Substitute thinner for Scalecoat l

[up148]

Using Scalecoat l to paint some brass trucks....I'm brushing it on as I'm not set up to airbrush yet. It's a new (just popped the lid) bottle (2010) and paint looks great, but although the bottle says "good to brush right out of the bottle", I'd like to thin it down a little. I have no model thinners and wondered what I could use.

[EdJakl]

You can order Scalecoat 1 thinner on line from Minuteman Scale Models. I personally have not tried any substitutes.

[up148]

Thanks Ed. I'll look for them.

[webenda]

I will second Ed's advice.

Many people report using mineral spirits with scale coat. Some comments to that include, "I tried it and the paint never dried."
Each product called mineral spirits/paint thinner has different ingredients in different proportions.
Minuteman warns about using paint thinners from other sources:
ONLY USE SCALECOAT I THINNER WITH SCALECOAT I PAINT
ONLY USE SCALECOAT II THINNER WITH SCALECOAT II PAINT
ANY OTHER THINNERS AVAILABLE WILL CAUSE THE PAINT TO GEL.
Source: https://www.minutemanscalemodels.com/v/ ... rChart.pdf
I think Minuteman is exaggerating but it is easier (opinion) to just buy Scalecoat thinner than to do trial and error or a chemical analysis on paint thinners. I have always purchased the recommended thinner at the same time as the paint.


Edits: Found another spelling error. Bad spelling seems to be increasing exponentially with age.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Each product called mineral spirits/paint thinner has different ingredients in different proportions.

Very true; as far as I know there is no standard.

Does make you ponder a bit as to just what is in Scalecoat paints that might cause this.

[up148]

ANY OTHER THINNERS AVAILABLE WILL CAUSE THE PAINT TO GEL.

I just read that on another forum when I did a search, the post was dated several years ago, but apparently it's true, as it happened to the poster.

I'll just go to Minuteman and buy some product.

[De Bruin]

It's true, any trace of a standard lacquer thinner hits the source jar of SC1 and the countdown starts,
time left depends on how much is transferred and how long you wait before going back to it. If you catch it early enough you can reduce the congealing mass with a one of those stirring tools from Micro-Mark, but it's a pita.
The resulting finish can be sticky too, though in my experience successive exposure to a good heat lamp or (better) sunlight for a few days will eventually cure it, definitely throws it all off schedule though.
Factory thinner is for sure worth the extra effort to get.