primers

[Leon]

Hi guys.I want to put a primer coat on my willys before the base coat.I have on hand a rattle can of grey and white,any suggestions on the best one to use.

All comments welcome.

[Tojo72]

When I use primer,I use the Tamiya fine,light gray.I have also
heard that Mr Surfacer 1200 in the can is good and I will try when I get a chance.

[Leon]

Thanks Tojo.My LHS doesn't carry MR.Surfacer.I know Tamiya is good.

[danb.]

Tamiya grey fine is good spray in light coats and put the can on a radiator or in hot water for 10 mins before spraying also i want to try MR Surfacer too looks good as for colour question of primer white will obviously give you a slightly lighter basecolour to the grey but i dont think it will matter that much hope this helps ya buddy

Dan B

[Leon]

Thanks Dan for the reply.I should have mentioned my base color will be a gloss light blue.

[TRM]

Hey Leon! I use a number of things as there is no allegiance on my part to any particular type. I have had luck with the Rattle can, auto grey and red oxide. Light misting coats built up...comes out just fine. You can decant them if you wish to shoot through the AB. Put a WD40 nozzle or tape a straw to the tip and spray into an old Tamiya bottle, or suitable container. Run some tape over the top to reduce the blow back leaving a small hole for release. Outside is best for the fumes.... You need to let it sit to gas off and allow the air entrainment, bubbles to dissipate.

For the trouble I would go with just the can as decanting takes too long and I am impatient. I also use Vallejo grey...I have had good results but others find it a bit quirky. Cheap stuff by the big bottle, you just need to keep the tip clean. Lately though I have been liking the new AK stuff. Smooth, cheap and dries quick. Also it is a true acrylic, not latex acrylic like Vallejo so sticky tips and the peel factor are gone.

Mr. Surfacer is great too, but like you said, it's not local for you.

My best options for you is to just go with the rattle or head over to the AK USA site. Pick up some primer from Iain today....he is good, it will go in the mail today or Monday and be there by Tuesday or Wednesday. He has the standard small package shipping on all items so if you needed to or wanted to grab a couple of other small items it will trick the mind into thinking shipping costs are not too bad. (not really bad anyways).

Hope some of this helps little....good luck!!

[Leon]

Thanks for the info T.As i don't have an airbrush,guess it's going to be the rattle.Will defo check out the AK site.

[TRM]

Then auto primer is the way to go then. Like I mentioned, I still use the same method and have little problems unless I get over zealous and put it on to thick. Usually hard than most primer as for what it is designed for. But wet sanding when needed can be done whereas with acrylics, wetting it is not always the best idea...done it a couple time with success but a full cure time is needed. Have you ever considered trying out the Dark Side and picking up and AB?

[Leon]

T had an AB long ago and gave it to my nephew. B-|I regret it now.I will invest in a new one,now that i see everything that can be done with it.

[bullardino]

I use always rattle cans. I have both the Tamiya ones (white and fine grey), Vallejo grey and Army painter black.

I found that all of them work great if you let them sit for at least 24 hours to fully cure.

[bullardino]

Apr 27, 2013 14:38:37 GMT -5 Leon said:

T had an AB long ago and gave it to my nephew. B-|I regret it now.I will invest in a new one,now that i see everything that can be done with it.

Yes, all the new painting techniques are much easier with an AB. I'm thinking of colour modulation, for instance. I know it can be done with a brush and heavily thinned layers, but it's far beyond my ability. I find it much easier to do it with my Iwata.

[Leon]

Thanks Luigi,I will definitely be looking at buying an AB.

[Deleted]

Hi Leon,

I am a recent convert to Model mates Light Grey, Dark Grey and Black. Straight from the rattle can, I really haven't got the patience to decant it.

[Teabone]

Apr 27, 2013 9:54:18 GMT -5 TRM said:

Hey Leon! I use a number of things as there is no allegiance on my part to any particular type. I have had luck with the Rattle can, auto grey and red oxide. Light misting coats built up...comes out just fine. You can decant them if you wish to shoot through the AB. Put a WD40 nozzle or tape a straw to the tip and spray into an old Tamiya bottle, or suitable container. Run some tape over the top to reduce the blow back leaving a small hole for release. Outside is best for the fumes.... You need to let it sit to gas off and allow the air entrainment, bubbles to dissipate.

For the trouble I would go with just the can as decanting takes too long and I am impatient. I also use Vallejo grey...I have had good results but others find it a bit quirky. Cheap stuff by the big bottle, you just need to keep the tip clean. Lately though I have been liking the new AK stuff. Smooth, cheap and dries quick. Also it is a true acrylic, not latex acrylic like Vallejo so sticky tips and the peel factor are gone.

Mr. Surfacer is great too, but like you said, it's not local for you.

My best options for you is to just go with the rattle or head over to the AK USA site. Pick up some primer from Iain today....he is good, it will go in the mail today or Monday and be there by Tuesday or Wednesday. He has the standard small package shipping on all items so if you needed to or wanted to grab a couple of other small items it will trick the mind into thinking shipping costs are not too bad. (not really bad anyways).

Hope some of this helps little....good luck!!

Having read some good ideas here I dont want to sound like a crude hacker here but for PRIMER coats I have found the RustOleum flat camouflage paints and the red rust primer in the rattle cans at my local hardware store for the price of a 23L bottle of Tamiya primer works very well for me.  You have to apply with a careful hand in light passes which you can practice on the wall of your shop or a spare cardboard box until you get the hang of it because it is easy to get too much if you are heavy handed with it.  It was noted above that a good drying period of 24 hours or longer if possible.  When dry the paint coat is much more bullet proof than Tamiya acrylic primers.  I would not use it for a finish coat even though the green color is close for some vehicles.

