How to Make the Acrylic Version of Mr. Color Leveling Thinner 

Thanks for tips!

Yes, thinner alone will speed up the drying time. Flow improver does have a mild retarding effect, but it's not an outright retarder, it's main purpose is to break up the surface tension to allow it to spray smoothly through an airbrush. This helps with needle tip drying. Vallejo also makes a retarder product that is designed to slow the drying time of the paint drastically more than flow improver would. My mix here is an attempt to mimic Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, that is basically a slower drying time for the paint to settle, slower than if you were to use just water in the mix. But you make a good point that this isn't for every paintjob, and works really well for gloss finishes. But if you want more of a matte finish, that slow drying time, letting the paint settle, is not ideal. Mr. Color Leveling Thinner isn't recommended for matte finishes, and Mr. Hobby actually has a Mr. Rapid Thinner they recommend for matte finishes. You could tweak the formulation by lowering the retarder/water ratios, but for most people it'll get the job done fine. Thanks for the comment and watching!

That's a strange take, tbh. I get what you're saying, but I think you're over simplifying it a bit. I live at higher altitude and have noticed my ratios of stuff have to be a bit more on the retardant side of things because I get tip dry more easily than most people and what they recommend. With that said, retardant only does not work for me either. And to make it even more complicated it even changes depending on the season with summer being more humid. Like I said, you're over simplifying it a bit. No one solution is going to work for everyone, but this video is a pretty dang good start for people with dry tip and clogging issues I would say.

Yup! Basically the same as Barbatos Rex and other homemade recipes you'll find on RU-vid, just with a decent amount more retarder. Most these other guys will only do like 10 or 20 drops or so of the stuff.

@@AsimPaints Next batch I'll make I think I'll put less alcool like you did since I use 99%.

@@MoDub18 Let me know if it makes much of a difference! I do so because I know Vallejo breaks down if the alcohol concentration is too high.

Vallejo products are great!

I've only tested a little for hand painting and it's okay so far. Idk if it's worth the price, I got it for a good deal.

I'll definitely make one!

Mr. Hobby is a lacquer paint. This thinner is for acrylic water based paints only! Trying to mix anything but lacquer thinner with a solvent based paint like Mr. Hobby will cause issues like that. Even if it's their Aqueous "acrylic" brand, it's still solvent based like Tamiya, and this thinner won't work for it.

Got it, will revert back to the Tamiya/Mr Hobby thinner instead. Thank you!❤

Possible, I haven't heard of this specifically. I know there's a couple cheaper alternatives to make it even more budget, like glycerin. Personally, i rather stick with actual flow improver and retarded just cause they're specifically formulated for acrylic paints. Yeah the cost is a bit more up front but they'll get you literal gallons of homemade thinner!

Eventually yes!

I'm not 100% sure, might be worth trying to make a tiny batch to see how it reacts to paint.

Yes! This is purely a cheap (long term) acrylic only thinner. Mr. Color leveling thinner can actually be used on a handful of water based acrylics too, in addition to enamel and obviously lacquers. Best thinner on the market. But to clarify for anyone reading, this only applies to their LEVELING thinner. For whatever reason, their standard Mr. Color Thinner will not work with anything but lacquers.

@@AsimPaintswhich water based acrylics have you tried with mr color leveling thinner?

@aquaticnstuff7666 I personally haven't tried any, I use my leveling thinner exclusively with my mr. Color or Tamiya paints, but other painters in the hobby have attested to its compatibility with certain acrylic paints.

@@AsimPaints Mr. Leveling Thinner will work with acrylic paints with a flammable symbol on the bottle. It will even work with Creos Mr Color Aqueous.

@@leonpelao4806 Yes, but apparently it also works with some water based acrylics, I just haven't tried it out myself.

No idea lol. Only thing I can think of is plastic bottle degrades and will leech microscopic amounts of plastic into the water. Not sure how true that is.

I said normally this formula is 2:1 water to alcohol, which is too much alcohol for this. So 3:1 - 4:1 is better. Oh I see what you were referring to. I said I think it's not more than 3:1, but I was winging it and was fine with going over as the recipe doesn't have to be exact. I then said you don't want to go more than 2:1 but I misspoke!

Which noise are you referring to? The background music?

@@AsimPaints yes, the “music” is distracting when trying to rear what you’re saying.

@@danieljanssen4580 I'll make sure the volume is lower next time, thanks for watching!

@@AsimPaints I did not mean to attack you and I hope you did not take it that way. I am a VERY experienced modeler and my concern is that folks like you that spend a ton of time trying to help others maximize their message. I love watching others because after 45 years working in the industry I still learn from others and I value everyone’s info…cause knowledge is power. I did enjoy your presentation keep it up!

@@danieljanssen4580 no worries, I always appreciate honest feedback!