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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

Surface primers


belugawhaleman

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What do you use for surface primer? I see Tamiya sells their primer now in bottles. What

do you thin this with? I prefer to use an airbrush. I have a couple of spray cans of the Tamiya

stuff. I  could decant this for my airbrushes. What other brands or options are out there?

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Since I can't source Tamiya's rattle can primer anymore, which was my go-to primer for some years, directly from the can, I switched to Mr. Surfacer 1200, thinned with Levelling thinner, with the ratio 2,5 parts thinner and 1 part primer, setting the AB to 1 bar. Works perfect with supersmooth results. I used it for some builds now, using acrylics, lacquers and oils on to it without any issues. I masked over it and had no lifts at all. I clean all my kits with alcohol, before I prime.
I have a jar of Tamiya primer as well, but haven't tried it, as I like to have good working constants in my sometimes adventurous experiments with colors and the way to applicate them. 

Cheers Rob 

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9 hours ago, DocRob said:

Since I can't source Tamiya's rattle can primer anymore, which was my go-to primer for some years, directly from the can, I switched to Mr. Surfacer 1200, thinned with Levelling thinner, with the ratio 2,5 parts thinner and 1 part primer, setting the AB to 1 bar. Works perfect with supersmooth results. I used it for some builds now, using acrylics, lacquers and oils on to it without any issues. I masked over it and had no lifts at all. I clean all my kits with alcohol, before I prime.
I have a jar of Tamiya primer as well, but haven't tried it, as I like to have good working constants in my sometimes adventurous experiments with colors and the way to applicate them. 

Cheers Rob 

Similar to Rob, but I use the Mr Surfacer 1500 also thinned with Levelling thinner. As it's a bit finer you don't have to thin quite as much but the results are still bomb-proof. Used both the black and the grey and both produce great results - the black is especially good if you want to try the black-basing technique. Does stink a bit though, need a spray booth and respirator to hand.

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I've been using almost exclusively now for over a good year: MRP Light Gray and Black Lacquer primes and the results are fantastic - smooth as silk and no thinning is required. When I want/need an acrylic primer, my primer of choice then is Ammo b y Mig Gray or Black primer. Easily 95% of my priming is with MRP.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

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4 hours ago, Peterpools said:

I've been using almost exclusively now for over a good year: MRP Light Gray and Black Lacquer primes and the results are fantastic - smooth as silk and no thinning is required. When I want/need an acrylic primer, my primer of choice then is Ammo b y Mig Gray or Black primer. Easily 95% of my priming is with MRP.

Keep 'em comin

Peter

 

Thanks. I'll give MRP a try. Had a look at their products on Sprue Brothers.

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31 minutes ago, BlrwestSiR said:

This is what they had on the shelves:

What a nicely sorted bar, I I would do a lot of things to have access to something like this, but my island is behind the green door, or better, on the wrong side of it. :D

Cheers Rob

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6 hours ago, GazzaS said:

Personally...   I think the best 'primer' is Tamiya paint over a lightly sanded surface.  I haven't had a case of paint lift since I gave up real primer.

Wouldn't disagree that Tamiya is the most robust finish I've worked with, although on the short experience to date the AK Real Colours seem similar. I just wish Tamiya would improve their range of colours as I suck as consistently mixing paints.

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13 minutes ago, GusMac said:

Wouldn't disagree that Tamiya is the most robust finish I've worked with, although on the short experience to date the AK Real Colours seem similar. I just wish Tamiya would improve their range of colours as I suck as consistently mixing paints.

Agreed.  I gave up painting cars back in the day because my ability to mix and match paint sucked.  I stuck with the body work end of the business a few more years before I got out entirely. 

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20 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Stopped by for the first time at a hobby shop near me. 

This is what they had on the shelves:

PXL_20211018_171744900.thumb.jpg.be5e22a49821e396ebeacf23214b7f15.jpg

Yeah, I think they have primers and thinners in stock. 

Ho-lee-chit. I wish that was closer to me!

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I usually use Mr. Surfacer 1200 or 1500.  I used to spray straight from the rattle can, but recently started buying the glass jars and thinning it through my airbrush.  Grey or black, shoots very clean and provides a very strong bond that doesn't lift off when taped, etc.

I've also used Tamiya primers from the rattle can - they go on similarly nicely, but the Tamiya rattle can nozzles I find can spit and otherwise cause problems.

For smaller stuff that doesn't need to be taped like cockpit interiors, I've used Vallejo.  I don't like Vallejo as a general primer because it can lift no matter how long it has cured.  But for small detail stuff, I like it.

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On 10/19/2021 at 11:15 PM, GusMac said:

Wouldn't disagree that Tamiya is the most robust finish I've worked with, although on the short experience to date the AK Real Colours seem similar. I just wish Tamiya would improve their range of colours as I suck as consistently mixing paints.

 

I was only talking about using it as a primer here in case of needing to mask.  In this case, you also have the ability to choose your color of primer instead of being stuck with the usual red/grey/black/white....    Only white working particularly well under yellow.

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