Acrylic Home Brew Thinners : Tutorial

[@darkhill556]

Tried most of the recipes offered online, and this one consistently works best for me. As noted in the video, simply mixing water and IPA will work reasonably well. In my humble experience, adding the flow improver is the real game changer, and the retarder makes it even better. Using 1-2ml of each in a 100ml bottle of thinner produces great results at minimal cost. I know this video has been up for years, but it still deserves the praise!

[@genessismodels]

Great to hear!

[@chadfontaine2717]

10 years in. Still coming back to your vid for the recipe. It's like water turned up to 11 ;)

[@grandpatim8352]

Great stuff. I made up a batch and use it exclusively. Big help in keeping the airbrush from drying and clogging.

[@yarders9191]

Massive thanks for this. As someone whos trying to avoid setting my wallet on fire and keep to a low budget this is massively helpful

[@Askaret]

For all of you that need just the dry info: 2 to 1 ratio of distilled (clean) water to IPA . Ad a few drops of flow improver for bather results .

[@dustrhinosfan1]

Thank you!!

[@jj-icejoe6642]

better

[@w.rustylane5650]

I make my own cleaner with either non ammonia Windex or Simple Green, distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and water soluble glycerin. I also make my own thinner with distilled water, isopropyl alcohol, water soluble glycerin and a flow agent. Cheers from eastern TN

[@robertralls8309]

Great recipe! Mixed some up, and it works as well or better than the pre mixed thinners. Thanks for the video!

[@StrawHearts823]

A broke cheap ass modeler was save by this video.. Thanks mate!!

[@crown7709]

I made a batch of that stuff and it works well with Tamiya. I will try it on other acrylic paints soon. Thanks for the tip.

[@genessismodels]

Sounds great! glad it helps

[@jameslochridge4265]

Lucky me I live in Glasgow and the water is awesome.

[@rendoroid]

thank you!! i will try it, ive been dying to search Zoukei Mura Thinner replacement... hopefully this can do the trick!

[@timdodd3897]

Thanks! I hated acrylics, now I like them. I loved Testers Model Master paints, but the new owners, Rust Olium discontinued them.

[@antoinegrujon8287]

Hi. Thanks for the video. Just starting out and haven't got much of a budget, so will be making some of this up. I wondered if you had any tips on home brew airbrush cleaner. Lots of videos on you tube, but all with american ingredients.

[@genessismodels]

This link is to a video I did some years ago mate www.genessis-models.co.uk/videos/how-to-make-home-brew-airbrush-cleaner-genessis-models-tutorial/

[@ozzybwild]

"Spirit" or "rubbing alcohol" can be bought in every supermarket and does the same job as the IPA, the only difference is you can't/shouldn't try to drink it since it has added "make taste bad" chemicals in it, but can be bought tax-free over here. Sorry, for the highly scientific description and regards from germany, mate! o/ I think about trying to create my own thinner as well, would try a drop of "dishwashing detergent" as flow improver and "glycerin(e)" as retarder to further cut a penny and see how it works though. ;)

[@slighter]

But IPA with 99.9% alcohol makes the job a bit better than spirits with lower alcohol pars, I think. And IPA isn't that expensive in Germany either.

[@olivercooney6645]

Great video just put in my order for all the stuff hope it works with my AK real colours range I've always used Mr colour leveling thinners for everything I paint with

[@charlesfavano7424]

i have a question first i so love you videos watch them every freetime i get my question do you know how to make homemade transparent paint i make my paints from cheap acrylics with all my extra was wondering if i can make a set of transparents???

[@SB-hg5sq]

Going to make my own after watching this. Can you use other brand flow improvers and retarders?

[@jean-michelyeguiayan1195]

Very good My English is not perfect It is ok for ak RC and tamiya XF series ?

[@slenkhar]

If you're gonna use a lot of IPA for household cleaning as well, buying 10L for £30 on eBay is really cheap at £3 per liter

[@RobotCoder1951]

Awesome video! I'm definitely going to do this.

[@JetPilot747]

Thank you for your helpful tutorials which are much needed for beginners like myself. I was trying Revell's Aqua Color Mix as a thinner but this turns my Revell Aqua paint into mud! Can thinners get bad over time? Diluted with tap water worked well but my airbrush tip dries up and clogs really fast.

[@kevincleaver1999]

Hi. Great vib quick question, Is this good for Tamiya acrylics

[@genessismodels]

Yes, absolutely

[@kevincleaver1999]

@@genessismodels thanks your a star

[@meinfraulein380]

google says it is the same as isopropyl alcohol, can i use common antiseptic alcohol?

