Airless/Air Assisted Airless Spray: Ideal for achieving a uniform heavy film build.Thinning is not normally required. Automotive paint resins are usually one of the following three chemical compounds: lacquer, enamel, or urethane. Water-based hybrid enamels may dry a little faster. You can also use a funnel to test if you have one handy. Enamel also insulates the teeth from potentially painful temperatures and chemicals. Thinning enamel paint. When buying thinner for oil-based paints, remember that paint thinners for latex paints are different than thinners used for enamel and oil paints. Check paint container labels for the manufacturer's recommended paint to paint thinner ratio. Check here for special coupons and promotions. He currently attends Altamaha Technical College for computer information systems/networking specialist certification. Stir the paint in its container with a stirring stick, and then hold it above the surface to watch how the paint runs off. When it comes to thinning enamel paints it is important you use the correct paint thinner, and you thin based on the paint manufacturers recommendations. By thinning out the enamel paint you can achieve the same clean application that oil-based paint would provide. Both products are being sprayed with a CA Technologies HVLP. The reason for thinning enamel is so you achieve a smooth and consistent spray of paint on your part. Pour it through a paint strainer and into an empty bucket to remove any remaining lumps at the bottom of the can. Many choose acrylic enamel paint because it is water based. Dried in 2 to 3 hours compared to overnight for straight enamel. To thin oil paint for a home improvement project, mix 2 parts oil paint with 1 part turpentine. Enamel paint is a hard paint with a glossy finish, but it is much softer than synthetic resins and vitreous enamel. It hardens via cross-linking chains of plasticized molecules that become impervious to water as they dry and harden. It tends to give enamel paints a little more tooth for grabbing on to plastic. Enamel paint is a general term applied to paints that dry to a hard, durable finish. Here I am in the middle of a project and have a bottle of Folk Art enamel that really needs thinning and I don't have any Folk Art Thinner and live no where near a store that sells it. The paint needs to pass easily through the gun's nozzle to achieve an even color across your auto's surface. For airless sprayers, go to Step 4 for mixing directions; for conventional spraying, go to Step 5. Add some penetrol to the paint as well. If it drips like water, then the paint is already too thin and you have a bad batch, but if it comes off in globs, then continue with thinning as intended. To remove the dried paint use enamel thinner or lacquer thinner. Thin and test. If needed, do not exceed 10% of the recommended thinner. Thinning alkyd enamel for spray painting. If the Enamel Paint is oil-based then you should use Mineral Spirits as a thinning agent. No matter you are mixing Rustoleum paint colors or using a single one, just follow the above guidelines. Stir in more thinner to water down the paint. Enamel paint usually requires 8-24 hours in between coats so it can dry completely. The viscosity of the enamel paint to begin with may vary depending on the manufacturer you have chosen, but in most cases the paint must be thinned before use in an airbrush. Another benefit of the smooth finishes created by enamel paints is that they lend themselves to hassle-free cleaning. I presume this is enamel? Thinning the thick and extremely viscous acrylic paint even out its consistency and makes it quite akin to that of watercolor or even gouache paint. Ideally, you should thin your enamel paint to the same consistency as milk. Find great deals on eBay for enamel thinner. Other manufacturers may have differing mixing guidelines. That seems strange since it's a water base paint. For general purpose thinning, a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of paint to thinner or similar ratio is appropriate. Be more concerned about coverage. Automotive acrylic enamel is not just for automobiles. No relation to traditional oil-based enamels. Step 1 I tried to buy some Humbrol Dark Earth Acrylic matt paint but ended up with enamel. I usually thin them to about 25 seconds through my mixing cup and it seems to spray fine. That said, thin your paints with regular old paint thinners. If the paint is too thick, you won't have an even flow out of the airbrush gun and the gun will continually get clogged.