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Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Thinner

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Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Thinner
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 6:52 PM

Since I have been booted off of almost all the wargaming chat groups... I need to post this question here. Hopefully someone can help.

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Delta used to make a product called "Thinner for Acylic Paints" (not a very creative name, but very desciptive) that I loved.

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I am down to my last 1/4 ounce, and apparently it is no longer made. Sad

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Does anyone know of an equivilent product by another manufacturer?

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by RR_Mel on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 6:59 PM

I use distilled water for thinning and cleaning for brush painting and Tamiya Acrylic Thinner for airbrushing.
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
  
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
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Posted by HO-Velo on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 7:07 PM

I've had success using Liquitex Airbrush medium to thin some acrylic paints, but not Delta Ceramcoat.

Regards,  Peter

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 7:07 PM

 All the Acrylics that I use can be thinned with denatured alcohol marine stove fuel and that includes the Citadel paint that I use for the 40k Wargamer figures that I paint for one of My Son's.

The above two pic's are the 28mm plastic figures/vehicles painted with a brush/airbrush and Citadel paint thinned with denatured alcohol.

This is the brand I use......I get it in the gallon size:

https://www.amazon.com/SUNNYSIDE-CORPORATION-83432-1-Quart-Denatured/dp/B000BZZ36K

I also use it to strip paint on plastic body shells, does a great job and will not harm the plastic. I do not emerge the shell in it....havn't found the need to.

 

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 7:32 PM

I use Citadel, Vallejo, and Reaper Pro.

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The Delta Ceramcoat Product was not just a thinner. It was also an extender to keep the paint from drying too quickly, it eliminated surface tension so the paint would flow off of the brush better, and a thinner to get a feathered edge. It was an amazing product for brush painting. 

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It was one of those "skill in a bottle" products.

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I really hope there is an equivilent out there.

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Sad

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-Kevin

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 7:51 PM

The denatured alcohol......should do the same thing........get a small container and try it. What did You use to thin the Citadel with?

The Delta ceramcoat paint is just a craft paint, soap and water wash up....the alcohol will help with flow when brushing.....I know for a fact, it does with the Citadel...which is a thicker paint.

Good Luck! Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 8:01 PM

zstripe
The denatured alcohol should do the same thing get a small container and try it. What did You use to thin the Citadel with?

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I have tried alcohol, and it speeds up drying instead of extending working time. That is the opposite of what I need. I used Ceramocat thinner in all brands of paint.

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I never use Delta paints for miniature painting, but their thinner was the best stuff made for brush painting.

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-Kevin

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Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 8:21 PM

SeeYou190

I have tried alcohol, and it speeds up drying instead of extending working time. That is the opposite of what I need.

Yes, I've noticed that as well.

Robert

LINK to SNSR Blog


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Posted by zstripe on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 5:03 AM

SeeYou190
I have tried alcohol, and it speeds up drying instead of extending working time. That is the opposite of what I need. I used Ceramocat thinner in all brands of paint.

You do know that Denatured Alcohol solvent/Marine stove fuel is Not the same as 70%/91% Isopropyl alcohol...correct?

Aren't there any ingredients/contents on the label of the container for the thinner You have left? Seems odd......there is no harmful ingredients MSDS on the paint. So I am wondering why the thinner You say is so great......It appears to Me that distilled water can be used sucessfully.

Good Luck! Big Smile

You may want to try Scalecoat II thinner......I hear it does a good job....I have no experience with it though. I tend to stay with what works for Me.

Frank

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Posted by snjroy on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 6:44 AM

I've used Vallejo airbrush cleaner. It can also be used as a thinner for acrylics.

Simon

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Posted by ROBERT PETRICK on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 7:54 AM

zstripe

 

 
SeeYou190
I have tried alcohol, and it speeds up drying instead of extending working time. That is the opposite of what I need. I used Ceramocat thinner in all brands of paint.

 

You do know that Denatured Alcohol solvent/Marine stove fuel is Not the same as 70%/91% Isopropyl alcohol...correct?

