RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

I have heard that some people use screen wash as a thinner for tamiya paint
is this true and does it work ok as it would be so much cheaper than buying tamiya thinners all the time

Heard maybe for cleaning airbrush after use but wouldn't thought be wise as thinner as the cleaning agents in the wash probably wont help the paint.

Yes its true !. you can use screen wash , if your in the UK , Carplan All Season's screen wash is ideal , 5lt bottle around £5,
Yes its blue... but has no effect on the paint outcome...even white . One word of note is spray with a lower air pressure
as if the air pressure is high it seems to make the glycol content "freeze", not literaly but causes a sandy texture on the surface
due to the vapour release at high pressure. I only use carwash on major area's like spraying overall XF-60 Dark yellow on a hull.
For the fine camo lines with Green/brown I switch back to the Tamiya thinners as it gives it more control .

.......ps.... I am told you can put it in your car to ! ... some gizmo under the bonnet does the wishy washy thing on the windscreen !

thanks wildboar44, i will give it a try but as you say only on large areas where control is not paramount

Screen Wash = Car Windshield washer ? I thought maybe it stands for computer screen cleaner but if you buy 5l at a time it can't be. Some people here even call it anti-freeze which confuses the hell out of everyone since anti-freeze is also the name for the car radiator fluid. I know someone who actually put in car radiator fluid into the wind shield washer tank thinking it is "anti-freeze". A bloody mess entails.

Interesting. Cheap for sure.

Michael, Please do check the contents of the product, I would not be surprised that what is in British screen wash is different from the Canadian fluid. shaun

Guys, guys, guys, does no one listen to good old dgsselkirk? The main ingredient in windshield wiper fluid is Methanol (methyl alcohol, wood alcohol).

It was coloured blue for the very reason that idiots get confused between rad fluid and windshield fluid.

Here is wikipedia info:
Windshield washer fluid is sold in many formulations, and some may require dilution before being applied, although most solutions available in North America come premixed with no diluting required. The most common washer fluid solutions are given labels such as "All-Season", "Bug Remover", or "De-icer", and usually are a combination of solvents with a detergent. Dilution factors will vary depending on season, for example in winter the dilution factor may be 1:1, whereas during summer the dilution factor may be 1:10. It is sometimes sold as sachet of crystals, which is also diluted with water. Distilled water is the preferred diluent, since it will not leave trace mineral deposits on the glass.

Anti-freeze, or methylated spirits, may be added to a mixture to give the product a lower freezing temperature. But methanol vapor is harmful when breathed in, so more popular now is an ethanol winter mix, e.g. PAV[clarification needed], water, ethanol (or isopropanol), and ethylene glycol.

Concerns have been raised about the overall environmental aspects of washer fluid.[citation needed] Widespread, ground-level use of wiper fluid (amounting to billions of liters each year)[citation needed] can lead to cumulative air pollution and water pollution.[citation needed][/font]

Rather than fuss whether you are getting stuff that will work and doesn't have detergents, glycol, or other unwanted elements why not just use pure Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) for your Tamyia acrylics. (and others test first!) It is almost as cheap as windshield washer fluid without all the issues. And you can use it for big areas and detail work! No need to buy the brand thinner which is basically the rubbing alcohol anyway!

ok as I started this, I am going to buy some try it out and then let you know. I belive it works as many people on different forums have spoke about it
i will let you all know tomorrow

jarndice wrote:Michael, Please do check the contents of the product, I would not be surprised that what is in British screen wash is different from the Canadian fluid. shaun

a very good point mate

I use this all the time only on xf Tamiya paint it works well dave