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My trick for thinning craft paint Scenery and structures
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Active Member 35 posts kory123 Active Member 35 posts
kory123

For those of you that like to use an airbrush for scenery work specifically I have found a way to thin cheap craft store paint. As far as for your locomotives and rolling stock I still recommend the better quality airbrush specific paints but like all things it’s a matter of personal preference.

Without further ado... The product I use is called Floetrol by Flood which is made by PPG. It’s available at major home improvement stores and at many hardware and paint stores as well. I mix mine in a cheap, dollar store, condiment squirt bottle (it’s a clear version of the ketchup/mustard bottles at diners and concession stands).

Fill the bottom of the squirt bottle about an 1/8 with the Floetrol, then fill with distilled/purified/filtered water just past 3/4 full, add a couple drops of alcohol, seal up the squirt bottle and shake it like it owes you money. The finished, homemade airbrush medium can then be used to start the thinning process of the cheap acrylic, craft store paint.

If you need your paint thinned further after using this concoction use the water that I previously mentioned to get it to the preferred, final consistency. I had originally intended on buying either Golden brand or Liquitex airbrush medium for the exact same purpose but all the craft stores local to me had to special order it.

I could’ve ordered one of these airbrushe mediums from Amazon but I didn’t want it sitting on my porch for 8-10 hours in the cold. Hope this helps.

Kory

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Deemiorgos Super User 7,338 posts
Deemiorgos

Kory, Thanks for that

Kory,

Thanks for that info. 

Let's see pics of what you have been using this mixture on.
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Russ Bellinis Prolific poster 3,335 posts
Russ Bellinis

I have thinned the craft store paints with alcohol in the past.

I tried to do it with 70% isopropyl, but the paint reacted to it and partially became chunks that needed to be strained.  I then tried denatured alcohol and found that it worked great.  I did not try 90% isopropyl.
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Rick Sutton Prolific poster 4,358 posts
Rick Sutton

Floetrol

I have found Floetrol to be useful when painting backdrops with latex house paint. It retards the drying process and makes feathering one color into the next much easier.
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kory123 Active Member 35 posts
kory123

Thanks everyone. At some

Thanks everyone. At some point I will have some pics of what I used it on. I used to use rubbing alcohol and water myself but I’ve found that the flow aid and leveling aid combined with the purified water I get no clumps.

Kory
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Arizona Slim Active Member 57 posts
Arizona Slim
I thin craft paints with 20% water and a few drops of Liquitex  Flow-aid.  They spray very well for me. 
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Kory Regular poster 141 posts
Kory
Arizona Slim, I had intended to use either Liquitex Flow Aid or Golden airbrush medium. I picked the Floetrol on a gut feeling for lack of better terms and am pleased with the results. But you can definitely use Liquitex and get some great results. I have to use store bought distilled/purified water due to the insane iron content of our water. 
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Arizona Slim Active Member 57 posts
Arizona Slim
I’m on well-water, so I definitely use bottled water to thin paint! It makes far better coffee too!
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Kory Regular poster 141 posts
Kory
I bet it does for sure.
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Michael Tondee MRH Author 5,522 posts
Michael Tondee
I don't know where I picked up  the tip but I thin craft paints with Fantastik spray cleaner. It's also what I use to clean up with after spraying. It's always worked well for me.

Michael, A.R.S. W4HIJ

 Model Rail, electronics experimenter and "mad scientist" for over 50 years.

Member of  "The Amigos" and staunch disciple of the "Wizard of Monterey"

My Pike: The Blackwater Island Logging&Mining Co.
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Kory Regular poster 141 posts
Kory
Michael T, 

I could see that working. A lot of model car builders swear by watered down Windex for cleaning and thinning. They also believe it or not use Future (Mop N’ Glow) floor polish as a varnish coat for decals and panel line washes. I don’t recommend the floor polish trick though, for model railroading anyway.

Believe it or not, there’s a company near me that makes window and windshield cleaner near me that gets tank cars a few times a week. 

Kory
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