Home brew thinners for cheapskates

[George]

I'm looking at alternatives for Tamiya X20 thinners and Gunze Sangyo lacquer thinners without compromising finish.

As far as I'm aware the Tamiya stuff is just Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) mixed with distilled water and a drop of glycerin so that's easy peasy and as cheap as chips.

The Mr Color stuff is a little bit more tricky but I think it is just a low toluene content synthetic lacquer thinner watered down with IPA so it won't harm the plastic and it must have some retarder in it.

Does anyone else know more?

 

[backonthecase]

For acrylics I use windscreen fluid or surgical spirit (surgical spirit is better but marginally more expensive - still not as prices as tamiya though)

Enamels and oils I use white spirit or turpentine

Lacquers and cellulose based paints, i use ICI car paint thinners, which is just cellulose thinner.

I've not had any issues with the above affecting finish, except for light weathering with acrylics, the windscreen fluid tends to leave "bobbles" on the surface as the thinned solution collects in globules... surgical spirit works best for this.

HTH

Stuart

 

[stona]

You're right about the Tamiya thinners.

I can't help with the other one,as you are obviously aware from your post 'Lacquer Thinners' (that's celullose thinners in the UK) can cover a large variety of solvent mixtures.

Cheers

Steve

 

[George]

Thanks guys,

Replicating the Tamiya stuff will just be a case of experimenting with ratios to find what works best.

I'll let you know about the Mr Color-a-like thinners that I brew, but I know people have had good results using this stuff with the Tamiya acrylics as it 'melts' the pigments and goes down a bit smoother, although it is a bit more smelly.

 

[andygh]

Tamiya works fine with straight alcohol for me

I don't spray laquers

 

[Dave W]

I recently sprayed a Zero with Tamiya acrylic paint.I thinned it with isopropyl alcohol and it worked fine.Have not used Tamiya thinners yet so dont know if it gives a better finish than IPA.

 

[George]

I recently sprayed a Zero with Tamiya acrylic paint.I thinned it with isopropyl alcohol and it worked fine.Have not used Tamiya thinners yet so dont know if it gives a better finish than IPA.

I think the glycerin in the Tamiya thinners makes it go down a bit smoother

 

[stona]

Remember that IPA is never 100% anyway. It's typically sold at 90% or 40% concentrations.

I've been told that the glycerine acts as a retardant,but don't know enough about these paints to know for sure.

Cheers

Steve

 

[George]

Remember that IPA is never 100% anyway. It's typically sold at 90% or 40% concentrations.I've been told that the glycerine acts as a retardant,but don't know enough about these paints to know for sure.

Cheers

Steve

You're right. But the Tamiya IPA is only about 60% I think.

 

[George]

I've just got an e-mail from my paint supplier and he says he will get his chemists to analyze it in the lab so that we get it spot on. That way I can supply it to other people and they know they will get an exact formulation.

It will mean proper thinners at a fraction of the price

His company makes automotive paints specifically for alloy wheels so it's everything from BBS Gold to shadow chrome finishes and it's all I use now in the workshop.