04-26-2009, 08:31 PM
I use water based acrylics for just about all my painting now. My brass Van Hobbies CNR 2-8-0 I rebuilt is painted with PollyScale steam power black. I also had a hard time with the acrylics the first dozen times I used them but found once you get used to them they are just as easy to use as solvent based paints. I like them because of the lack of smell and because clean up can be done with water and windex. The final cleaning of my airbrushes is still done with lacquer thinner just to make sure it is good and clean.
When thinning the acrylics ( PollyScale, Badger Moelflex ) I have used regular blue summer windsheild washer fluid, 50-70% Isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. I have found the distilled water works fine. When spraying PollyScale I have also used Testors Model Master #50496 acrylic thinner with great results. With badger Modelflex paints I also add a drop or two of the Modelflex retarder. It slows the drying time a bit. I usually set my my compressor for 25-35 psi for acrylics.
The only acrylic paints I have not had much luck with are the clears. Both Badger Modelflex clears and the PollyScale clears. I find it is real easy to get runs and because they go on with a milky white look it is hard to judge just how thick the coat is. So far after a couple of dozen attempts I have not gotten very good results. But I will admitt the few times I have been able to spray the clears well the results were good.
One thing I have found with the acrylic clears is the flat is more like a satin than a flat. Dullcoat is more flat than the acrylic flat clears.
One thing I did find was if you thin PollyScale acrylic flat about 40% and brush it on with a 1/4" to 1/2" brush in thin coats in one or two brush strokes it dries just about dead flat with no brush strokes. It also works well with the PollyScale statin.
As for the acrylic gloss clears I do not like them. They are thick and even after being thinned they spray on too thick and are had to get consistant results.
Maybe I just need to try a little harder with the acrylic clears to get good results but for now I will stick to using Testor Dullcoat & Glosscoat. I buy the small bottles and thin them 50% using lacquer thinner. It sprays real nice this way and thin coats are very easy to do. I have set my compressor as low as 15 psi with no problems. If I need a satin finish I mix 40% Glosscoat to 60% Dullcoat and thin that with 50% lacquer thinner. I never use the little rattle cans as I find the spray comes out to thick and it is easy to ruin a model because of it. I also find I get more bang for my dollar using the 1oz bottles.
Wayne Reid
When thinning the acrylics ( PollyScale, Badger Moelflex ) I have used regular blue summer windsheild washer fluid, 50-70% Isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. I have found the distilled water works fine. When spraying PollyScale I have also used Testors Model Master #50496 acrylic thinner with great results. With badger Modelflex paints I also add a drop or two of the Modelflex retarder. It slows the drying time a bit. I usually set my my compressor for 25-35 psi for acrylics.
The only acrylic paints I have not had much luck with are the clears. Both Badger Modelflex clears and the PollyScale clears. I find it is real easy to get runs and because they go on with a milky white look it is hard to judge just how thick the coat is. So far after a couple of dozen attempts I have not gotten very good results. But I will admitt the few times I have been able to spray the clears well the results were good.
One thing I have found with the acrylic clears is the flat is more like a satin than a flat. Dullcoat is more flat than the acrylic flat clears.
One thing I did find was if you thin PollyScale acrylic flat about 40% and brush it on with a 1/4" to 1/2" brush in thin coats in one or two brush strokes it dries just about dead flat with no brush strokes. It also works well with the PollyScale statin.
As for the acrylic gloss clears I do not like them. They are thick and even after being thinned they spray on too thick and are had to get consistant results.
Maybe I just need to try a little harder with the acrylic clears to get good results but for now I will stick to using Testor Dullcoat & Glosscoat. I buy the small bottles and thin them 50% using lacquer thinner. It sprays real nice this way and thin coats are very easy to do. I have set my compressor as low as 15 psi with no problems. If I need a satin finish I mix 40% Glosscoat to 60% Dullcoat and thin that with 50% lacquer thinner. I never use the little rattle cans as I find the spray comes out to thick and it is easy to ruin a model because of it. I also find I get more bang for my dollar using the 1oz bottles.
Wayne Reid