How long does Tamiya Acrylic paint last?

[erichyung]

I have few jars of Tamiya Acrylic paints that are about 4~5 years old. I opended lid today and saw that they're still in liquid form and the color is separated from the clear (on top). I was wondering if you guys thing the paint is still good.


Also, is it okay to use these acrylic paints for airbrushing?

[MPWR]

Yes, still good and yes, good for airbrushing.

[ejronin]

Originally Posted by erichyung

I have few jars of Tamiya Acrylic paints that are about 4~5 years old. I opended lid today and saw that they're still in liquid form and the color is separated from the clear (on top). I was wondering if you guys thing the paint is still good.


Also, is it okay to use these acrylic paints for airbrushing?

If you find the paint has thickened up a little too much, use a conservative amount of X-20 Tamiya Acrylic Thinner (very conservative) to thin it back out. The plus side is that you get a good flow of paint back in the acrylics. Besides, to use them in an airbrush it is my understanding that you'd have to thin them anyway (I don't have or know how to use an airbrush [yet]).

[MustangMuscle]

Tamiya acrylics can last very long if kept in their glass jar, tightly closed. I have a couple of them I bought in the 80s that are still good as new!

When paint has separated completely, you probably need to open the jar first and break down the muddy color paste at the bottom using a stick; then close the jar and shake it for a few MINUTES (not seconds) so that the color mixes up completely.

[erichyung]

Thanks for the expert advise. I almost ordered a new set of paints yesterday.

[Zubski]

I have 20 year old paint that still works fine. Older then i am

[erichyung]

Thanks for your expert advise. I almost bought a new set of paints yesterday.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Ah, okay, so you were asking how long they last you in THE BOTTLE.

I took you at first to ask how long they lasted once APPLIED.

In case you're curious, the all-Tamiya acrylic airbrushed AAR 'Cuda I got, from 13 years back, is still nice and shiny! No discernible yellowing in the clear, either.

I also find that the Tamiya thinner smells suspiciously like isopropyl alcohol. Got a bottle of 70% from the drug store, and whaddaya know - their acrylics seem to cut with it real nice.

[Didymus]

Originally Posted by Chuck Kourouklis

I also find that the Tamiya thinner smells suspiciously like isopropyl alcohol.

Tamiya thinner does smell like alcohol, and probably contains quite a bit of the stuff, but it does more than just thin the paint. Compared to alcohol, it goes on smoother, gives the paint more time to level out, and provides a much smoother finish, with fewer rough edges and brushmarks.

There's more to it than alcohol, and when I find out what the additive is, I might mix my own. But until then, whenever I'm brushing small parts with acrylic paint, I'll add a bit of Tamiya thinner.

Ddms

[ejronin]

Originally Posted by Didymus

Tamiya thinner does smell like alcohol, and probably contains quite a bit of the stuff, but it does more than just thin the paint. Compared to alcohol, it goes on smoother, gives the paint more time to level out, and provides a much smoother finish, with fewer rough edges and brushmarks.

There's more to it than alcohol, and when I find out what the additive is, I might mix my own. But until then, whenever I'm brushing small parts with acrylic paint, I'll add a bit of Tamiya thinner.

Ddms

I got that too... isopropyl or acetone... and the tamiya acrylics DO cut well with the isopropyl, but they dry SUPER fast (when I wash my panel lines they dry too fast with isopropyl as my thinner)

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Originally Posted by Didymus

Tamiya thinner does smell like alcohol, and probably contains quite a bit of the stuff, but it does more than just thin the paint. Compared to alcohol, it goes on smoother, gives the paint more time to level out, and provides a much smoother finish, with fewer rough edges and brushmarks...

Ddms

Really? I got fantastic results airbrushing the stuff with an alcohol reduction.

Huh. Makes me wonder if it might have been even better with their thinner...

[Didymus]

Originally Posted by Chuck Kourouklis

Really? I got fantastic results airbrushing the stuff with an alcohol reduction.

Huh. Makes me wonder if it might have been even better with their thinner...

I use either Tamiya spray lacquers or automotive urethane now, but in the past I've gotten very uniform, consistent results spraying acrylic thinned with Tamiya thinner. But in my message I was referring to old-style brushes, the kind with a bunch of hairs on the end of a stick. They still come in handy for small parts.

Ddms

[MPWR]

Originally Posted by Didymus

Tamiya thinner does smell like alcohol, and probably contains quite a bit of the stuff, but it does more than just thin the paint. Compared to alcohol, it goes on smoother, gives the paint more time to level out, and provides a much smoother finish, with fewer rough edges and brushmarks.

There's more to it than alcohol, and when I find out what the additive is, I might mix my own. But until then, whenever I'm brushing small parts with acrylic paint, I'll add a bit of Tamiya thinner.

Ddms

Very true.

Alcohol does OK for thinning XF flat colors, but Tamiya thinner is far superior for thinning X gloss colors and clear.

[ModelerSite]

I have been using Tamiya acrylic paints over the last 25 years with different results. As was commented here old bottles are still useful and the best way to thin up them is with some drops of isopropyl alcohol or X20A.

Now I have airbrushed gloss colors finding some problems: Paint doesn't stick very well on the surfaces so all the parts have to be primered. Also the paint looks like dried in the surface but if you press it, your fingers will be marked forever although you let the parts to dry during weeks. I discovered that diluting with lacquer thinner minutes after airbrushing the result is terrific, the paint stir better and cure harder, however you can't use lacquer thinner for thin up as the paint will be ruined. I don't recommend ethylic alcohol, as it dries very quickly letting a nice orange peel on the large surfaces, perhaps the best compromise is isopropyl / ethylic 50/50, if you don't like my lacquer thinner option.
Paints must be stored with the fillcap up (contrary to Humbrol...etc), it's normal that paint pigments are separate of the acrylic base and you have to add drops of X20A when you see the level has decrease over the time.