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P3 Primer - not so good to me


MontanaJeff

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Just wondering if anyone else has had experience with the P3 primer. I just used it to prime my Sonnia box set and I am not thrilled with it:

1. the mist is way too fine. I had to do a ton of coats to get good coverage.

2. It did not adhere as well as the GW primer I have used in the past.

3. It seems to dry slower and stinks longer.

So far, I'd say my favorite primer is definitely the GW black primer. Yea it's $15 vs $10 for the P3 but the nozzle is better, the density of the spray works better (for me) and the adhesion seems better.

Anyone else have any suggestions or thoughts on these (or other) primers?

Edited by MontanaJeff
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I don't like any primers by a game company. GW is good, but SUPER expensive. Armory and P3 are just bad. I use Rust-0lium(sp?) Sandable auto primer. You can pick up a can at Wal-Mart or your local auto part shop. Excellent Nozzle, nice wide spray patern, and will cover completely in only 1-2 passes. GREAT stuff. And only $5 a can.

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Duplicolor Sandable Primer. Available at pretty much any auto parts store in the US. White, Light Grey, Dark Grey, Black, and Rust. $5 for a full size rattle can. best primer I've ever used (and it's actually a primer, not a black spray paint like what GW sells).

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I haven't tried the P3 primer but I haven't heard anything good about it. I will avoid it.

I use Duplicolor sandable primer as well. Suggested by Fluffy back when she was still with PP and I have been using it ever since. Great stuff.

Get it at Advance auto parts or Autozone.

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I have used P3, GW, Armory, Duplicolor, Board to Pieces, Krylon and Rustoleium.

Avoid GW, it's way too expensive

Avoid Armory, i have used two cans of it and they were both bad. The paint came out flaky and made the mini fuzzy from BOTH cans.

Board to Pieces was alright but about 2/3 of the way through the can the spray started splattering and not going on evently and even a soak of the nozzle in paint thinner couldn't fix it.

Krylon and Rustoleim were both ok, i didn't purchase them they were my LGS's "here you can use this primer" cans

I am currently on my first can of P3, i'm using their white primer. it goes on fairly smooth, a bit thin in some spots but it think a change of angle of the can will help since it has the nice flat stream, if you try and spray it right at the model you aren't actually spraying right at the model but above it. you need to cock the can down a bit to get it aimed right. i like it quite a bit

Duplicolor has been the best quality for the price. can't beat $3-5 a can.

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I think the P3 White is probably the best white primer I've ever used. Now the P3 Black... reminded me a lot of the Duplicolor Sandible Primer (the one I usually use). The differences: The P3 Black stank to high heaven, and it took longer to dry. As in, I used a blow dryer to speed up the process for my second coat. Funny enough, the white doesn't have this problem...

To the OP:

Did you wash your mini's before the primer? All parts/minis have a bonding release agent on them that if it's not washed off, your primer won't stick or flake off. Another item- do you wash your hands before handling your mini's in raw form? People with wet, sweaty hands or dirty hands rub that stuff off onto minis. Which, once again, make it very hard for the primer to adhere to the mini.

Was there a significant difference in temperature between the primer and the mini's? As in, was the primer kept outside in the garage all night where it got to 50 degrees, while your mini's where inside at 75 degrees? This also adversely affects your primer.

Lastly, was it really humid outside? Like 75% or better?

When you say a ton of coats... how many are you talking? I typically do 3-5 primer coats on my mini's. I let each layer dry before going on to the next layer. I have noticed that the P3 White does seem a bit thin, but I'd rather have a too thin primer then too thick (like GW or Armory).

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It actually sounds like you needed to shake up the can a whole bunch more than it was.

I have never had a problem with the stuff and would say it is the best "game company" brand primer on the market.

That said, go to a place that sells real primer and get some better stuff for 3 bucks.

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Duplicolor is awesome and fairly inexpensive. And like Angel_of_menoth says it is a real primer versus most of the others glorified spray paints. White and black have great coverage and I have yet to have it cover up any detail. The tooth is perfect (allowing the top layers of paint to bond better) and the finish is durable (it doesn't wipe off like most of the other brands with handling while painting).

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Wow, thanks for the tips...

- I thought I shook it enough, maybe need to do more....

- I brush my minis with a toothbrush, then wash them with mild soap and let them air dry

- Humidity...what's that? MontanaJeff lives in Montana :)

- Temperature difference, no. minis inside, paint inside (ventilated of course)

Anyway, I've got a full can and I'll probably use it up. Maybe, like wine, it'll get better with age ;)

With the GW stuff I usually spray from 10 to 12 inches away maybe need to be closer with PP? I still think the mist is too fine though, seems alot of it just dissipated into the air.

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Tamiya White is bar none the best I've used.

I just did an experiment. I already had the GW and Armory White, I bought Tamiya and Krylon and primed some extra minis I had.

Tamiya came out the cleanest, dried the quickest, stank the least and the base coat colors worked out the best.

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