Paint Thinners & Cleaners Homebrew

[Remodel_Remake]

Don't worry folks I'm not drinking the stuff

I was just wondering why people mix & match cleaners & thinners so much rather than just using the paint brands recommendations, is it solely down to cost or is it quality?

In the past I always used the brands own but since returning to the hobby I'm trying to develope a best practice approach for using Tamiya acrylics,Vallejo Model Air & maybe a bit of xtracrylic & lifecolor.

What would you good people use to thin & flush out in the case of these paints.

Yours hopefully

Euan

[Guest]

If you're using acrylics Euan, your best bet is to stick with the branded thinner & cleaner (although the cleaner isn't so much of a priority).

That way you're guaranteed to get the best performance.

Tamiya acrylics are synthetic, so you can use lacquer/cellulose thinner if you can stand the smell. It also doubles as a cleaner too!

[Guest]

I use Vallejo and recently Lifecolor.

Found Vallejo cleaner does both and is the best cleaner I have found. But for thinning I use the manufacturers thinner. The manufacturers thinners have the same binders and dryers as the paint so there is no point in messing about and finding things have gone wrong by straying from this path.

Laurie

[Guest]

I use Vallejo and recently Lifecolor.Found Vallejo cleaner does both and is the best cleaner I have found. But for thinning I use the manufacturers thinner. The manufacturers thinners have the same binders and dryers as the paint so there is no point in messing about and finding things have gone wrong by straying from this path.

Laurie

I use Vallejo Air mostly, and have seen advice like this several times. Unless I see evidence to the contrary, I will stick with what seems correct advice. There are enough variables in airbrushing already and it doesn't seem sensible to add the possibility of incompatible thinners.

[eddiesolo]

Yep, as ,mentioned on acrylics go with the branded stuff to clean your airbrush.

Si

[Remodel_Remake]

I use Vallejo Air mostly, and have seen advice like this several times. Unless I see evidence to the contrary, I will stick with what seems correct advice. There are enough variables in airbrushing already and it doesn't seem sensible to add the possibility of incompatible thinners.

That's my feeling really.

There is so much information out there & everyone had their own tricks, but sometimes isn't it nice just to follow what's on the bottle

[Ian M]

Vallejo AB cleaner and thinners work very well on both Vallejo and Xtracylix.. I use them all the time.

Ian M

[Dave W]

For Humbrol enamels I use white spirit for thinning and cleaning the airbrush afterwards.On the rare occasions I use Tamiya paints I use their thinners as well.