Krylon autobody sandable primer works well applied in light dusty coats. Let dry overnight to be sure its cured.
I use an auto primer by Duplicolor in black. Preshades and covers in one trip. It is Duplcolor sandible primer.
goldenretriver, do you know if Krylon makes a primer in their “general purpose” spray line that works for our needs? Or is it only the auto body sandable primer that they make that works? I presume the latter needs to be purchased only at auto parts stores? Not something that might be availalbe at, say, Home Depot? Thanks for your advice.
I use Model Master enamel gray primer exclusively. It shows all flaws, especially along seam lines. But I agree with you guys… a finish is only as good as your prepping. Before applying my primer, I give the model a light wipe with isopropyl alcohol 90%. Somehow, by using that and putting about five drops of Dullcoat in with the primer, the primer has more “bite” on the plastic. I’ve had pretty good luck with this method, but I might decide to go with auto primer. Might be more economical in the long run.
Best regards,
Pete L.
There are some pretty interesting replies here! I sometimes use primer, but only really started doing so when white metal and etched parts became the norm. (Auto primer) I still build without priming in some cases. Completely agree on all comments regarding prep work. Primer in itself is only a key allowing the medium to take a hold on the model, regardless of medium. If no metal present a well prepared polystyrene surface that has been lightly sanded and degreased is as well primed as any? I agree that priming in gray does help show up flaws. Primer is also pretty useful when the colour scheme is pretty well removed from the colour of the injected polystyrene on the sprues, especially when trying to cover black poly with very light colours?
I use Testors Acrylic Gray Primer 4680 and it works great for me… If you brush or spray it do so with light coats and follow up with light coats of air brush with color. It won’t cover the detail and it leaves a great finish to work on (spray color to). Hope this helps someone! J.
I’ve found that most automotive primers go on too thick. I’ve been using Floquil primers for about 30 years now and wouldn’t use any other brand. I use Floquil’s Zinc Chromate primer sprayed through my airbrush. It is a red-brown color and goes on so thin that no detail is obscured. It dries in less than 30 minutes and can then be oversprayed with just about any other brand of model paint. It will also handle lacquer coats but should be left to dry for at least 24 hours before applying the lacquer. By the way, for you figure painters, Floquil Reefer White sprayed over the Zinc Chromate makes a perfect base coat. It is almost impossible to dissolve Floquil paints after they are dry, thus preventing “paint-through” to the metal figure underneath. Any good hobby shop with a railroad department should be able to fix you up with Floquil paints.
I’ve found auto primers are too thick as well and have been trying to find an alternative. I’d like it to be something out of a can for ease, but I think I’m dreaming.
Dana
I have to go with the auto primer group. I had been using Plasti-Kote Spot Filler & Primer but can’t seem to find it anymore so I switched to Rust-Oleum wet-sandable auto primer. They are both laquer based but I never had any problems. When I’m ready to paint, I give the parts a good scrub with Dawn dishwashing liquid and an old tooth brush.
Re: paint types. I found out long ago that you can spray enamel over laquer but never laquer over enamel - unless you want a cracked finish.
Actually you can spray lacquer over enamel if you do it correctly.
You have to spray a couple of dust coats over the enamel first to protect it, then you can spray a heavier coat of lacquer over it after those coats dry.
Mike
I’ve heard that the color of your primer can slightly effect the overall look of a finish. For instance if you prime with a dark gray or silver primer, the overall paintjob might have a cooler tone to it, whereas if you use tan, or gold, it can have a warmer look. Also priming in silver/alluminum can aid in whethering if you are simulating chipped paint.
[8D] I’ve experimented with a number of primer coatings and found many of them to be too “soft” or porous. For example, I found the Floquil primers to be too porous. I then switched to the the Aeromaster #8005 primer, which I find to be very good. It allows for a thin (not hiding details and or panel lines), hard finish primer. However, while I bought several of the larger 2 fluid ounce bottles, before Aeromaster stopped selling their enamel products, it won’t last forever. Interesting enough, this primer was manufactured by Floquil, yet their respective products differ in their final finish.
For most primer coating now, I use one of two products: (a) Testers’ “Boyd Color” (their auto paint line) white primer, no. 52719. I especially like to use this primer whenever there will be a covering color over the primer (especially reds, yellow or white). This primer provides a very “tight,” smooth and hard finish. It is not chauk like, rough or difficult to work with. I almost double the volume of primer with thinner. In any primer, I want the primer coat to be very thin, allowing for the coating to cover fine sanding blemish marks, take further sanding and provide for an even completed primer coat.
(b) the bulk of my priming (especially for larger areas, like wings or fuselages) is an auto body paint product, Sherman Williams “Ultra-Fill” (prod # PZA 43). This is an acrylic primer - surfacer. It’s initial cost (about $25. per quart can) seems high at first. However, when yo realize how many small bottles of primer you will decant from the original quart can - especially when thinned, it become considerably less expensive than the model paint alternatives. I thin this about 4-5 times the amount of thinner (DTL 876, see note below) than I have of the primer.
Thinning: I thin all my model paints (including the occasional auto acrylics) with another expensive product, Duracryl Thinner, # DTL 876. This is the higest quality thinner I’ve ever located (via th efforts of several other local modelers, all of whom have switched to the Duracryl products as well). Again, it runs about $26. per gallon, which goes some distance, when using it thin modeling paints/thinners. It is absolutely high quality laquer thinner and will effectively on Testor’s, Floquile, Humbrol, artist oils and any other paints I’ve used. It mixes well with everything I’ve tried to date. I love it. Due to it’s expense, I don’t use it for airbrush cleaning and stick with very inexpensive “home” laquer thinners (which I have found as cheaply as $1 per gallon).
Lot’s of luck. Bob LaBouy