I’msure this has been asked about a million times before, but I wasn’t here to read about. What types of thinner have you used successfully with the Floquil RR colors that Testers now makes. Thanks.
For thinning, I’ve stayed with the Floquil Dio-Sol. The small amount you need makes it worth while to just buy it for thinning. I buy the small can for about $5 and it lasts me for years. Use regular lacquer thinner for cleaning the airbrush after the work.
The mix I use is two parts paint, one part glaze (especially if you plan to decal over this finish), and two parts dio-sol. Just omit the glaze if you want a flat finish.
Unless they have changed the formula I agree that Dio-sol is the best thinner to use. Xylene is the main component of dio-sol and it can be acquired by the pint or quart which makes it a lot cheaper than when buying 1oz bottles.
I use lacquer thinner. It is mostly MEK, so it will attack some plastics. With an air brush this is usually not a problem because the paint is liquid for such a brief period on the model. Most of my model work is in wood and/or metal, so the MEK isn’t a problem for me.
If I’m painting plastic or want to give the paint more time to flow on the model, I’ll use mineral spirits.
If you want a super high gloss finish, a drop of “Wet Look” additive from your local automotive paint supplier will work. I don’t know when you’d ever need such a finish on a model railroad (maybe for water? - or for a custom diesel (chopped, channeled, with flames), but it does work on model cars.
Testors makes 3 lines of paints for modelers. The modelmaster paint is an enamel which can be thinned with mineral spirits or Testors Model Master Thinner.
Floquil Paint is thinned with Dio-sol or Xylene. In the past trying to use mineral spirits would turn Floquil to a rubbery goo.
Testors also sells acrylic paint thinned with water or alcohol only.
I’ve had no problems using mineral spirits with Floquil brand paints.
I do remember that Floquil made something called Barrier that had to be applied before using any of the solvent based paints on plastic. Is this still the case?
Also, how does the ‘water based’ line of FLoquil operate in the air brush?
H
The Waterbased line is Pollyscale and it works wonderfully.
Yesterday someone on this very forum linked to a HowTo from a Testor’s employee on using acrylics.
Also, to clarify, the reason you want a gloss finish, is because you need gloss to set decals correctly so they don’t show up.
Also, I’d argue that locomotives and rollingstock come from the factory with a gloss or semigloss finish on them. It is weathering that turns them dull, so technically, you should paint it gloss or semi and then use only your weathering to dull the finish.
Nobody actually does this and its a personal pet peeve. Easiest way to tell a model from the real thing is how covered in Dullcoat it is.
Xylene is only 5 to 10% of the formula of Dio-Sol. It’s primarily Naptha and Light aromatic hydrocarbon, 40 to 45% each. The entries on an MSDS are interesting if you know how to read them:
http://www.testors.com/media/document/MS.F110001.071108.pdf
Also, it underlines the safety steps to take when using their products.
The original Floquil railroad line was, I believe, a flat, lacquer based paint. Testor’s, however, changed the formula after it acquired the label, and now advertises it as an enamel. I’m not sure what that means in today’s world, as there are many different kinds of paints called enamels, most of which have hard, glossy surfaces when cured. Does anyone know exactly upon what the “solvent” line of Floquil is now based–and hence what may be appropriate thinners?
Frank
When painting models with solvent based paints no matter what the brand I like Scalecoat thinner. I don’s know whats in it or it’s chemical make up etc and don’t really give a rats butt all I know it works and works very well. Yes all your rolling stock should be painted in either a gloss or semi gloss finish as this is not only good for decal adhesion etc. but it is prototypical. No piece of rolling stock or locomotive is painted in a flat finish paint. It would never hold up to the weather. I have a zero tolerances for dull coat as it will destroy the finish on a nice paint job by leaving it all blotchy form the talc used to make dull coat or flat finished paints. Ever since a friend turned me on to that fact I threw out about 6 cans of dull coat and have not purchased one since. Either use clear flat finish or diluted grimy black for weathering.
Randomly grabbing a few of the MSDS’s on the Floquil paints, the primary solvents used are Mineral Spirits 15-25%, and Light Aromatic Hydrocarbon 20-30%, which makes 40-55% of the formula for each paint. The main attraction of using the Floquil paints is the thin film left when the paint dries. The old Testors PLA enamels had a thicker film that could hide fine details if you put it on thick enough to get good paint coverage.
For thinning, I’d still stay with the Dio-Sol. It has a formula made up of five components. Improperly mixing or thinning the paint can give you unpredictable results. Are you willing to take a chance on your models to save a few bucks?
Testors discontinued Dio-Sol a couple of years ago, replacing it with their “Universal Air Brush Thinner”. If you do not have it, you probably will not be able to find it unless a supplier bought up a lot of it before it stopped being made.
The Universal thinner works OK for the most part, but I have noticed that some colors do not cover as well as before on some plastic surfaces. Maybe some oil or mold release remains on the surface. Definitly, on resin kits, you need to clean the surface with a citrus based cleaner followed by water rinse.