I've read the FAQ on primer but...

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Dingo - 06 Oct 2005 22:37 GMT

All,

I've read the rec.models.scale FAQ and the discussion on primer (FAQ
Part 17, "What is primer? Do I have to use it on my models?") and it
pretty much states that priming is an individual choice.

And that's what I want to know--do you folks prime or not, and why or
why not?

Thanks in advance.

H

Reply to this Message

Francis X. Kranick, Jr. - 07 Oct 2005 00:05 GMT

> All,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> And that's what I want to know--do you folks prime or not, and why or
> why not?

    My priming is very hit-and-miss; if I have some badly colored plastic
(like an old Matchbox kit with dark green and white), I'll prime. If
it's a dark plastic to which I'm applying a lighter color (tans over
dark grey German tank kits), I'll also prime. If it's a USN jet, I
won't as most kits are molded in light grey.
    I look at it as going for truer color coats and not smoothing the
finish though a car modeler will use the primer as a smooth undercoat
for the color coats. It all depends on your subjects and preferences.
    FWIW, I prefer Floquil's lacquer primer, the grey stuff from their
railroad line of paints...

Frank Kranick

Reply to this Message

Mad-Modeller - 07 Oct 2005 04:26 GMT

> > All,
> >
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Frank Kranick

Pretty much the same here but as for cars I often use a primer
underneath for colour variations. Most colours will change their
appearance based on what they're laying over.
F'rinstance I have a ModelMaster red metallic that I've laid down over
white, tan and green undercoats and every one of those cars looks like a
different metallic red.
One of my car buddies complains that he's tired of painting cars
different combos of black, red and white. I guess he'll stay that way
because he lacks a sense of 'adventure' where it comes to paint.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to this Message

Mike G. - 07 Oct 2005 07:36 GMT

> > All,
> >
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Frank Kranick

Well, I'm a car modeler and I prime because I like to use the paint from MCW
and it is lacquer based automotive paint,
would do a nasty job on the plastic....so I use their primer that is
compatible with the lacquer and the plastic kit.
Priming also helps with the customizing I do as I like Squadron Green
filler, but it's a bit hard to hide unless you prime first.
And as Frank said, it helps with getting a very smooth paint job.
Mike

Reply to this Message

William H. Shuey - 08 Oct 2005 02:51 GMT

> All,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> H

I have found that water-alcohol based acrylic paints don't "take" very
well on clean plastic. I have found that a primer with some bite to it,
I use floquil gray primer, gives a surface which an acrylic color coat
will adhere to much better. My favorite primer for many years was Pactra
flat gray or flat white enamel thinned with lacquer thinner, which had
just enough chemical "bite" to adhere very well. I do miss the Pactra
line.

Bill Shuey

Reply to this Message

Model Forum / General / Models / October 2005

I've read the FAQ on primer but...