MarcDavidBaits Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 How many of you use windex as a paint thinner? Are there any disadvantages to using it? I am planning on thinning some autoair colors with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith combs Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I use it for c-tex have had no problems as of yet. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc-lures Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 I also use it with no problems on the apple barrel paints. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ipock2 Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 No problems here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 My Son uses it with great success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21xdc Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 What is the purpose? I use water w/o trouble... I have read many use it, Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 Well here goes trouble. Windex has three main parts to it. Water ,alcohol and silicone to put a shine on a window. I have no problem with the first two but the third one I do. If you spray light enough coats you can do it but you are still applying silicone to the part which is not good for the final coat. This is where fish eyes come from. Many may use this but you may as well use just water and alcohol. The thinner I got with my order smelled like it may have had a hint of alcohol but not much. Distilled water with the iron removed is what I would use. Think about it if you get it on the bait without problems it is still under the finish and will not let the finish bite in as good as it could. There was a post earlier this week about a pearl coat that let the clear peel off,these problems are the ones you might encounter. Im not saying that was the problem in his case but those are the weird things that could happen. If you refinish any thing try to follow instructions from the manufacture they paid some one a lot of money to develope the product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seafoam Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I have been using Distilled water without any problem's and I also use it to clean my air brush.Its cheap too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I use it. It keeps me from streaking. Pretty effective. (that old gag!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojon Posted March 15, 2009 Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I always thought that it worked as a water tension remover,causing the paint to flow smoother.Years ago the acrilic paint line for art work sold a tension breaker for art painting.I checked a few weeks ago at a art store and didn't see it on the shelves.I always thought it was windex type solvent.Don't really know,but it worked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcDavidBaits Posted March 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2009 I'll give it a try this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvowell Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I've been using windshield washer fluid for a long time now as a c-tex thinner. Make sure you get the regular fluid and not the de-icing variety. Cheap, cheap, cheap. -D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I always thought Windex had ammonia in it. Never knew it had silicone. Maybe that's why I get some fish eyes in my epoxy. I'll be coating the lures with pastel fixative from now on before I epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 I'm assuming that you folks are using the "blue" windex and washer fluid to thin the paint. My question is; doesn't the thinner tend to tint the paint blue? www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Sorry wrong word it is ammonia that is in windex .I had a bottle of alcohol on the desk when I posted. There is alot of house hold products have silicone in it. Remember one thing if you need to get rid of silicone you need silicone to remove silicone. Wipe on then wipe off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTfishingrods Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 It has been said before on here that the ammonia damages the finish on your air brush also. It must take a long time because I havnt noticed any damage on mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny.Barile Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Hey guys..............Put a drop of dish detergent into a 1/2 gallon of cool water. Shake it up and leave it uncovered until the bubbles disapear. Use this to thin out cheap water based paints like apple barrel and for cleaning your airbrush. The soap content does break surface tension as was mentioned earlier which allows for better flow. Dont use an ammonia based product in your paint as you are attomizing it and do not want to breath that up. It will destroy your respiratory system and can actually cause brain damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikester Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 To echo what the last few posters have stated, yes Windex does work but IT IS NOT SAFE TO INHALE WHEN ATOMIZED! Also, talked to an Iwata service rep last year & asked him the same question. He just smiled & said "If you want to keep sending your brush to my service department for maintanence & repair then yes please keep using Windex!" That response along with the wicked headaches & dizziness I got when spraying Windex was reason enough for me to never touch that stuff with a ten foot pole ever again, even for window cleaning!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassinjody Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 thers a new windex that does not have ammonia in it been working for me i usally dont thin any thing except apple barrel paints . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 (edited) Ah, so deska! Now I understand why I'm so dumb....windex brain damage! Seriously, I think I have the newer Windex, but, if not, I'll put the Windex in the truck window washer, and some dish washing detergent and water in my clean up bottle. Thanks for the heads up. Does the ammonia attack the teflon seals? Or the O rings? Edited June 24, 2009 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrophius Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I have been using some stuff called Flotrol. It is from home depot and it is a medium for acrylic paints. If it does not get it thin enough for me, I can add water and it doesnt damage the adhesive properties because flotrol is pretty much acrylic paint with no pigment. Dunno, have not used it with every craft paint yet, but works for some of the thicke folk art stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army Doc Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 I met a guy who airbrushes cars and bikes for a living, and has been doing so for many many years, he says the best thing he has found is this: 1 cup rubbing alcohol 4 cups water 1 cup glass cleaner 5 drops glycerine I'd take this guys opinion in high reguard, he knows his poo, but I don't know if this is bad or good as far as our little niche goes. Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Tap water in a spray bottle. Works, it's cheap and easy to mix up a batch:lol: Createx says right on the bottle it can be thinned with water. I believe it. If you use esoteric airbrush paint with special formulation, something more may be needed or helpful. Using Createx, Smith Wildlife, Polytranspar, and Van Dykes acrylics, I haven't felt the need. Army Doc, the mix you posted contains stuff that is already in most airbrush paints as flow enhancer and surfactant. No harm, no foul. It should work good. Sometimes it seems to me that TUers are prone to gild every lily! (I'm not talking about thinning agents here, but it's related). It's fine if based on solid experience or scientific fact. But we see lots of posts about finish failures for seemingly mysterious reasons. The finish on a crankbait is a SYSTEM that works together to make it durable and pretty. There is chemical bonding and interaction between the finish layers going on, and they need to be compatible or problems will bite you on the .... For me, the best way to avoid problems has been to keep it simple. Use a set of compatible coatings and don't throw 'mystery ingredients' into the mix. If you do, recognize you're conducting an experiment that may fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Well said Bob . Just to many bench chemist out there for me. I let the paint manufactures do all the studying for me. That is what I pay them for(buy there product). A system is the best policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68KingFisher Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Well said Bob . Just to many bench chemist out there for me. I let the paint manufactures do all the studying for me. That is what I pay them for(buy there product). A system is the best policy. Wise words from both Frank and Bob.....don't play home chemistry with paints and cleaning supplies, then put them in your airbrush to atomize into the air your breathing.:?Not a good idea in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
