Hello again forum, I have 2 questions regarding painting with enamels:

1. I mixed 2 or more enamels to make a colour i was after. Usually i drop the paints onto a plastic sheet, and mix it. Problem is, it dries too fast. I 'm only 1/4-way of my painting, when the paint on the plastic sheet dried Any other alternative for enamel-mixing ?

2. I read about some health concern using enamel. What exactly is this hazard ?

Thank you !

i use enamels for over 20 years and still alive and healthy. :-)
i think u can safely use them in suitable conditions..open the window and use a mask please.

Like graywolf I have used enamels for years and have not died once. Risk is from inhaling the volatile components, mainly the bits that smell, and if it really worries you go to your local industrial safety shop and buy a suitable disposable mask. Looked after these will give over fifteen hours service and cost under ten bucks.

As you are in the land of Oz the ambient temp may be a problem. Paint dries faster the hotter it is, so if you are painting in mid-summer in Alice the paint might be dry before you get it as far as the model.

If possible mix your paint in an old paint bottle, take some out and cap the bottle till you are ready for some more. If you are painting armour divide the model into sections, in the case of a tank, say lower hull, upper hull and turret. Just paint one section at a time.

Make sure your paint is fresh and of the right thickness. As you use a pot of paint it tends to thicken and will dry quicker, and be harder to apply. A little thinning with turps may help, but as the thinner is itself volatile it will evaporate off over time.

Hope this helps. Dave.

In most hobby stores (hardware stores, craft store...) they sell empty bottles for just for keeping custom mixes.

As everyone else has stated here enamels aren't all that bad, but you have to make sure you have a flow of air, circulating through the area you are working. Better yet would be if you could make sure the air gets changed out, so you always have freshly oxygenated air around you.

You should count yourself lucky that you have to worry about paint drying too fast because of the warmth. I have to worry about if my paint will every dry... #:-)

When I mix enamels I always put a little bit of thinner in the mixture. This helps to mix the colors better but also prolongs the "life" of the new color... With this procedure I never had any problems regarding the short drying time of enamels.

BTW, I tried acrylics before and they dry faster than anything else I've painted with. On the other hand, oils dry very slowly... So, if you are not satisfied with enamels, try other mediums..

Mario M.

A handy small container for keeping mixed paint in is the plastic containers that new rolls of 35 mm films come in, they have a flip off top and are reasonably airtight. If you are into photography or know someone who is, they may be worth a try.

I've used enamals (wheeze) since before moses was a boy. (cough cough) Never felt (wheeze) better! (wheeze) Heck buddy! I even add it (cough) to my coffee in the (wheeze) morning for that extra kick. I use my (wheeze cough cough) airbrush to shoot a bit up my nose (hack hack) during the day to help me get (wheeze) through.

Made me (cough cough) the man I am today.#:-)

Seriously though, there are many chemicals that we use in our hobby that are toxic. Make sure you are in a well ventalated room, and wear some sort of eye protection when spraying, or dealing with anything that might splatter..

thanks for the kind replies. I'll try that filmroll container idea, brandydoguk.

I'll second that thought BrandyD!!! Thanks for that money-pinching idea!!!

Another endless supply of empty jars is when a new baby arrives. I had loads of these with colours and washes that i had ready all the time. I noticed this alst year also. we had a very dry, warm summer and my humbrols dried up faster than normal. I kept them thinner with humbrols own thinner and took out less at a time.