Airbrush Primers?
- Thread starter sounguru
- Start date
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
2-part Ureathane Epoxy primers. You can put them on 20 mils thick and they are self-etching and self-leveling. And for an added bonus, they vapors are toxic and will penetrate through your skin.
But you are probably wanting something that won\'t eat the details in your minis. Try Reaper Master Series primer or GW Smelly primer. Dilute either down to where they go through your gun nicely. BUT, none of the water based latex primers will have the adhesion or toughness of an oil based primer.
Something in-between? an automotive enamel or laquer primer. Both will require a respirator.
What problems are you having with spray cans that you think you won\'t with an airbrush? Everything that can go wrong with a can is only amplified by using an airbrush. Orange peel, spotty coverage, overspray, I can do them all with my airbrushes. Then you gotta spend another 30 minutes cleaning the guns. I have primed over 100 minis on my patio table with a can of Krylon (yes, my patio table is white - Krylon primer white). Throw away the can and done.
Link to an interesting primer experiment:
http://www.maximusinminimis.com/Primer%20Test.html
But you are probably wanting something that won\'t eat the details in your minis. Try Reaper Master Series primer or GW Smelly primer. Dilute either down to where they go through your gun nicely. BUT, none of the water based latex primers will have the adhesion or toughness of an oil based primer.
Something in-between? an automotive enamel or laquer primer. Both will require a respirator.
What problems are you having with spray cans that you think you won\'t with an airbrush? Everything that can go wrong with a can is only amplified by using an airbrush. Orange peel, spotty coverage, overspray, I can do them all with my airbrushes. Then you gotta spend another 30 minutes cleaning the guns. I have primed over 100 minis on my patio table with a can of Krylon (yes, my patio table is white - Krylon primer white). Throw away the can and done.
Link to an interesting primer experiment:
http://www.maximusinminimis.com/Primer%20Test.html
I have used Krylon almost nonstop for years but I would like it to go on smoother and thinner.. So I was thinking with my Airbrush I would be able to lay it down smoother. I have recently picked up a can or Armoury to see if it flows better and gives a better finish with fewer coats. I know that I can lay down a thinner layer of paint that any I have been able to get with a can. Using a enemal or lacquer primer is also not an issue. I am willing to take the time to get a clean even finish so I have a solid base to work off of.
Since I wil have a dedicated primer booth using an airbrush poses no problems on that side.
Since I wil have a dedicated primer booth using an airbrush poses no problems on that side.
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
(machine just timed out on posting a most elequent response :cussing
Check out the link I gave you for primer durability.
Water based (brush on) primers just won\'t be as durable or hard as enamels no matter if you airbrush them or paint them on with a brush.
Enamel primers leaves you with either automotive or something out of the hardware section (rustoleum, etc.). In any case, you will have to thin or reduce to get something you can shoot. Reducers for enamels are generally toxic, booth or no booth. If you shoot anything with Tolual or Toluene (also known as methylbenzene or phenylmethane) you should have a NIOSH respirator for oganic vapors and a face shield. I doubt you will see any, but if you use anything that has MEK in it, a full suit is just about the minimum. If you are a true paint shop, you will be held to higher standards than us meer hobiest.
For me, if I want a real nice layer of primer, I\'d get Tamaya. General play/tabletop minis get Krylon. Armory has had so many quality control problems, that I\'d never let that stuff near my minis.
Check out the link I gave you for primer durability.
Water based (brush on) primers just won\'t be as durable or hard as enamels no matter if you airbrush them or paint them on with a brush.
Enamel primers leaves you with either automotive or something out of the hardware section (rustoleum, etc.). In any case, you will have to thin or reduce to get something you can shoot. Reducers for enamels are generally toxic, booth or no booth. If you shoot anything with Tolual or Toluene (also known as methylbenzene or phenylmethane) you should have a NIOSH respirator for oganic vapors and a face shield. I doubt you will see any, but if you use anything that has MEK in it, a full suit is just about the minimum. If you are a true paint shop, you will be held to higher standards than us meer hobiest.
For me, if I want a real nice layer of primer, I\'d get Tamaya. General play/tabletop minis get Krylon. Armory has had so many quality control problems, that I\'d never let that stuff near my minis.
Thanks for the input I\'m gonna look for an enamel primer....
The problem up here that I am having is that for 9 months out of the year it rains and Kylon according to their company rep hates wet weather. My shop will still be running high humidity unless I can get a dehumidifer installed....
