CA Delta Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Has any one tried or used this as a reducer? I saw this recommended on an airbrush website. Whats your favorite? I should mention this is for water based acrylics. - 1 cup water - 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol - 1/4 cup windex - 5 drops of glycerine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downriver Tackle Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 (edited) Has any one tried or used this as a reducer? I saw this recommended on an airbrush website. Whats your favorite? I should mention this is for water based acrylics.- 1 cup water - 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol - 1/4 cup windex - 5 drops of glycerine Someone may have found that it works in a certain brand paint, or at least they think it works, but no way is it a universal reducer that's going to work with all acrylics. There's 100's of different acrylic resins and most of them do not like alcohols. The effects aren't always initially apparent. Sometimes it sprays and dries fine, but if you checked the integrity of that film compared to one properly reduced, it's weak and chalky. Beyond the alcohols, there's Ph and stability issues to deal with also. A proper universal waterbased acrylic reducer is usually around 80:20 water:solvent, with the solvent being a glycol ether. Usually there's something in there also to keep the Ph up and possibly a specific surfactant to keep it from shocking the paint when added. Sometimes a small amount of alcohol also, because it does help with atomization in some systems, but nowhere near the amount in that recipe. Like I said though, there's 100's of different resins, so there's really no "universal" answer. Always best to use the manufacturers reducer. Edited December 21, 2008 by Downriver Tackle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snax Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 While I have experimented with and used my own home brewed reducers I also strongly advocate using the manufacturers reducer. There's just too many unknowns when using your own concoctions and I can't afford to find out that the paint peels off after the baits are shipped. I use Auto Air and Createx paints and use the 4011 series reducer. It has undergone some recent formula changes to increase sprayability and reduce tip dry. The latest change was the addition of more solvent to help break down the pigment and make the paints even smoother when sprayed. So far I'm really pleased with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 So, if I'm reading what you guys say correctly, stick with the manuf.'s reducer, and save the alcohol for the painter. Is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downriver Tackle Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 So, if I'm reading what you guys say correctly, stick with the manuf.'s reducer, and save the alcohol for the painter.Is that right? Now you're getting it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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