Tamiya Paint Info

Airdave · Post by **Airdave** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 5:32 pm

Didn't find this covered anywhere else, so here goes...

I'm helping a friend who has never touched an airbrush to paint a 6-foot TOS Enterprise saucer so that he can have it signed by Shatner next month. He can't find his preferred color in spray form and I've never thinned Tamiya paints for airbrushing.

What should I thin it with? The Tamiya website suggests X-20A, but are there cheaper alternatives? I would assume it's a 2:1 paint/thinner ratio?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:25 am

Rinse-aid for dishwashers is pretty good.

Here in the UK we also use diluted car screen-wash.

DaveVan · Post by **DaveVan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:57 am

The best results have always come from using Tamiya thinner.....I have used alcohol....but results were not always good. But the Tamiya....save the headaches.

Max Nex · Post by **Max Nex** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:11 am

I have also used Polly-S thinner and Testors ACRYL thinner with results that are as good as X-20A but without that nasty smell.
for flat paint I would recommend a 50/50 mix of paint to thinner.

Lord Darth Beavis · Post by **Lord Darth Beavis** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:11 pm

50/50 or 60/40 with lacquer thinner. I did it with flat black, and it went down beautifully, and dried in seconds.

Targallian · Post by **Targallian** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:16 pm

I've had alot of success thinning Tamiya paint with a 50/50 ratio. The Tamiya thinners work great, as will lacquer thinner. I really like using Mr. Color 400 Leveling Thinner. It's a little more expensive, but I've had great results.