Correct. Denatured alcohol is ethanol with phenolpthalein added. Phenolpthalein (in tiny amounts) is the active ingredient in X-lax. You could buy ethanol at the liquor store (many painters do) and it would work exactly the same. Alcohol added to paints (whether ethanol, methanol, or isopropanol) evaporates faster than water and speeds up the drying process. Good for spray painting, gummy for brush painting. Only my My 2 Cents.

Robert 

LINK to SNSR Blog


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Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 9:48 AM

Distilled water has always worked great for me with brush painting using all brands of Acrylic Crafters paints.  It doesn’t extend the working time but thinning with Distilled Water dose help feathering.  I haven’t had problems with surface tension using Acrylic paints unless the object wasn’t clean.
 
You can’t beat the price of Distilled Water at under $1 per gallon for thinning.
 
If I want to speed up the drying process Denatured Alcohol works very good used sparingly.  
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
  
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
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Posted by The Winter Wolf on Thursday, October 4, 2018 5:53 PM

SeeYou190
Since I have been booted off of almost all the wargaming chat groups... I need to post this question here.

Fascinating... you start out with "I have been booted off of almost all the wargaming chat groups", and no one here even pauses to ask you why. Hilarious.

Anyway... I agree with SNRJOY. Vallejo airbrush thinner works very good.

Building Terrain & Scenery in Tampa
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, November 23, 2018 3:59 PM

I found a product called "High Peformance Reducer" at Hobby Lobby. It is in the scale models section. It is manufactured by Wicked Colors.

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I gave it a first try with Vallejo Model Colour #992 Neutral Gray. I painted the ends of STRATTON & GILLETTE #18601 Baggage Car. First impressions follow.

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This product thins paint very well, and it did seem to prevent tip clogging on the brush. I used it with a Windsor & Newton Series VII sable brush. There were absolutely no brush marks on the finished model.

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I was also able to get a crisp separation line on the corner with no masking. The paint flowed off the brush tip smoothly and I had excellent control.

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This product DID NOT extend drying times like the Delta Ceramcoat thinner did. It might need to be blended with Arcrylic Float Medium to make it more useful.

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More experiments will follow.

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The Winter Wolf
Fascinating... you start out with "I have been booted off of almost all the wargaming chat groups", and no one here even pauses to ask you why.

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Hey Tomas, I did not see your reply until today.

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Nope... nobody asked. I think it is because most of them would have had the same problems! Whistling

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-Kevin

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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, November 23, 2018 5:04 PM

SeeYou190
Since I have been booted off of almost all the wargaming chat groups..

I missed this whole thread until now.  When I got back into MR a couple years ago I joined this forum and one other that thas Atlas in it's name.  Somebody got bounced from this forum and all his posts were deleted and went there and was instantly recognized.

I never got the gist of his transgressions.

edit Forgot to mention Model Master has an acrylic thinner.  I have a can, I don't remember buying it and have not used it.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, November 24, 2018 12:17 AM

A quick google search turned up a possible solution.

It also seems to me that I recently saw an extender/retarder at the hobbyshop when I was buying some Dullcote.  I can't recall, though, if it was a Testors' product or Tamiya.

Wayne

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Posted by garya on Monday, November 26, 2018 2:29 PM

Maybe not the best solution, but I use Future (now called Pledge Floor Gloss) to thin Delta Ceramcoat paints for airbrushing.  I sometimes add a small amount of alcohol/Windex/Washer Fluid, and add Future 50/50 with the paint and mix well.  YMMV.

One of the problems with using distilled water or alcohol to thin acrylic paint is that the paint can be so thin, there's very little binder left.  Future is clear acyrlic, so there's still plenty of binder.  

Gary

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, February 1, 2020 2:00 PM

I FINALLY FOUND IT!

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After trying about a dozen different products, I found one that works exactly like the DELTA CERAMCOAT Thinner For Acrylic Paints.

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This is (not surprisingly) made by Vallejo. I found it in the store for Mega-Hobby online.

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This stuff is the same color, same smell, same consistency, EVERYTHING! It is Vallejo part number 73-524 100% Acrylic Resin Thinner Medium.

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I am so happy right now. It is like I has a skill-injection into my painting arm! This, along with my new Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes and all my new Vallejo paints has me so thrilled.

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This is a great day.

