Author Topic: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.  (Read 8825 times)

abou

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The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« on: 20 September 2012, 23:25:41 »
So for the heck of it, I bought a can of the Tamiya Metal Primer.  I had no idea what it would be like, but gave it a shot.  After getting home, I was worried.  What color was the primer?  The label didn't say.  Turns out it goes on completely clear!

I've used a number of primers.  The GW white was okay.  I've used a black Ral Partha painted primer, which wasn't bad, but tricky to get smooth.  Army Painter primer could produce good coverage, but needed to be shaken for a good while... and then shook some more to be certain.  The best I've used up until the Tamiya was Testors, but the bottle was small.  It produced good coverage while also smooth and did well being sprayed in varying humidity and temperatures.  Only problem was that when the can ran low... well, bad results.  I'm also leery of other primers like Krylon.  I know some people claim they get good results, but I'd rather get something specifically for miniatures.  Enter Tamiya.

Since the primer goes on clear, you don't get an added layer that could possibly cover details.  I found that my behavior is better as well.  I stick to the two to three light coats and don't worry so much about whether I got primer into that one nook or cranny.  I've also found that my paints go on smoother and more consistently requiring less coats to get a solid color.  Adherence of the paints is just as good as any other primer as well.

As to how it works chemically, I don't have a clue.  All I know is that it does.  And that without having a pigment/paint component, I don't have to worry about whether my primer coat is smooth or not.  I recommend it to the curious or frustrated.

Psycho

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Re: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« Reply #1 on: 21 September 2012, 07:11:35 »
Hmm, hadn't heard of that one before. It could have its uses, though I'm not entirely sure what those uses would be. I would advise a little bit of caution; even if it is clear it is still a layer of material being laid onto your mini. Not being able to see what has been covered means you also don't know what hasn't gotten an adequate coat yet. I agree it's probably not a big deal not getting a full coat into the little crevices and what not, though missing say, and odd angle on an arm could leave you with poor paint adhesion on an area that will see more handling. Having used Tamiya's white and grey primers, they do go on very smooth. I'm glad you were willing to give it a shot - some people are turned off by the cost, which is a shame.

GunjiNoKanrei

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Re: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« Reply #2 on: 21 September 2012, 08:15:57 »
What Psycho said ... just because you don't see it, doesn't mean there is no layer. There is a layer of paint, only it is clear (think varnish - clear, but still a layer). It may even be more uncontrollable compared to colored primer, because you don't see (immediately) when it goes on too thick.

I am not sold on the clear part to tell the truth. Colored primer has the advantage that you can make the color work for you for example to intensify the highlights or darken the shadows. With a clear primer I'd be worried about a metal sheen underneath the thin layers of paint.
Also after priming I usually go in with a brush to cover all the areas the spray couldn't get to. For me this is a very important step, not because of the coverage, but because it is a way for me to get to know the miniature in a way I couldn't without putting a brush to it. At this point I find out where there are hard to reach spots, where I may have missed a moldline (easily to remove at this stage, later not so much), develop ideas for details as I explore them with the brush, discover shapes and angles, ...

Thanks a lot for your review and your thoughts. Even though it is not my regular primer of choice I can echo the good things about Tamyia primers in general (only have tried the grey though).
I just don't think clear would work for me.

agen2

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Re: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« Reply #3 on: 21 September 2012, 09:14:26 »
I did't know that there is a clear primer.I used grey Tamyia often and sometimes white,but yes is a small can and very expensive.
Compared to the GW tends to better hold the color.

abou

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Re: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« Reply #4 on: 21 September 2012, 13:05:43 »
Whatever the layer is, it's thin -- very thin.  The first coat looks like you're painting on bare metal, but if you use multiple thin coats, which we all do anyway, of paint it looks solid without the metal sheen underneath.
« Last Edit: 21 September 2012, 13:08:29 by abou »

Terminax

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Re: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« Reply #5 on: 21 September 2012, 14:27:02 »
I asked a buddy who deals with this kind of stuff more than I do, and he says metal primer, actually isn't a paint so much as it's a chemical cleaner to etch the metal enough so paint will stick to it. He uses it on metal car models that require as little as possible paint and a normal primer can add enough weight to equal two or three color coats.
« Last Edit: 21 September 2012, 14:38:29 by Terminax »

abou

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Re: The primer you're not using, but probably should be.
« Reply #6 on: 21 September 2012, 17:56:32 »
That makes sense.  All the chemicals on the label seem to be ones that evaporate.

 

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