Wal-mart Flow-art Acrylic Paints

[troutgnat]

Gentlemen,

I believe I am ready to begin practicing with my new airbrush. I've had it almost a week and haven't touched it yet. I'm trying to learn all I can before diving in. I have been through almost all 230+ pages of the hardbait forum, gathering much information. So here's my question!

I read several post speaking of the cheap Wal-Mart acrylic paints. I DO NOT want to waste my new Createx paint in the training phase till I'm ready so why not practice with some "cheap" paint. I understand Createx will shoot differently but I will learn that when the time comes, right now I'm just looking to learn the mechanics of the gun....i.e. tempo, flow, air volume, etc. So, anyway I had read somewhere about the method of thinning this stuff. Like a dummy, didn't right it down and now can't find it. Someone mentioned maybe water, denatured alcohol and drops of dish soap????? I didn't quite understand the mix ratio. The Wal-Mart Flow-Art paints I found come in the typical 2oz bottle.

Please help me thin this stuff so I can spray it to begin my practice sessions.

Thanks to some of your advice I have denatured acohol, acetone and laquer thinner on-hand.

[bassnbrad]

This is one that I had saved for a interesting mix to try.

Formula:

1.5 oz Isopropyl alcohol

5 oz water

1.5 to 2 drops of Glycerin

Mix it up in an 8oz squeeze bottle.

Mark it with a sharpie for the ratios.

Sprays like heaven when mixed 4:1 (4 parts solution to 1 part paint)

At this moment I am using primarily the cheaper metalics and bases from Hobby lobby and thinning with Sterile water. Works great for learning. I would also suggest checking out the site below, there is a lot of interesting information and tutorials. Above all else I would suggest learning how to clean your gun, it helps a lot. Hope this helps, bb

[troutgnat]

Bassnbrad,

I apologize for my idioticism here but I am not a mathematical genius. I understand your formula but I don't get the 4 to 1 ratio. I will be buying paint in 2oz bottles, can you give me the specs for this amount of paint. Do you thin all of it at once? I would think that's best but then agan I'm a newbie! Also, where can I find assorted sizes of squeeze bottles and glycerin.? What kind of scale you all weighing this out on? Thanks.

[RayburnGuy]

Troutgnat, are you married? Does your wife bake? If so then try swiping some of her food coloring. It's cheap. Is thin enough you don't need to add any thinners and is readily available at pretty much any grocery store.

[gunnie3035]

Just use plain old tap water or buy a jug of windex from the dollar store. Cut and spray its just paint and there is no wrong way to do it.

[Fishwhittler]

Troutgnat, are you married? Does your wife bake? If so then try swiping some of her food coloring. It's cheap. Is thin enough you don't need to add any thinners and is readily available at pretty much any grocery store.

I wouldn't recommend trying that. I tried it once, and the food coloring seeps through any paint you spray over it.

@ troutgnat, you shouldn't have any problems spraying Wal-Mart paints. I use them a lot, and they spray well when properly thinned. I use water to thin my paint, and I usually thin to about the consistency of milk or a little thicker. The Wal-Mart paints do seem to take more coats than createx to cover other colors. This is particularly true with the white Wal-Mart paint, but on the other hand the black will cover just about anything very easily.

Hope this helps.

Ben

[RayburnGuy]

I wouldn't recommend trying that. I tried it once, and the food coloring seeps through any paint you spray over it.

@ troutgnat, you shouldn't have any problems spraying Wal-Mart paints. I use them a lot, and they spray well when properly thinned. I use water to thin my paint, and I usually thin to about the consistency of milk or a little thicker. The Wal-Mart paints do seem to take more coats than createx to cover other colors. This is particularly true with the white Wal-Mart paint, but on the other hand the black will cover just about anything very easily.

Hope this helps.

Ben

I might have misunderstood the question. I took it to mean he was looking for something cheap to practice with and not actually paint any baits, but to just practice his brush strokes and get a feel for the brush. My bad.

[BobP]

I'm not familiar with Flow Art. The hobby paint I used to buy at Walmart was Apple Barrel (which I liked), Folk Art and similar brands. Whether they will run through an airbrush depends on the size of your tip. If it's .35mm or larger, you might be OK. They won't shoot through my Iwata Revolution B (.3mm tip). When I used hobby paints, I thinned them with plain water. Adding a little glycerin as a flow agent will also help but the big problem is the large pigment particles will tend to clog. In the end, practicing with hobby paint may not be an advantage since shooting airbrush paint will be so different. I buy 4 oz and larger bottles of airbrush paint and only restock about once a year, doing 100-125 crankbaits. IMO, unless you are shooting lots of crankbaits on a regular basis, the cost for airbrush paint is very reasonable. It will last longer than you think.

[troutgnat]

Bob,

My bad it is Folk Art, just bought some today. I'm shooting an Iwata Eclipse with a .35 tip. What's the advantage of Windex and glycerin I hear others talk of thinning with? And, where does one find glycerin?