[TRM]

Nothing crude about it TB! Spot on in the money savings. Always good to cut where we can. I use it for the ease more than anything else. I don't prefer Tamiya as many do, but the new stuff is not bad. But since the can is the only option in this situation then a better primer is always the first choice I think. Rustoleum is a great brand. I have used "Industrial" a lot as this is a perk from work and it dries to the touch in no time and I have been able to push my base coat painting time frame up a bit to about an hour after. I run Acrylics so they will go seamlessly over the enamel base.

[Teabone]

TRM

I always have a problem, or used too, where I would always rush things or try to do two opreations at the same time and every time I would end up sorry so now I give paint a minimum of overnight drying just to be safe and it has worked better than being in a hurry for me.  RustOleum is a very good product though they have changed the spray knob from a pull of to a permanent  type.  The old pull offs I would soak in MEK and blow out with my air compressor and they would never plug up.  The new type has not plugged up SO FAR but I wish I had the option to clean them just in case.

Bones

[AndyArgent.]

I allways use Halfords grey primer,it goes on really well and dries back to leave really crisp details.Its £6.99 for a large can that lasts ages.I have found it as good if not better than modelling types.

[Teabone]

Apr 28, 2013 14:17:03 GMT -5 AndyArgent. said:

I allways use Halfords grey primer,it goes on really well and dries back to leave really crisp details.Its £6.99 for a large can that lasts ages.I have found it as good if not better than modelling types.

Sounds like a good product but its on the wrong side of the pond for me and I would suspect that RustOleum is comparable.

Bones

[doogsatx/]

My two favorite primers (I much prefer AB to rattlecans) are Mr Surfacer 1200 and good old Model Master gray primer.

I also recently discovered that Gunze has a Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 - available in black! Ordered a bottle from Sprue Bros last week and will report back after I have a chance to use it.

[TRM]

Apr 28, 2013 12:44:44 GMT -5 Teabone said:

TRM

I always have a problem, or used too, where I would always rush things or try to do two opreations at the same time and every time I would end up sorry so now I give paint a minimum of overnight drying just to be safe and it has worked better than being in a hurry for me.  RustOleum is a very good product though they have changed the spray knob from a pull of to a permanent  type.  The old pull offs I would soak in MEK and blow out with my air compressor and they would never plug up.  The new type has not plugged up SO FAR but I wish I had the option to clean them just in case.

Bones

I hear you Bones! Dying time is crucial and advisable in most cases!

But, Thinly applied coats will dry to the touch in no time. Curing is not an issue in most case...for me. If the primer coat is down and dry, I can apply a base coat of paint after drying to step up the process. If the coat was thick its not happening. Even with the acrylic primers I spray and go. All in the application and where I go with it. Heavy chipping is tricky as the coats are not cured, but have clear coated the base with future and gotten away with top coat chipping with little to no problem. Had a couple of 4 and 5 layer evenings having some painting fun!!! Time management constraints too!! LOL!!

[Teabone]

TRM

I agree with what you say I am just a little more cautious. As to chipping, I'm a little light on chipping and maybe somewhat ambivalent to its use. I know when it is well done it really makes the model but then there is the reality of when you see it on combat vehicles. For me the jury is still out.

I did try some on some ski's for an Areosan RF 8 using the salt method for which I have attached pictures. I am certain the ski's would have been chipped running in the snow, more so on the bottoms than the tops. I tried the salt with future and it came out so-so, I glad I did it but wish it would have been a little more chippy.

Bones

Photo-bucket is out to lunch so I am attaching them.

Attachments:

[TRM]

Nothing wrong with cautiousness! "The cautious seldom err." - Confucius Time and place is correct as well. In a lot of cases chipping can be overdone or not actually needed. Discussion for another time and place. Personally I dig the beat stuff mostly from the knocked out abandoned variety to which anything can be applied and work well with the exception of placement and use of the effects. I suppose that for every picture of the no-chipped version on could produce a equally chipped counter part.

Ski's look great BTW. Nice effect. HS method would work well here as would the sponge technique with washes and other effects. When you did the salt technique, you did use Hair Spray, correct? Only ask as this gives a slight bit more control over the chip after the fact. Other Chipping fluids such as AK's are even easier whereas a little warm water is all that is needed to remove what you want.

Not to sway too far from the subject...Most people should wait for the full cure of the primer. I have just come accustomed to different processes involved in the painting stage that gives myself the small luxury of moving things along. I guess way too much practice!! LOL!! Sometime I get to into starting and will prime with any paint. If I am applying a rust base to be chipped back or for shading...dark colors work great with no primer. Clear coat when dry and off and running!!

[Deleted]

I really like the Rustoleoum Gray Auto Primer but the new nozzle is like a fire hose. I need to get back like two feet and just fog the stuff on. It doesn't sand all that well now either, I think the formula changed.

Plastikote T235 Sandable auto primer is a good gray primer comparable to Tamiya. I really like this stuff, but it's hard to get now that Michael's stopped carrying it. I have one Car Quest in town that carries the stuff.

Krylon Gray, Black, White and Red are all good general primers. They go on just a scosh too thick for me though. One thing, the Krylon Gray is a near match for Tamiya Panzer Gray and is spot on for Gunship Gray.

G

[Teabone]

Looks like for USA the people who carry Plastikote are the Do It Hardware franchise but other auto parts houses also seem to have it.

Bones


World wide links    plastikote.com/

USA links with a zip code directory    www.plastikote.com/products/Primer/Sandable-Primer.html