GW Spray Can Primer vs Airbush ?

[duz_]

So unless my forum googlefoo has failed me (or I'm bad at skimming details) I couldn't see this specific question being asked in here yet

Since getting back into the hobby I have faithfully used the GW black primer. Despite the cost I really like the job it does. I primed with P3 for someone else one time and was not a fan. So I'd like to keep the comparisons with GW primer.

 

I have recently bought my first airbrush set up! :D

So now the question is, should I continue to use the GW can spray paint or move to an airbrush based one?

The reasons I am contemplating the switch are

1. I now live in a place where the humidity is constant! Finding days to go outside to prime is difficult
2. I imagine with an airbrush primer there will be less over spray so I wont be chewing through as much paint for my models which hopefully means more $$$ for other items :)

So firstly, is this a good idea?

 

If so, then what primers do people recommend? Ideally I'd like one that is still black as a lot of my schemes use that as a base. I'd also prefer one where I don't have to thin each time (one I'm lazy, two will help with consistency between batches :) )

 

Thanks in advance! :D

[Daigo Cannon]

Vallejo black primer is the best one I have used.

[Grim Dog Studios]

Ill second the Vallejo black primer. I use both the Vallejo Black primer and the GW black spray primer interchangeably, it just depends which ever I have at to hand at the time.

[Ovidius Incertus]

I'd ditch the GW primer for a quality sandable auto primer if you want to stick with rattle cans.  Cheaper and better, although the GW black ain't bad, as I've learned as I try to strip some old minis I primed years ago with Chaos black spray.

 

That said, being able to airbrush safely indoors is a great benefit.  I use Vallejo's primers for many applications, although I do find their "bite" to be inferior to an auto primer (Duplicolor, in my case).

 

So I do both.  Things that will be weathered with enamels or oils, as well as large models or high numbers of models that airbrushing would be a beast, get rattle canned; smaller numbers or anything where detailed coverage is more essential get airbrushed.

[Hopper21]

I'm in same boat just started using an airbrush using badger stylenez (or something) either way it's miles better and gives a better finish.

[Arkhanist]

 

The reasons I am contemplating the switch are

1. I now live in a place where the humidity is constant! Finding days to go outside to prime is difficult

 

This is as good a reason as any to switch - less risk of humidity or temperature messing up the spray when using an airbrush. It also smells a lot less!

 

I find I get a more consistent and thin coat with airbrush primer - less risk of filling detail, so great on high detail models.

I still use a can sometimes, weather permitting; mainly for bases or bulk infantry. Spraying 20 minis with a can takes barely more effort than 3 due to all that overspray; the same is not true for airbrushing, though it's not a major issue.

 

Like most everyone else, I use vallejo polyurethane primer. It's a proper primer, not just a base coat, so adheres well to cleaned plastic and resin. 

 

You can spray it neat with a nozzle > .3mm, but I still tend to add a little liquitex slow dri so I get less tip dry (a fact of life with airbrushes - there are other retarders, that's just the one I have!) It's best not to dilute the primer with too much thinner as it weakens the bond, but a little is fine if you need it to spray well.

 

One thing I learned from experience with it though - it's touch dry after 20 minutes, but it needs quite a bit longer to reach full strength; painting over it too soon can prevent this. Sanding or handling roughly can scratch it quite easily too when fresh. I believe 24 hours is the recommended time to fully harden.

 

Varnishing is another good thing to do via airbrush instead of rattle can, much less risk of a milky coat! Vallejo polyurethane varnishes are good again, though I've recently started using their premium matt varnish (intended for RC cars) when I want a really matt finish.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Arkhanist

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

If you have an airbrush there's no real reason to use rattle can primers anymore. Airbrush primers are both thinner and less prone to mistakes due to humidity or spraying too much primer on.

 

Vallejo used to be the standard acrylic primer for airbrushres, but Badger's Stynylrez is IMO far superior in every way, except for perhaps color selection and durability (which is overkill anyway). The reasons Stynylrez is so much better than Vallejo is because it dries in 15 minutes instead of 12+ hours, and fully cures in 24 hours instead of 72 hours or more. Fully cured, I'm sure Vallejo is much tougher than Stynylyrez, but Stynlyrez dries and cures so much faster, and is more than durable enough for anything you're doing with the miniature, unless you play your wargames inside a rock tumbler. Stynlyrez also sands down to a feathered finish like sandable spraypaint primers do, whereas Vallejo does not and tends to peel, either due to not being fully cured, or simply from their formula having too much polyurethane.

 

I might sound like I'm pushing Stynlyrez a lot, but I assure you, it's because it really is the best choice right now for acrylic primers. Don't believe me, go try it yourself, or even just look for YouTube reviews on it. There isn't a single negative, and multiple ones saying it's as good or better than Vallejo. I still use a lot of Vallejo products, but their primer is no longer one of them.

[duz_]

Thanks all for the suggestions so far!
Tyberos, thats good to know, especially the quicker drying time! That was concerning tbh.

 

One thing I'm curious about is the airbrush vs can for multiple small miniatures.

 

I figured the airbrush would still be the way to go on that because you can drastically reduce the over spray!
I thought if you put all the mini's on a rod that you can maneuver around while spraying you could get a lot done at once without having to worry about handling them individually. 