[@xav500011]

After I thinned an amount of Citadel acrylic paint could I then store it in a empty pot for use in the future? So I have pre thinned acrylic paint ready for use. I ask because I have tried to thin Citadel paint using just water and over time it did not stay mixed.

[@genessismodels]

best to test first as deferant brands can have differant effects over time

[@gazsto]

Many videos show the 2 to 1 ratio (water and IPA), but are different on the percentage of Flow Improver per 200ml and some give a bigger percentage on Flow Improver @10ml, What's the best ratio? and the Retarder is the same @ 1ml. Appreciate some guidance, thanks!

[@EndlessSims3]

I am sorry but need to ask how many teaspoons is 1 ml? I never learned ml. Never had to learn that in schools as a kid, please tell me? Thanks

[@bradunderwood5698]

can this brew work as well as mr color "leveling" thinner?

[@DjRoan_only_top_kizz]

can i use 90 grade PINK denaturate alcol instead of transparent iso 91? Will the pink contaminate the acrilic color? Thanks

[@genessismodels]

Ive not used it, and dont think it would effect the color in a big way but it could, so would always go with the clear stuff

[@jozuavanlangenhove6586]

Can you use this thinner for revell aqua? I find this a problematic paint for airbrushing.

[@genessismodels]

I found them to be fine with home brew

[@jozuavanlangenhove6586]

@@genessismodels Thanks Bobby, i will try it! 😉👍

[@dhd8850]

Thanks for the tutorial, very helpful to this newby watching! May i ask, can you use this mix to craft waterbased acrylic paint?

[@genessismodels]

possably, always best to test

[@dhd8850]

@@genessismodels thank you

[@Dr.Hoffman]

I mixed some acrylic with some vallejo thinners and water... After shaking and then leaving it just continually seperates into a thin black layer of the acrylic and thick grey layer of the thinner/water.. LOTS of emulsion during the shaking process. What did I do wrong or just nasty paints (arteza acrylic in tubes, wanted to try and make my own with existing materials and seemed simple enough).

[@Yo_Hahn]

Just shake it well before use. I have several colors eg citadel pallid wych flesh or vallejo dark fleshtone who are seperating themself in the bottles without thinning.

[@colinwoods4450]

Great video and very interesting ~ can I just clarify your comment re buying water from supermarket is that normal bottled drinking water or distilled water? Thanks

[@genessismodels]

Any should do mate. I've even used tap water with no problems

[@user-wc4vx3my2e]

Distilled is better.

[@Tom-yd5lg]

I tryed this Mix and it don't work with my setup. The only Difference was the retarder, itook them from Vallejo. At the brushing i got small Flakes, so i can't use it. My setup: Revell Masterclass sprayed with two bar with a sparmax GP-850 with a 0.5 Nozzle. The color i used was from Valleo Model Color, White Gloss. I don't know whats wrong !

[@DavidMartinez-fq9eh]

Any problem using pharmacy alcohol instead of isopropyl?

[@u3brutal]

Hello, can i use this home made thinner for mr finishing surface??

[@genessismodels]

you should do but always test first mate

[@alcardespear2446]

@@genessismodels thanks

[@nomail2823]

What ratio do you use the thinner with your paint?

[@genessismodels]

normally 50:50 is a good start

[@jamesunger8433]

Does this work with Humbrol Testors and Model Master Enamels.

[@genessismodels]

All acrylic paints I know of but not enamels mate

[@deetee-uk]

Do you have to shake before use or is that not necessary once it's been mixed?

[@genessismodels]

no need to shake with home brew mate

[@TheShamwari]

For large stage scenery I used commercial PVA wall paint thinned with water in a big spray gun.

[@paulmillard1130]

What about Vallejo?

[@Silentwingedone]

Are you using 70% or 90% IPA?

[@genessismodels]

I use 97% mate but you can get what ever you want just got to change the ratio abit

[@deetee-uk]

What's it like with humbrol acrylics?

[@paulbache3940]

Would be a good idea to leave it to stand for 24 hours and also remind people that mix will get warm after the alcohol is added

[@e.h.3152]

Can you use this with acrylic lacquer paints like Mr Color?

[@genessismodels]

I have not tried my self but always best to test

[@Gorketh]

Best to check the MSDS for the chemical make up of your usual acrylic lacquer thinner. I use SMS thinner with SMS paints which is mainly toluene and solvent naphtha.

[@martynpinkney7933]

Great stuff! Thanks very much.

