Priming with an airbrush

Yes. What ever flat light colored paint I happen to have the most of. Sometimes I'll use Mr Surfacer...but rarely.

Ditto what Gerald said. Mr. Surfacer or just flat paint.

I think some of the answer comes from what you are spraying, and what you are spraying on.  I never shoot enamels, but with Acrylics, Tamiya is very forgiving of an un-primed surface.

Vallejo, Golden's, pretty much any "thin with water" acrylic needs primer to give the model a bit of 'tooth'  that the paint can bite into. 

Also consider your media.  Are you spraying only on styrene or other plastics?  Doubtful.  With modern kits you have plastics, resin, brass, sometimes pewter or other white metals, putty or body fillers, glue, and anything else you scratch built or enhanced your kit with.

For these reasons, I shoot a thin coat of duplicolor sandable automotive primer on any kit I work on these days.  It sprays very fine, is abel to stick to bare metal, and yes, is sandable!  About $5 a can at any auto parts store.  Try it, you'll never go back. 

As for clogged nozzles, when you're done spraying, turn the can upside down and spray until no paint comes out, only propellant.  Makes your cans go a lot further.

Good Luck!

Chris

Glorfindel

I'm new to using an airbrush and was wondering if anyone has primed a model using theirs. If so, what brand primer would you recommend? I've sprayed Krylon primer in the past but generally get one good use out of the can. By the time I get to prime a second model, say a week later for arguments sake, the nozzles always act up and clog. I eventually end up disposing the can.

Just a side note .  I never get a clogged nozzle on canned primers or paints, even after multiple uses over long periods of time...  Have you tried this:  After each session, I turn the spray can upside down and depress the nozzle until only aerosol comes out...that way I know that remaining paint is blown out of the tube and nozzle.  This technique has served me well....  Hope this helps.

hutchdh

 

Glorfindel:

 

I'm new to using an airbrush and was wondering if anyone has primed a model using theirs. If so, what brand primer would you recommend? I've sprayed Krylon primer in the past but generally get one good use out of the can. By the time I get to prime a second model, say a week later for arguments sake, the nozzles always act up and clog. I eventually end up disposing the can.

 

 

Just a side note .  I never get a clogged nozzle on canned primers or paints, even after multiple uses over long periods of time...  Have you tried this:  After each session, I turn the spray can upside down and depress the nozzle until only aerosol comes out...that way I know that remaining paint is blown out of the tube and nozzle.  This technique has served me well....  Hope this helps.

Geez, I didn't see that Chris made the same suggestion, until after I pressed send....  Good suggestion, Chris!!!!

Great minds think alike, eh Hutch!

Killjoy

Great minds think alike, eh Hutch!

It does not take much to have great minds. Just read the instruction panel on the spray can.

It is good reminder though.

I'd say these days the ability to read and comprehend instructions puts us in the top 10% of minds.  Sad but true!

The "great minds" comment came from us posting the same advice at the same time.  Not from the advice itself!

Chris

keilau

 

Killjoy:

 

Great minds think alike, eh Hutch!

 

 

It does not take much to have great minds. Just read the instruction panel on the spray can.

It is good reminder though.

What?!...Read instructions?  Blasphemis!!!  I am a man, I ask for no directions, either, when traveling! 

I am so glad my wife doesn't read this forum.