Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I don't know if this is the right topic section but as it's about a plastic static model...................... My daughter bought me a 1/48 scale Tamiya Grand Slam Lancaster kit for Christmas. I'm not usually a plastic kit modeller but I've bought some Tamiya acrylic paint to decorate the finished model. The paints are not of the spray variety but in 10ml pots. I understood the paint to be water soluble but there is a distinct spirit smell when the pots are open. Can I mix these paints with water? I shall be spraying most of the parts and I'll need to clean the airbrush after use so what would be the best thing to use for this - water seems obvious but life isn't always that simple. I also need to go over all the painted parts with a flat clear finish varnish after finishing. Any suggestions on the stuff to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuey Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I bought some Medea airbrush cleaner which seems to work well. I also had some Badger solvent cleaner spray which is more aggressive. Screen wash also works quite well as a thinner with some acrylics I have sprayed before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Miller Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 According to Tamiya the paint are made from water-soluble acrylic resins and are excellent for either brush or spray painting. If they are water soluble then it would seem that water would be the best thinner / cleaner. There is but one way to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devcon1 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I've always used the Tamiya acrylic thinners but I don't see why water can't be used, try it. For the varnish use Pledge Multi Surface Wax , it used to be sold as Johnsons Klear, (I get mine from Sainsburys), one bottle will last forever. It sounds wrong but it is a fantastic product for us modellers. spray or paint over the paint finish, then add decals and spray or paint over the decals again, it is also a fantastic base for adding various weathering processes. I also use it to give canopies a cystal clear look. For those of us with foam models it makes a fantastic sealing coat to protect decals and stops the foam getting grubby, it can painted on with a brush or sprayed and dries leaving a tough durable clear satin finish that weighs next to nothing and is very cheap.. Regards John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I use tamiya acrylics a lot. The pukka tamiya thinners is simply iso-propyl alcohol or IPA which you may be able to get in more economic quantity from tool suppliers or electronic wholesalers. I buy mine from a fibreglassing supplier.I don't think you'll get good results using water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Kearney Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi Barrie, I use use the Tamiya thinners when spraying, but always clean up with water. I find the thinners ensure good adherence, better than if thinned with water, but wastful for cleanup, if water does the job, why use the thinners is my thinking. r. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Depron Daz Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I've used both Tamiya thinners and water to thin their paints down, and what I noticed is that when thinned with water, it can leave what I would describe as a dirty water tide mark around the edge of the paint. It really notices on green and brown camo colours on war birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bran Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Have probably used all the model paints available over the years (remember those 50's little flexible "bulbs" where you cut the neck and squeezed it out!) In Tamiya's case that means pots and aerosols, gloss, satin and matt. I'm 65 and started building kits at about seven. Have just been using Humbrol on a Sikorsky Dragonfly 450 Heli. It concerns me more than a litle that decals do NOT work over matt, and really have to be sealed (which is where the matt/semi-matt finish comes from), yet manufacturers insist on selling warbird paints as full matt. For the Sikorsky, the two colours needed were only available one in satin and one in matt, for goodness sake!!! Firstly, with all paints in pots or jars, take ENORMOUS care not to introduce dust or grit while working with it. I mix the paint in the pot/jar with a home made dremel powered stirring paddle, a piece of copper tubing that is folded 90 degrees and flattened at the tip and slightly twisted to form a single "prop blade" that pushes the paint down so it won't spill. Make sure the brushes are quality items, clean, dust free, and do not lose hairs, the £1 shop or model shop is NOT your friend on this, go to a quality art shop!! DON't store them handle down in a jar to collect dirt from the air!! I have used Tamiya thinners occasionally, but in most cases if the pot is mixed properly before use the mix strength is right for brushing, and minimal if any thinning is required for spraying. Water works OK, but if you are getting edge marking, you are definitely over-thinning. Finally, before painting use a car type anti-static fully evaporating pre-paint disposable cleaning cloth over the bare plastic as static will attract dust and fluff and so ruin a finish, as will using a rag! Good Luck and Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Well, there's a wealth of advice there and I thank you all for your interest. I'll try the various methods mentioned before applying paint to the model. I could not access the Britmodeller site Andrew. I used Google too but the Britmodeller site would not come up so maybe they have a problem at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Thank you Andrew. I'll try the site again later. Barrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 Alan, is Iso-Propyl alcohol the same as acetone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Miller Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Posted by Barrie Dav 2 on 18/01/2014 08:47:48: Alan, is Iso-Propyl alcohol the same as acetone? No, it isn't but acetone can be made from it. I buy mine on eBay, it's quite cheap by the litre as it's a good general purpose cleaner to have in the workshop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 What's the retail name of the product that you buy Alan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 The Lanc. is well under way and I can see that some filler for the odd gap will be required to get a decently finished model. The question is, what filler works well with these plastic kits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Read 2 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 The problem i have had with Tamiya acrylics is that as soon as you start thinning them the shade lightens very noticeably. I don't really see this with enamels though. Anyone else had this problem? Also I find that unless you clean the neck of the jar, the next time you use it dried paint invariably drops into the jar as you take the top off. I then have to filter the paint. Teaches me to clean up better though! Very difficult to find paint filters/ strainers for model use. I have loads of the paper automotive ones but I find they don't really suit. Anyone got a cracking idea for a filter/strainer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 How about ladies' stockings? Legs out naturally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Miller Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 So what did you use for thinners Barrie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Well Dave, I've not yet reached the stage where I need to thin the paint for spraying. However, for the small pieces, crew, interior detail etc I've used a very little water and in some cases undiluted paint. Initially I washed all the kit parts with water and some detergent and dried them off. A couple of days later I sprayed the parts with Tamiya grey primer and then the next day I hand paint the small details of the interior of the cockpit. I'm not too impressed with this Tamiya kit. Some of the parts do not fit well and the instructions are a bit hit-and-miss. Still, with a bit of modelling putty things will turn out ok. It's going to be a slow job........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks for the advice re the filler/putty Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Smalley Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 If spraying do not use water, the result is horrible, use proper thinner for spraying and only use water for cleaning tam acrylics spray great with the proper thinners, i have sprayed many many foam models this way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks for the information about this Lee. I'll look to get some Tamiya thinners. Edited By Barrie Dav 2 on 29/01/2014 10:05:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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