Sand body before priming?

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
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I’m working on a Revell '70 Challenger and have a newbie question about painting the body. Should I lightly sand the body before priming it? The plastic is very smooth and it seems roughing it slightly (maybe 1000 grit?) might make the primer adhere better. I don’t have an airbrush, just rattle cans. I was planning on two or three light coats of primer, three coats of paint (Tamiya TS-12), then a couple sprays of clear coat after putting the decals on. It’s my first time doing this, so I’d appreciate any advice. Thanks!

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A light sanding with 600-1000 grit sandpaper or scuffing with a green scotchbrite pad will definitely improve primer and paint adhesion.

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Thanks @mrb865! Glad to know I was on the right track.

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I have the 2 inch square sanding pad assortment from Amazon. Out of it I like the 1500 or even 2000 grit for kit scuffing before primer.

That said, on scrap pieces I’ve done prime and paint scratch tests and also blue painters tape pull tests. In some of those tests I found that scuffing made the difference.

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Thanks very much @oldermodelguy! I’ll try some different grits and see how they work, including the 1500 and 2000 as you suggest.

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