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I'm getting fed up with undercoating by hand - you can do as many thin layers as you like and it'll never be perfectly smooth - which sometimes shows through on the finished model and prevents from getting that perfect smooth finish I lust after.

So i tried to buy citadel paint cheaper online but got outbid. There are a lot of model paints available new online but they are pricey and i I am one step away from being benefit-scum. So why not just use the cheap stuff? the bog standard acrylic primer spray you find in the home hardware section? It says it's suitable for many surfaces including metal and plastic, although obviously they are expecting you to use it on your car or house.


Has anyone ever tried this - does it work? - any brand you could recomend - cheap places to buy proper modelling spray - other feedback welcome

I'm going to go and buy some and try it out on some cheaper minis and if it is terribly bad or really brilliant i will upload some pics

I'm pretty sure a lot of people prime or undercoat using house and car sprays. Just make sure you shake it really well before you use it and spray from a good distance in thin controlled sprays.

That's reassuring - I will go get some cheapy white spray from Jim's cash & carry. Cheap and Cheerful but hopefully effective

Just try it out on something you don't mind destroying, or on a metal model which can be stripped easily.

I used some cheap spray i got at a bunnings and it worked fine, almost the same as gws sparay maybe just a little thicker.
But as long as you check and know how to reverse what youve done its okay i guess

I've used Krylon Matte Finish before and some friends of mine use kyrlon primer with some success, I use Armory primer though, its about 1/3 the cost of the GW stuff.

I use Wal-Mart generic brand flat black spray. $0.96 a can and has never given me issues.

Not sure if posting ebay links is allowed here, but search for Simoniz acrylic car primer. I always use the white, and I love it. It doesn't go on chalky or fuzzy, isn't too runny, is fine enough to give great coverage and it's just generally brilliant. Best thing about it is that while a single can is about £3, you can get rather large multipacks for discounted prices. I believe they do black and grey as well.

ahh SLAVETODARKNESS i wish we had wallmart in britain - 96 cents is like 50 pence! I ended up going with hycoat white primer 2.56 of my pounds but still cheaper than citadel! and it looks just the same when its on - smells the same too. Success!!! Primer does not have to be expensive to do the job