome back to the hobby - it's changed a bit hasn't it!!!

Acrylics can be thinned with a water alchohol mix, also with windowlene original - it's an ammonia base. Personally i use tamyia thinner for thinning and water/alcohol/windolene for cleaning airbrush afterwards.

HTH

Andy

Plain old tap water works fine for me.

I use Vallejo acrylics and always use destilled water.

Works fine for me.

Deionized and distilled water are similar but are different.

Deionized water has had all ions removed from it usually by a column of polypropylene beads. This removes all the unwanted metal ions and should have a pH of exactly 7.00.

Distilled water is basically boiled water that the steam has been collected. It is totally sterile but still has the ions in it.

There would be no difference in the two if you wanted to use them for airbushing.

Personally, I use Tamiya thinner when airbrushing with Tamiya acrylics and for clean up

Hi guys

I'm the same as you Mark, returning after a long break from the hobby. My new airbrush was delivered today!

I think I've read somewhere that you can thin using car windscreen wash solution (the blue stuff). I used that today with some red Tamiya acrylic but was only 'having a play' spraying onto a sheet of paper, 50/50 mix seemed to work. Anyone know if this solution is an acceptable thinner before I unleash it on my first build?

Thanks

Tim.

As has been mentioned, to all intents and purposes de-ionised water is like distilled, the important thing is that it doesn't contain disolved stuff (like limescale) which will effect the paint finish.

You can add a small drop of liquid detergent to break the surface tension of the paint so that it flows better and doesn't form droplets or fill in fine detail. You can also buy purpose made additives like "Cryla Flow" for the same effect. You only need a very small amount of this.

What you are trying to do is get the paint to a consistency like semi-skimmed milk, but with it's structure able to stick to the surface and to dry out as a uniform layer of paint without cracking or with the pigment dispersed too far.

I did try using car screenwash but the type I tried ruined the paint, I haven't seen the name of a UK brand recommended. The usual brand mentioned is Windex which I haven't seen here. So it may be necessary to try a few before you find a good one. Generally I believe people use this neat as a thinner for the paint, particularly if it's a thick paint. If you can find or afford it, it's always best to use the thinner recommended by the paint manufacturer.

Different people seem to have different experiences with mixes for paint and different brands seem to need different thinners. Xtracrylics are fairly thin and only need water, Tamiya paints need their own expensive thinner or an alcohol water mix (you can buy alcohol from Maplins for £10 a litre) . Some people find that Vallejo Model Color can be mixed just with water, and Model air doesn't need mixing or only a bit, though they do make their own thinner which is what I use.

If you have the time and patience try experimenting by spraying on old kits or plasti-card (don't try cardboard or wood etc as this will effect the paint differently to models).

Thanks to everyone for the advice..

Think I'll stick to the correct thinner for the paint I'm using whenever possible.