Primers

That's what you need to do to see how it does on test plastic.

John3M

Is it ok to use a primer like found at the hardware store in spray cans like rust-oleum or similar brands. Im thinking they may be to harsh for plastics I just don't want to experiment. 

 

If you don't want to experiment then buy model primer. Hobby Lobby, for instance, has Mr Surfacer, a well known and good product made for priming plastic models. Tamiya is another.

Now I decant and airbrush Rustoleum 2X colors, or have in the past. But their primer seems to be enamel, so to me you can skip that one, especially if your top coat will be lacquer. I bought one can, asking the store folks if it was lacquer and could I return it if it turned out to be enamel. They thought it was lacquer. I took it home and gave one little shot onto a model floor pan. It smelled and had the drying property of enamel. I returned it and got my money back. Also, Rustoleum ( I've only used the 2X line or earlier Painters Touch lineup, not the industrial cans) to me,sprayed from the can, goes on too heavy for models anyway, which is why I decant, add thinner and airbrush the stuff.

I've been using Rustoleum Primer for years, decanted and thinned with No-odor terpentine for years with no problems with my airbrush or on the models. I cut it 3/1 primer/thinner.

Stay safe.

Jim