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Well, it is getting to be winter time here. Soon I will not be able to use primer or varnish. If I do it outside the spray paint will not like the coldness, and neither my wife nor my landlord look kindly on my painting indoors.

  My only plan it seems is to prime as many models as I can in the next few days and hope that they last me throughout the winter.

  what does everyone else do in the winter. ( oh, and I know I will get some comical responses from those in warmer climates LOL).

I prime outdoors all through the winter, unless it happens to be raining or snowing - in which case the moisture can ruin the paint on the figure.

I prep my models then blu-tack them to a small piece of wood:  I use an old lath - a thin piece of pine around 1.5" deep, 2' long and 0.5" thick.   This is light enough to hold in one hand but sturdy enough not to bend, even under the weight of large metal models such as the Warjacks I painted up last month.   Man-sozed models usually fit in groups of up to 6 will fit easily with plenty of room (or more if plastic - the paint adheres better and there are fewer undercuts to give problems  with missed areas).

Having shaken up my spray can of Halfords matt black paint (500ml for the same price as GW's 300ml cans, but *better* quality - it sprays like a spray and not like someone with a defective mouth spitting fitfully in the model's general direction) I then open the door walk a couple of steps into the back yard and spray away, bringing the models back indorrs to dry off. If necessary I go back out to get the bits I missed on my first go. I'm only outside for a few minutes while I'm actually spraying.

Even with sub-zero temperatures (I've done it with snow on the ground, and couldn't resist writing my name in the snow with primer..... sad, sad, sad! ) I've had no problems with the quality of result.

Of course if you live in the Arctic and it's -40o outside then YMMV!

I need more advice and best practices on how to handle this. I have two weeks
to decide whether or not to go crazy buying, assembling and priming figs, or if I'm
going to make-do with what I have.

Living in denver, I painted all my minis last winter, didnt have a choice. It really depends on the climate of where you are. Here winter is the driest time of year. It snows sure but when the sky clears up and the tempature drops and the dew point bottoms out you can prime for days. Make sure you do it in a dry place like on a patio or porch or something, not over your lawn. And make sure its not raining, snowing, or foggy, and it will work fine.

It is not the best but I have an old washing machine cardboard box that I use inside. I do not have problem of dust like I migth have outside but it take a lot of place if you are in an appartment

If you live in an apartment, stairwells work great but lack ventilation. Living here in Montana, I have gone to parking garages to prime.

if your lucky, your local hobby shop should have an airbrush box for use. This is the best method as it removes the fumes and prevents spray from going outside the box.

I prime and seal in the basement of my FLGS in the winter time. I have to wear a respirator when I do, but it beats not painting for 6 months.

Hmm...not really options for me. Looks like I'm on a hibernation shopping/
assembly spree coming up.

I prime like a madman when the weather is nice. If it's just single figs or very few figs, I'll use Vallejo's brush-on white primer, thinned out some to not lose details. I've heard of people using black gesso as a brush-on primer as well.

Frankly, I often have enough pre-primed to get me through the winter quite happily.

Posted By cuda1179 on 10/10/2006 8:13 PM

( oh, and I know I will get some comical responses from those in warmer climates LOL).

I live in LA.

Was that funny?

OK, simple solution.... turn a heater on in your bathroom. Dont take a shower about 2 hours before you prime. Let the heater run for 10-15 minutes. Turn on the vent of the bathroom, use a painting mask or dust mask at least, place your minis in a lidded cardboard box on its side. I use a box a thanksgiving turkey came in about 5 years ago. Lay out newspaper or the like. Spray in the box and close the lid when your done. Let the heater run in the room while the minis dry.

No problems lovely budgie!!

bathroom heaters?

Vent?

Beware that some bathroom vents simply exhaust into the home central air system, making it a very, very bad idea to spray in there. On the otherhand, if the vent exhausts directly outdoors, it's a great thing. You might not even need to turn the heat on unless your home is unusually humid for some reason.

An alternative to this is a a spray booth, which operates on the same principal, though a bit larger and purpose built. They're generally a box-shaped unit with an opening in the front and in the back there is a filter assembly (so screen out impurities) and vent fan (designed not to spark). Flexible tubing then runs to either a purpose built exhaust (like the one most home clothers dryers uses), or goes to a window mount. The drawback is they are rather expensive.

Posted By frenrik on 10/17/2006 10:10 AM
bathroom heaters?

a space heater would work, just get the room warm so the humidity goes down...

Bathrooms have vents?

Posted By malfred on 10/17/2006 9:34 PM
Bathrooms have vents?

You and I both live in moldy old houses (apartments) where such things don't exist, but some people live in habitations built and/or remodeled sometime within their own lifetimes, which often do have such modern conveniences as modern ventilation systems. No, a box of matches, a can of Lysol and a window don't count (though I'm sure the missus is grateful for them).

Matches?

In all seriousness, I missed the obvious answer to the original post, that now comes
to me as a stroke of genius.

With my brush.

Posted By malfred on 10/18/2006 5:01 AM
Matches?

Never heard the phrase "hey, light a match why don't cha?!?!" after expelling some nasty flatulence? I find that hard to believe after the stench you left in Jester's apartment the other day! (it actually works, btw)

I knew it! I sacrificed the neighbor's cat to Krongmak, Lord of Stench and nothing happened. Two days later, I wipe my face with my hand towel that you mouth-breathers befouled. Real nice work, guys.

I'm changing my locks.

I've heard the phrase, I just never thought that it actually worked.

Yeah, the activated carbon produced by the burning match will soak up all the aromatic stench-causing molecules, just like a Brita filter takes away bad taste from water. Note - a lighter doesn't work, you need a match to produce enough carbon. And it works better once you blow it out and wave the smoke around. A candle will work too.

Back on topic: I live in Canada, and I prime all winter long. Just shake the can indoors, open up your outside door, grab the minis, step outside and prime, step back in and shut the door. Repeat as necessary. I've primed at -15C, no problem. No need for a panicked priming spree.

I agree with Strangelooper and have simmaler expreriences.
Summer is my problem time.

Well I did it. The sun came out today for a couple hours so I put on the
filter and went out into the light.

It burned.

So now I have 100+ primed minis ready for the fall/winter.

Did you wear your cape whilst priming, Count Felixula?

And how about a rundown on said minis, to know what we have to look forward to?

Underwear on the outside. You know it.

Cryx
 6 Satyxis Raiders
 2 Bonejacks
 6 Bile Thralls
 4 McThralls
 1 Slayer
 1 Skarlock
 1 Titan Cannonneer
 1 Hexeris
 1 Wood Elf Noble
10 Wardancers
10 Eternal Guard
 5 Exemplar Vengers
 1 Epic Feora
 1 Devout
 4 Flameguard Cleansers
 6 Temple Flameguard
 1 Kruegar
 5 Delaque
 5 Eldar Rangers

30 some odd Dwarf models from the Battle of Skull Pass

Primed before today:
24 Glade Guard
 6 Bane Thralls
 1 Goreshade
 1 Deathwalker