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Thinking about this - primer as finish coat?

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  • Member since
    October 2016
  • From: Louisiana Gulf South
Thinking about this - primer as finish coat?
Posted by Mrchntmarine on Friday, December 8, 2023 4:18 PM

I had a few wheel house decks from my Hawaiian Pilot ship that i had primned in grey to get then a white top coat.  I should have primed in white.  So i stripped them to start over.  Now wondering - they are primed in white, tamiya white primer from the can.  While ive taped the primer and gloss coated the front of the housing & outside of the railing with gloss model color, i was wondering if i could have just gloss clear coated those parts & left well enough alone if my desired look was achievd by doing only that?

 

Guessing its ok to leave primer as the finish coat - just never done it before?

Keep on modeling!

All the best,

William

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by Eaglecash867 on Friday, December 8, 2023 4:51 PM

I think you would have been OK with just gloss-coating the white primer.  Primer by its nature is porous, so it tends to absorb lots of unwanted things, but with a clear coat over the top of it, that would take care of that issue.

"You can have my illegal fireworks when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers...which are...over there somewhere."

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Saturday, December 9, 2023 8:09 AM

I've done it.

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Saturday, December 9, 2023 8:35 AM

I don't see why not? I have often used Tamiya white primer asa finish coat for the underside of US Navy aircraft... By the way - IMO it's better to apply a layer of grey primer and then use white over that. This way you get a vey good white surface in two layers. If you start with white on a model made from different materials the differences may show through and the second coat of white might not be enough to even them out.

Hope this helps - have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    October 2016
  • From: Louisiana Gulf South
Posted by Mrchntmarine on Saturday, December 9, 2023 5:23 PM

Pawel

I don't see why not? I have often used Tamiya white primer asa finish coat for the underside of US Navy aircraft... By the way - IMO it's better to apply a layer of grey primer and then use white over that. This way you get a vey good white surface in two layers. If you start with white on a model made from different materials the differences may show through and the second coat of white might not be enough to even them out.

Hope this helps - have a nice day

Paweł

 

 

Whites & greys give me fits. I primed in Tamiya grey liquid surface primer air brushed and the decks were Tamiya acrylic neutral grey. That was ok. But when I went to brush the rails Model Color gloss white, the grey was showing through. So I stripped and then primed in Tamiya Liquid Surface primer white, air brushed. Then taped to spray the rails  VMC gloss white. A lot of taping for tiny parts , but so far ok. Now have to reshoot the decking. 

So far, white primer and white air brushing or brushing - hard to see white on white. 
Grey primer under white - see through...  Always somethingBig Smile

Keep on modeling!

All the best,

William

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Sunday, December 10, 2023 7:45 AM

Oh!

       I have to chime in here. In my last two commissions I used "Rustoleum" Pearl Grey primer as a finish coat. Just the right matte finish(No Glare) and easy to touch up. Also readily avaoiable. The White used on all overhead surfaces as per U.S.N practice(Peacetime). Overheads white, Hulls and all vertical surfaces Grey

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 10:09 AM

I frequently use red oxide primer below the waterline as the finish coat.  Many fresh-water ships use red oxide paint on the hulls- it is a very stable and weatherproof paint (look at how often it is used on barns).

Car nodelers building rat rods also use a primer as finish coat on body.

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 3:47 PM

As I mentioned above I have done it with no problems and good results, Vallejo primer,washed weathered,filtered,and decaled.

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  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 2:32 PM

Why not?  On my USS Pennsylvania 1935, I used the light gray Tamiya Fine Surface Primer, and decided it looked pretty close to the color I was shooting for, so I left it as my finish color.

If it looks good to your eye, then it works.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    October 2016
  • From: Louisiana Gulf South
Posted by Mrchntmarine on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 8:47 PM

ok, that does it for me.  New trick in my bag!  Tks all!!

Keep on modeling!

All the best,

William

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