About Ultimate Airbrush Thinner

[CY343491]

Hi,
I see some folks using a stuff called ULTIMATE Airbrush thinner which works for most modeling paints. I think it's UK origin product, in their site product itself costs about 10 GBP, but shipping fee for my country is 45 GBP, really funny. Do anyone use this product? Anyone knows what does in contain and proportions? Anyone have MSDS for it

 

[urumomo]

comes up in this thread ,
don't think the SDS was ever found .
https://www.scalemodeladdict.com/threads/airbrush-problems.14055/#post-208461

 

[CFster]

Hi,
I see some folks using a stuff called ULTIMATE Airbrush thinner which works for most modeling paints. I think it's UK origin product, in their site product itself costs about 10 GBP, but shipping fee for my country is 45 GBP, really funny. Do anyone use this product? Anyone knows what does in contain and proportions? Anyone have MSDS for it

Not most paints. Don’t use it with lacquers or enamels. Only acrylics (water and solvent based), and I guarantee it doesn’t work as well as lacquer thinners with the solvent acrylics.

Vallejo makes an excellent thinner for water based acrylics. For solvent based like Tamiya or Mr. Hobby Aqueous, Mr. Color Leveling Thinner is the best. There’s a reason why the refer to it as “Unicorn Tears”.

 

[CY343491]

Not most paints. Don’t use it with lacquers or enamels. Only acrylics (water and solvent based), and I guarantee it doesn’t work as well as lacquer thinners with the solvent acrylics.

Vallejo makes an excellent thinner for water based acrylics. For solvent based like Tamiya or Mr. Hobby Aqueous, Mr. Color Leveling Thinner is the best. There’s a reason why the refer to it as “Unicorn Tears”.

I mostly use Vallejo, Gunze, Tamiya and craft paints (rarely), as i see on youtube videos ultimate thinner seems like one product thins all of them.
As we come to the Vallejo thinner, i'm not sure, but i've heard that it doesn't contain alcohol in it and i'm suspicious that it may not thin Tamiya or Gunze, it neither smells like Tamiya x-20a nor smells like Gunze t111.

 

[CFster]

I mostly use Vallejo, Gunze, Tamiya and craft paints (rarely), as i see on youtube videos ultimate thinner seems like one product thins all of them.
As we come to the Vallejo thinner, i'm not sure, but i've heard that it doesn't contain alcohol in it and i'm suspicious that it may not thin Tamiya or Gunze, it neither smells like Tamiya x-20a nor smells like Gunze t111.


View attachment 100920

You’re naming some brands that have different lines of paint with different formulations.

Tamiya has:

X, XF - solvent based acrylics which can be thinned with alcohol, acrylic thinner line Ultimate, and lacquer thinner.
LP - lacquers which should be thinned with lacquer thinner. Not Ultimate.
XF Enamels - which should be thinned with their own X-20 Enamel Thinner or mineral spirits. Not Ultimate.

Gunze has:

Mr. Color - lacquers which should be thinned with Mr. Color (lacquer) thinner or lacquer thinner. Not Ultimate.
Aqueous - solvent based acrylics which can be thinned with their own acrylic thinner, alcohol, acrylic thinner line Ultimate, or lacquer thinner.
Acrysion - water based acrylic which can be thinned with an acrylic based thinner such as Ultimate or water, or their own proprietary acrylic thinner.

Vallejo - water based acrylic that can be thinned with their own thinner, Ultimate or water. Also lacquer thinner such as Mr. Color Leveling thinner if you do it right.

 

[Laurie]

Easy for me I only use the paint manufacturers thinner.

Not had any problems.

Laurie

 

[CFster]

Easy for me I only use the paint manufacturers thinner.

Not had any problems.

Laurie

Ah the old “never had any problems line”…

 

[Laurie]

Ah the old “never had any problems line”…

Well I prefer to make models with out problems.

I want a paint I know with the manufacturers thinner & advice.

They with their labs, technicians & report from users the know better than we. "AS far as I am concerned"

If you view the diorama I placed to day. Did not have a squeak from Tamiya XF & thinner.

Plus

For effects (hate the name "weathering") I use Vallejo Model Air greatly thinned with with Vallejo Flow. This allows me to airbrush at 6 or 7 PSI. at 100mm approx from the part. Really works well for thin paint for effects.That is the formula I used on the aircraft & Armour in my diorama.