Worst case I will have to go back to cans but hopefully in the shop I will a slightly drier area to work.....
The problem up here that I am having is that for 9 months out of the year it rains and Kylon according to their company rep hates wet weather. My shop will still be running high humidity unless I can get a dehumidifer installed....
Worst case I will have to go back to cans but hopefully in the shop I will a slightly drier area to work.....
farseerlum
New member
isn\'t satin varnish another way of saying enamel primer?
i\'m sure the hobby shops will have some nice revel or testors primer in enamels.
i\'m sure the hobby shops will have some nice revel or testors primer in enamels.
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
No, satin varnish is a clear varnish or polyureathane with flattening agents added.
Look at a jar of Testors brush-on DullCoat. You can see the milky white flattening agent all settled toward the bottom.
Sounguru, I paint in Florida, let me tell you about humidity. With Krylon, that just means I prime lots on good days where the humidity goes below 90%. I\'ve also found that you can hold the can a bit closer to the mini and warm the can (not HEAT the can) and get some good results.
I warm my paint cans by leaving them outside in the 80-90 degree patio. But you can put them in sink of warm water for a half hour as well. Not hot water like you\'d do dishes with, but warm like after you\'ve done dishes.
Look at a jar of Testors brush-on DullCoat. You can see the milky white flattening agent all settled toward the bottom.
Sounguru, I paint in Florida, let me tell you about humidity. With Krylon, that just means I prime lots on good days where the humidity goes below 90%. I\'ve also found that you can hold the can a bit closer to the mini and warm the can (not HEAT the can) and get some good results.
I warm my paint cans by leaving them outside in the 80-90 degree patio. But you can put them in sink of warm water for a half hour as well. Not hot water like you\'d do dishes with, but warm like after you\'ve done dishes.
Tried the warming of the cans and I have shaken them until the cows come home but I still get some seperation of the pigment to binder.
Black is the worst followed by gray. White and Brown seems to do okay 95% of the time. If I can\'t get a good airbrush system I may just have to go back to priming everything white.
Black is the worst followed by gray. White and Brown seems to do okay 95% of the time. If I can\'t get a good airbrush system I may just have to go back to priming everything white.
chrispasseno
New member
I\'ve recently been using a 1:1 mix of black artist gesso and rubbing alcohol through my Badger 150. It\'s been covering like a dream.
When the mix dries, it \"tightens\" up into the nooks and crannies. It also gives a nice tooth for the basecoat.
When the mix dries, it \"tightens\" up into the nooks and crannies. It also gives a nice tooth for the basecoat.
I developed a primer which works pretty well for me. This formulation seems to provide pretty good wear resistance and promotes adhesion to the metal.
Note: I always scrub my minis with Simple Green and an old toothbrush before priming.
You will need:
Delta Ceramacote Metal Primer
Empty 17ml dropper bottle (Vallejo bottle)
Liquitex Flow-Aid (in a 1:10 dilution)
1) Mix 5 ml of Delta Ceramacote Metal Primer and 5 ml of whatever color of acrylic paint you wish to use as a base color (volume can change, 50:50 ratio seems to work the best). Mixing in the 17 ml bottle makes dispensing into airbrush color cups easier later.
2) Add 4 drops of a 1:10 solution of Liquitex Flow-Aid.
3) Mix well.
4) Thin the paint to whatever is appropriate for your airbrush.
A word of caution. Getting the mix right is critical. If too much of the Metal Primer is used the primer mix will go on gritty. I tried thinning this mix to just a touch thicker than a wash and spraying light coats, didn\'t work. Created a huge, runny, ugly mess.
Note: I always scrub my minis with Simple Green and an old toothbrush before priming.
You will need:
Delta Ceramacote Metal Primer
Empty 17ml dropper bottle (Vallejo bottle)
Liquitex Flow-Aid (in a 1:10 dilution)
1) Mix 5 ml of Delta Ceramacote Metal Primer and 5 ml of whatever color of acrylic paint you wish to use as a base color (volume can change, 50:50 ratio seems to work the best). Mixing in the 17 ml bottle makes dispensing into airbrush color cups easier later.
2) Add 4 drops of a 1:10 solution of Liquitex Flow-Aid.
3) Mix well.
4) Thin the paint to whatever is appropriate for your airbrush.
A word of caution. Getting the mix right is critical. If too much of the Metal Primer is used the primer mix will go on gritty. I tried thinning this mix to just a touch thicker than a wash and spraying light coats, didn\'t work. Created a huge, runny, ugly mess.
