Using Primer on a B-52?

If you're using acrylics, particularly ModelMaster Acryl, you may find that they bind better to an enamel primer than they would bind to bare plastic.  Tamiya Acrylics seem to strick pretty well to bare plastic, so I don't know if you buy anyhing by priming for them.  If you're using enamels, they'll bind perfectly well to plastic without a primer coat. 

If you do a lot of scratchbuilding/kitbashing such that your model has a lot of starkly different colored plastic parts, white and dark green for example, you may find it beneficial to first paint (prime) the model with a medium grey, not for any adhesion purpose but to simply make it easier to get consistent color and coverage from you color coat.

Andy

LOL, only took me one model build....and having paint peel off from where I used tape to mask,

to use primer.  So I bought 6 (six) bottles of Mr. Surfacer 1200  (and 3 of Mr. Surfacer 500).

should not run out for a while!

Recently tried out Tamiya Fine primer, in the rattle can. the kind that comes out white in color.

super fine texture.  But I did decant it using the Soda-Straw into a jar method. 

(Spraying it from the Can was a joke, way to much primer, no control. IMHO)

a messy procedure and as one person here points out, it's a dangerous-flammable gas situation. And one MUST "play" with the decanted primer for about 1/2 hour to degass it, cause man oh man, it really spews out the "gas" and I could see someone, closing the jar and later, finding some kind of exploded mess...

I degassed it by stirring the open jar with a toothpick.  Foams up like crazy! stirred it until the foaming mostly stopped. then put lid on, bit not 100% tight. then after about an hour or so, tightend the lid.

But the end results - it sprays out of the AB like a charm.

and no paint gets pulled up by masking tapes - so far anyway.

ajlafleche wrote:

If you're going to be doing a natural metal finish, don't prime. Otherwise, you can prime.

What would be the downside of priming before doing a natural metal finish compared to a painted or camo finish?   

I prime every part I'm going to paint. I use the Tamiya Fine Surface Primer in the rattle can and I love the stuff. Seems to smooth everything out and fill in scratches. It is very difficult to use it on tiny parts due to quick build-up of paint, so go easy. Keep the model well away from the spray can (at least a foot) and spray in small "spurts". It really does a good job of biting into the plastic, and it's a lacquer so you can paint over it with anything. Also great as an undercoat for white or yellow.

Rich

I find that a coat of light primer lets me see sanding and assembly flaws more easily, especially filler irregularities, so that I can fix them before I put down the final finish.

Tom S.