[@rolandzuber2856]

I tried Vallejo with IPA (just a small amount, mostly distiled water anyway :) ) and the paint just coagulated, so I guess those 2ml of Retarder and Flow Improver make a difference? ;)

[@FebreGundam]

You cannot use IPA for Vallejo acrylics, you have to use their own thinner or just water

[@Goldchucker1]

@@FebreGundam Not true. You can certainly use IPA with Vallejo acrylic paint. I mix my own home brew of distiled water, IPA and glycerin to use as a thinner and it never causes any problem with coagulation.

[@jebstuart1323]

I use plain cheap automotive washer fluid or Windex.

[@thegorefatherdonkhorneleon5159]

I used ipa/distilled water mix in citadel paints and it actually broke down congealed paint that i temoved from the pot ring

[@christinaevans5362]

Can you boil two water instead of buying ?

[@tonygardner9896]

See one of the KZbin videos on how to make distilled water in your own home. I made a litre in about an hour of simmering tap water.

[@terryblackman6217]

Brilliant video. Big big thanks.

[@Sophie_519]

1 part 99%IPA + 2 Parts Distilled water ... = 30% IPA. So if you have a 70%, you do about 1:1 etc. then add flow improver and Retarder.

[@honortruth5227]

👍

[@jr7392]

I was wondering...over here we have 70% and 90% isopropanol available over-the-counter. If you're simply going to dilute 99.9% with water anyway, you can probably buy the cheaper stuff and adjust the amount of water used accordingly.

[@genessismodels]

ye you can just do that mate just got to work it out so its still the right ratio

[@evonnesawyer1214]

you said 2 fereds whats a fered

[@graemebrumfitt6668]

Cheers Dude. TFS, G :)

[@pmfman]

It may work the same and smell the same, but i assure you that it isnt. The only 2 ingredients for vallejo are 2-Butoxyethanol And water. Other companies also use 2-Butoxyethanol as the main ingredient

[@jr7392]

The 2-Butoxyethanol probably takes the place of both the isopropanol and the flow improver/retarder as it's a surfactant as well as solvent.

[@annanbejat1578]

Pardon mate, I have a question regarding that 2-butoxyethanol, is it similar to IPA (isoprophyl alcohol)??? Also, Is the chemical corrosive to brushes???

[@jelly.1899]

How do you know for sure the ingredients of Vallejo?

[@kellyseeman741]

Why buy expensive alcohol when you could use a 70 percent bottle of alcohol you can buy for under a buck thus eliminating mixing water . Another video used glycerin for the flow improvement. Just saying.

[@brot5246]

Plus 99% is flammable, I agree .

[@peterecos634]

Gonna try this. So that I'm doing this right: for 60 ml mix 28 ml of IPA with 38 ml of distilled water, add 1 ml of the retarder and 1 ml of the flow improver.

[@Konto_o_wszystkim704]

wel well smart idea which producers will not like!!!! L)

[@dodo1opps]

GO YOU 'R's!!!

[@marekbambule5129]

Im just LOST... water, isopropyl okay, but flow improver and retarder are the mixes of the SAME... Retarder is water + glycerine 9:1, Improver is water + Isopropanol + Retarder (glycerine 9:1)... So...im beginner and Im lost, why just dont use water+isopropanol+glycerine or butylglykol ???

[@jerseywalcott6408]

Amazing some time. You buy and assemble and outstanding model. You have the model ready and you have top flight paint so now you go ahead and make some moonshine thinner for your paint. Makes no sense.

[@ryanc1451]

It makes perfect sense if you understand basic high school level chemistry my dude.

[@RPista]

almost 7 minutes man of just needing the raw info. 2 parts distilled to one part 99% ipa alcohol.

[@tomaspuodziukynas5361]

OK. Dont throw me under the bus, but can I cahnge isopropanol with simple Vodka?

[@genessismodels]

lol I think whisky would be better

[@tomaspuodziukynas5361]

@@genessismodels it was serious question. And actaully tried dissolving paint with only spirit found at home - Jose Quervo tequilla. Can share it works 6/10 LOL. So totally useable as plan B.

[@joeshumo9457]

Lol, flow improver... wtf is flow improver? Regular paint thinner? Kerosene? Piss? The other one is an emulsifier, like safer soap. But “ flow improver “, means nothing to me. All you said was that flow improver helps it to flow. That’s not an explanation.

[@scorpio9578]

FINNERS! Please can you try saying TH and not F....great vids apart from that!

[@jj-icejoe6642]

You make me laugh because flow improuver and fluid retarder are exactly the same thing, the same components just different compositions. So there's a lot of contradiction in your formula.

[@andyl5645]

Too much explaining. It would be nice to show the process in 1/2 the time (6min) or show the process up front, then explain the details...

[@ernestgalvan9037]

Far better too much info than too little. If you already know it all, then just ignore or mute what you don’t want.