Primer paint

[DeadDiverDan]

Hi Folks, I'm a new at modeling and would like to know what primers are best for my models if I'm going to airbrush them? I already used Testors gray enamel and it seems not to dry very well . Even after two days it won't take the paint right. Any suggestions?

 

[robn1]

Tamiya fine primer. It goes on smooth and doesn't puddle up in the details, and you can use pretty much anything over it.

 

[Abelugo]

+1 on timya paints, make sure to get the TS paint for plastic models, not the one for polycarbonate race bodies. You can also get SEM automotive primer in a can at automotive paints stores, maybe shewin williams that carry auto paint.
You may have some contamination and you might need to clean the model off, are you painting over resin? Sculpy? On some sculpy type materials, it has to dry really well any paint will never dry over it.

 

[Robert McLain]

Tamiya fine primer. It goes on smooth and doesn't puddle up in the details, and you can use pretty much anything over it.

Can't say enough good things about Tamiya Primer....it really helped a lot when I started using acrylics plus I get real happy when I breathe it lol

Robert

 

[Keith]

I also highly recommend Tamiya spray paints.
The grey fine surface primer is fantastic, as are the paints.
Even if you are not 100% happy with the colour/shade of the paint you are using, the finish and durability make up for it.

Keith.

 

[mofo77]

yeah,tamiya fine surface primer is the go.

 

[Jun Austria]

Hi Folks, I'm a new at modeling and would like to know what primers are best for my models if I'm going to airbrush them? I already used Testors gray enamel and it seems not to dry very well . Even after two days it won't take the paint right. Any suggestions?

I never use enamel as a primer. I always use Tamiya primer which is a lacquer base primer.

 

[MonsieurTox]

Tamiya primer for me too ! The grey one, I dont like the white one.

 

[crackerjazz]

Tamiya for me too. Fine Surface Primer Light Gray. Tamiya primer is a synthetic lacquer that dries really fast and will accept any paint - acrylics and enamels. It bites into the plastic and your paint in turn bites into it. Don't spray too close or it will run. But don't spray too far either or it will dry before it touches the model and you get a grainy surface. And do it in several passes using light coats. You don't normally use enamel as primer but you can use it as your final coat. When I was younger and didn't have much money for paints I applied enamel directly onto the model without any primer. Worked for me -- but it took ages to dry (needed to give it at least 2 days). But after drying provided a nice hard finish.

 

[silentknight229]

The Tamiya stuff is pretty good. I've also had really good luck with Mr Surfacer 1000. It sets with a really fine coat so it doesn't take a whole lot. As far as what you're working on now I would strip what you've painted off of it and then clean it up before applying a new coat of primer and then you should be good to go.


Steve

 

[Duncanator]

One thing to be careful about with enamels is that if you put a lacquer paint over an enamel paint, the solvents in the lacquer can attack the enamel and cause it to craze (wrinkle). You can paint almost anything over lacquer though. So I prefer lacquers to enamels.

The Tamiya primer really is excellent particularly if you have fine details that you don't want paint build-up to obscure. Tamiya goes on nice and thin.
However for general priming I prefer automotive sandable primers. They are a bit less expensive per ounce than Tamiya, and they are better for filling sanding scratches. There are "high build" formulas too that have more solids in them to fill deeper scratches and surface imperfections. My current favorite brand is Dupli-Color.

One last tip is if you are going to have something vacuum metalized (the chrome-look on plastic things) you'll want to give it a final coat of a primer-sealer. This paint takes longer to dry and doesn't sand as well, BUT it seals up the surface so that the "chroming" goes on smoother, more even and doesn't get ruined by solvents, oils or other shmutz in the lower layers of paint or materials.

 

[DeadDiverDan]

Thanks everyone for the all the great direction on primers . It looks like Tamiya surface primer is the favorite among most of the reply's. Thanks again!

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Steve!