Are all Lacquer Thinners the same?

[starmanmm]

Ok, I picked up a bottle of MM Flat Clear (figure to give it a try and give the can a break) and on the bottle it says to thin using 2018 Lacquer.

Now I have MM AB Thinner 1799 and 1789 in my collection.

So my question is... can I still use either one of these to thin the MM Flat Clear or do I have to go out and find 2018?

Heck, isn't regular Lacquer Thinner good enough to do the job for that matter?

[Kylwell]

Well....maybe.

I used plain lacquer thinner for cleaning but Mr. Leveling Thinner for thinning. Reason? Better results.

MM paints are a form of synthetic lacquer but I'd guess that their clear coats are a bit different. You could try PMing Tom Grossman, he's who I go to for MM questions.

[SpaceDuck]

Yeah but MM (Testors) has multiple thinners and then 'AB cleaner' too. Once upon a time the AB cleaner was some "diluted and cheap" form of thinner that would clean an AB but when mixed with enamels caused them to dry painfully slow. They did change that formula though and you don't see that excat stuff anymore but be careful if you have some old stock, it's just not great for thinning.

But MM (Testors) has enamel and lacquer "thinners" on the shelf. The lacquer comes in a black can and I don't recall the number on it but it says lacquer and that's what you want for the lacquer clearcoats. But, they also have enamel gloss clear and therefore you'd need the enamel can of thinner, in a blue can marked as 'Airbrush Thinner' or in a red can marked as 'Universal Enamel Thinner'. The cans I refer to are all 8 fluid ounces. The bottle of lacquer thinner is #28016 for 1/2 fl oz.

But are all lacquer thinners created equal- quick answer, no. They have specialty thinners that are guaged toward temperature ranges to allow the paint a chance to level in hot weather or dry quicker in cold weather and not be so prone to runs. But that's when you buy in bulk at an Auto Paint supplier so that leaves most people shopping at the hardware store or WallyMart. Well, it is lacquer thinner but honestly I save that stuff to clean my AB since I'm not going to risk my paint job to something that doesn't behave as I'm accustomed to. But on the other hand you can certainly try a test panel and if it goes on well and then cures- what's the problem?

Let's see, 1/8 fl oz bottle MM appx 2.48
8 oz can MM appx 6.99
32 oz lacquer thinner from K-mart appx 4.99
Hmmm?

[starmanmm]

This is what I have...

Black Can 8oz MM AB Thinner 1799

Blue Can 8oz Testors AB Thinner 8824 (says on can to thin Testors and MM enamals and for AB)

Bottle MM AB Thinner 1 /34oz 1789

Bottle Testors 1oz Lacquer Thinner & Brush Cleaner 1159

[SpaceDuck]

This is what I have...

Black Can 8oz MM AB Thinner 1799

Blue Can 8oz Testors AB Thinner 8824 (says on can to thin Testors and MM enamals and for AB)

Bottle MM AB Thinner 1 /34oz 1789

Bottle Testors 1oz Lacquer Thinner & Brush Cleaner 1159

I don't have a Black label can right now but it does say 'lacquer' thinner, right? If so, go with it! Oh, of course you know the deal with lacquer topcoats- make sure everything is good and cured and don't lay it on so thick that'll attack the base coats.

Have fun and good luck!

[starmanmm]

It says....

AB Thinner. Use to thin testors and MM enamels for AB.

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I always just use stuff I get at Meijers. I know they say you should uses Testors with Testors lacquer, but I've never had any problems. Don't buy the stuff they sell at Lowe's stores because it's too weak to clean brushes IMO.

[Mr. Badwrench]

I know that it is better to use the thinner reccommended by the paint manufacturer, but it is against my religion to pay $112. a gallon for paint thinner. (I'm already paying $384. a gallon for paint). The bulk stuff takes a lot of practice to make it work right, but at 1/16 the price, I'll darn well make it work.

[SpaceDuck]

I know that it is better to use the thinner reccommended by the paint manufacturer, but it is against my religion to pay $112. a gallon for paint thinner. (I'm already paying $384. a gallon for paint). The bulk stuff takes a lot of practice to make it work right, but at 1/16 the price, I'll darn well make it work.

A while back on another forum a member 'did the math' (as you appear to have) and it's flabberghasting what we pay for model paint! Sorry if I say this all the time but I paint full size cars. A gallon of the BEST lacquer thinner was around twenty three dollars not long ago? When I managed a production shop we bought thinner by the 55 gallon drum and I wish I knew the current price on that. Not buying the best, but somewhat decent enamel paint by the gallon is still around thirty dollars. Yes, there are more expensive, but some really cheap stuff that you wouldn't want that's even less? Okay, model paints (the good ones) are specially formulated with fine pigments etc, etc, etc. Yes, we pay for convenience, packaging, shipping and everything else- but wow!

[SpaceDuck]

It says....

AB Thinner. Use to thin testors and MM enamels for AB.

Your 'black label' can says that? Um, sorry, my 'black label' cans were specifically for lacquers??? Well, don't use that if it says for enamels! Gosh, I hesitate to suggest anything that includes 'brush cleaner' on the label after a bad experience I had? But you can certainly test it out first? Just make sure it drys fully, that was the problem when I used some along time ago that said 'brush cleaner' too? Or any way to get to a store and get some other actual MM (Testor's) lacquer thinner? Somebody step in and correct me if they've used the product number that's been quoted? And as others have reported you can buy lacquer thinner in another brand but you're not assured of 'expected' results and should always test it out first.

Sorry for this big circle.

[starmanmm]

Hey, Nothing to be sorry about.

That's why I'm here... for the information.

As you pointed out the prices for the material (paint, thinners) are crazy and I was wondering that there must be a quanity store equivelant out there that would work?

I can go out and buy the correct bottle (not happy because of the small size and large price of the item) so I hoped for an alternative.

Now, just have to figure what those other bottles and cans that I quoted are good for?

[SpaceDuck]

Starmanmm,
You're no different than most of us in wanting the most cost effective way but still being assured it will work! Now the ironic thing is that just the other day I picked up a quart can of lacquer thinner at K-mart since I like to keep some around to clean the AB. This one, unlike most I've seen has a complete breakdown of it's ingredients and also contains a descriptive narrative of it's intent. It actually says 'medium drying' thinner which goes back to what I mentioned about "temperature ranges". 'Fast' for cold weather, "slow" (sometimes called high gloss) for hot temperatures and 'medium' or general purpose.
I've never seen the true breakdown of ingredients by name and percentages on our hobby thinners? That would be great to aid our shopping! This can was appx 6.00 IIRC and that's for 32 fl oz. Last I saw Testors wants around that for 8 fl oz. But even when one of us finds a 'good' brand it will probably vary in availability by region? Since it's always good for cleaning the AB you can buy something else and test it? I go through a fair amount of the stuff just cleaning my AB and the AB bottles anyway. That's where it makes no sense to use the Testor's stuff!

Good Luck!

[DX-SFX]

Nearly all air drying lacquer thinner is based around acetone. Buying it in 5 litre tins (cellulose thinners) from a shop that sells car paint for respraying is about as cheap as you can get unless you want to start stocking your garage with drums of the stuff.