To prime, or not, to prime..

[GhostRider27]

Greetings!!

Hear me out on this. By way of intro, I have been working on a Revell 1/48 F-15E that I started Nov.... 2017. Picked it back up November 2022, and made some good progress.

I layed down a nice coatr of Mr. Surfacer 1500 as a primer, followed by AK Real Colors Gunship Grey, pre-shading then some diluted Gunship Grey.

The paint layers were flawless, and smooth.

Last Monday, I shot a layer of VMS gloss varnish in preparation of decals, and enamel pin washing. I really am kicking myself in the rear, becasue the finish was so smooth, that I really did not need to do this. I believe the bottle I received could have been bad, or I applied it to heavy because the varnish never cured even after a week. It pulled, and the decal solutions ruined the area I tested SO..... I stripped the entire model, right down to the plastic in a lacquer bath!!

With all this being said...

Should I prime the model again, or just go right to the base coat. The reason I ask this, is because the primer really bit into the plastic, which left it dull when removed. I rescribed a few panel lines and all in all, it's ready for paint. I'm thinking, rather than applying several coats again, and filling the panel lines with several coats of paint, Ill bypass the Mr. Surfacer (primer) and go right to the base coat being the plastic is now dull and the base color will stick nicely.

What do you guys think about what I am thinking here??

Have a great day fellas! -Ed

[Sjors]

Hi Ed,
Shame that the varnish didnt cure!

The best way to use primers, base paint and varnish is to have them of the same brand.
That way you have 99% certainty that all products match with each other and work as they are intended to work.

In your case I should wash the model with some dishing soap in lukewarm water and rinse thouroghly.
Than add the primer, base coats and if you feel the need for a varnish, try some of the same brand on test piece

Good luck!

[GhostRider27]

Thanks brother.. I'm thinking just shoot the base coat and not prime as the plastic is already "bitten" from the original primer, that's been removed.

[Jim R]

Personally I would give a very light mist coat of primer. Then proceed with the next stages.

[rtfoe]

Hi Ed, sorry to hear about the what happened.
My question would be, are there any different coloured patches of fillers other than the plastic? If it has then a coat of primer ought to neutralise the surface colour for painting. If not then I'd forego the priming as you mentioned that the surface looks primed.

Cheers,
Wabble

[GhostRider27]

Hi Ed, sorry to hear about the what happened.
My question would be, are there any different coloured patches of fillers other than the plastic? If it has then a coat of primer ought to neutralise the surface colour for painting. If not then I'd forego the priming as you mentioned that the surface looks primed.

Cheers,
Wabble

I stripped it all down to the plastic. Varnish, base coats, primer. I think I know what you're saying yes there are slight patches around some seams but not much. What I may do is mist a thin layer of Mr. Surfacer, then the base color.

Yeah it was painful.. Heartbreaking considering all the work put in and how good the finish was, but it did strip down nicely. I was surgically careful around the cockpit because if any thinner got inside, I'd say there would be no saving it and I would have to make it a paint mule or a visit to the garbage.