Some Basic questions...

I suppose it depends on the paint, but I generally do 1/1 acrylic primer and paint.  I wipe the model with the thinner appropriate for the paint (X-20, Mission, etc). No wipe between primer and paint. Alcohol will ruin many paints.  Again, speaking about acrylic, it dries tack free in minutes, so no dust issues.  

depending on the scale , 6 coats of paint might cause fit issues .

1. it depends, more thin coats are better then 1-2 heavy coats

2. See above

3. I have heard that, whatever works to protect

4. Someone else can handle this one

5. I never washed or wiped any part, and never had any issues,so I don't  agree with that.

However, wiping an enamel or lacquer type primer with alchohol won't do anything to the primer,make sure it's cured, but you wouldn't want to do  that with an acrylic primer,that would affect it.

Keeping dust to a minimum is a good question.  I paint in the garage so dust is all over the place.  I find misting some water from a spray bottle over the bench a good trick.  When the piece is drying I place a box over it with tiny holes.  Those two things seem to work.

Isopropyl alcohol is what I use as a paint stripper for all model paints and primers, no matter how long they have been on the model.  If you use it to wipe down any painted or primed surface, you're asking for trouble.  Its completely safe on bare plastic, but that's the only place I would ever use it.

For airbrushing, I really don't understand the "x number of coats" thing.  I think of it more in terms of passes.  I will put on a complete color in multiple passes, in one sitting.  In my view, if anything needs to dry between "coats" of the same color on a military model, you're putting the paint on WAY too heavy.  The only time I would think of it in terms of "coats" is in the case of a car or something with a high gloss finish...where I do a base color coat, and then a wet coat after the base coat has cured.  But, even on a car, that base color coat is applied in one sitting.  More than one way to approach it I guess.

Eaglecash867

For airbrushing, I really don't understand the "x number of coats" thing.  I think of it more in terms of passes.  I will put on a complete color in multiple passes, in one sitting.  In my view, if anything needs to dry between "coats" of the same color on a military model, you're putting the paint on WAY too heavy. 

My thought exactly.  I may move around the model a bit to allow the paint to flash and then add a bit more to some parts to even it up, but as soon as the color is what you want...STOP!  

For primer the number of coats I use depends a lot.  I use primer for two reasons- to aid paint adhesion and to cover imperfections.  For improved adhesion I find one coat is sufficient.  However, for imperfections, especially for large ones like fuselage seams, I find it becomes a repetitive task- putty, sand, prime, repeat. I may sand through the primer when I sand, and the primer yields a uniform texture and color to more easily see small remaing imperfections.

Here's my answer;

 Primer-Four mist coats

 Paint-Four mist coats

 Dust Free-My favorite is large Cake containers-The Plastic Clear topped ones.

 Removing Dust-One light buff with Meguires or Novus Polish ( Lightly)

 I have cleaned parts that were primed with Isopropol Alcohol; That said. I don't recommend this on Acrylics of any brand. Different batches from the factory do react differently.

MJY65

My thought exactly.  I may move around the model a bit to allow the paint to flash and then add a bit more to some parts to even it up, but as soon as the color is what you want...STOP!  

Yup.  I do one pass to get some coverage on every surface I want to paint with that color, and when I get to the end of the item (s) I'm painting, I immediately go back to where I started and go over it again, and repeat until that color layer is opaque.  Then I stop.  No need to keep building layer upon layer of paint or primer in "coats" after that.  My primer is also airbrushed, so it goes on thin enough to the point where I can easily go over just the spots that may have gotten sanded away during final seam touch-up, and it blends right into the primer that didn't have to get sanded away.  I also am glad to have completely gotten away from the old putty, sand, repeat method.  I have found much better ways of dealing with seams and if putty is ever used (which it rarely is anymore.  Medium viscosity CA, all by itself with no fillers, is a MUCH better alternative), it is Milliput or Apoxie Clay which is easily shaped and blended with a damp q-tip prior to priming.  I use a fine point black or silver sharpie on seams prior to sanding away the "weld bead" between plastic pieces, and then carefully sand until all of the sharpie is gone.  Any little specks of sharpie left on the model show me where remaining low spots are, and I just fill those with a few tiny dabs of CA which I let cure for 24 hours before doing the sharpie and sanding of those.  Once done, primer goes on, and its only on extremely rare occasions that the primer reveals anything new.  If the primer reveals anything new, the beauty of CA is that it can be dabbed right onto the primer.  All you have to do is just let it cure undisturbed before messing with it, and the CA and primer will have become one.

As far as the color quotes, my answer depends on what you call a coat.  When I am airbrushing a final color coat- every thing assembled except LG and prop, and for finish on car bodies and ship hulls, I fix a holder so that all surfaces are free for paint.  By the time I got all finished, I continue on and start over with the same sequence of parts.  I frequently put on three actual coats on each surface before I stop and clean the airbrush.  When that is dry, I inspect to see of any surface has a bad spot.  If not, I wait till it is well dried and mask for next color.   Maybe I could call that a session, but I call it a coat, even though surfaces have actually had two or three coats.  Brush or spray can finishing is literally one coat at time.

TM, as you can read there are many diffrent ways of prep and paint, all good and work. You must find the one that works for you. For instance, I tried several methods over many years but have settled on using flat black as a primer, just one coat. I can see anything I missed or any seams tha need work. This also works for my "black baseing" preference. On the color coats, I'll spray the planes belly let's say, from the nose to the tail, one light coat. Then go back and do it again, another light coat, this time more in the center of the panels mostly avoiding the seam areas. Then maybe again with another light coat and going over areas that look too dark. Lastly I'll add a lighter shade to my base color and spray inside the panels or whatever I want to lighten those areas up a little (remember the plane started black). I do this all in one setting. I have a clean hobby room so I don't concern myself with dust, but If I did, I'd do the same that you do with a box.

Just one more thing. I was thinking about you last night and wanted to tell you just how lucky you are to have a forum to ask questions. When I was your age I had zero input, except maybe someone at the hobby shop, when I could get there, or a publication, which may or may not answer my question.

Continue to take advantage of us old men because once we're gone, you'll be the one everybody asks.

What primer?

I never use any.

Never any problems.

I've built hundreds of models.

disastermaster

What primer?

I never use any.

Never any problems.

I've built hundreds of models.

 

No doubt you are very careful with surface prep., which is as it should be.

TM, be sure to really clean your models.

DM, you probably also what base coat colors to use when and on what.

TM, that's really important.

Bill