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What would you say is the threshold for priming? I live in the Midwest and winter is approaching, so I was just wondering how much longer I will be able to prime my models outside. I use army painter color primer if that is any difference

According to Krylon, spray paint works best between 50 and 90 degrees, with a humidity below 85%.

You can also spray paint in a garage, just make sure to do it in a box (to catch the overspray) and wear a mask. Don't spray very much at a time, and let the room air out.

Then there's also spray booths that can pump the air outside, i've used one before and it works well. I'll see if I can find a link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ZH7RSM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I was using before I broke my airbrush. Not really meant for priming, but it would work.

As a rule of thumb, i dont like to prime below 45-50 degrees (Fahrenheit, of course), and thats only if I can immediately take the minis to dry indoors where its warmer.

You can do a little cooler, but you definitely want to bring the sprayed stuff indoors soon as you can. Cold weather really messes with the evaporation of the propellant/suspension fluid- one of the reasons that cold priming usually goes south.

I actually have a system in place to prime indoors, though it helps to have a basement and a family who doesnt mind a little spraypaint smell.
I set up a big box fan (20 inch, i believe) with a 20x20x1 furnace filter masking taped to it. I then have a large flat box I use to spray on and place this in front of the fan assembly. I point this all at the downstairs bathroom, which has a ventilation fat to the outdoors that I run when I spray.

In practice, the fan sucks air through the filter, along with almost all of the overspray, and the majority of the propellant is pushed into the bathroom, then out the vent fan.


Alternatively, theres always the brush on/airbrush priming route....

Humidity is way more important than air temperature. I've sprayed outside when it was 20 degrees F. The key is that you want the surface you are painting and the spraycan at room temperature. Make sure you're prepared before you open the door, and don't spend longer outside than you need to. You will then need to bring them inside to dry. I also avoid windy days and any precipitation.

Is it something I make a habit of and highly recommend? No, but I spray outside some every winter, and I've never had disastrous results.

Agreed, the_Armyman. With a warm can (run it under a hot tap with intermittent shaking to raise the temperature of all of the contents), I've primed with no ill effect in sub-freezing temperatures. Aside from the can prep, nothing else in my routine changed.

The most important thing to remember when priming in cold OR humid weather is that the can and the models be stored in the same environment.

Keep the cans and models indoors at room temperature (around 75 F) and get ready to prime them while you are inside. Shake the can the recommended amount of time inside. Then, when everything is ready, go outside, quickly prime and bring everything back indoors.

If you don't have a warm garage to let the paint dry in, near a slightly open window will work with a small fan to suck the fumes out. I have used this technique in near 100% humidity in the summers in Cleveland and Orlando, and at -10F in the winter for years. I have yet to have had a problem with priming models.

I had success in < 0 degrees Celsius (Fahrenheit... Still a secret to me ),the only thing I had to do was to bring the models in immediately after priming.

Thanks guys. Good advice as always

JuniorRS13 wrote:
Thanks guys. Good advice as always

You're quite welcome! Good luck