Hey all,

Looking to get all my supplies a week or so before Legion comes out. I'm looking at primers right now. I've used Amry painter primers in the past, but the white one seems fairly grainy when it's applied. Some cans seem to be hit or miss.

Does anyone have any recommendation for very smooth spray can primers for white/gray/black/brown?

I picked up a can of Citidel Black primer for some terrain I'm doing, and that seems to work well.

Is an airbrush really the best way to go to get a smooth finish?

Citadel black and white sprays are decent, army painter ones aren't very good. And either clog up or come out grainy/too textured. But i'm not a fan of inhaling those spray paints anymore, last couple times I spray primed 40k models outdoors I ended up feeling weird for a couple days after using it. If I had done it just a few times in my life I wouldn't be too worried but this gaming/modelling hobby means models need to be primed fairly often. I'm going to start looking into brush on primers and alternate methods, cause I don't have an airbrush either.

Citadel’s black and white primers are good. I use Tamiya for priming in grey. It works well and dries fairly smooth.

If you're at all interested in getting an airbrush, even just for priming, it's worth it. I put that purchase at the start of my never-ending queue of game purchases. No ragerts.

Any good brush on primers? I want to get away from sprays because the weather changes so often I tend to wait before it's ideal weather again.

1 hour ago, steveisbig said:

If you're at all interested in getting an airbrush, even just for priming, it's worth it. I put that purchase at the start of my never-ending queue of game purchases. No ragerts.

I've looked a the cheap $50 Amazon one just for priming but haven't pulled the trigger. Anyone tried it?

2 hours ago, Skyguard said:

I've looked a the cheap $50 Amazon one just for priming but haven't pulled the trigger. Anyone tried it?

I've heard that compressor isn't the best, but i would recommend the $80 Master on amazon.com which is what i started with.

For an airbrush check out the Pawnshops.

Got an instant smart jet compressor and a revolution airbrush for a 100, new it is 400.

Beware you've got to check it out.

I have used every primer I’ve seen, becuase I’m always misplacing things and buying new ones.

GW are fine but really expensive.

AP are fine but seem more sensitive to temp and humidity.

I use a mix of GW and AP if I want a color primer.

Good gray primer is one from a company called the armoury. Cheapish and good.

My go-to however for gray, black, and white hands down is the painters touch 2x range from rust-oleum. It’s a fraction of the price, goes on smooth, has NEVER given me a problem. They have an enormous range of color as well but it’s all satin or gloss. It’s hard to find anything but black, gray, or white in matte. Seriously, it works as well or better than all the others and it’s dirt cheap. You can get a pack of SIX cans for $22. They don’t seek them in hobby shops but they are at most home centers. I don’t know if they sell them outside the US though.

Has anyone had problems with using Tamiya grey base with another citadel white primer on top? Sometimes different brands don't mix well.

9 hours ago, steveisbig said:

If you're at all interested in getting an airbrush, even just for priming, it's worth it. I put that purchase at the start of my never-ending queue of game purchases. No ragerts.

This, with the airbrush you can customize the color your prime with by mixing a small amount of colored paint into the white/grey primers. Also good for putting on the final finish. It will also be helpful if you get into terrain.

Always were a good chemical absorbing mask while using spray cans. Believe it, it helps and if you get a good one, you won't smell a thing.

I just recently got an airbrush and for priming and laying down your base coates and colour blocks there is nothing better.

Krylon Ultra-flat black is pretty great. Rustoleum is pretty solid too. Both are quality brands and usually cost under $5.

7 hours ago, JBar said:

Has anyone had problems with using Tamiya grey base with another citadel white primer on top? Sometimes different brands don't mix well.

Never had an issue with tamiya/gw.... but "enamels" and acrylics may not pair well, and going over anything gloss may be an issue regardless due to adhesion issues.

Also +1 for the matt rustoleums

Citadel Corax White is great for stormtroopers as it’s not actually white, more of a really pale grey tone. Makes highlighting with pure white very easy.

edit: Tamiya Insignia White is pretty much the same colour.

14 hours ago, Rammstein117 said:

Citadel black and white sprays are decent, army painter ones aren't very good. And either clog up or come out grainy/too textured. But i'm not a fan of inhaling those spray paints anymore, last couple times I spray primed 40k models outdoors I ended up feeling weird for a couple days after using it. If I had done it just a few times in my life I wouldn't be too worried but this gaming/modelling hobby means models need to be primed fairly often. I'm going to start looking into brush on primers and alternate methods, cause I don't have an airbrush either.

AP sprays are actually really good, they just operate differently from others, as you need to be closer to the model (15cm max is what they suggest I believe). I still prefer the finish Citadel sprays have, though, although those are seriously overpriced.

For your inhalation problems: are you wearing a mask? Spending a 15€ or so on a decent one could help a lot, and is also good for any work involving (especially resin) dust. Brush on primers tend to just be bad and are difficult to store. Not to mention the pain of getting them to cover evenly! An Airbrush is good, but a significant investment. Has the upside that it is also good for basecoating and if you want to put in the effort some effect. Has the downside of also being tough on your lungs if you don't have a ventilation system, and you need to clean it vigorously.

