Need advice/help with brush painting and thinning

[Deleted]

First things first. This will be the second time I have typed all this in. For whatever stupid reason I first decided to use my "so called" smart phone to post this. I got everything except the questions about acrylic at the bottom and I suddenly got this really nice message saying "So sorry. Chrome has crashed". Why anyone would ever attempt to use a "stupid phone" to do things that SHOULD be done on a PC is just beyond my comprehension. A phone is a phone. Not a computer. Attempts to make a phone a computer are at beast totally failed attempts and should be recalled and destroyed.

Now, on with my real problem.

A little background. At the present time I use rattle cans for painting large parts & pieces and then acrylics and enamels in small bottles for brush painting small parts. I hope to eventually be using only acrylics, but at the present time there are a few colors that I haven't located in acrylic so I use enamel for them.

As to the problem, I'll start with enamel. I'm experiencing a problem that I remember having as a kid. If I brush on enamel from a small bottle, it's too thick and hides detail on the part. Do you guys automatically thin every bottle of enamel? Do you "pour out" what you need and mix it with thinner? Do you brush on several really thin coats? What's the secret to brushing on enamel, getting good coverage, but still not hiding detail? Any and all comments/advice will be greatly welcomed!

Then the questions for acrylics would be very much the same with the additional question of what everyone uses as a thinning agent for acrylic. I've read where some guys use water as a thinner. When I made my very first order of paints, brushes, thinners, etc, I included a large bottle of Tamiya Acrylic/Poly Thinner X20A. Is this what I should use to thin, or is it to be used as a cleaning agent?

Any help will be great!

[BUCKY]

I know some guys use windshield washer fluid to thin acrylics.
If my TESTORS enamel bottle paint is too thick, I add a few drops of TESTORS enamel thinner at a time until I get it like I want it. Sometimes, tho, that has taken some of the gloss out of the color.
It's just about a crapshoot, with trial and error being necessary, most of the time.

[Deleted]

I've really thought about opening each of the enamel bottles and adding more than just a couple drops if thinner. More like 6 - 8 drops, just to start.

So you just use one coat to brush on and cover on small parts? No 2 or 3 coats? That's what I've always done and it just seems way too thick.

Thanks for the tip on the Windex. Not just water. Then maybe I should plan on using this thinner instead of water.

[DusterEd]

When using enamel I thin it with paint thinner. Just use it by the drop until your happy with how it flows. I'm not a big fan of acrylics for overall body painting. Since you would have to apply multiple coats to get it to cover and then the obligatory clear to get the gloss to buff out. I do use it on tires for white walls and red lines. And the semigloss black is good for interiors. For thinning i use model master acrylic thinner. This seems to work well for me. Believe it or not I'd rather use actual automotive paint. Since i find this paint much more durable and covers much faster and is less prone to lifting by taping.

[Deleted]

Hey, Ed. Thanks for your feedback. Just to clarify. The paint thinner you say you use for thinning enamel. Is that like Testors thinner or are you talking about regular paint thinner from the hardware store?

Also. I noticed you mentioned thinning it until I like how it flows. That sounds like you might be talking about running it through a spray gun. Then you said you weren't a big fan of acrylic for body painting. I don't use either the enamel or acrylic for painting the body or other big parts. I'm using lacquer in rattle cans for that type of painting. I only use the enamel and acrylic in small bottles to brush paint small parts. I didn't want you or anybody else to misunderstand.

[DusterEd]

Actually I use automotive paint reducer. But I also use regular paint thinner for those small bottles with enamel paint. And I too use lacquer paint for airbrushed bodies. Buff it out and clear using testors high gloss clear. After some research I found that model master a lots of other brand model paints are made by PPG. An automotive paint company.

[Deleted]

Jan 29, 2019 16:02:09 GMT -5 DusterEd said:

 After some research I found that model master a lots of other brand model paints are made by PPG. An automotive paint company.

Now THAT'S an interesting piece of info. Sure never heard or read where anybody else said that. Thanks for that tidbit. I do feel better about  Model Masters lacquer paints.

[tubbs]

ahh, painting... the necessary evil of model building.... I have no comment!!

[Deleted]

Jan 30, 2019 9:10:53 GMT -5 tubbs said:

ahh, painting... the necessary evil of model building.... I have no comment!!

WaaHaaaHaaaa!!! Why does that not surprise me?

[BUCKY]

For the major body components, and some interior stuff, I use DupliColor primer and color coat when I can. I also use TESTORS One Coat Lacquer with TESTORS Wet Look Clear.

For the small parts, I use TESTORS and Tamiya bottle stuff. I have enamel and acrylic. I just try to use a different brush for each type. Some of the paints I have seem to be too thin when new, and some of it gets pretty thick after aging a few years. Some of the enamel has been tossed in the bin because it turned hard as a rock, and I can't thin it with anything!

There are a lot of other paint brands available at places like Michael's and Hobby Lobby, and I know a lot of builders have started using them. A lot of those brands are acrylic.

[Deleted]

I looked at all the acrylic paints at the local Walmart. I think I've actually looked about 3 times now. I forget the brand name but they have one brand that seems to have every color imaginable. The bottles are decent sized and priced at 50 cents or 59 cents. I keep thinking I'll grab about a half dozen bottles to try.