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Primer questions

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  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Rochester, New York USA
Primer questions
Posted by rocker286 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 5:21 PM

Good evening folks!

I have found myself in a predicament that I never thought I would find myself in. I'm working on a 1:72 B5N2 currently, and I went to use some testors gray primer on it so I could get it prepared for it's main paint job in a day or two. I didn't have a lot of primer left in the can, but I figured I had enough for a 1:72 scale, single-engine aircraft. 

Except I didn't. 

I managed to get 90% of the underside coated when the can completely died on me. My local hobby shop is closed for internal business like every other shop in the world right now, but they are allowing customers to phone-in orders that can be picked up in their parking lot in a safe and sanitary manner. They do not have the testors gray primer in stock, but they do offer the tamiya "fine surface" primer. 

So now that you've made it this far in my rambling post...would it be safe to order the Tamiya primer and spray it over the testors primer already on the model? Or will it negatively affect/react with the primer on the model? I know it's a strange question, but I wasn't sure who else to turn to about this and I figured someone with way more experience with this subject matter may be able to offer some words of advice. 

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Thursday, April 9, 2020 5:33 PM

As long as the Testors primer is dried and cured, at least 24 hours, there should not be a problem spraying the Tamiya primer over it. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Rochester, New York USA
Posted by rocker286 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 6:23 PM

Thanks stikpusher! 

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  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Thursday, April 9, 2020 6:25 PM

I was going to suggest same as Stik. He beat me to it, but I too think you'll be just fine.

On a side note, far as I know the Testors Gray Primer in the rattle can is enamel and works pretty ok. However, it is my understanding the the Model Master Acryic Gray Primer in the bottle isn't really primer at all, it is an acrylic color called gray primer. How confusing is that?

Several years ago I had a major incident with the latter, mistakenly believing it to be a proper primer, and haven't used it since.

Hope my unsolicited comment was ok, I know it is  beyond the scope of your question but felt compelled to toss it in there.

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Rochester, New York USA
Posted by rocker286 on Friday, April 10, 2020 11:39 AM

Greg,

Your comment was more than ok- I appreciate the tip! That is very confusing that there's an acrylic called gray primer. I get it, some folks may want to give a model car that "it's being restored" look and finish an auto kit like it's simply waiting for a new paint job. But the company should have made that more clear on the bottle. I hope it didnt ruin your project! 

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  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Friday, April 10, 2020 12:51 PM

rocker286
I get it, some folks may want to give a model car that "it's being restored" look and finish an auto kit like it's simply waiting for a new paint job. But the company should have made that more clear on the bottle. I hope it didnt ruin your project!

That is exactly my understanding of why the color exists, if the stuff I've read about it over the years is correct. Right or wrong, I can attest that if the bottled stuff really is supposed to be a real primer, it most certainly doesn't work. (and as I alluded to, the Testors primer in the rattle can IS a real primer and works just fine).

Nice of you to ask about the fate of my project. I was a newbie here at the time, and everybody helped me salvage the project. It remains one of my favorite 'builds' to this day, and a real testamonial to the value of all the knowledge and good folk here.

Good luck with your priming and modeling adventures. Yes

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, April 10, 2020 1:34 PM

Greg

 

 
rocker286
I get it, some folks may want to give a model car that "it's being restored" look and finish an auto kit like it's simply waiting for a new paint job. But the company should have made that more clear on the bottle. I hope it didnt ruin your project!

 

That is exactly my understanding of why the color exists, if the stuff I've read about it over the years is correct. Right or wrong, I can attest that if the bottled stuff really is supposed to be a real primer, it most certainly doesn't work. (and as I alluded to, the Testors primer in the rattle can IS a real primer and works just fine).

Nice of you to ask about the fate of my project. I was a newbie here at the time, and everybody helped me salvage the project. It remains one of my favorite 'builds' to this day, and a real testamonial to the value of all the knowledge and good folk here.

Good luck with your priming and modeling adventures. Yes

 

I was a teenager in the fifties.  Guys were really into hotrods and customs of that era.  There got to be a point where people just left their cars in primer, even when they were through working on it.  I guess it meant they were a customizer even if the car was so little modified it was hard to tell.  It became a meme among the guys, sort of an in thing.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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