Why do people condem acrylic primer

[andy55]

Ah what the hell, I'll stick my two pennerth worth in. As a newbie I only tried one acrylic primer, the Army Paint. Supposed to to AB ready, wouldn't go through the AB no matter what pressure or how it was further thinned. Not the AB as I then used it for normal acrylics.
Just this am used a Halfords Plastic primer rattle can with brilliant results. HOWEVER don't want to have to go in garage every time I want to spray primer, so may have to take another look at the acrylics that others recommend.
Also there's a very good thread on here re using a bucket and water trap.

[Waspie]

Ah what the hell, I'll stick my two pennerth worth in. As a newbie I only tried one acrylic primer, the Army Paint. Supposed to to AB ready, wouldn't go through the AB no matter what pressure or how it was further thinned. Not the AB as I then used it for normal acrylics.
Just this am used a Halfords Plastic primer rattle can with brilliant results. HOWEVER don't want to have to go in garage every time I want to spray primer, so may have to take another look at the acrylics that others recommend.
Also there's a very good thread on here re using a bucket and water trap.

I was going to throw a 200ml bottle of acrylic primer after it being dreadful to AB with. However, someone on here mentioned sticking with it and experimenting with thinning and pressures which I did. In the end I discovered a method of thinning that worked. In a nutshell, I mix either water or a thinning agent with the primer until it drips readily off the brush I use to stir/mix the two elements. It's not written in concrete but as a rule of thumb it works for me. Even better now I have a better AB to work with. Only criticism would be after using it with the AB it does need a good clean rather than just a quick clean.
The bucket and water trap is attractive I must admit. I'm thinking of making my own booth from cardboard. Watched a YT vid on it. I have the extractor so May have a dabble when the weather gets better!!

[andy55]

Hi Doug, with the primer probably just me, but even brushing from the bottle wasn't much good (my opinion). Seen a few cardboard booths, but liked the idea of using a plastic box. Decided to go with armour rather than boats/ships (always was first love) so wouldn't need to be very big box. Will be using the water trap as well.

[David Lovell]

I was going to throw a 200ml bottle of acrylic primer after it being dreadful to AB with. However, someone on here mentioned sticking with it and experimenting with thinning and pressures which I did. In the end I discovered a method of thinning that worked. In a nutshell, I mix either water or a thinning agent with the primer until it drips readily off the brush I use to stir/mix the two elements. It's not written in concrete but as a rule of thumb it works for me. Even better now I have a better AB to work with. Only criticism would be after using it with the AB it does need a good clean rather than just a quick clean.
The bucket and water trap is attractive I must admit. I'm thinking of making my own booth from cardboard. Watched a YT vid on it. I have the extractor so May have a dabble when the weather gets better!!

Doug try flushing through with a decent cleaner , mr hobby tool cleaner is my favourite it will remove the brown stuff off the blanket with no problem's, a couple of flushes through with it then some thinner or water job done our own John Race used it on what he thought was a well cleaned airbrush and was shocked at what came out ,its very strong they recomend not to use it on cheaper airbrushes for fear of melting the seals/washers thingy's.
But yep you've guessed it ,I still put it through my cheepies as well with so far no adverse affects but I've never stripped a airbrush down only ever flushed through with said cleaner I do occasionally pull the needle out the back and give it a good wipe but thats all. Dave
This isn't meant to be telling persons how to clean a airbrush just how I go about it ,that way I dont break anything ie over tighten and snap nozzles its just left how the manufacturer put it together. Its clean so why take it apart.

[Scratchbuilder]

Ah what the hell, I'll stick my two pennerth worth in. As a newbie I only tried one acrylic primer, the Army Paint. Supposed to to AB ready, wouldn't go through the AB no matter what pressure or how it was further thinned. Not the AB as I then used it for normal acrylics.
Just this am used a Halfords Plastic primer rattle can with brilliant results. HOWEVER don't want to have to go in garage every time I want to spray primer, so may have to take another look at the acrylics that others recommend.
Also there's a very good thread on here re using a bucket and water trap.

Order from Azon, Hycote is the same brand just a different label and will save on your fuel.

[Waspie]

Doug try flushing through with a decent cleaner , mr hobby tool cleaner is my favourite it will remove the brown stuff off the blanket with no problem's, a couple of flushes through with it then some thinner or water job done our own John Race used it on what he thought was a well cleaned airbrush and was shocked at what came out ,its very strong they recomend not to use it on cheaper airbrushes for fear of melting the seals/washers thingy's.
But yep you've guessed it ,I still put it through my cheepies as well with so far no adverse affects but I've never stripped a airbrush down only ever flushed through with said cleaner I do occasionally pull the needle out the back and give it a good wipe but thats all. Dave
This isn't meant to be telling persons how to clean a airbrush just how I go about it ,that way I dont break anything ie over tighten and snap nozzles its just left how the manufacturer put it together. Its clean so why take it apart.

