I have a couple of cans of Xtracolor paints that say to use mineral spirits, aka white spirits for thining and cleaning, so my question is can I just use standard enamel thinner in place of the minerial spirits?
I found on the internet that they are 99% the same thing. Just wondering if anybody has used Xtracolor paint before.
Technical information you get from the internet is best viewed with a jaundiced eye…
Yes, they are nearly the same thing. However, “paint thinner” can, and often does, contain small amounts of other solvents besides mineral spirits. Odorless mineral spirits is a purer form, with much fewer contaminants that might mess up your paint.
Hobby paints are generally “higher tech” than the stuff you buy at the hardware or paint store to put on walls and lawn furniture, and less tolerant of contamination.
The price differential between “paint thinner” and odorless mineral spirits is trivial compared to the cost of your hobby paint. Look at the price tag on the paint. That’s what, half an ounce? Multiply the price on the bottle by 256. That’s the price of the paint per gallon, probably somewhere between $700 and $800 US. IMHO, using a solvent you know to be safe for the paint is worth it.
But yes, “paint thinner” will probably work. If not, have fun cleaning a clogged airbrush and throwing out a model you spent how many hours on?
To add to Ross’s comments, here in Australia we have this stuff called “General purpose thinners” for enamels. According to the several MSDS’s that I’ve found for some of these thinners, they appear to be the next nearest thing to Lacquer thinners, often containing blends of mineral spirits, acetone, toluene and other solvents
If your enamel thinners are similar in composition, you may find them “hotter” than straight mineral spirits and possibly unfriendly to styrene.
If you happen to have some enamel thinner on hand then put a few drops of Xtracolor in a jar or cap or something and add a little enamel thinner and see if it mixes. If it mixes ok then it’s probably doable, if the paint balls up or turns to gel then it probably isn’t. If you have to buy the thinner to find out then I’d get mineral spirits.
A couple weeks ago I tried a little oderless mineral spirits in some Floquil black enamel and the paint turned to gel. Mix it with Testors Enamel Thinner and it’s fine. I haven’t found a MM enamel that I can’t thin with lacquer thinner if I want or need to but try using it with that same Floquil black and it bunches up. Not gel like with ODM, just little black flakes. You never know till you try. Just don’t mix it up in the A/B. [:D]
Tony