Tamiya acrylics exposed

[AndyFettes]

Hi Dave,
Really depends on what youre going to be spraying, really, if its basecoating Ive never gone wrong with X20.

 

[dave samson]

thank you! i will keep it simple and use the x-20 :laugh:

 

[Panzerfaust]

I have an interesting addendum to this topic.

Tamiya acrylic paints are actually an acrylic laquer paint. Laquer being defined as a paint that will subsequently completely redisolve in its thinner.

To prove this swipe a cotton bud soaked in alcahol across a surface painted in tamiya acrylic paint and see that it will totally strip the paint from the surface in an instant. (dont ask me how I came to know this)....

I for one use acrylic laquer thinners to thin my tamiya paints for airbrushing (after trying all of the above mentioned options for thinning including tamiyas own thinners) I am completely sold on the results that you can obtain this way. The paint also seems to bond to the plastic much better.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth...

Cheers,

Jase.

 

[Tankbuilder]

Panzerfaust wrote:

I have an interesting addendum to this topic.

Tamiya acrylic paints are actually an acrylic laquer paint. Laquer being defined as a paint that will subsequently completely redisolve in its thinner.

To prove this swipe a cotton bud soaked in alcahol across a surface painted in tamiya acrylic paint and see that it will totally strip the paint from the surface in an instant. (dont ask me how I came to know this)....

I for one use acrylic laquer thinners to thin my tamiya paints for airbrushing (after trying all of the above mentioned options for thinning including tamiyas own thinners) I am completely sold on the results that you can obtain this way. The paint also seems to bond to the plastic much better.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth...

Cheers,

Hi there.

I sure wish I had known that before the hobby shop here in town suckered me into spending close to $50.00 for Tamiya paints when the store owner KNEW I was going to apply them by brush. When I took the unopened paints back along with a model to show him how the first layer of paint simply lifted upon application of the second coat he told me the paints must have been old. He meant that I had had them for a long time. He would not refund my money or do an exchange with the unopened paints. I never went back there again. That was also my first and last attempt to use Tamiya paints for hand-painting anything. I'll never buy them again.

Cheers from Peter

Jase.

 

[Phil_H]

Panzerfaust wrote:

I have an interesting addendum to this topic.

Tamiya acrylic paints are actually an acrylic laquer paint. Laquer being defined as a paint that will subsequently completely redisolve in its thinner.

To prove this swipe a cotton bud soaked in alcahol across a surface painted in tamiya acrylic paint and see that it will totally strip the paint from the surface in an instant. (dont ask me how I came to know this)....

I for one use acrylic laquer thinners to thin my tamiya paints for airbrushing (after trying all of the above mentioned options for thinning including tamiyas own thinners) I am completely sold on the results that you can obtain this way. The paint also seems to bond to the plastic much better.

Just thought I would add my 2 cents worth...

Cheers,

Jase.

Hi Jase,
I'm not a paint technologist, but by my understanding there's no such thing as an "acrylic lacquer thinner" (though Gaianotes markets a lacquer thinner blend formulated for acrylic paint).

Tamiya acrylic paints can certainly be dissolved with alcohol, but once dissolved cannot be re-applied and give the same finish (by the loose definition of a lacquer, it should be possible to reapply the dissolved paint too). The primary solvent (aside from water, which comprises some 25% of fresh Tamiya paint) is a vlend of alcohols, so it's not unusual that alcohol removes dried/cured Tamiya acrylic (in a similar way to mineral spirits removing enamel paint) I have had a number of Tamiya paints which have started to go "off" in the jar which cannot be reconstituted to a usable state by adding alcohol - usuallt all this will give you is a suspension of particles of cured/semi-cured paint which cannot be applied successfully.

I suspect that the Tamiya lacquer thinner works by a lucky accident in that though it wasn;t specifically formulated to worj with the acrylics, the blend of solvents is loosely compatible with the paint.

I haven't tried it yet, but I rather suspect that the Tamiya lacquer thinners should also be compatible with their enamel line of paints too.

 

[Phil_H]

Tankbuilder wrote:Hi there.

I sure wish I had known that before the hobby shop here in town suckered me into spending close to $50.00 for Tamiya paints when the store owner KNEW I was going to apply them by brush. When I took the unopened paints back along with a model to show him how the first layer of paint simply lifted upon application of the second coat he told me the paints must have been old. He meant that I had had them for a long time. He would not refund my money or do an exchange with the unopened paints. I never went back there again. That was also my first and last attempt to use Tamiya paints for hand-painting anything. I'll never buy them again.

