Hi, folks! Was wondering if anyone has hit upon a solid technique for mixing small amounts of paint for use in the airbrush without a lot of waste.

Mixing directly in the cup doesn't work because I can't get decent agitation, and mixing in a different container means using up way more paint than I need because so much of it get left behind when I pour into the airbrush.

Hi Mark.

I have a good way to mix mine in an airbrush bu it requires a dremal or some other such tool.

I have a cordless 2 speed dremal and I buy those q-tips with the long wooden ends.

I cut one long enough to chuck into the demal and still reach the bottom of the airbrush cup.. I take a hobby knife and whittle 2 sides of the end flat so they are paddle like and no longer round.
This allows the paint to be mixed. works great.. and the soft wood has never damaged my airbrush's. just watch out for paint spatter if you remove the mixer from the cup while its still spinning.

I pretty much mix all my paint like this from thinning a full airbrush cup to paint a whole model, to a few drops for small bits or touch ups.

Delbert.

You can buy small ml measured mixing cups from either Model Expo or Micro-Mark in packages of 20 or so (these are the same type they give you in the hospital for taking medications with). I mix my paints in these smaller cups, they are perfect because they can be slightly bent when pouring to form a spout. The ml measurements on the side ensure exact quantities of paint and thinner can be matched. I also clean out and save all my used Tamiya or Gunze paint jars, so I can save specially mixed colors of paints-- if you need paint in quantity you can just mix it in one of the ml measured cups, then save it in one of the jars. I remove the labels from these jars so I can see the exact colors inside, if I need more info, I write it on a strip of masking tape and apply it to the bottle. You can do this with Model Master paint jars too, but I find the cardboard liners inside the lids wear out over time-- whereas Tamiya and Gunze are nylon and last much longer. To mix my paints, I have a selection of aluminum knitting needles which are cut in half and flattened on one side with a grinding bit in my Dremel. I use the flat side to mix and the rounded end as a pouring aid (if you want to transfer paint, you can use an old painters trick to make a drip free pour by pouring it along a rounded dowel). When done mixing, I simply wipe off the aluminum knitting needle with a paper towel. One of the best purchases I've ever made in tools was a Robart paint shaker, which does a great job of thoroughly mixing miniature paints. Again, that's where saving old paint jars comes in handy-- just add your colors/thinner into an old jar, throw it on the Robart, and you have perfectly mixed paint.
VR, Russ

Hi Mark,

Give this handy tool a shot for mixing in the airbrush cup and on the paint palette as well. HTH.
Tamiya Stainless Steel Paint Stirrer

—mike

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Delbert, I might have to try something like that although I think the Dremel I currently own is too fast even at it's lowest setting. I have several of the cups Russ mentioned, but I seem to end up with more paint left in the cup than makes it into the airbrush when I'm working with small quantities.

a friend give me 2 little metal cup coated with Teflon,he use this stuff at work,i dont know were is possible to find this stuff but hare owesome not a drop stay in the cup when i pour,to mix i use some wood stick


i made my own paint mixer with a cheap electric tooth brush from woolworth,i cut the plasctic of the brush keeping just the metal rod in the center bendt and voilà...with an other brush head i cut the brush and stick disc of sand paper and i have a electric sander

that sounds cool!

I have found that the soft plastic "eye dropper" pipettes work pretty good for mixing in my AB cup.... just put in paint, add what thinner you want with one pipette, then SLOWLY vacuum out the mixture with another clean pipette, put the mixture back in the brush cup and repeat as necessary.... it also works REALLY well to clean your airbrush out quickly..... empty cup of paint and then just take a pipette of clean thinner and swhish it in the cup and suck it back out a couple times... shoot the mix through the brush, rinse and repeat ... clean and quick

Not a bad idea. Another worth trying. Thanks!