For me best not to get strung up with mysteries of paint etc. when you can spend time model making. Know the paint you use & leave it at that. Also know your airbrush with the paint & thinners you use.

But then that is me at 84.

Laurie

 

[CFster]

Well I prefer to make models with out problems.

I want a paint I know with the manufacturers thinner & advice.

They with their labs, technicians & report from users the know better than we. "AS far as I am concerned"

If you view the diorama I placed to day. Did not have a squeak from Tamiya XF & thinner.

Plus

For effects (hate the name "weathering") I use Vallejo Model Air greatly thinned with with Vallejo Flow. This allows me to airbrush at 6 or 7 PSI. at 100mm approx from the part. Really works well for thin paint for effects.That is the formula I used on the aircraft & Armour in my diorama.

For me best not to get strung up with mysteries of paint etc. when you can spend time model making. Know the paint you use & leave it at that. Also know your airbrush with the paint & thinners you use.

But then that is me at 84.

Laurie

Hey whatever works for you man. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I’ve found a better way is all.

 

[Laurie]

Hey whatever works for you man. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I’ve found a better way is all.

Ah well let us see it. My dio shows approx 20 pieces.

Can we see one of yours in the "better way" ? . Please.

Proof of the pudding is always in the eating. A chef always has his own way of things his ingredients the way he goes about it. His result. Different from the chef next door. but always learning. Adding to find what works.

Same with scale modelling. Find away do not stray but add to what works for you.

That really is life we all do that. There is so much to model making. How to present. Figures to make it alive. To present the model in its usual environment. Enhancement.

That to me is the art of model making. Very exciting. Paint thinners unimportant providing you follow your nose of what has worked before.

 

[CFster]

Ah well let us see it. My dio shows approx 20 pieces.

Can we see one of yours in the "better way" ? . Please.

Proof of the pudding is always in the eating. A chef always has his own way of things his ingredients the way he goes about it. His result. Different from the chef next door. but always learning. Adding to find what works.

Same with scale modelling. Find away do not stray but add to what works for you.

That really is life we all do that. There is so much to model making. How to present. Figures to make it alive. To present the model in its usual environment. Enhancement.

That to me is the art of model making. Very exciting. Paint thinners unimportant providing you follow your nose of what has worked before.

No, and most of the top modelers in the field agree on one thing - Mr. Color Leveling Thinner is the bees knees, and is better than the proprietary thinners for most any kind of paint except for water based acrylics such as Vallejo (which have ended up in the my trash can).

 

[Laurie]

No, and most of the top modelers in the field agree on one thing - Mr. Color Leveling Thinner is the bees knees, and is better than the proprietary thinners for most any kind of paint except for water based acrylics such as Vallejo (which have ended up in the my trash can).

Not heard of this stuff & no use for it.

Most manufacturers paints are made with the same contents as their thinners. Why change.

Technique is the answer for all paints changing thinners will not make a scrap of difference if you technique is not correct.

My first port of call is the airbrush. Ensure the nozzle is scrupulously clean. I sight down against white paper to ensure that it is clean as a whistle..

Ensure the needle is a smooth totally clean. Run the finger over the tip to ensure it is not burred .

Regularly replace the seals. Damaged or gummed up seals & the brush will not work efficiently.

Clean the air-valve regularly & oil every time the brush is cleaned. Smear on the clean needle airbrush oil when replacing.ery use. I leave my nozzle in a small plastic cup of airbrush cleaner just covering the nozzle. Takes a little time. But better than being frustrated with problems when air brushing.

Do all of that cleaning after every airbrush use.

Do that & I have not had problems with having to change to the use of any thinners other than the paint manufacturers..

Also have a total collection of Vallejo Model Air. Never throw mine away. They are great for figure hand painting & for special effects.

OK now off to do some airbrushing with Tamiya XF with a nice clean Iwata.

PS I keep & use a large nozzle 0.4 Harder & Steenbeck for varnish & primer. I call them dirty paints.

Laurie

 

[CFster]

Not heard of this stuff & no use for it.

Most manufacturers paints are made with the same contents as their thinners. Why change.