[Jarl Caldersson]

I bought a used badger airbrush kit, I should really try to use it... it never came with instructions so not even sure how to set it up lol. I didn't know there was primers for airbrush's.

[Arkhanist]

 

I might sound like I'm pushing Stynlyrez a lot, but I assure you, it's because it really is the best choice right now for acrylic primers. Don't believe me, go try it yourself, or even just look for YouTube reviews on it. There isn't a single negative, and multiple ones saying it's as good or better than Vallejo. I still use a lot of Vallejo products, but their primer is no longer one of them.

 

Consider me intrigued. I've never heard of this stuff before - badger isn't that widely available in the UK for me, whereas vallejo is everywhere! However, I'm definitely going to track some down and give it a go. Flory Models gave it a big thumbs up in direct comparison. I'm a huge fan of his clay washes so that's enough extra recommendation for me! Vallejo does the job well enough within its limits, but it does sound like stynlyrez is better in many respects, and approx the same price. Apart from the sodding spelling...

 

Getting tougher much quicker than vallejo would be a definite plus, and it sounds like it covers tiny imperfections better - and suffers less from tip dry, yay! Being easier to sand is a plus for tanks etc. 

 

The three negatives seem that you need a bigger nozzle to spray it neat easily as it's quite thick - I'm seeing 0.5mm is best, though you can get away with smaller by increasing the PSI. Secondly, because of its thickness you need to mix it hard. Lastly it's a bit harder to clean out of the airbrush, you need more aggressive cleaner than say, windex. All seem relatively minor issues as long as you're aware.

 

 

 

One thing I'm curious about is the airbrush vs can for multiple small miniatures.

 

I figured the airbrush would still be the way to go on that because you can drastically reduce the over spray!

I thought if you put all the mini's on a rod that you can maneuver around while spraying you could get a lot done at once without having to worry about handling them individually. 

 

This is the standard method for priming a bunch of stuff at once with an airbrush yes, and it does speed things up some compared to doing them one at a time. You can carry on with it to lay down pre-shading, basecoats, zenithal highlighting too if you're doing that with the airbrush which is handy. Just more time consuming to setup (including airbrush setup/cleaning) than just laying them in a box and rattle canning them. And waiting for the vallejo primer to properly dry...

Edited September 14, 2017 by Arkhanist

[OnboardG1]

Yeah, the Vallejo takes a while to dry. I usually have two projects on the go because of this so that I can work on something else while the primer cures. I've noticed that it seems to "shrink" onto the mini and ends up really nice, thin and smooth, even when you overspray by accident. I guess this is something to do with the high PE content but I'm not an industrial chemist. I use both the grey and black primers: black for my Night Lords and Grey for the Admech and Tau who have a lighter colour scheme.

[sarabando]

even brushing on Vj black primer gives the same result as those one in a million perfect rattle can results im never switching back.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Another vote for the Vallejo polyurethane primers.  Prior to getting my airbrush, I used them as paint-on primers, and they were good for that.  Used with an airbrush, they're much better.

 

I've found that if you're careful (i.e. use mostly air and take your time), you can get an exceptionally thin coat with them - it really looks like coloured plastic, rather than painted plastic (if that makes sense) - and it's basically touch-dry as it hits the model.  If you accidentally spray on too much, it's also very self-levelling and doesn't clog details (although it does in that case dry with a bit of a "sheen").  I would add that whilst it's advertised as airbrush ready, it will likely need thinning (my bottle of "grey" would spray neat through a 0.2mm needle without an issue, but the black is thicker and clogs when 50:50 diluted with flow improver through a 0.4mm needle, although some of that could be me being a bit of a newbie).  A 60ml bottle is also about the price of 2-3 GW paint pots.  (and a 200ml bottle is twice the price of the 60ml one...)

 

Obviously, you have far more control using an airbrush than with a spray can.  Really, now you've got the airbrush, the only excuse for using the paint cans is, "I already had one".

Edited September 14, 2017 by Firedrake Cordova

[Demonl]

I used to use only Vallejo's primers, which are ok. Now I use Badger's Stynylrez more often after finding the same results as some other posters in this thread. One additional thing is that I find myself spending a lot less time declogging/cleaning during primer coating sessions with Stynylrez that I did when I used Vallejo.

[Bung]

Personly for me depends how lazy i am.

If i dont feel to clean my airbrush i use GW primer cans.

For my airbrush i tried different primers and i it realy differs on projects what i am going to use.

Vallejo is ok, but i like the Scale color ones too for being more matt. But for better cover i use Ammo of Mig One Shot Primer which is the one i would recommend if you start buying.

[Kisada]

The badger airbrush primer is amazing!

 

I have the 16oz black and it just goes on so smooth.

I've recently finished up my vallejo light grey and ordered the 16oz badger Stynlyrez white (who came up with this dumb name though?)

[duz_]

I think I have my answer! Thanks guys! :D

 

Tbh I've never really wandered over here too much as I've been content with my own brush techniques with a sprinkling of Duncan advice.

 

Now I have my airbrush I suspect I will be floating around here a bit more. :D