Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello
Is this normal for primed part (1 close layer with airbrush - vallejo black surface primer) to look like this ? Or am I messing something up ? When I touch it, it is smooth. And a small layer of leadbelcher looks the same, when applied on it.[img]

Close up on pauldron.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Maybe it is my imagination. I don't know. It seems weird.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I'm just seeing things, no ?

At full strength, unthinned, vallejo surface primer will be "textured".

It's one of the reasons I switched to Stynylrez for priming. It is a superior product by a large margin. Goes on thinner, is more durable, better bond strength, smooth finish.

And is that much of a problem when finishing the model (visually) ? Is there some way to reduce that effect ? Vallejo primer is one of the few, that I can choose from.

You might want to try and polish the primer with a cloth or very fine grade sanding sponge (3000+).

Getting closer to the model and reducing pressure might also help so that the primer won't dry before hitting the surface.

Indeed, you could be getting dry spray problems.

But the vallejo primer is pretty thick stuff and likes to texture even when sprayed wet.

You can thin it with a little flow improver but it will reduce it's bonding strength.

Like I said, there is a reason I switched away from the Vallejo primer after years of just putting up with it and spraying it thin and having the lesser bonding strength in order to get a good result.

No. I'm painting it pretty close and at 25 psi. Is it possible to overpaint ( maybe with another primer or so on.....) ? Because I primed the whole knight and I don't want to strip it whole (update: just put the legs in antiseptic to strip it.... I fethed up with leadbelcher thinning= too watery ). Also should I cancel my order for 4 vallejo primers (2 black and 2 white) or should I use flow improver ?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also I can't get any stynylrez. It would take too damn long before it arrives (also really expensive).


Automatically Appended Next Post:

meatybtz wrote:

You can thin it with a little flow improver but it will reduce it's bonding strength.

What ratio of vallejo primer : extender is best. How were you thinning vallejo primer before you got stynylrez ? Anything, that I should be careful of when airbrushing it ( when it looses the bonding strenght) ?

I've not been happy with any hobby primers I've tried at all. The best thing I've found is Krylon Satin primer. I would not us their gloss or matt. You can get it at walmarts or any other store that sells that kind of stuff and it's dirt cheap compared to hobby primer.

I've tried several store-brand ones because I was tired of spending too much on 'hobby' primer that was awful and ruined expensive models.

Funny thing is, I highly suspect (actually know at least with 'army painter' brand) that a lot of hobby companies are selling 'white label' products - so changing brands will just get you the same thing.

Spray can primer is detail clogging and has too little control...

Well, that or I've not done enough graffiti, sorry street art, to find that much skill with rattle cans.

Not all brands of hobby primers are the same, they are often radically different. But the Stynylrez does have a short shelf life, shorter than even the vallejo primer so that can give folks bad experiences. Like the vallejo primer you will start to get "sandy" particles just as it starts to go bad.

So I can see how world wide distribution can be challenging on a product that is temperature sensitive and have limited life expectancy. Most folks don't realize that the global supply chain that reaches them can be 6 months along or even older, years. In the age of instant gratification those instant gratifications can have very long production chains that take months as they circle the globe several times over... kind of like Lithium into Lithium batteries requires several trips across the pacific and back before you get the Chinese Battery shipped back to CONUS or even farther out to Western Europe.. I mean Europe.

Was the primer mixed fully before use?

If you mean me, then yes. Shook it a lot and then used it.

Edit: never ever going to strip paint again. One of the leg bent a bit.

[img]

To add to the above, the only primer that really worked for me as such (good bonding, smooth surface) was the grey MR Paint primer (http://mrpaint.sk/farby/SURFACE%20-%20PRIMER?product_id=139). It is solvent based so it will "bite" into the plastic and being really thin it airbrushes to a smooth surface if applied with care. Their paints are absolutely fantastic, too. The only downside is the strong smell, as with any solvent-based solution.

I also use Ammo of Mig and Vallejo primers and kind of liked the rubbery flexibility of the Vallejo one but none of them were really sticking even to washed plastics.

I think most spray can primers are solvent based so, maybe you can decant them and use them in an airbrush if these are easier/cheaper to get?

Ok. Thanks for the advices. Stynylrez is a bit hard for me to get. MR primer is easier. But I have a lot of vallejo primers now, so I need to use it all (otherwise it is a waste of money, if I just leave it). As I asked earlier.... Meatybtz, Did you thin the vallejo primers with flow improver or ? What ratio ? What pressure ?

You can always sell that stuff on Ebay...

I know..... but honestly for me it is better to use it all before buying new ones. But If I put it on Ebay, I would be loosing money on it ( people will buy it rather from an hobby store, unless I set the price lower until it is better for the buyer to buy them from me).

Vallejo primer is fine. Add vallejo thinner if needed. You need the right distance. If the paint is still a bit wet, a bit shiny, when it hits the model you got it right. As others already said, your were to far away, the paint was dry when it hit the model.

As for the thinner/primer ratio, I use one drop in my airbrush cup.
Pour the primer on top up to about 2/3 full, press my finger over the end of the airbrush and push just a little air. It will bubble back into the cup, mixing the primer and thinner.
Wish I had a more precise measurement for ya. Probably about 1/20 thinner to primer.

Ok. Thank you. As I mentioned earlier. I striped primer from most of the parts ( I only mentioned legs), except some parts that did not seem to have that problem. Next, my airbrush have holes on the end ( on the cap), so I think it is best for me to mix it in a cup and them pour it into the airbrush cup. Will keep in mind, that I need to be closer to the model ( so the paint is still wet, when it hits the model). Also Thanks for the ratio (Now I just need to learn how to thin thr citadel paints, that I have for airbrush)