Differences Between Thinners and Reducers?

F

FastFreddy

Guest
I recently bought some airbrush paint at the nearest art store, because I didn't want to wait for a package to come in the mail. The Brand I purchased is called Spectra tex. I know its not the best stuff in the world! I just wanted to get practicing as soon as possible! The problem I'm having is that the paint seems to be too thick, so I went back to the art store and bought this clear stuff that was labeled "Airbrush cleaner" because that's all they had. I was wondering if it was sort of the same thing Mitch mentioned while talking about reducers. If not, Id still like to try using a little of this crap as a thinner anyway . . Haha. It seems to have thinning properties. . . Anyway, a little explanation on the difference between the two would be helpful. Thanks, Fred M
 
Hey freddy, cleaner is for precisely that and not alot else, thinners you will use for oil based paints, the paint you have (spectratex) is a water based paint, do in actual fact you can reduce it (thin it down) with water....do not use thinners as the 2 are incompatible and it will turn your paint to goop.... (not ideal) try thinning your paint 2 drop paint to 1 drop water and see how you get on
 
By the way, spectra tex is so great paint and well suited for beginners......enjoy!
 
Hi Freddy, I wouldn't personally use it as a thinner/reducer. You should dilute spectratex with water, distilled if you have it. Another way is you could make your own reducer with 3 parts water, 1 part Isopropyl Alchohol and a couple of drops of glycerine per 100ml of mixture to help tip dry. It works quite well but would recommend the thinner/reducer specific to that brand of paint if you can get any, but water is the way to go.

Lee
 
Fred
Spectra -Tex is made and design by Badger
Com-art is made and design by Iwata
See where I am going here , So to call a paint Crap and be a newbie is some really funny stuff.
So what paint did you order?
But thing you have seemed to leave out is what airbrush are you using ?
Nozzle and needle size?
air pressure you are trying to use this at.
I hardly ever have to reduce spectra-tex and that includes running it through either my .18 Micron or my .20 krome at 5 PSI.
Did you shake the bottle up?
See I really hate it when anyone calls a paint crap. Why because I feel later down the line you will find that it is just you not knowing your airbrush and how to reduce or when to reduce your paint.
But Like Lee stated the old home brew works with every water based paint.
Remember the search button can be your friend.
Oh and how about making an introduction post so maybe we can get to know you?
 
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rule of thumb my friend water based-reduce with water;uretahene(oil based)-thinn with a thinner.you can´t go wrong with that.
 
Thanks everyone you really helped me out! I decided that the paint is good paint, I just had a crappy attitude due to lack of patience. All I wanted to do was turn on that compressor and go to town. That didn't happen cause I wasn't wearing my thinking cap. Anyways I have a peak C-5 airbrush, not sure the nozzle/tip size on that and a central pneumatic 3 gal. 100 psi oilless compressor. So far the thing works great, now that I've learned how to dilute the paint!
 
its a long long road freddy but stick with it, keep reading, and keep asking questions..... huge steps will be made over the next 3 months if you do, and it will soom become second nature, knowing exactly what your paint is doing/needing to get it to flow correctly
 
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