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Hello,

It isn't long since I saw another bost like this and I did read it. The only advice I found was leave it to cure for 24 hours and spray with with Matte/Gloss varnish and I have done both.
I seriously don't get what is wrong, I have tried a light dusting to a heavier coat. I tried leaving them in a warmer room, I even tried to roast them above my oven for a few seconds.

Buypainted recomended using the primer via PM, he said that he had never had a problem with them. Sadly I thought the people here didn't leave it to cure for 24 hours, so I went for it and sprayed 25 models, then experimented on 10 more after that. They all got the same result.

Is there ANY thing I can do? The GW primers is spot on and if I use the same pressure when scratching as I do on my Vallejo primered models, it doesn't remove paint!

The obvious answer is go with GW then, well I like the Airbrush and would really like to continue using it.
Hope anyone got an answer for me, though all the other forums tend to say the same...

Try another primer? Maybe apply it over the coat of this other one you're using. Also, if you have the gw spray gun, which I think you're reffering to as the airbrush right? So if you have that then you can put any paint in it you want (overly simple answer I know). So you could go ahead and fill it with chaos black or imperial primer and see if you can get a good coverage with that. Hope that helps and good luck

What are you using as a primer? Is it actually PRIMER or just paint?

Are you washing your models first to remove any grease and/or mold release agents?

I use the vallejo surface primer with my airbrush, and have no problems what so ever with it.

What are you using it on?

I've never had any problems with vallejo surface primer. I use all three colors and spray it on with my airbrush. I've let it dry for as little as 15 minutes and painted over it with no issues (I do normally let it dry longer, though)

are you handling the models directly, maybe? if so, you don't want to be doing that. pin the model to a cork or blue-tac the base to an old paint pot or something so you don't have to touch the actual model while painting. this is especially important when working with heavy models, because the weight of the model requires you to exert more pressure when you hold it and that will rub paint off raised details.

also, as others have pointed out, if you're working with resin models (FW or GW's finecast), you should be cleaning those models before painting to get rid of the mold release coating that is on them. that can prevent paint from adhering to the surface properly. a bit of dish soap and warm water will do the trick.

Davethepak and varl - I use it on plain plastic models from GW, I washed they thorougly and let them dry. The problem comes before I start handeling them, even on my Leman Russ I have this problem, and I never touched that one.

I honestly don't know what to say, I use it straight out of the tube.

This is not a big problem if I don't scratch my models, but when I know it is that brittle, I can't help to obsess about it.
I even did a Matte varnish over a primed model, but that also scratched away.

huh, that's pretty weird. maybe you just got a bad bottle of primer? is the weather especially hot/cold/humid?

I bet its probably a bad batch. I have gotten a few bottles of different Valejjo products that have just been crap. I don't know if they just spend too much time in a wharehouse or whatever. Sometimes the parts of the mixture will try or just get wierd and it ruins the whole bottle. I have started using a different brand of airbrush primer that is made for automotive detailing and it has been awesome. It costs as much as the little valejjo bottles and is 3 times as big. AutoAir is the name i think.

It differs from -10C to +5, with a stable 0 atm, my room is about 15-22C.

Thanks Baldsmug! I did contact Vallejo, and they forwarded my mail to the "experts" as they called it.
I will take a look at Autoair, might try that if nothing changes :- )

Must be a bad bottle I use both vallejo german dark yellow, and black surface primer without an issue. Typically it's dry and I start spraying base colors over it within minutes.

As with many othe products, the Vallejo PU primers need:
1) Shaking on 'aaarrgh' for about 5 minutes if they've been left for more than a couple of weeks.
2) A clean surface. Make sure soap residue is cleaned off too.
3) Proper application. It should go on glossy, not wet or runny.
4) Sufficient time to cure.

Now, all this said, it's NOT a hard enamel. It's more like a gesso type of product. Its purpose is as a primer- ie something that subsequent layers of PAINT will stick to, not as a hard attachment to the surface itself. You should seal your work with a decent set of varnishes (gloss then matt if pieces are to be handled) and handle with reasonable care when done.