Acrylic/Poly Thinner X20A 8.5 oz

Don't get me wrong this product works great and can be used with almost every acrylic. However it is way too expensive for what it is. A 2 to 1 ration water to isopropyl alcohol with a mil of acrylic retarder and (optionally) a mil of flow improver per 60oz batch works exactly the same. A lot of the time more retarder has to be added even when using this product anyway so something good to have on hand. I use Windsor and Newton but Hobbylinc usually has Vallejo as well which is essentially the same thing and works well. Pick your favorite flow improver I use Liquitex because I randomly found it in a shop, but any brand will work. 1 bottle each of flow improver and acrylic retarder will last what seems like forever making its unit cost excellent.

This is the best thinner possible for Tamiya acrylic paints. There is simply no better option. Yes, mineral spirits also work, but not as well. Using a 0.1mm airbrush tip, the default Tamiya ratio of 2 parts paint for 1 part thinner (this thinner) is perfect. There is no other word for it. It never clogged, sprays smoothly with no spitting, and doesn't run. Of course, I am building up light coats, but even then it is still amazing. My only gripe is how expensive it is compared to alternatives. Thankfully, one bottle of this can mix you 34 cups of 3/4 Tamiya paint at default ratio. That should be more than enough.

While X20A does what it's supposed to do very well, using it for thinning and airbrush cleaning is an expensive proposition. I found a home brew recipe on the internet that is easy to concoct, is much less expensive, and (for me, at least) works just as well. I'll be using the home mix for cleaning my airbrush and the X20A exclusively for thinning, but when I finish this bottle I'll go to the home made mix for both cleaning and as a thinner. PRO: Works very well. CON: Too pricey. I recommend it if you want to Tamiya products exclusively.