Best primer for using with airbrush

[lesthegringo]

Guys, I've been using Alclads white primer recently after some suggestions here to prevent paint peeling off resin parts. It definitely helped, and after taking the masking off the EE lighting that I'd started well before this (some models get put to one side for a while when I run out of impetus ) I certainly wish I'd primered that too. Great swathes of paint came off with the masking media, so I assume 1) I made a hash of prepping and cleaning the surface, and 2) a primer would have probably improved things. Possibly 3) the Airfix plastic needed extra care too, but others deal with it so I shouldn't blame it.

 

The problem I'd had that stopped me using primers in the past is that they generally come in rattle cans, which tend to blast on the primer with no control or finesse. They are also wasteful, expensive, inconsistent, and with Tamiya primer even after ten minutes of vigorous shaking, it was spitting little flecks of dried primer, which then required me to sand back after priming. As (up to this point) I'd never really had any issues with paint peeling, I  sort of put the primering thing into the 'can't be bothered wirh the extra hassle' box. However I did buy a bottle of the Alclad primer, presumably with the intent at the time to give it a whirl, and recent experience with it shows that a good primer that can be applied with an airbrush is the better way to go.

 

Unfortunately I only have one bottle of Alclad primer, and locally I can't find a stockist. Getting any mail here is difficult let alone parcels from outside, so I need to find a good alternative that can be used with an airbrush. I am not into decanting spray can stuff, most ends up everywhere but the intended container plus they are expensive for what you get.

 

I predominantly use Gunze lacquers,  but also use humbrol, Modelmaster, Revell and Tamiya enamels, plus for specific uses gunze and tamiya acrylics.

 

So, what bottle / can / jar based primers can you recommend,  and are there any that are like the etch primers used on cars that bite slightly into the surface to give a bit more adhesion? 

 

Cheers

 

Les

Edited May 14, 2018 by lesthegringo

[cruiserguy]

Hi LTG,

 

Try Ultimate, Stynylrez, or even Vallejo, they are all good primers. Stynylrez is a wee bit thick, so you'll have to play about with the air pressure on your airbrush to get good results. You can sand Stynylrez, and Vallejo is good, but it doesn't sand well, it's more a finishing primer than anything else. Some people use Halfords auto primers, but I find them a bit grainy.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Will.

[Giorgio N]

I find your experience with the Tamiya primer very different from mine, as I always had a very nice and even flow of paint from Tamiya's spray cans. Using the "fine" primer gives me a very smooth surface too. The only exception was with the very end of the can and in a couple of cases when the nozzle was very dirty. Cleaning the nozzle solved the problem. When it comes to primers in a spray can, Tamiya is my go-to brand, I've tried Halford's before but I share Will's view here, I also find this too grainy for my taste.

Said that, I've been using Vallejo primer in my airbrush and I'm pretty happy with this. On plastic I found it very tough and is easy to spray. Don't know what it's like on resin though as I haven't tried it on this material yet.

[Venelin]

Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 is best for me (I have all three-black, grey and white), thinned with Leveling thinner. I've tried Alclad, Tamiya, Vallejo, Ak..., but nothing beats the Surfacer 1500 IMHO. Very easy to use and clean, silk smooth surface and you can sand and polish it very easily. Sticks very good to photoetch, resin also.

[Scratchbuilder]

I use a self-etch primer for everything. OK I use a spotting gun, rather than an airbrush, unless I'm putting on Zero paints, but self-etch is easy to mix and oddly if kept in a sealed tin or bottle doesn't activate until sprayed again , when it will stick to resin, brass, aluminium, all the things it was meant to etch in fact.  I also make patterns from Ureol tooling board and it goes on that very nicely, although Ureol can benefit from a sealer coat as it is really a self skinning foam, albeit very dense. Self-etch goes on plastic just fine too and dries in a few minutes. When I do a slot car restoration I can repair, self-etch, top coat in cellulose, decal and clear coat (Lechler Akrifan) in a day. It also takes masking tapes well. I did a large narrow-boat in three colours, masked and they were fine (Zero on top), finished with a coat of Akrifan clear one shot.

 

Martin

[Rabbit Leader]

I’m with Venelin on this one, however have used Mr. Surfacer 1000 instead. I’m sure the 1500 is better, however I’ve only had the 1000 in my collection. Once again, thinned with that ‘Gods Milk’ of thinners (Levelling thinner) it lays on smooth and hard and is a perfect base for all paints thereafter. 

 

Cheers.. Dave

[lesthegringo]

Thanks guys

 

A couple of comments, the Tamiya primer was a new can, although clearly I can't comment on how long it was on the stockists shelf. Also, if you are priming small parts, 90% of the primer will be prepping the surface of my spray booth, rather than bits of model 😐

 

Scratchbuilder, you didn't mention a brand for your etch primer, is it something freely available? 

 

Venelin, I'm pretty sure the 1500 grey Mr surfacer is stocked in one of the local shops, the leveling thinner certainly is, so will look into that. However, my (fading) memory rings a little bell that it is prone to spider webbing and clogging spraygun tips, is this true and if so is there any way of reducing or avoiding it?

 

Cheers

 

Les

[Venelin]

1 hour ago, lesthegringo said:

Thanks guys

 

Venelin, I'm pretty sure the 1500 grey Mr surfacer is stocked in one of the local shops, the leveling thinner certainly is, so will look into that. However, my (fading) memory rings a little bell that it is prone to spider webbing and clogging spraygun tips, is this true and if so is there any way of reducing or avoiding it?

 

Cheers

 

Les

 

I never had problems with clogging and spider webbing with the 1500, just thin it a bit more-the old rule for milk consistency. It's very forgiving and you don't have to remember precise ratios. 

 

Regards

[Howard Moon]

10 hours ago, Venelin said:

Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500 is best for me (I have all three-black, grey and white), thinned with Leveling thinner. I've tried Alclad, Tamiya, Vallejo, Ak..., but nothing beats the Surfacer 1500 IMHO. Very easy to use and clean, silk smooth surface and you can sand and polish it very easily. Sticks very good to photoetch, resin also.

Hello Les,

 

I agree with Venelin and always use Surfacer 1500 with leveling thinner, sprays flawlessly. Never had a problem with spider webs and normally mix at about 70% thinners.

 

Regards

 

H