Thinning Paint with Tamiya X-20A

[sibomots]

I'm not sure anymore why I have this bottle of Tamiya X20-A Thinner.

The label reads "Acrylic Paint Thinner" and then under that "Warning: Flammable"

 

Question: if acrylic paint is water based, why would actually use a flammable thinner?  Wouldn't the best thinner just be water based?

 

I must have been distracted when I bought it.  I don't use Tamiya paint, just Citadel/ArmyPainter/P3/Vallejo

 

[Bung]

Tamiya paints contain alcohol and Tamiya Thinner can be used with other enamel paints.

But even then the Tamiya Thinner can be used to thin normal waterbased acrylics like Citadel etc. for airbrush use.

[Captain Caine 24th]

Bung has it right. 

 

I was very confused myself as to why water based paints seemed to have chemical odors. But, every line of paint has a pigment, medium, and binding agent. For some it's rather complex. I often just use a mix of Isopropyl and water for airbrushing, the proprietary thinners are just a cash grab (works perfect with vallejo and citadel). But I use tamiya with tamiya, and AK's new 3rd generation has a special thinner (which I was horribly unprepared for, I'm still not sure what's in it, so I bought the thinner). In any case, a lot of stuff is interchangeable, it just takes experimentation.

 

Using just water alone can function, but it can also dilute the paint in such a way that it no longer functions as intended (instead of a thinned paint, you just have a watery mess). Too much water can imbalance the mix of binder and pigment. Usually though if it's a small amount, like brush work on an infantry model, water is fine. But, filling up a an airbrush cup and diluting with water - that might not work well. 

 

Concededly people paint with different styles, so certainly some will disagree with me. Some actually like a very diluted paint, some like it really thick. Wetblending for instance, won't work if the paint is too diluted. Glazing thin layers however, can be done with extraordinarily thin paint (very smooth, but may take ages). There are many ways to skin a heretic. 

[Bung]

On 11/8/2022 at 10:16 PM, Captain Caine 24th said:

Bung has it right. 

 

I was very confused myself as to why water based paints seemed to have chemical odors. But, every line of paint has a pigment, medium, and binding agent. For some it's rather complex. I often just use a mix of Isopropyl and water for airbrushing, the proprietary thinners are just a cash grab (works perfect with vallejo and citadel). But I use tamiya with tamiya, and AK's new 3rd generation has a special thinner (which I was horribly unprepared for, I'm still not sure what's in it, so I bought the thinner). In any case, a lot of stuff is interchangeable, it just takes experimentation.

 

 

For airbrushing i use Mr. Hobby thinners for everything. As i use various paint lines from different manufacturers i searched alot for something convinient i can use for most paints and Mr. Hobby Thinners (Aquaus Thinner for waterbased acrylics) is the best i found.