Substitutes for Floquil thinner?

[Railphotog]

I've always used lacquer thinner to clean my airbrushes and paint brushes.   While I still have some Diosol (2 pint cans), I'll probably use the lacquer thinner when I run out.   It will dissolve/thin almost anything.  I use it to clean my airbrush after using acrylic paint that always hardens around the inside of the color cup.

 

 

[bogp40]

Since the DioSol is now almost imposible to find, I use what I still have on hand to thin for airbrushing only. Any regular quality paint thinner works of clean up and brush painting. The new version of the Floequil thinner is not the same. I used to paint one shot over bare plastic using Diosol as thinner and never had any problems. The new thinner will craize the plastic on many models if you don't prime or barrier first.

I had a chemist do a quick analysis of the DioSol and it came back about 80% toululene 10- 15% Xylene plus other. I have tried straight toululene and it works, but will dry very, very fast. It is hard to not get a rough, gravel finish when this happens. You need to apply more paint and shoot much closer to the model than I'm comfortable with.

If anyone has found a better substitute I would like to know also.

[loathar]

I would not use paint thinner or mineral spirits except to clean your brushes. Enamel reducer from an auto paint store works. I think I heard some folks use acetone too.

[R. T. POTEET]

According to my LHS, the largest container of thinner available from Testors/Floquil is now only a halfpint can, at (of course) a not-exactly-halfpint price.  The stuff's been expensive all along, but now with only small containers available, the problem has increased, and I'm ready to entertain a good substitute.

Is there a garden-variety product on the market that serves a good mixer with Floquil solvent-based paints?

Thanks in advance for any informaton.

This subject was tackled in an NMRA bulletin many, many years ago; there is/was a product available at auto supply houses which worked just great.  you might try the all-time index and see what you can find.

[pbjwilson]

Paint Thinner from your local paint store. Gallon price about 4 bucks.

[garyla]

According to my LHS, the largest container of thinner available from Testors/Floquil is now only a halfpint can, at (of course) a not-exactly-halfpint price.  The stuff's been expensive all along, but now with only small containers available, the problem has increased, and I'm ready to entertain a good substitute.

Is there a garden-variety product on the market that serves as a good mixer with Floquil solvent-based paints?

Thanks in advance for any informaton.