stang_crazy
Member
So i see they make the paint in enamel and acrylic. Which would be better to use?
Also what type of primer should be used under them?
thanks Mike
Also what type of primer should be used under them?
thanks Mike
Bigford, why on earth would you use Zippo lighter fluid as a paint thinner? It's mostly naptha with paraffin and other petroleum products. In addition to being much more expensive per ounce than normal paint thinner or mineral spirits, the naptha will do a fine job of destroying the seals in your air brush while the paraffin will clog your air brush nozzles over time with a wax buildup that will be difficult to remove. You've also found the only product other than straight gasoline that's more of a fire and explosive hazard than paint thinner. This is a really irresponsible thing to do and, even worse, to suggest it to someone you don't know. I hope you're pulling our leg on this.
Mike, I have no idea how long Bigford has been painting but I've been doing it for more than 40 years. Acrylic paints are water based and enamel paints are solvent based. Water based paints will thin and clean up with water and a little windex. Enamels require paint thinner or mineral spirits fro both thinner and clean up.
I try to use acrylic paints whenever possible because enamel paints have significant health and safety risks if they are not used in a well-ventilated area. Contrary to the advice given by Bigford, you need a coat of primer regardless of the type of paint you're using if you want a professional looking paint job. The only difference is you need acrylic safe primer for acrylic paint and a solvent based primer for enamels. Floquil sells both kinds. I've thinned acrylics with success using 9 parts distilled water to one part windex. Almost all acrylic paint will cover as well and give you as good a job as enamels but there are still some colors that are not produced in acrylics or they just don't look good in acrylic paint. Some examples are metallic colors, like bright silver or gold, and some specialized colors, like aged concrete. If you're going to be spraying specific colors, I can give you specific advice. As a broad answer, I'd always try acrylics first and use enamels only if the color or finish isn't available in acrylic. Don't get hung up on Floquil either. You can go to a crafts store like Michaels and find entire aisles devoted to acrylic craft paint. Print out the Floquil color samples from their web site and take it with you. You'll find many colors that are an exact or very close to an exact match to Polly S or Polly Scale paint. The difference is you can get 3 ounces for as low as 69 cents compared to a heck of a lot more for Floquil acylics in one ounce bottles. Americana has been a consitently good brand for me but the others are about the same. I'll repeat - always spray a coat of primer before you spray color. You'll have much better loking paint jobs if you do.
mike
just remember white primer for light colors and gray for dark colors
your U.P. armor yellow WILL look alot better over white primer
then it will over gray. boyds made by testors i think, has a nice white primer
Bigford, why on earth would you use Zippo lighter fluid as a paint thinner? It's mostly naptha with paraffin and other petroleum products. In addition to being much more expensive per ounce than normal paint thinner or mineral spirits, the naptha will do a fine job of destroying the seals in your air brush while the paraffin will clog your air brush nozzles over time with a wax buildup that will be difficult to remove.
Bigford, the next time you're at a big box home improvement store, buy some lacquer thinner in one quart cans. It's exactly the same stuff Floquil sells for solvent paint thinner in those little bottles and it will only cost about $10. That will save your from ever having to use Zippo lighter fluid again.
Alan, I'm paying about $10 a quart so $17 a gallon is a good price. Where can you buy Xylene or Xylol? I haven't seen it for sale in any of the usual Home Depot kinds of places.