What to thin enamels with for airbrush?

[dawgvet]

Just starting to build a little bit again. I have a bunch of old Model Master paints that I’d like to use with my new Badger airbrush. What is the best thing to thin these enamels with to paint small parts? I assume lacquer thinner shouldn’t be used with enamels? 
 
Thanks

[Can-Con]

Lacquer thinner is all I've ever used to thin down Testors paint for airbrushing.

[StevenGuthmiller]

10 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

Lacquer thinner is all I've ever used to thin down Testors paint for airbrushing.

I agree. 
My opinion is that lacquer thinner works the best for thinning enamel.

 

 

 

Steve

[Bills72sj]

I just painted these last week. i used two different colors of Testors metallic blue enamel mixed together. Then filled the just emptied bottles of with hardware store lacquer thinner. (To extract every last bit of color) All of it was dumped into a larger clean/new jar.

This yielded 1 full fluid ounce of thinned paint.

It was prayed at 20 psi through a 0.5mm airbrush. The spoon is bare plastic with no primer whatsoever. The sleeper is over Future (used to seal the masking to prevent bleed under). The gloss is amazing. I may likely not clear coat it. Though I am going to be patient and let it cure for quite a few days before handling. The fact that it is Testors enamel means, it will be pretty tough one it does cure fully.

[Bainford]

Another vote for inexpensive hardware store lacquer thinner. Spray with good ventilation, and preferably a good, half-mask respirator fitted with cartridges for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

[Doug 1061]

Enamel reducer works well also.   And for the super cheap route mineral spirits will work.  I painted the top on this Skyliner mixing 3 or 4 different Testors colors and thinned with $2/gallon(at the time) mineral spirits.   Polishes up pretty good.

 

[Dpate]

I would only use cheap store bought lacquer thinner for cleaning airbrushes etc.  I would use higher quality thinner like Mr hobby leveling thinner or even tamiya's lacquer thinner, but that's just me though.  If you use the cheap stuff from big box store and it works good for you than great.  

[Don Sikora II]

I've had my best results with Testors Model Master Airbrush thinner. It works great with any Testors enamels I've tried it with, along with vintage Pactra 'Namel. Not sure if it's still available from Testors, but a few years ago you could get it at Hobby Lobby.

[Engine 51]

Another vote for thinning enamel with lacquer thinner. Have always had very good results with it.