Thanks Dave. The regular and thorough cleaning was with the freebie AB I was given. Don't bother with the H&S Ultra, unless, as I say when I use primer, that's when it seems to require a more in depth cleaning. And! Since I don't use primer that often!! It's just a flush through after acrylic paints are used. That said, I'll give the Mr Hobby tool cleaner a look!

[andy55]

Order from Azon, Hycote is the same brand just a different label and will save on your fuel.

Got some mig one shot coming from John which is supposed to be the same. At moment building my spray booth so will see how it goes.

[Panzerwrecker]

The simple reason David is that some acrylic primers neither adhere very well to both metal and plastic or are easy to sand. I've only used two acrylic primers before having the luxury of being able to safely use lacquer-based ones and had mixed results with both. The first was Vallejo and it is, as you say, possible to get a decent finish, but you would have to be extremely lucky to have that happen on a first try. Especially without a decent thinning ratio or without retarder. Even if you were fortunate to get a decent finish, sanding it back is virtually impossible. As already mentioned, it tears and will not feather down. The second was Mission Models and I just never ever achieved a consistent finish.


So, what do you do? You move onto something that does work for you.... simples

[David Lovell]

The simple reason David is that some acrylic primers neither adhere very well to both metal and plastic or are easy to sand. I've only used two acrylic primers before having the luxury of being able to safely use lacquer-based ones and had mixed results with both. The first was Vallejo and it is, as you say, possible to get a decent finish, but you would have to be extremely lucky to have that happen on a first try. Especially without a decent thinning ratio or without retarder. Even if you were fortunate to get a decent finish, sanding it back is virtually impossible. As already mentioned, it tears and will not feather down. The second was Mission Models and I just never ever achieved a consistent finish.


So, what do you do? You move onto something that does work for you.... simples

Have never used any vallejo products anything that needs retarder /flow improver shoots itself in the foot anyway, I always use metal/etch primer before priming ,I always used mr hobby surfacer 1500 but switched when they introduced the mr hobby aqueous surfacer wich is equal to the lacquer version in application and finish ,any filler used on rare occasion is sanded before priming good enough if not ill chuck some mud at it bit diffrent on wingy things I suppose but but armour? :tongue-out3:

[Tim Marlow]

Interesting…..I find Vallejo model colour the most flexible paint out there, especially for brush painting. The way you can vary its properties with a couple of additives is excellent. After all, we are modelling here, not carrying out interior decorating

[JR]

Interesting…..I find Vallejo model colour the most flexible paint out there, especially for brush painting. The way you can vary its properties with a couple of additives is excellent. After all, we are modelling here, not carrying out interior decorating

You've not see me or the bench then Tim , when trying different additives

[BarryW]

The simple reason David is that some acrylic primers neither adhere very well to both metal and plastic or are easy to sand. I've only used two acrylic primers before having the luxury of being able to safely use lacquer-based ones and had mixed results with both. The first was Vallejo and it is, as you say, possible to get a decent finish, but you would have to be extremely lucky to have that happen on a first try. Especially without a decent thinning ratio or without retarder. Even if you were fortunate to get a decent finish, sanding it back is virtually impossible. As already mentioned, it tears and will not feather down. The second was Mission Models and I just never ever achieved a consistent finish.


So, what do you do? You move onto something that does work for you.... simples

I used Vallejo Primer for some years before first switching to Stynylrez and then MRP lacquers. I found that Vallejo can be sanded, IF, it is fully cured and herin lays its weakness. Its curing time can vary from. 24 hours to a week or more depending on humidity. If you leave a model in an airing cupboard for a day or two it helps. If fully cured its adhesion is better and it does feather. The problem really is having to wait and be patient and if you have worse humidity where you live than I do then it really is a pain. There are fewer such issues with Stynylrez and no issues like that with MRP.

[Panzerwrecker]

Interesting…..I find Vallejo model colour the most flexible paint out there, especially for brush painting. The way you can vary its properties with a but couple of additives is excellent. After all, we are modelling here, not carrying out interior decorating

Vallejo is a great brush paint but their primer is not so great IMO

[Tim Marlow]

Vallejo is a great brush paint but their primer is not so great IMO

Certainly not the best out there, but also nowhere as bad as it is flagged up to be. Needs a clean surface to give of its best, but then, what paint doesn’t.