I'm not familiar with Flow Art. The hobby paint I used to buy at Walmart was Apple Barrel (which I liked), Folk Art and similar brands. Whether they will run through an airbrush depends on the size of your tip. If it's .35mm or larger, you might be OK. They won't shoot through my Iwata Revolution B (.3mm tip). When I used hobby paints, I thinned them with plain water. Adding a little glycerin as a flow agent will also help but the big problem is the large pigment particles will tend to clog. In the end, practicing with hobby paint may not be an advantage since shooting airbrush paint will be so different. I buy 4 oz and larger bottles of airbrush paint and only restock about once a year, doing 100-125 crankbaits. IMO, unless you are shooting lots of crankbaits on a regular basis, the cost for airbrush paint is very reasonable. It will last longer than you think.

[BobP]

Iwata warns against using products containing ammonia (like Windex) in its airbrushes because it dissolves chrome finish. I've never used glycerin but think you can buy it at a pharmacy.

[spoonbender]

I was in the same boat, couldn't resist the Wally World Folk Art paints and experimented with different methods of thinning. I had good results with Future floor finish, had the most gloss and coverage, but with certain colors it caused clumping. Plain water worked but seemed to reduce the flow characteristics. Windex was the best overall thinner for all colors and it worked well in my cheapo Badger. As far as the ammmonia issue.....defer to the Iwata owners as to it's applicibility. I'm leaning towards use of more water based paints as my wife claims the years of inhaling regular solvent based paints have caused brain damage, a claim I would argue if I could think of the words...

[Hughesy]

I use 4011 Createx reducer. Decreases curing times by assisting water’s evaporation from color through a mild flashing of reducer’s co-solvent.Improves flow, decreases dry-tip and improves atomization of colors. You just need to try different ratios because each bottle of paint is a different thickness. The thinner you make the paint, the slower it will dry but the finer it will shoot. Don't thin as much for faster coverage such as you base colors.

[denb]

I also use Wally World paint at times because they are more readily available than other brands in my hometown. I learned of a mix awhile back (from Snax?) that uses Ethyl alcohol,distilled water, and glycerin.The easiest way to find liquid Glycerin is in the form of liquid laxatives. The mix is: 2 parts water (4ozs.), one part alcohol (one oz.), and one or two drops glycerin. Thin paint as you see necessary. Hope this helps, it was a life saver for me.

[denb]

I also use Wally World paint at times because they are more readily available than other brands in my hometown. I learned of a mix awhile back (from Snax?) that uses Ethyl alcohol,distilled water, and glycerin.The easiest way to find liquid Glycerin is in the form of liquid laxatives. The mix is: 2 parts water (4ozs.), one part alcohol (one oz.), and one or two drops glycerin. Thin paint as you see necessary. Hope this helps, it was a life saver for me.

I forgot to mention strain the paint through ladies hose or cheesecloth because there will always be a clump of paint to stop your brush up.

[DUCBOS]

I use Folk Art paint all the time. They have a lot more colors than Createx.

Make sure you follow the instructions for thinning given on this web site. This until it is lie the consistency of milk.

I use the 95/5/5 that is also found in the search feature of this site. 95% distilled water / 5% isopropal alcohol / 5 drops of dawn dish washing liquid. You need this in large amounts to clean your air brush anyway, and it works great to thin paint. Mix well.

There are more expensive ways to do all of this. I don't know if there is much in the way of difference in results. (as far as paints and solutions, that is. there is a lot of difference in talent and practice)

[mark poulson]

I use Folk Art paint all the time. They have a lot more colors than Createx.

Make sure you follow the instructions for thinning given on this web site. This until it is lie the consistency of milk.

I use the 95/5/5 that is also found in the search feature of this site. 95% distilled water / 5% isopropal alcohol / 5 drops of dawn dish washing liquid. You need this in large amounts to clean your air brush anyway, and it works great to thin paint. Mix well.

There are more expensive ways to do all of this. I don't know if there is much in the way of difference in results. (as far as paints and solutions, that is. there is a lot of difference in talent and practice)

Are those quantites for a gallon of water?

[troutgnat]

Yea,

Still confused here! I'm with Mark. Are you making up a solution of these 3 ingredients ahead of time and then you use this mix to thin your paint to consistency of milk.?

That is the way I read it. I somewhat understand your ratio but like Mark said, is this for a gallon of mix?. Would you please care to give weight ratio's for this mix???? You know this many ounces of this, a cup of this, teaspoon of that.

Some of us might be able to understand a little easier. I do appreciate so much the advice however I'm not the best mathmetician. In fact, it was my worse subject in school!...........Sorry.

Are those quantites for a gallon of water?

[DUCBOS]

Yea,

Still confused here! I'm with Mark. Are you making up a solution of these 3 ingredients ahead of time and then you use this mix to thin your paint to consistency of milk.?

That is the way I read it. I somewhat understand your ratio but like Mark said, is this for a gallon of mix?. Would you please care to give weight ratio's for this mix???? You know this many ounces of this, a cup of this, teaspoon of that.

Some of us might be able to understand a little easier. I do appreciate so much the advice however I'm not the best mathmetician. In fact, it was my worse subject in school!...........Sorry.

Get a gallon of distilled water in the plastic jug.

Pour out 3 ounces.

Add 3-4 ounces of alcohol to the jug.

Add 5 drops of dish washing liquid to the jug.

Shake well.

Keep it on your bench in small squirt bottles (dollar store for catchup and mustard)

Use to clean your spray gun as well as thin paint.

I have to do things simple. Too stupid to do any other way.