can I mix together two different brands of acrylic paint? Forinstance, Polly Scale & Badger “Model Flex”, or Liquitex tube acrylic & Model Flex? Or do they both have to be the same brand?[?]
Snowey, Good question. [;)][tup]
Even if two competing paint brands are water based, read the ingredients and see if they’re similar as one or two differences in chemical composition can create problems. I work with automotive paints and it’s a similar situation. Some brands you can mix, some you wouldn’t dare! [:0]
It’s preferable to keep brands separate.[;)]
Suggestion. Keep 2 or 3 body shells of cheap old Lifelike or Tyco freight cars. I’ve seen these for as low as .50 at swap meets. One seller even let me have a Tyco F unit shell for free at the last GATS show in Tampa!
Experiment on these shells with your paint mixes and check the results. Once your “custom mix” has dried and cured, perform the masking test. Mask off a section, apply more of your mix and then peel off the tape. Check for uniformity and paint peeling.
Personally I would not recommend mixing these brands, but it’s understandable that many of us are on a tight budget and prefer not to let material go to waste.
BTW: Model Flex is great stuff, but make sure you wipe the bottle top and cap it firmly or it will go bad. I’m currently switching over to water base. I’m experimenting with Model Flex and Polly S.
Hope this helps! Peace out! [:D][8D][8)][C):-)]
General rule of thumb regarding paints is don’t mix two brands let alone to different types of finish, such as matte and high gloss, together. The chemical composition could be such that the two products are not compatible leaving you with a poor finish or a fini***hat will peel or chip.
Some may have done it and gotten away with it but personally I wouldn’t.
I myself have never had a problem mixing brands of acrylic paint. Try a small amount to test and try it on a variety of surfaces. The only way we advance is to try.
Dave Nelson