The Ship Model Forum

Yevgeniy,

I forgot to add this caution last night about Tamiya's Spray paints and primers. The Tamiya spray primer is very toxic and harmful to your health. You do not want your family inhaling the fumes. If you don't have a venting system to take the fumes out side, don't use the primer indoors. I use it only outside to keep the fumes out of the house.

Gordon

Dear Gordon,

Thank you very much for taking the labor fist to read my opus and second to answer ALL the questions I had!

I hoped that I could and thanks to your confirmation now will follow the same approach - priming parts with several layers of paint (hull and decks) and PE.

As to using the can I did almost all mistakes you mention - I really was not
a) shaking the can 2 minutes
b) did not wash the parts (fingers were probably oily too from emotions caused by 2 hours working with small parts)
c) the primer WAS at the room temperature - but since I work in auxiliary room in my apartment which is a closet near the stairwell with separate heating (no heating now): the temperature was about 12-15 Centigrade - we are pretty cold in Ukraine at evenings now and I am freezed out of this room at winter. Plan to buy additional heater there - but always hesitate whether I can take the temperature/pursuade my wife and children to tolerate odors from glue and paint in winter (which I sometimes succeed with) and by some models/equipment instead.

Thank you very much for your kind assistance and attention. Will try all the hints you gave me today.

Sincerely,

Yevgeniy Okhotnikov

You might try http://www.tamiya.com.ua/. They may be able to tell you if Tamiya has instructions in english.

I use the Tamiya primer on my models. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours for the primer to cure. It depends on the weather. If you can smell the paint odor, the primer or paint hasn't gased out yet.

I only use primer on models that I have used a filler on or when I'm going to apply a different color over the top of of the base color. I use acrylic paint and this helps to keep the paint from peeling off with any tape I use. I also prime my PE.

The primer coat should be put on in thin coats and built up with several layers. The drops you mentioned could be cause by the oils from your fingers. Did you wash the parts before priming? You need to shake the can for at least two minutes to get the pigment agitated with the carrier. Was the primer at room temp when you used it? I always put my paint cans in warm (NOT HOT) water to warm them up.

Your surface should be all white when your done priming. Yes! you should move your spray can across the parts surface like you do your airbrush. I do use the one shot spray to cover spots I have missed.

HTH

Gordon

Dear All,

Although there are several threads here on priming I still have several questions on priming which I want to ask in a new thread. Previously I used automotive prime but from materials here understood that it is rather rough.

1) I bought Tamiya Fine Prime in a can (unfortunately my local hobby shop did not have super fine) . The instructions on the can and on a paper inside are all in Japanese. Do you know if Tamiya have instructions in English. I am interested in a) time after priming before painting 2) some other particulars to use this can properly.

2) Do you suggest to apply prime on ALL parts or just large surfaces like hull and decks. I am doing Grosser Kurfurst and am interested should I apply prime on secondary artillery (150 mm guns) and other small parts (boats, superstructure). Do you apply prime on railings before painting and on other PE?

3) I applied prime on some testing surfaces (remnants of aircraft plastic model - suspended fuel tanks under wings) and found that

A) at first attempt prime was very thin and was collecting in drops at the line where two sections meet (the tanks were made by my son without any sanding). I guess it was due to not enough shaking the can?

B) after some additional shaking the can the flush from the can was very intense so that the final resulting layer was pretty thick.

Shall the resulting prime layer be ALL WHITE or its thickness can very from place to place? Shall I use the can the same way as airbruch moving it over the surface or it is supposed to make one shot over the surface (to avoid collecting drops).

To describe what I did I' just say that I shook the can several times (just in case but not too much and not to little as I can not read Japanese instructions) and took the can about 5-7 cm from the surface. Did I do everything correct?

I would be much greatful for your help. Sorry for a kind of profanity here but without English instructions all I have is to ask you.

Yevgeniy