When I mix up my paint to apply it to a model, 90% I do any and all mixing in the airbrush cup just before spraying. If I have to cover a large model which requires more paint than the cup can hold, I will mix it in an empty jar. Then use the jar to transfer paint to the cup for uninterrupted spraying.
Then there are the occasions when I do prefer to mix small amounts in a separate vessel and not the airbrush cup. Paint jars tend to be too big (and expensive) and plastic medicine dispenser cups are not my favorite for paint (great for mixing two part resins).
What I do use is made of glass and is smaller than a shot glass. I use a Dental Mixing Cup. These were used by dentists for various procedures and task, all involving putting some foreign substance or another into your mouth. These glass mixing vessels are shatter resistant…yeah I have dropped mine on the floor a few times. Sometimes with colorful effects!
They are impervious to solvents and can be run through the dishwasher too!
Today you can find similar one made of stainless steel, glass and plastic. Mine came from a dentist friend who had a few extras. So next time you visit your dentist add this to the list of items you want to scrounge. Who knows they may have a few around that they are no longer using, instead using something disposable. Don’t forget to get discarded dental tools too!
Great tip, Gerald!
I know a lot of people mix in the cup, but I prefer not to do so. My primary reason is that I like to strain the paint before it goes into the airbrush, and that’s easiest to do with reduced viscosity paint.
So I looked for years for something small enough to handle very small amounts of paint, for all the reasons Gerald mentioned. I finally found it at Hancock Fabrics: a flat tipped thimble. They come in several sizes (all even smaller than the dental mixing cup), are essentially smooth on the inside, metal, and they stand up on any flat surface.
The dental cup looks like the perfect size between the shot glass (large amounts) and the thimble. Now I can look forward to that root canal…… =^D
One of our club members is a volunteer at a church. After Communion he collects the small plastic cups used for serving the wine. After rinsing them out the are the perfect size for mixing paint, a bit smaller than a shot glass. Only problem is, when using enamels, you only get one use. Acrylics can be cleaned out. I have a fair number of them right now so single use isn’t really an issue.