To Prime or Not To Prime?

[Geek44]

After reading some posts in the six month group build thread, I decided to ask this question;
How many of you use primers before painting and if you do, why?
I personally have never primed a kit in my life. I've never had a problem with paint not adhering to the surface and I also never washed parts before either. I like to 'work' my models to the minimum. That is, I try to paint as little as I can but still achieve the desired finish. The fewer coats the better. I think multiple coats can start to soften detail and for me, a primer is just another coat of paint that I don't need. But we all have our ways of doing things and there's no 'correct' way to model...I'm interested to hear what others have to say about this.
Peace.

[McCoy]

I didn't prime earlier when I just used Humbrol 'cos there's almost no need for primin' before paintin' with Humbrol (except #34). But nowadays I use primer n' a whole new world have open it's doors to me. It's easyer to paint n' get a good coverin' even with Humbrol n' it's neccesary with Tamiya acrylic as it won't bite otherwise.

[Panzermacher]

Never have primed....never will. I always wash kits....to me it seems to help the paint get a better bond and gets rid of mold release agents (If you EVER had a greasy one, you'll never forget it!)

[lufttiger]

I very rarely wash the kit, unless it seems real oily.
I only primer if it needs it, for example this KT2 with the zimm, is going to
have be cuz of the white zimm.

[McCoy]

The primer is also good to expose things that need to be filed down or filled with putty. So there's another use with primer.

[Geek44]

Originally Posted by McCoy

The primer is also good to expose things that need to be filed down or filled with putty. So there's another use with primer.

Good point and one I hadn't considered.

[Whiterook]

Yeah, I really can see both sides to the primer issue, especially with regrads to acrylics. That being said, I am of the mind of G44 at present, in that I don't use them in gereral either.

OK, so what's the "in general" part? Well Interestingly enough, on some miniature airplanes (about 1" wingspan) I painted for a recent contest for Days of Wonder, Memoir '44 Air Pack plane contest, I painted two P-40 Warhawks in different camo patterns:

One, I primed in black, then painted the camo. The primer was tacky to the touch even weeks later. But, it did a nice undercoat for the paint to be applied to...



The other I painted directly on the plastic, and it adhered just as well! Interestingly, this is the one that won 3rd place (and a free game!)...

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by McCoy

I didn't prime earlier when I just used Humbrol 'cos there's almost no need for primin' before paintin' with Humbrol (except #34). But nowadays I use primer n' a whole new world have open it's doors to me. It's easyer to paint n' get a good coverin' even with Humbrol n' it's neccesary with Tamiya acrylic as it won't bite otherwise.

I can understand your point of view with the Tamiya Acrylics, but on the other side of the coin, the camo pattern on the Panther I did at the "other" site was done right on top of the bare plastic, not washed (though I did wear surgical gloves in construction and painting). I imagine a primer would have allowed a more opaque initial coat; but no primer forced me to work in thinner coats, which benefitted me in the long run with regards to minimalizing too many layers. I too just want the minimal number of applications/coats to do the job I require, and the primer I see the same way as G44...an added layer I don't see the need for at the present.

[Freightshaker]

Never have, never will. Don't wash either, the model that is.

Originally Posted by McCoy

The primer is also good to expose things that need to be filed down or filled with putty. So there's another use with primer.

I consider that more of a scuff coat than a prime. Priming is to aid in paint adhesion.

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Yeah, I really can see both sides to the primer issue, especially with regrads to acrylics. That being said, I am of the mind of G44 at present, in that I don't use them in gereral either.

OK, so what's the "in general" part? Well Interestingly enough, on some miniature airplanes (about 1" wingspan) I painted for a recent contest for Days of Wonder, Memoir '44 Air Pack plane contest, I painted two P-40 Warhawks in different camo patterns:

One, I primed in black, then painted the camo. The primer was tacky to the touch even weeks later. But, it did a nice undercoat for the paint to be applied to...



The other I painted directly on the plastic, and it adhered just as well! Interestingly, this is the one that won 3rd place (and a free game!)...

Hmmmm, that didn't work for the pics in the previous post, and the edit function wan't available for me, so let me try again with a quote of the previous:
OK, so what's the "in general" part? Well Interestingly enough, on some miniature airplanes (about 1" wingspan) I painted for a recent contest for Days of Wonder, Memoir '44 Air Pack plane contest, I painted two P-40 Warhawks in different camo patterns:

One, I primed in black, then painted the camo. The primer was tacky to the touch even weeks later. But, it did a nice undercoat for the paint to be applied to...



The other I painted directly on the plastic, and it adhered just as well! Interestingly, this is the one that won 3rd place (and a free game!)...