Vallejo primer woes.

[thehennessyguy]

Hi guys

i bave recently got into airbrushing so i am getting to grips with priming my models i was just wondering do i need to thin the vallejo primer or should i spray from the bottle ? and if so what PSI should i be spraying ?

thanks brandon

[cruiserguy]

Hi Brandon,

If you are using the polyurethane primers, you shouldn't need to thin them.

Best Wishes,

Will.

Edited 11 May, 12.05

PS. I'd echo what Wyverns4 says, although I've found you don't need to add clear to Vallejo primer to airbrush it, a little Kleer makes it a bit more durable and sandable. Unless you let it cure properly, if you sand it after spraying it tends to peel. However, if you look at Vallejo's info sheet on the stuff, it appears if you leave it too long, you can't sand it at all because it's formulated that way.

PPS Give the bottle a good shake before you use it, I stir mine with a Badger paint stirrer. Stirred not shaken, the 700 way.

[shawty82]

I've fought many (mostly unsuccessful!!) battles with Vallejo primer, and I've come to the conclusion that to preserve a small amount of my sanity, I'm not gonna bother using the stuff. I find it clogs my airbrush constantly, and end up having to spray at a much higher PSI than usual (say 20-25), and then the finish suffers. Ive never gotten to the bottom of why the above problems occur. I have used Vallejo Flow Improver with it with a certain degree of success, but to save the hassle I've gone back to rattle cans or Alclad primers (to use while the family isn't about).

[DAG058]

I sprayed if straight from the bottle at about 18psi through a 0.3 needle. Make sure it's well mixed. As with any airbrushing it's all down to trial and error, there is no exact science to it as there are so many varying factors.

What I would highly recommend doing though is ditch the Vallejo primer for stynylrez. The stuff is amazing!

[wyverns4]

I have found that mixing some Klear, (or whatever it is called now/today/tomorrow), into the primer thins it slightly and improves flow through my airbrush. Also the Klear 'hardens' the primer and allows it to be sanded down, if required, to a feather edge.

HTH!

Christian, exiled to africa

[CedB]

I'll echo DAG's post - I had a lot of problems with the Vallejo primer... although it sprays well, especially with a little W&N Flow Enhancer, it doesn't always stick well and is prone to peeling and 'rolling' under sanding unless it's very, very dry. I too have changed to Stynylrez - sprays well, dries very quickly and sands (if you need to) very well. Pleasant smell too.

Tony posted a link to Flory Model's primer review in the Badger Stynylrez thread here.

HTH

Ced

[March]

Another one here that has made the switch from Vallejo primer to Stynylrez. The difference is night and day, Stynylrez gives a smoother, harder finish once dry, and is much better behaved when spraying - no more clogging or peeling.

[adrianm2]

Hi Brandon, I have been using Vallejo products for years without any problems.

The issue that I have heard of is related to the kind or type of primer...

Vallejo produces two types of primers:

The first one of them is water based.

This primer is to be applied straight from the bottle on the surface when it is ready for painting, what I mean is that

the primer in the picture is not for finding/filling small defects in the surface. If you sand it it comes off and

if you apply it over bare plastic it won`t stick well and won`t dry quickly... it is really frustrating.

a picture of it

The other one, I use it straight from the can, It is a primer as you know them, solvent based,

dries almost instantly and is great for finding/filling defects and you can sand it

as you would do with any other primer you may know.

a picture of this one too

HTH

Adrian

Typo edited