Thinning Tamiya paint for airbrushing

Hi guys what is the best and cost effectice way of thinning out tamiya paint I am new to airbrushing and found Tamiya is great but you dont get mucj in a bottle of thinners and its not advised to just use water

Thanks Alan

Hi Alan,

The most cost effective is either IPA from a chemist or Lacquer thinner from a body shop.Infact the Lacquer thinner works out extremely effective and gives the best result... you can also clean your airbrush out

Screen wash is even cheaper but I steer clear of that. I personally use Tamiyas or Mr Hobbys lacquer thinner as I find it is the best.But most expensive.

Lacquer thinner from a body shop does work and gives just as fine a spray but lacks that bit of magic found in the Tamiya and Gunze Lacquer. But gives a better result than alcahol in my opinion.A huge tin is around £20 GBP from a body shop. Cannot remember if that is a five or ten litre tin though,either way very very cost effective !

Carl

I personally use Isopropyl alcohol bought in a 5 litre container from e-bay £15 and it has so far lasted me about 4 years and i still have well over 4 litres left, of course people will have their preferred thinner but i have found iso works for me.

Craig

Hi Alan.

I go with Carl on this one and use cellulose thinner (body shop) ......Works a treat for me and very VERY cost effective.......I get it free!

Richard.

Hi Alan, I use a 50/50 mix of 70% ISO and water as my thinner for Tamiya and any other non-pure water based acrylics and it has worked great for me so far.

Cheers!

Zerk.

Hi

I also use a 50/50 mix with IPA as well and I get good results using both the 70% and the 99% versions, although I tend to only use the 70% version in the summer and the 99% version in the winter. I could use the 70% both summer and winter but the 99% is evaporates to quickly in the summer and I bought the 99% one first so I have got to use it up.

When I say 50/50 its not quite that, what I do is open a new bottle of Tamiya Paint, give it a good mix with my Trumpeter Electric paint mixer and then fill the bottle almost to the top with IPA, I then use that mix with no more additions untill its all gone, which with Tamiya Paints is not that long, as I generaly only get two models to 1 jar of Tamiya Paint, when its used as the base coat, which is all I use it for these days

I also use the 99% version for cleaning the airbrush as well.

I also got mine of eBay there are loads of sellers on eBay, its apparently sold to the Chip oil to Diesel converters.

Paul

Edited By Paul the Military modeller on 05/07/2012 09:13:06

hi, with tam paints, i thin them with IPA OR denatured alcohol (hopin it's the right term to say alcool à brûler)

cheers, Guy

Edited By guy garet on 05/07/2012 10:03:58

I use ISO and i add a drop of Tamiya smoke to the air brush cup gives a nice smooth finish as tamiya can be a bit gritty.

as well as Carl and some others I prefer to thin the Tamiya paints with their Lacquer Thinner...it just sprays supersmooth, and I love the smell as well

Cheers

Love the smell brother ?!!