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If you brush paint with Citadel, Vallejo, or other acrylic paints, you need to give this a try.

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Do not use it with Tamiya. Tamiya paints require their own thinner.

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I still had a tiny amout of the Delta Ceramcoat thinner left. This new bottle arrived just in time.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by betamax on Saturday, February 1, 2020 6:36 PM

Actually, it isn't a thinnner, it is a retarder.  It allows a longer working time with paint by slowing the process of curing, and allows the paint to level in the process, helping to hide brush marks.

They do make products for regular "latex" paint available at hardware and paint stores, such as "Floetrol." Probably would work with craft paints as well.  You only add a small quantity to a gallon of paint, so for craft paints it would be drops. (One container is more than enough for 3 of those 5 gallon pails).

Despite the name, latex paint is really an acrylic resin.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, February 1, 2020 6:41 PM

betamax
Actually, it isn't a thinnner, it is a retarder.

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Yes, I said that in one of my responses above, about four from the top. I explained why simply making the paint thinner would not provide the results I was seeking.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, February 3, 2020 4:01 PM

Thinner for acrylic paints: Here is what this stuff does, and why it is so special and important.

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First, most high quality paints ofr miniatures are kind of thick, and have a very high pigment load. I use mostly Vallejo, Reaper Pro, and Citadel paints. These three have very simialr characteristics, although some paints in these lines are referred to as Glazes or Washes, so they will behave differently. In the Citadel line there are Foundation paints wich have an incredibly high pigment load.

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Straight from the bottle, these paints are good for initial base coats of color, but for building up color they will not product good results. After the initial base coat is applied, the paints must be thinned to perform properly.

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Delta Ceramcoat thinner was my favorite. Some professional painters have made theor own formulas for "paint juice", I prefer to find something commercially available.

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The Vallejo thinner works very well for me.

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I use a Masterson Wet Pallette for miniature painting. It keeps the paints workable for a reasonably long time. I squeeze a few drops of paint onto the pallette.

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Then I add one drop of the thinner. The thinner looks white, but from what I can see, it causes no colour shift in the paints.

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The thinner must be mixed thoroughly into the paint.

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For this to work properly, you need very good quality brushes. I prefer the Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes with natural fiber (Russian weasel tail) bristles. There are online videos showing how these brushes are made, and why they command the price. 

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If the tip of the brush is touched to the thinned paint, the paint will draw itself into the bristles. Then, when the bristles are touched to the model, the paint just flows off. The first time I did this, and saw what paint control really could be, my mind was blown.

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If you use the appropriate size brush, it will hold enough paint to paint a line about 1/2" long before being refilled. Try to keep pain on the lower half of the bristles and away from the ferrule this makes cleaning easier.

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Using paints with a high pigment load, that are properly thinned, can open up all kinds of detailing.

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I painted the etched brass wooden walkways with Vallejo "New Wood" that was thinned as described above. This gave me the control to get a clean edge with no masking.

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Then I used Citadel "Agrax Earthshade" to bring the walkways to a suitable well used and worn coloration.

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I painted the highlighted portions of the black car with "German Black Camo Highlight" from Vallejo. The effect is very subtle, but it makes small details pop out. The handrail stanchion tops wre also highlighted.

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Advanced miniature painting using the correct products is a great tool to add to your hobby skill box.

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The placard was painted Vallejo "Intermediate Green" just for contrast.

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-Kevin

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Posted by jjdamnit on Thursday, February 6, 2020 12:08 PM

Hello All,

Glad you found a replacement.

I don't do much brush painting but thank you for the info.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, February 6, 2020 12:21 PM

That's a good-lookin' tankcar, Kevin, and some useful information on paint, too. Thumbs UpThumbs Up

Wayne

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, February 7, 2020 9:17 PM

jjdamnit
thank you for the info.

doctorwayne
That's a good-lookin' tankcar, Kevin, and some useful information on paint, too

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I am happy to share. I hope I will eventually have time to put some real information together.

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-Kevin

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Posted by hon30critter on Saturday, February 8, 2020 12:10 AM

Kevin,

Great modelling and great information!! I have finally found a way to make something look like natural wood!

Thanks,

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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