Anybody have any tips on priming? I buy Model Master Grey and White primers because I find they work very well. Straight out of the can, never a problem. What I am trying to ask however, is there a way to get the most out of a can of primer? After priming there is tons of overspray and in my eyes, thats just wasted money.
Any word on maybe decanting the primer and thinning it to use in an airbrush or is this a no-no? Just trying to find a more cost effective way of priming.
Thanks
You’re gonna get overspray waste no matter how you apply it. I use a NIOSH vapor respirator and safety glasses to keep it out of my lungs and eyes, and spray the model with a cardbord box behind it to catch the overspray, as I don’t have a spray booth, which of course would be preferable. I find that spraying light coats out of the can works well, you can always spray another light coat if necessary after the first one dries. Keep it very light to avoid running and puddling. I have never bothered to decant it and use it in an airbrush- I don’t think that adds anything except extra work to the process. I like the Gunze Mr. Surfacer primers better than Testors, but both are good.
Price and wasted overspray is why I recently tried Krylon primer. I can get a big can at Wal-Mart or a home story for less than those little cans of Testors etc. I havent had any problems with it yet. I use the grey and just wetsand after it has cured for a day or so.
MM sprays pretty good. testors sprays like sh%t. try spraying at a farther range and do a wet sand after it has cured.
A good two part tutorial is on the Testors Scale Workshop, #'s 47 & 48. Brett Green demonstrates his method for decanting paint, and I’ve done it his way with good results.
All the best,
mike
[dto:]
first off, do you have an AB?
Hi colerick
How big a model/s are you spraying?. I only ask, because as I usualy build 1/32 plane, but did build a huge 1/72 sub and spraying primer and paint was quite different between the two. Or spraying the hull of the sub and then painting the small figures to go with it.
I generally try to put on the thinnest layer of primer I can and spray cans are convienient and quick, but every time I use one, it comes out like a fire hose. If I i pull back I tend to get a grainy surface… I know others have better luck.
My advice is IF you have an airbrush, try thinng your primer (thats ok) and turn your pressure down. Its not perfect either, but you’ll probably get better control and have less waste. You won’t be able to spray as wide a path, but in some instances this will work to your benefit.
I think decanting is OK. just messy and you have to deal with the propelant suspended in the primer/paint Also wear eye/lung protection.
I have been using floquil enamel primer with Testors airbrush enamel thinner and it holds like grim death and sands well too.
Hope this helps
steve J
How about giving Mr. Hobby 1200, or Tamiya Primer a try?
Decanting is a lot of work.
For a cost effective primer, consider general purpose hardware store primers or auto parts store primers. I always use my spray booth because of the overspray problem. But the large cans of primer are so much better deal economically that even with more overspray it is cheaper. And, these are generally very full-bodied primers that take fewer coats, anyway.