Can someone clarify this?

[Ulises Victoria]

Hello all.

 

These two phrases appear in the description of all Model Shipways paints in the Model Expo web site:

 

"...making them ideal for airbrush use". 

 

" Model Shipways paints are not compatible with airbrushes."

 

????

 

Any comments anybody?

 

Thanks

 

Ulises

Edited April 7, 2015 by Ulises Victoria

[Jack12477]

I have a  friend who swears by Model Shipways paints; I, on the other hand, swear at Model Shipways paints.  Main problem - they are too thick - unless you dilute them heavily with water they are way too thick (IMHO) to apply even with a brush. For this reason I would never try them in an airbrush. Even applied with a brush the obliterate any small fine detail with their thickness.

[jwvolz]

I agree with Jack's statement. I can't imagine trying to thin them enough to get them through and airbursh, and as he said, even hand brushing they are too thick out of the bottle to not leave brush marks and hide fine detail. 

Edited April 21, 2015 by Joe V.

[realworkingsailor]

I have had some success airbrushing with Model Expo Paints. However, to work with them (even with a regular brush), they absolutely must be thinned down. Personally I don't like cutting acrylics with water, I use either an acrylic thinner, or clear Windex (same thing, only cheaper and in larger quantities). Some people may use alcohol, but you run the risk of it evaporating while spraying. ME paints, and in fact most, if not all other acrylics, are best sprayed when they have the consistency of milk. For ME that means cutting them down to a ratio of near 1:1 with thinner.

 

Another thing to consider is the type of airbrush you are using. Some types just cannot handle acrylics, and with others you need a larger needle. I use a Grex, and have had no problems with acrylics once I got the hang of using them. Here are some instructions for airbrushing  Proto-Paint, by George's Trains, another brand of acrylic.

 

Andy

[P_Budzik]

Tip dry is always a problem with acrylics.  To be safe, at least a .3 mm nozzle.  There are also some thinners that retard settiing (acrylic paints are more like plastic) but you will have to test compatibiltiy.  An example would be Gunze's Mr Leveling Thinner or Tamiya X-20A.

 

Paul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2_YEoGunu0