Vallejo Surface Primer through airbrush?

[El_Commi]

I read they were good. So picked up grey, white and black. 

But, every time I've used them they just don't seem to hold well. 

I can scrap them off with a finger nail or rub them off with my finger even weeks later  

I normally wash my models before priming so I don't know what could be causing it. 

Google indicates people have similiar issues, but others say they don't.

Any tips? 

Is there a better primer to use via airbrush? 

 

 

 

[Bengt]

I've brushed on that primer and that also comes of easily (like you I wash my models before priming). I got it after reading a review that was very positive about it for both airbrush and brush.

[ghostcopy]

I have had much better success if I do a light prime and then leave it for at least 24-36 hours. After that it takes a decent effort for me to rub it off but then I haven't found a primer you can't rub off with some effort lol

[-Loki-]

I've not had that problem brushing on, though I haven't really dug at it. However, it may be that, like ghostcopy said, I've left it long enough to cure? I tend to prime models later at night and paint the next day at the earlier, generally quite some time later.

[Bengt]

A lot of the time I prime models and don't paint them for days (or months ), so I don't think curing time has anything to do with it. As for other primers I find GWs spraycan primer to be a lot harder than Vallejo surface primer to rub off.

[Vic_bull]

I have a model which I primered white brushing it on. Since it's white, i overflooded it a bit trying to get more coverage. Since I lost some details I wanted to wash it out and reprime. NO MATTER which fluid I sucked it in for days (spirits,chlorine, various home cleaners, brake fluid even maybe white spirit), the thing doesnt come off. And I rubbed it with brush while wet. Acetone probably would work but the model is plastic.... Well, I brush it on. I airbrush it on. Works equally well. It sticks better to the plastic then to the metal. There are two rules I follow. When airbrushing don't try to get coverage from the first two coats. Apply them really misty having a couple of minutes between them. The third one will cover everything and you'll see that you spent less primer then trying to cover from the first coat. I usually  end up with 4 layers with the last being grey over black. Paint the model next night, or two, or three. That is it. But it still will chip from the metal when falling on a floor. And it doesnt like sanding when it comes to other plastics than the minis.

One more thing. The stuff in the dropper bottle smells and feels a bit different than in bigger ones. Like it has more resin maybe... The bigger bottles feel more close the the gesso. However according to Vallejo it's the same stuff just in different bottles.

[El_Commi]

Hmm.
I've left it weeks in some cases and it still rubs off fairly easy. I wonder why yours is so duralble Vic.
I have 3 of the 60ml bottles, grey/black/white.


I'll maybe try 2-3 very light coats with a delay in between and see how that goes. THough I don't normally flood mine, I usually do a short pass to pick out details, then follow through with a bigger coat.
I primed some on Sunday after a varnish done the night before. It seems to be a little sturdier, but nowhere as good as the Citaldel Spray primer..

I'm just a little diappointed is all, I was expecting them to be a lot better givien how positively some people were speaking of them.

[Vic_bull]

Well I dunno. I just started using 60ml bottles. All the previous ones(and plenty like 5 or7) were 17ml. And I notice the difference in smell and consistency. However I just finished 25 metals for SAGA primed from the 60ml and everything still was fine. However I havent rubbed it for a purpose for sure. Look, there is a differnce in a way it works. The normal hardware store primer is designed to literally penetrate and grip the surface. The Vallejo one is not. It makes a resin layer on a surface  which is like more "whole and even". It's finer then the regular primer is and it's less to obscure the details. Some would say it's even more like undercoat then a primer. But again the grip to the plastic is much better then to the metal and it's hadly coming off. What pressure do you use? Do you dillute it? I spray it almost from the pot, maybe 10% of water, no more. And the pressure is about 15psi.

 

[El_Commi]

I haven't been diluting it, and usually use around 20-30 PSI.
I'm using an Iwata Neo and I find under 20PSI and it clogs a lot with the primer.

[ghostcopy]

El_Commi check out this podcast for some great priming advice, skip to the 34 minute mark if you just want to hear about the priming 

http://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-z874q-16b8c99

and now it may not be for everyone but I agree with it :-) so take it or leave it.

 

[El_Commi]

Thanks for that!
I'll check out the full thing tomorrow. Listening to the priming section now. (MY partner broke her toe today, so we've been in hospital all morning...)