Cheaper alternatives to dedicated model making gear......

[pjgtech]

After having watched many, many videos on YT I am gathering lots of useful (and some not so useful!) info.
There's a few peeps out there who claim that there are many substances we can use in our modelling that is much cheaper than the rather expensive model making specific products.
Examples include:

Instead of using decal solutions, micro sol, etc, just use a slightly diluted distilled malt vinegar, (or white vinegar). instead, much cheaper.

Instead of extra thin modelling glue/adhesive, consider using Cellulose Thinners, which is effectively the same stuff, but has a stronger smell? Plus it is much, much cheaper!

Isopropyl alcohol is much cheaper than model paint cleaner and does the same thing. Buy large bottle, then decant into smaller bottles to use. Also great for thinning Tamiya paints when brush painting.

For Paint thinners (acrylic/enamel), just use white spirit instead of expensive model paint thinners, as its much, much cheaper.

Paint stripping, you can use Dettol, soak any parts for couple of hours and the paint will easily come off.

What do you think of these claims and are they correct?

[Ian M]

Instead of Tamiya extra thin at a fiver a pop, I buy a large Tamiya airbrush cleaner. costs the same but you get 250ml instead of 25. It is exactly the same stuff.
I have never used other than white spirit for thinning enamel paints. Acrylic paints I use the recommended thinners. Some like alcohol, some water but they all like their own thinners. I gave up on water for thinning Vallejo acrylics after I found that it breaks down the paint to much and you get very fragil, chalky paint that sucks fingerprints up like a hover!
IPA is also a good wash for kits befor you paint them. Just water it down abit so you still have surface details to paint. lol. been there done that.
Cellulose smells way to much and I only use it when I have to. The only thing that smells worse is nitro thinners.

[PaulTRose]

I gave up on a lot of 'cheap' options along time ago........spend a fortune on kits and aftermarket goodies and paint and airbrushes then try and skimp on silly stuff like decal solution???.....dosnt make sense to me especially when they dont work as well as the proper thing

Only exceptions are stuff like brake fluid for stripping paint

An old one is using car washer fluid as air brush cleaner.....also great at stripping the chrome off cheap airbrushes ? been there done that

[Tim Marlow]

I’m with Paul on this one. Most of it is false economy. Decal solution, for example. I’ve used the same bottles of sol and set for at least the last five years……the saving really isn’t worth the potential issues you can get from making your own.
White spirit is another example. Yes, you can use it to dilute enamels, but it is quite a low grade chemical, so is pretty harsh and has lots of impurities. If you make a wash from it you can literally dissolve the glue joints on your model (been there) and it can also strip off any underlying paint (also been there). It’s proper use is brush cleaning, so I’d keep it for that. A better alternative to enamel thinners is Windsor and Newton Sansodor. Works like enamel thinners, but is odourless.
Unless you are very fastidious in making up your “home brewed” replacements you will not get consistent results, and the most important thing, especially when starting out, is consistency. Something that worked this way last week must still work this way next week or you will generate frustration and doubt your own abilities.
One of the very few domestic solutions I use regularly is washing up liquid. It is designed to remove grease, oil, and debris from crockery and keep it in solution so the detritus doesn’t get deposited back on your plates. It therefore is ideal for removing swarf, dust and finger grease from models prior to painting. I always wash models with this, using a soft brush, then rinse them in clean water and leave them to dry overnight. Fast evaporation solvents like meths and alcohol look like they are doing a job, but what they actually do is dissolve any oil or grease present and then deposit a thin film of them all over your model when they evaporate. Not a problem for organic solvent based paints like enamels, because they can cut through the grease, but water based acrylics won’t adhere properly. Oil and water don’t mix!

[Jim R]

There are some one off expensive items which are part of the hobby. In my case those would be airbrushes, compressor, Proxxon foam cutter, photo booth and setting up the bench itself. Kits can also be expensive. But I do agree with Paul and Tim that when it comes to the smaller consumable items like glue, paint, thinners etc I stick to the "proper" stuff. They tend to last and be at the lower end of the cost spectrum anyway.

[Richard48]

Agree with Tim etc.Sansodor is better alternative to White spirit.I use Zest it when i do figures as it has a lovely Orange smell as opposed to harsh wiffy White spirit.Ive seen a few use Spectacle wipes on models before painting but its the Alcohol again.I always go the washing up liquid way after a soft brush and leave overnight.
Richard

[pjgtech]

Great advice, thanx peeps, I'll avoid the cheap alternative stuff then. Plus, I've already bought most of the stuff I need anyway now!

[Gern]

I've seen similar questions about reviving old paint. Some paints seem to last for years and all they need is a shake/stir to be useable. I can't see the point of trying to revive paints which have thickened, or the pigment has settled to the bottom.

It's silly to use such paints and risk ruining a kit which could easily have cost £50 or more. For the sake of knowing you won't have issues, ditch the old paint (I have cleaned out some of my old empty Tamiya paint jars and use them for mixing - I suppose you could do the same with old dropper bottles) and spend a couple of quid on a new jar.