Does anyone know what I can use to thin Floquil paint for airbrushing. The hobbyshop I use is 165 miles away and they have a hard time keeping the small bottles in stock. I have had them special order it for me but this is a real pain. There are times I just decide to repaint something just to find out I don't have any thinner left. Jim R.
Run down to your local automotive paint supplier and buy acrylic lacquer thinner. If he asks what kind tell him what you are diong.
You can also use xylol which is available in most hardware stores. You usually can buy it by the pint, quart, and sometimes gallons. If you read the Floquil bottle you will see it listed on the list of ingredients. It is also a lot cheaper than those little bottles that Floquil sells. David
so is it possible to yse Xylene for any solvent based paint, or only for Floquil?. Will Xylene attack plastic like lacquer thinner does?
I am not sure if you can use Xylene for all types of solvent based paints. I have only used it for Floquil. As far as attacking plastic - you only use a little bit to thin the paint and when the mixture gets airbrushed on a model the Xylene seems to evaporate fairly quickly. There is probably not enough left on the model to cause any harm. On the other hand, if you brushed the Xylene on plastic at full strength, it could probably do some damage.
Is there another name for xylene, either a brand name or another complete substitute? I've tried 3 different Lumber yards and 4 different paint stores with no luck.
Toluol is another name. These are special thinners made and blended for synthetic paints. DO NOT BREATHE THE FUMES LONGER THAN 2 MINUTES PER DAY, AND NOT AT ALL IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, HAVE ANY KIND OF RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, ANGINA, OR FALLING DOWN KICKING SLOBBERING RUNNY NOSE FITS BETWEEN DARK AND NEW YEARS. EXCESS EXPOSURE UN-HINGES THE BRAIN AND CROSSES YOUR EYES AT ODD TIMES. It is not pleasant to drink, nor any better as an ice-cream topping either. However, when one spoonful is mixed in the cat's food, he has been known to spit a hail ball over a quarter of a mile! Best to ask at a paint store. (Forget Sears, Walmart etc.)
Jim, I don't mean to jump in as a know it all but I think I have to at this time, Here is a short primer on paint that we use for models. The reason we use model type paints is the pigment used is ground super fine so it will not hide the detail. We use three different types of paint. Acrylic Enamel Acrylic Lacquer Water Based Enamel Water based uses water or a combo of water and alky for thinning and clean up. Enamel based uses enamel thinner or reducer for thinning and clean up. You can also use laquer thinner for clean up. Enamel thinners come in different drying rates, slow to fast. Your best bet is to buy automotive thinners for enamel. Laquer based uses laquer thinner only and nothing else. You will run into problems with drying or set up. Your best bet is use automotive laquer thinner. Must use laquer thinner for clean up. It also comes in different drying speeds. Buy the good stuff for painting and a gallon of cheap laquer for clean up as it works good for all oil based paints. Where to buy?? Any automotive paint store. If you can't find one, call your local body shop and ask them where they buy from. Using anything else may junk out an air brush or what you are painting.
I bought my last can of xylol at Home Depot. The time before that I bought a can at the local True Value hardware store. Xylol is generic not a brand name. I am not aware of a brand name that it might be sold under. Keep looking. David
