SPA Modeler

At the moment i currently use exclusively Tamiya acrylics. Everything in my shop is geared around this. My compressor is set to a pressure that works for me with Tamiya. I have bottles and bottles of X-20 thinner and IPA. My squirter bottles are filled with IPA. My airbrush has only ever had Tamiya paint in it.
Im considering moving to vallejo. Mainly because they have a better colour range for aircraft.
Is there much of a shift to get set up with vallejo?
Is it worth me doing this if its not going to be super long term? (there are machinations in place which mean i may be living in a different country next year)
What is vallejo like to work with in comparison to Tamiya?
Are there any other questions i need to be asking?

Vallejo Model Air is extremely simple to work with- just put it in your airbrush and shoot. Clean up afterwards. But priming is a must because the paint has weak adhesion properties to bare plastic, especially compared to Tamiya.
Vallejo Model Color is a whole different ball of wax, also requiring primer, but then adding retarders and flow enhancers to improve its’ airbrushing properties. There is a distinct learning curve with the stuff. Or so I have read, because I have yet to use it for that reason. And you cannot use alcohol to thin Model Color, but must use their proprietary, or a similar type thinner. Alcohol turns Vallejo into a gummy substance that will clog your airbrush.

Yes do not use alcohol to thin. Learned that the hard way. I've never been able to get good consistent results with model air or model color, they are amazing for brush painting. Even model air that is marketed as ready to go I have to thin with DI water.
If you can get AK Real color in NZ I would go with them. They are almost identical to Tamiya and are color matched unlike Tamiya. I thin AK and Tamiya with Mr. Color leveling thinner.

I have been converting to AK recently and like it alot. For a lacquer it does not have an overpowering smell unlike Gunze which I also like

AK is only available in limited colours here. I have to order it from a shop at the other end of the country and they have maybe 20 colours? All shades of white and grey with a few reds and yellows.
So thats not really an option for me.

Tamiya continues to extend its paint line, and in most respects besides hand brush application over larger areas, is a far superior paint. Aside from a larger color selection, why are you looking to change? What is your primary build area, so that you need paints for those subjects?

Stikpusher wrote:....besides hand brush application over larger areas, is a far superior paint.

Lol, I picked up a bottle of NATO black to paint my F-117A.

Actually by adding a bit of Tamiya's retarder and Thinner (X-20 is it?) it can be brushed painted well over larger areas - it does need to go over primer though.

Yes, Tamiya’s Retarder is a game changer for hand brushing the stuff. Which is funny, because their original paint formula hand brushed just fine. I hand brushed a whole bunch of builds with the stuff back before I had an airbrush and before they changed the formula. But once they changed the formula in the late 80s there was no more of that for me.

The primary reason i was looking at change is Mengs 32nd scale ME-163. All the paint codes are in vallejo and they dont translate to tamiya. At all.
I then realised after posting this that, hey, photos exist, i could just do my own research and come up with my own colours lol.
Pretty cunning for a photographer
But i figured id leave it here just to see what people thought. And who knows it may help someone whos changing over. And when i move next year i may change systems anyway. It depends on whats readily available where i move to.

Try paint4models.com.