Tamiya Acrylic versus Vallejo or Hataka Acrylics

[typhoonfanatic]

Hi,

Ever since discovering airbrushing models I have always used Tamiya Acrylics - I recently purchased sets of Vallejo and Hataka Acrylics t try but i have not had the courage to experiment with them, can anyone suggest or advice me on the correct way to handle these products i.e diluting or not diluting, model preparation and compressor pressure. Thank you.

[Ratch]

 I'm not keen on Tamiya paints personally, they spray well if thinned but their range of colours is restrictive. I've never heard of Hartaka Acrylics so cannot comment. I get on great with Vallejo. Their Model Air paints don't need thinning. Shake the bottle well, (I use a gravity feed airbrush) and can squeeze the smallest drop into the cup then spray on the lowest pressure possible. Sometimes I prime, most times I don't (see my recent Dennis Fire Engine build in the Cars Forum). I've had the odd bottle that hasn't sprayed well, but I have over 100 bottles of Vallejo Model Air so percentage-wise its a pretty low failure rate (but these can still be used for brush painting).

HTH

[ironsides]

I use a Variety of Acryllics Humbrol (I would prefer bigger 30ml pots hint hint), Citadel, Revell and a few others such as Lucas, Rowney and Windsor and Newton thrown in, but I didnt find Tamiya suited me, Vallejo I hear is fairly decent though I've never had cause to use it, never heard of Hataka 😉

[DavidJC]

I have used Humbrol acrylics, spraying and brushing, with hit-and-miss results. I use (in no order) Tamiya, Mr Aqueous and Revell and am happy with those. Despite high recommendations, I personally can't get on with Vallejo Modelair and I am yet to try Hataka which again have had a mixed review so far.

 

As far as thinning goes, I would certainly always use the manufacturer's own thinner even though many say you can use water (I live in a very hard water area so would be a bit reluctant), although I do clean up with water. Tamiya and Mr Aqueous you can get away (just) without thinning for brushing, although both will benefit from some thinning. Both will need thinning for spraying. Revell will need quite a bit of thinning for brush or spraying  as it is very heavy and gloopy.

 

Unforrtunately it's trial and error with thinning and there is no hard and fast rule. I've found that even different colours from the same manufacturer will need different thinnning and even air pressures for spraying.

[John Symmons]

Hi Typhoonfanatic.

Welcome to the forum. I see this is your first post. Maybe an introduction in the New Comers posting would be a good idea..

Back to your question about acrylic paints. I used to use Humbrol enamels but got weary of the solvent thing. ( See my post modelling memories as to what happened to the Christmas Puddings.) I still use enamels sometimes but now mainly use acrylics, a mixture of Humbrol, Tamiya and Vallejo Model Colour. All-in-all I find Vallejo the best of the lot, they can be airbrushed if suitably thinned, I use their own thinner or dilutant together with water and / or Meths, but I have found they are better if applied over an undercoat or primmer. I use Tamiya matt white of the priming, and again suitably thinned, but you have to use the Tamiya thinners, do NOT use water as the paint can go lumpy or gooey. Tamiya paints I usually keep for airbrushing as I've not had much luck with brush painting with them. Vallejo are good for both methods. (Never tried Vallejo air so can't comment, although I only heard good reports on them. See Ratch's comments above. ) Humbrol acrylics are now unobtainable in SA as so many modellers have found the tins or tubs dried up even when new, and now model shops refuse to stock them. Maybe the situation is better in the UK, but I do see in this forum that many modellers also have had problems with them. the few Humbrol acrylics I do have I keep for brush painting as I've again not had much joy using them in the airbrush, then tend to clog the airbrush nozzle.

Never seen or heard off Hataka, but with whatever pain you do use it'll require some experimentation Just remember to use their own brand of thinner especially with Tamiya and any other alcohol solvent based acrylic paints.

Humbrol do make a good water based gloss varnish called Clear, that most modellers on this forum seem to prefer, but just be very weary of the Humbrol Matt Varnishes; again see this forum and the other one below. If you want a Matt varnish I can really recommend the Vallejo one Number 70.520 it brushes on beautifully leaving a fine matt finish

Good luck and I hope this helps. Trawl through this forum and the Tips & Techniques forum and I'm sure you'll find the answers to most if not all your questions and even some you've not thought off.

Remember we do this for fun     John the Pom

[Biggyinn]

Used airfix branded / humbrol for years , then tried various such revell ,gunze sangyo , tamiya , testors and a few more odd ones while good where impossible to get again , never liked tamiya much as offerd limited range same with gunze (although sone of gunze IJN colours where very good colour scale)

The best is vallejo by a very big margin , i have used model air & model.color 

I have found the colour representation to be excellent and coverage very good 

[Russ1707821018]

One thing to be aware of is that Tamiya Acrylics are not water-based like Vallejo. I have found that Tamiya paints airbrush best when thinned with lacquer thinner. I have not found a better gloss white for airbrushing than Tamiya. However, if you want to avoid solvent based paints, which would be recommended unless you have a vented spray booth, then Vallejo or Hataka are probably the way to go. The Tamiya paint range is also somewhat limited and they tend to only have colours that match the kits in their catalogue. 

[peebeep]

I'll second Tamiya paint as working very well if thinned with lacquer (cellulose to Brits). It also works well with Mr Color Levelling thinner. I recently acquired some Mr Color paints that are also lacquer based, but haven't tried them yet, but people whose opinion I respect tell me they're the bees knees. I've never been at all tempted to try Vallejo paints, I've seen models that are supposed to be finished in RAF equivalent colours and they look miles out.

[Kenneth ONeill]

I don't spraygun, but can confirm that Tamiya (and Gunze Sangyo "Mr Color") acrylics are spirit based so need cellulose or similar thinners. They're actually broken down by water.

OTOH Humbrol (and Games Workshop, Revell and Vallejo) are all water based and can be thinned with water.

[Ratch]

 Which group do Hataka paints fall into? Spirit or water based?

[Russ1707821018]

 Which group do Hataka paints fall into? Spirit or water based?

Water-based.

[allan ford]

I tried Tamiya acrylics. Never again! Paint was drying almost as soon it left the brush making it well nigh impossible to get a smooth finish. I cannot comment on Vallejo but, my experience with Hataka acrylics was unfortunately entirely negative. I bought two of the smaller sets to try them. They are advertised as being suitable for brush painting. I beg to differ. I tried them on an old, pre-primed test model.Consistency was like milk. Colour density was appalling. Took 7 coats to get an opaque finish with one of the colours. Adhesion was minimal. Tried the masking tape test & it lifted huge patches of colour right down to the primer. Run a finger nail lightly over it & the stuff flakes off with little persuasion. I binned the lot. Will never use them again. Personally, I mostly use Revell Aqua & Humbrol. The Revell paints in particular brush on very smoothly giving a nice,even finish.  

[peebeep]

If you're attempting to use Tamiya acrylic for bristle brushing, then retarder/flow enhancer is going to be pretty much de rigeur, or using a technique that entails being ultra bold and flooding a coat on as quickly as possible and under no circumstances attempt to brush it out.

[peebeep]

If you're attempting to use Tamiya acrylic for bristle brushing, then retarder/flow enhancer is going to be pretty much de rigeur, or using a technique that entails being ultra bold and flooding a coat on as quickly as possible and under no circumstances attempt to brush it out.