Enamel/Acrylic
- Thread starter CNR
- Start date
The basic difference is that enamel paints are solvent based and acrylic paints are water based. Enamels require solvents for thinning, brush cleaning, and air brushing. Acrylics can use water for all three of those tasks.
I've used enamels all my life for model painting until this year, mostly because that's what was available. I've been using acrylics for all my painting now except for a few colors that enamels still seem to work the best for. I've been very pleased with how well acrylics have done in general and I can't see the difference in finished models when I've used a mix of enamels or acrylics. There are still a few colors, like yellow and white, which seem to cover and hold up better with enamels but those I use for small things like brush painting handrails.
Enamels contain solvents and require the use of solvents that are known health hazards for serious and fatal diseases. When I first started modeling back in my late teens, I would regularly spray paint without a respirator or a paint booth. No one worried about things like that in the 60's and I can remember many times the garage being filled with choking fumes even with the door open. I continued to model into my late 20's and was married about 8 years by that time. My wife ended up breathing a lot of the same fumes as I did. With kids, college, and work, I was out of model railroading until last year, when I was 61. My wife had absolutely no risk factors yet developed the most deadly form of leukemia when she was only 58. She died in 2004, just short of her 60th birthday. So far, I'm still healthy but I've often wondered if all that careless handling of solvent based paints may have caused her leukemia. There's no way to know but, if you choose to use solvent based paints, invest in a good respirator, paint booth, and follow all the recommended safety practices. I personally don't think it's worth the risk to use solvent based paints for anything more than a little brush painting when we have such a good selection of acrylic paints available today.
I've used enamels all my life for model painting until this year, mostly because that's what was available. I've been using acrylics for all my painting now except for a few colors that enamels still seem to work the best for. I've been very pleased with how well acrylics have done in general and I can't see the difference in finished models when I've used a mix of enamels or acrylics. There are still a few colors, like yellow and white, which seem to cover and hold up better with enamels but those I use for small things like brush painting handrails.
Enamels contain solvents and require the use of solvents that are known health hazards for serious and fatal diseases. When I first started modeling back in my late teens, I would regularly spray paint without a respirator or a paint booth. No one worried about things like that in the 60's and I can remember many times the garage being filled with choking fumes even with the door open. I continued to model into my late 20's and was married about 8 years by that time. My wife ended up breathing a lot of the same fumes as I did. With kids, college, and work, I was out of model railroading until last year, when I was 61. My wife had absolutely no risk factors yet developed the most deadly form of leukemia when she was only 58. She died in 2004, just short of her 60th birthday. So far, I'm still healthy but I've often wondered if all that careless handling of solvent based paints may have caused her leukemia. There's no way to know but, if you choose to use solvent based paints, invest in a good respirator, paint booth, and follow all the recommended safety practices. I personally don't think it's worth the risk to use solvent based paints for anything more than a little brush painting when we have such a good selection of acrylic paints available today.
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
I prefer the enamels as well. I just don't have very good luck with acrylics. When it comes to using them, Murphy is definitely close!
Jim gave some real good advice. I would follow it.
HaggisKennedy
Coal Shoveler
I think enamels thin better because the solvents are thinner than water. If you put a drop of water and thinner next to each other on a surface, the thinner will lie flatter. Water has a lot of surface tension, which is why you see a drop. And, the reason why folks 'wet' the water (dishwashing soap or rubbing alky).
Kennedy
Kennedy
