Safe acrylic paints for Bandai models?

[DeltaVee]

I understand you can't use enamels, lacquers, oils, or even alcohol thinned paints on the Bandai Star Wars kits. What does that leave me - water-based acrylics?
Can someone suggest a good acrylic base coat or maybe a couple of options that can be sprayed through an airbrush and will allow me to spray Floquil enamels for the final coat with enamel or oil washes? I dislike water-based acrylics because they don't bite into the plastic. I've lost track of all the brands and their thinners. Thanks.
This is a link to Bandai's tips site with discussion of acrylics: http://bandai-hobby.net/en/beginnersguide_tools.html

[Kylwell]

I use lacquers and alcohol based acrylics all the time on Bandai kits. I don't work with solvent based enamels. Alclad II, Tamiya, Mr. Hobby (Gunze), Lifecolor, Vallejo, etc. Yes, soaking some Bandai plastics (ABS IIRC) in turpentine will leech the polymers out making it brittle otherwise you're fine. You can look @ the back of the sprue label for what type of plastic it is.

[wowyz]

GSI/Creo aka Gunze/Mr Hobby as the kit Instructions refer to them.

Easy rule Tamiya kit = Tamiya paints.
Other Japanese kits usually give colours in Gunze & MR Hobby ranges?

Of course there are other ranges available in Japan: Gaianotes, Citadel, Vallejo, etc

[DeltaVee]

Thanks! I've used Tamiya acrylics and Gunze acryclics and I'm comfy with them and llove hoow Tamiya sprays through my airbrush and goes down and seems to stick well. So a primer/barrier of those and then I'm safe to airbrush my final colors with Floquil enamels?

Is Model Master Acryl an option?

[SpaceRanger1]

I understand you can't use enamels, lacquers, oils, or even alcohol thinned paints on the Bandai Star Wars kits. What does that leave me - water-based acrylics?

Bandai's tips say these paints "may" damage ABS plastic. With a suitable primer, you can use any kind of paint. You can probably skip the primer altogether if you spray light, mist coats first and let them dry thoroughly before spraying a final coat.

I've used enamels on ABS plastic and never had a problem, but then I generally use a primer.

[DeltaVee]

Thanks, SpaceRanger,
And what do you use as a primer before using enamels? I'm resigned to having to use a primer, so I'm looking now for a good Bandai-plastic compatible primer.