Cheers from Peter

Hi Peter,

That is, in fact, typical behaviour of Tamiya acrylics when an insufficiently cured layer of paint is overpainted. You really need to let the first coat cure at least overnight (or longer for gloss paints) before applying the second coat.

Some hobby shops here in Australia actually have a "no refund/no exchange" policy on paints.

Age shouldn't be an issue - some of my Tamiya paints are nearly 30 years old and work just fine. It really comes down to technique - I've seen some stunning work done with brush-painted Tamiya aceylics.

 

[Tankbuilder]

Phil_H wrote:

Tankbuilder wrote:Hi there.

I sure wish I had known that before the hobby shop here in town suckered me into spending close to $50.00 for Tamiya paints when the store owner KNEW I was going to apply them by brush. When I took the unopened paints back along with a model to show him how the first layer of paint simply lifted upon application of the second coat he told me the paints must have been old. He meant that I had had them for a long time. He would not refund my money or do an exchange with the unopened paints. I never went back there again. That was also my first and last attempt to use Tamiya paints for hand-painting anything. I'll never buy them again.

Cheers from Peter

Hi Peter,

That is, in fact, typical behaviour of Tamiya acrylics when an insufficiently cured layer of paint is overpainted. You really need to let the first coat cure at least overnight (or longer for gloss paints) before applying the second coat.

Some hobby shops here in Australia actually have a "no refund/no exchange" policy on paints.

Age shouldn't be an issue - some of my Tamiya paints are nearly 30 years old and work just fine. It really comes down to technique - I've seen some stunning work done with brush-painted Tamiya aceylics.

Hi there and thanks for the information regarding each coat having to cure fully before the next coat is applied. That is another of the things I love about the Folk Art and similar brands of acrylics that I use. Those can have multiple coats applied over each other with only a short drying time between coats. They are also very low odour and are inexpensive at between $1.00 and $4.00 per 2 ounces bottle.

I have a fair bit of Scots blood in me and thus I hate to throw anything out. I still have all those Tamiya paints I referred to above and I'll give them another try.

Thanks again and cheers from Peter

 

[Phil_H]

Hi Peter,

I don't know if you've read the first post in this thread or if you came in at the end. In the first post, I have a quick guide for the best results when brush painting with Tamiya acrylics. It is a bit fiddly nut it does work.

If you are restricted to brush painting, I would suggest having a look at Vallejo acrylics (the "Model Color" range). They brush-paint far better than Tamiya, have no odour and can be thinned (and your brushes cleaned) with plain old water. They can also be re-coated very quickly (almost as soon as they are touch-dry).

 

[Panzerfaust]

THis is the thinners I use with great success

http://www.hichem.com.au/images/products/DIY%20auto/Thinners.jpg

Its Aclac 20, an automotive acrylic laquer thinners, workg excellently with tamiya paints....

Cheers,

Jase.

 

[Phil_H]

Hi Jase,

I just had a look at the MSDS for this stuff. http://www.hichem.com.au/hicheminfo/WEB_MSDS/A34.PDF

PERSONAL PROTECTION
Inhalation AS –NZS 1715/16
The wearing of an Organic Vapour Respirator is recommended during the application period.
Eye AS –NZS 1337
The wearing of safety glasses fitted with side shields should be worn during the application period. Do not wear contact lenses.
Gloves AS –NZS 2161
The wearing of Viton or PVC gloves is recommended during the application period.
Footwear AS –NZS 2210
The wearing of enclosed footwear is recommended during the application period
Clothing AS –NZS 2919
The wearing of anti–static clothing made on natural or synthetic high temperature fibre is recommended during the application period
Hearing AS –NZS 1270
Not required
Other Requirements
Avoid contact with eyes and skin. Avoid inhaling spray mists and vapours.

Scary... It sounds like you need ro wear a MOPP suit to use it.

 

[Phil_H]

Oops. the MSDS I linked above was for the wrong product - the correct one is here: http://www.hichem.com.au/hicheminfo/WEB_MSDS/ACLAC_20.PDF

The same safety warnings apply.

 

[Panzerfaust]

Yeah thats right a mask is essential - the other stuff is overkill for modelling - however you really should use a gas vapor mask with any type of spray painting - its just not worth the risk.....