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.

Do people often prime using offbrand or Walmart spray paints, if so then what do you use?

Wal Mart flat black.

Spray paint is paint... Avoid using spray paint to prime models, and use primes.

If you are serious about getting spray primer, and dead serious about using it, and you want it of the cheap, Miniwargaming.com, go to web store, see what's left, then army painter. You might find other parts of the store with some spray primer left, but doubt it. BEWARE OF SHIPPING CHARGE so make sure you buy enough to cut ally make it worth your while, and get some friends in on it so you can divvy up shipping.

Edit: reason I m telling you to go there: store is closing, and 70% off, or $5 for a can of primer is pretttty cheaaaaap

SlaveToDorkness wrote:Wal Mart flat black.

another vote for flat black. my favorite, 2 bucks a can. it sprays on so smooth.

krylon primer white is pretty good too. it tends to be more toothy though. be careful with it or it might fuzz.

poda_t wrote:Spray paint is paint... Avoid using spray paint to prime models, and use primes.

If you are serious about getting spray primer, and dead serious about using it, and you want it of the cheap, Miniwargaming.com, go to web store, see what's left, then army painter. You might find other parts of the store with some spray primer left, but doubt it. BEWARE OF SHIPPING CHARGE so make sure you buy enough to cut ally make it worth your while, and get some friends in on it so you can divvy up shipping.

Edit: reason I m telling you to go there: store is closing, and 70% off, or $5 for a can of primer is pretttty cheaaaaap

for plastic it's fine. for metal you might need something more heavy duty.

army painter primers are great if you dont have an airbrush. if you have an airbrush they become over priced and not so useful.

5 bucks is about what i think it's worth. retail price for them is pretty ridiculous.

Krylon grey primer is pretty great stuff. Honestly there's no reason to use GW primer, if you really want to spend 13 bucks on a can, at least get some decent colored primer from one of the many other companies out there. Its the only time I'd spring more than 5 bucks for a can. War paint makes great colored primers that go on smooth for an example.

I wonder if anyone has tried an All purpose primer from an auto store

I've used Krylon gray and matte black primer without any issue, though the last two cans of black I got the nozzle clogged half way through.

I've been using dupli-color sandable primer from the auto parts store.

GW primer is like $19 a can here I think. I haven't bought it in years.

Walmart flat black is fine, but I find there really isn't much in the can. For a couple bucks more, buy Krylon, from what I have seen in my own experiments, there is a lot more per can and it spray infinitely better than the dirt cheap cans.

Krylon Camo line is also very awesome, though only if you are doing anything that could use the specific colours (basically Olive drab, Russian Uniform, Khaki, Scorched Brown or black). I use Krylon Camo black exclusively now. Coverage is amazing and it dries within minutes of spraying the figs!

Bottom line, don't give GW money for spray paints, much better and cheaper alternatives.

I was brush priming for the last few months because I was afraid of screwing up with sprays. Switched to krylon grey primer last week, never brush priming again. Perfect, even, thin coat no loss of detail and it was around $5, can't go wrong with it!

Krylon and Rustoleum, love them.

ColorPlace (Walmart brand) flat black works great, for most projects - goes on incredibly thin and smooth while having enough tooth to paint over. It's no primer (neither are the GW sprays, so there's no harm in switching right over), so it doesn't hold up on metals (for those I use Krylon indoor/outdoor gray primer), but it's my go-to black spray for plastics, as well as the sealed foam, wood, paper, sand, etc. of terrain. The white is somewhat less magical, but still perfectly passable. Even with less paint in the can than other brands, the price per volume is still damned good.

Never had problems with GW primer myself, it's expensive but it works a treat.

Army Painter do some good primers though.

I use a white plastikote generic primer - white primer is great if you are doing a lot of your painting using washes.

I've used Krylon, Army Painter and Armory brand spays. All worked fine, but I wouldn't use the Armory primer on troops, just vehicals, as it leaves a toothy finish. I also use imperial primer on certain minis that need a bit more attention.

Generally though I prefer spray primers. Anyone have any primers that can be used in an airbrush?

Vallejo polyurethane grey primer with airbrush. Cheap, quick, easy, lasts ages.

I use sandable primer from harbor frieght. Sandable primers are a little thick so be careful of the coats you apply.

kb305 wrote:

army painter primers are great if you dont have an airbrush. if you have an airbrush they become over priced and not so useful.

5 bucks is about what i think it's worth. retail price for them is pretty ridiculous.

Kb, I have a question. I have just got myself an airbrush but have not used it yet, what do you use to prime with an airbrush? do you simply use a priming paint thinned with an airbrush medium? or some sort of airbrush primer? At current I simply planned to use a thinned paint, or get myself an army painter spray can.

Solar Shock wrote:
Kb, I have a question. I have just got myself an airbrush but have not used it yet, what do you use to prime with an airbrush? do you simply use a priming paint thinned with an airbrush medium? or some sort of airbrush primer? At current I simply planned to use a thinned paint, or get myself an army painter spray can.

Vallejo polyurethane primer such as this from Wayland Games. Can thin it with water or thinners if you want but it's not necessary. Cheap compared to tins of primer, goes on easy. Takes a while to cure though so best to leave it for a day or two after priming.

I've taken to using Montana sprays. They do a good primer and have a great range of colours. As an Australian they're also significantly cheaper than GW sprays.

Touch n Tone primer from autozone. 2 dollars a can and covers nice and evenly. It's a flat black finish. They also have white though haven't used it.

Army Painter spray primer works for me.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Rust-Oleum-Gray-primer/_/N-259g?itemIdentifier=550103_0_0_

Been using this brand, working great.

If your switching from GW to Army painter I'd be a little careful, my experience was army painter was much thicker than what I was used to (at least, the blue one anyway!).

I use cheap spray paint from a car shop for £5 a can works exactly like GW chaos black spray if not better.