Painting section...HOW TO?!?!

Oh, and as far as thinners go, I wouldn't recommend using lacquer thinner when hand-brushing, because it is very hot and can dissolve any paint you already have laid down on a piece. I know, I have tried it.
Hmmm… I’ve used lacquer thinner to thin acrylics and have hand brushed it on top of both acrylics and enamel paint with no issues. Maybe it‘s the brand of lacquer thinner you’re using. Not all lacquer thinner brands are alike. Some are hotter than others.
 
Generally different for each line of paint.

Lots of factors go into it. How much air pressure you are running, size of the needle in your airbrush, the type of effect you are looking for.

For me and the paints I use, or have used.

Tamiya: 50/50 paint to thinner (using Tamiya's own thinner)

Vallejo: Model Color: 3 parts Vallejo AB Thinner to 1 part Vallejo Model Color paint.
Model Air: Should be good to go out of the bottle, but Vallejo recommends a couple of drops in your paint cup.

Testors Enamel: 50/50 with enamel thinner

Lifecolor: I have used, but only once, and don't really remember the thinning ration, seem to remember that 50/50 was too much using their thinner.

Humbrol Enamel: 50/50 with enamel thinner

Gunze Acrylics: 50/50 with acrylic thinner

That covers the basics, and for the lines I have used for general use at about average pressure (15-20psi). Finer spray control you need to drop your air pressure more and thin your paint out a bit more.

And of course, practice on an old model or piece of scrap to try out your own recipes.
This ^^^^

Some paint lines don’t play nice with certain thinners - be it lacquer, enamel or acrylic. Some thin using Windex to water on certain paint brands - PollyScale comes to mind.
Like I said, lacquer thinner is usually my go-to thinner for most of my paints. You just have to experiment to see which works and which doesn’t play nice with.
 

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