What is the impact on the surrounding area when using an airbrush indoors? Does spraying minis that are inside of a box, with one end open, help contain the residual spray or will the area around the box (including the floor) get spray particles? I've never used an airbrush and can't use it outdoors due to local extreme temps and humidity.

18 hours ago, steveisbig said:

If you're at all interested in getting an airbrush, even just for priming, it's worth it. I put that purchase at the start of my never-ending queue of game purchases. No ragerts.

It really is, I live in DC which is cold and windy during the Winter and Summer is just humid as ****. So its just rattle can disaster. Plus, you can airbrush indoors if you get proper equipment.

4 minutes ago, Thraug said:

What is the impact on the surrounding area when using an airbrush indoors? Does spraying minis that are inside of a box, with one end open, help contain the residual spray or will the area around the box (including the floor) get spray particles? I've never used an airbrush and can't use it outdoors due to local extreme temps and humidity.

First off, as long as you use a box or booth you should be fine. The particles that get away are very fine. That being said, I would get small respirator at the very least due to those small particles. Amazon has some pretty cheap (under $100) spray booths that will suck up the finer stuff in the air as well. But in terms of actually getting paint on things, as long as you make a small cardboard booth you should be fine.

58 minutes ago, Thraug said:

What is the impact on the surrounding area when using an airbrush indoors? Does spraying minis that are inside of a box, with one end open, help contain the residual spray or will the area around the box (including the floor) get spray particles? I've never used an airbrush and can't use it outdoors due to local extreme temps and humidity.

I took a cardboard box the size of a furnace filter, cut a hole in it the size of that filter. Then just put a box fan on the table behind it. The fan is sufficient for keeping the air moving through the filter. It is noticeable if the fan isn't running. Makes a nice throw away work space too, since I'm spraying paint around.

8 hours ago, Admiral Deathrain said:

AP sprays are actually really good, they just operate differently from others, as you need to be closer to the model (15cm max is what they suggest I believe). I still prefer the finish Citadel sprays have, though, although those are seriously overpriced.

For your inhalation problems: are you wearing a mask? Spending a 15€ or so on a decent one could help a lot, and is also good for any work involving (especially resin) dust. Brush on primers tend to just be bad and are difficult to store. Not to mention the pain of getting them to cover evenly! An Airbrush is good, but a significant investment. Has the upside that it is also good for basecoating and if you want to put in the effort some effect. Has the downside of also being tough on your lungs if you don't have a ventilation system, and you need to clean it vigorously.

I actually wore like a 30 dollar respirator from home depot with cartridges, still got whiffs of it through the mask though. Maybe the seal wasn't airtight, which is worse cause then the fumes got stuck in there concentrated. xylene is a pretty scary ingredient, but hopefully minimal whiffs and off gassing from freshly painted models isn't enough to fry my brain. I think it has to be at a certain ppm to start doing permanent damage.

That is concerning for sure! I heard some people brush on airbrush primer like Stynylrez, that could be an alternative, though it probably isn't ideal.

I use Duplicolor white primer that you can pick up at NAPA automotive stores for around $5 a can. Like all aerosol primers/paints it works best if you don't get too close nor spray too heavily.

48 minutes ago, Rammstein117 said:

I actually wore like a 30 dollar respirator from home depot with cartridges, still got whiffs of it through the mask though. Maybe the seal wasn't airtight, which is worse cause then the fumes got stuck in there concentrated. xylene is a pretty scary ingredient, but hopefully minimal whiffs and off gassing from freshly painted models isn't enough to fry my brain. I think it has to be at a certain ppm to start doing permanent damage.

There are cartridges for dust and another for chemical - usually pink. The dust filters won't help with the solvents. It has to fit well. One trick is to hold the mask firmly on the face and exhale to get the valves loosen so when you exhale the mask doesn't loosen up on your face. I've had no issue with the chemical filters and a proper fitting mask when spray painting.

4 hours ago, steveisbig said:

I took a cardboard box the size of a furnace filter, cut a hole in it the size of that filter. Then just put a box fan on the table behind it. The fan is sufficient for keeping the air moving through the filter. It is noticeable if the fan isn't running. Makes a nice throw away work space too, since I'm spraying paint around.

This is a good trick. The air brush will aerosolize the paint. so where at least a dusk mask and some type of containment, like a box, filter and fan that blows air away from the work space, not into it. You can also buy a spray hood that does the same thing. It is just air and paint without the solvents so you can use an airbrush indoors if you account for the aerosolize paint and clean up well after (dust everything, vacuum the floors)

I use Krylon white, black, red, grey, and brown for different undercoats. all in matte. super cheap! at 0.97 cents a can in USD it's VERY affordable. They also work well too. Been using them for 10+ years.