Thinning enamel paint

[Dave W]

This question has no doubt been asked before,but I can't find anything on the forum.I'm looking for a suitable thinner for airbrushing Humbrol,Revel and Xtracolour enamels.I've been using Revells thinner but at 4 quid for a small bottle there must be a cheaper alternative.I use White spirit to clean my airbrush and have tried using that,but it seems to take much longer to dry.I've heard of cellulose thinners being used with enamel.But it's quite volatile and I don't know if it will attack the paintcoat you spray it onto.Has anyone tried kerosene or turpentine?.

[yak face]

Hi dave, i dont really use enamels any more but when i did i used to use white spirit to thin, although as you say it does take a while to dry.I would be careful about using cellulose to thin, it will undoubtedly give a faster drying time due to its quick evaporation rate but if used on unprimed or bare plastic it could attack the surface finish.Hopefully someone else will have more experience and come up with a better alternative to white spirit. cheers tony

[stona]

I've used cellulose thinners with White Ensign and Humbrol enamels for spraying. I never had any problem apart from the smell. It's one of the reasons I switched to acrylic paints.

Cheers

Steve

[Dave W]

Cheers Tony.Iwill carry on using the Revell stuff for the time being .Don't want to risk ruining a model for the sake of a few quid.It just bugs me that model companies put the stuff in small bottles and charge what they like.The same stuff in a 5 litre container would probably work out much cheaper.I've got a bit of kerosene in my shed.I found an article on the net about using this stuff.Trouble is you only need get a drop on you and you end up stinking of the stuff.Anyway I'm off into my shed to put a second coat of RLM76 on the underside of my ME110.

[Dave W]

Thanks Steve.I'll give cellulose a go on an old model as a test.

[Guest]

I've been using lacquers thinner and it seems to bring good results. It thins the paint quite well and gives good adherence to the plastic. I haven't notice any signs of the thinner attacking the plastic as of yet.

[stona]

Re cellulose thinners.

A long time ago I qualified as,and briefly worked as,a chemist (in the chemical rather than pharmaceutical sense). I know that cellulose thinners,or lacquer thinners as our trans Atlantic cousins call it,is a generic term for a liquid which is a mixture of several solvents. Whilst the main four or five ingredients will usually be the same the ratios can vary quite a bit giving different properties. The one I used without any difficulties was good old Halfords own brand. It is volatile,it does stink,breathing the fumes can't be good for you ( good mask needed) but apart from that it works a treat!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

On the subject of enamel thinners, instead of buying the piddly little 50ml pots buy a 250ml tin of HUmbrol enamel thinners, I do this and decant into a smaller bottle, if memory serves I paid about £2.50 for the tin as opposed to £1.25 for a 50ml bottle and that's ina local village toy shop so high street would be cheaper.

I've tried thinning with white spirit and turpentine substitute (what I use to clean the brush after spraying enamels), and find it doesn't give as pleasant a result.

I know the tin is still more expensive than a 1/2 or 1 L bottle of white spirit but well worth it in my opinion and it does last a while too.

[Dave W]

I used to use the Humbrol tins but haven't been able to get one for a few years now.The two model shops in Southend don't sell them.Perhaps there's more profit in the smaller bottles.When I worked in Saudi Arabia I could get the large tins no problem.But not in Essex!

[Guest]

You need to ask your shop to order them for you, it's true theres a bigger profit margin on the small bottles hence the reason most places have these but the tins are out there and can be ordered, don't let them tell you otherwise.

You can ebay it but of course you have P&P to pay but if needs be you could order say 4 tins to reduce P&P and they'll save fine in a cool place.

Humbrol Enamel Thinners 125ml Tin on eBay (end time 09-Feb-11 21:02:42 GMT)

(it's 125ml incidentally and the jars are 28ml, both smaller than originally thought but the tins are far better value regardless

[Guest]

Hi Guys

One way to thin Enamels for airbrushing is to use good old White Spirit (Mineral Spirit for those over the Atlantic) I use one of the low odour types and never have any problems, I use it with both Humbrol, Revell and Xtracolor Enamels. A gallon bottle (5Ltr) is only a couple of pounds from your local DIY Super store.

Paul

[Guest]

Before I swapped to acrylic about 12 weeks ago I found that B & Q were stocking a new brand of low odour white spirit.

Although it still pongs a bit it was certainly better & the odour was not as sickening.

Laurie

[Dave W]

I've used white spirit and whilst it works fine the drying time is longer.Got a 4 litre bottle of the stuff from B&Q .Use it to clean brushes and my airbrush.I found a shop that sells 250mls tins of enamel thinners for £3.99 so am using that at the moment.Mind you that shops just closed.The owners moved to Porthcawl in South Wales and opened a model shop there.If you live in that part of the country go and have a look.R&R Hobbies is the name.When he was in Southend t

he only had a small shop,but was very helpful and reasonable prices.Now in Southend we are left with one expensive hobby shop.So i will buying off the interweb a lot more.Not the same as browsing in a good model shop though is it?.

[Andy2035]

Hi Dave,

Is this the same chap...: - R & R HOBBIES

I've not used him, I just did a Google search and his was on the top and is in Porthcawl...

Hope this helps you...

Andy...

[Dave W]

Yes thats him.