Technique is the answer for all paints changing thinners will not make a scrap of difference if you technique is not correct.

My first port of call is the airbrush. Ensure the nozzle is scrupulously clean. I sight down against white paper to ensure that it is clean as a whistle..

Ensure the needle is a smooth totally clean. Run the finger over the tip to ensure it is not burred .

Regularly replace the seals. Damaged or gummed up seals & the brush will not work efficiently.

Clean the air-valve regularly & oil every time the brush is cleaned. Smear on the clean needle airbrush oil when replacing.ery use. I leave my nozzle in a small plastic cup of airbrush cleaner just covering the nozzle. Takes a little time. But better than being frustrated with problems when air brushing.

Do all of that cleaning after every airbrush use.

Do that & I have not had problems with having to change to the use of any thinners other than the paint manufacturers..

Also have a total collection of Vallejo Model Air. Never throw mine away. They are great for figure hand painting & for special effects.

OK now off to do some airbrushing with Tamiya XF with a nice clean Iwata.

PS I keep & use a large nozzle 0.4 Harder & Steenbeck for varnish & primer. I call them dirty paints.

Laurie

Seriously though. You've never heard of MLT? Unicorn tears?

I wasn't talking about having a clean airbrush though of course that's a given and simply good practice, I don't go anywhere near my needle with oil because I don't need fisheyes in my paint. Only a drop in the trigger area.

I'm referring to the retardant properties of certain thinners that allows a paint to go down smooth and level out. Because certain paints have different formulations doesn't preclude some OTHER formulations of thinners from working with them in certain cases. For example, the differences between lacquer based thinners are usually just ratios of certain ingredients, not the ingredients themselves.

Vallejo is an awful airbrush paint - ok for brushing, but it has poor adhesion even for an acrylic, takes forever to cure and is virtually unsandable. Their primer is the worst I can think of.

 

[Laurie]

Quote Seriously though. You've never heard of MLT?

No could it be :

Medical Laboratory Technician

Management Leadership for Tomorrow:

MLT (mass, length, time),

MLT Group: Belt Lacing Manufacturer

Frivolous reply---so far tut terrible

Well no not heard of it & that is 20 years model making.
Have to be frank not interested my system works perfectly.

Not missed it. Tamiya- Tamiya thinners, Vallejo Model Air Vallejo thinners
Vallejo washes Vallejo thinners. Life Colour (very nice paint) Life Colour thinners.

Just add that Vallejo do superb sidelines. Washes, Metal Colour & their varnishes particularly the matt in acrylic & polyurethene .

Just to add that Tamiya is very forgiving. Also some moan about no. of colours. But they do superb sets of colours for various countries.

But 60 model later not had a problem. A few Tamiya colours, very few, I have tampered with but that is good for colour matching experience. Let us face it. No in theater aircraft will ever look the same colour (hue) that it comes out of the factory.

60 models approx so far. So have a fair experience.
What is your experience ? How many & could we see one ? None on here.
Love to see the actual quality compared to the actual verbal ism.

 

[CFster]

Those are pretty funny, those links and all. MLT = Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, as I’ve repeatedly stated throughout this thread.

Good for you and your method. I have no doubt that you create beautiful work and whatever method works for you is fine. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Laurie]

Those are pretty funny, those links and all. MLT = Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, as I’ve repeatedly stated throughout this thread.

Good for you and your method. I have no doubt that you create beautiful work and whatever method works for you is fine. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Agreed as I have said here. Definitely pursue what you have developed
& what works with your technique. Adding as time & experience grows.

So now CFster can Laurie see some of your work. Please.

None here & none on another forum we two were on. Please.
Love to see how you have integrated all that you have expounded
on.

I used to play cricket. I listened to those on TV & Radio who expounded
their thoughts on cricket. Only to find that some have only viewed cricket
& not ever physically played the ancient game. Amazing.

So I always like to find & see what experts on subjects have achieved. To
find if their pursuit is backed by the real hands on approach.


Laurie

 

[CFster]

Ah. I just figured out who you are. Conversation over. I don’t expect any communication from you over on Britmodeller once your ban is over either.

 

[Laurie]

Ah. I just figured out who you are. Conversation over. I don’t expect any communication from you over on Britmodeller once your ban is over either.

I am not banned on Britmodeller.