Jump to content

Alclad primers: Suggestions, advices, opinions.


Recommended Posts

After reading the recent Hyperscale article, I am more confused that I was before... I realized that I need to know more about Alclad primers. So far, I am well aware that some use Alclad primers, some use other primers, some use no primers at all...

 

So, what do you think about them? What is your experience?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Not sure if this has happened to anyone else but here's my most recent story:  I'm working on a P-47 right now and I primed it using the wonderful Tamiya white primer in the rattle can.  I polished the primer to the point where it was fairly glossy.  I then used Alclad's polished aluminum.  After letting it cure for over a day, I then masked off areas using low-tack blue painter's tape.  I've used this technique before and never had a bit of problems with it.  This time, however, when I removed the tape, it darned near took most of the underlying Alclad along with it!  So I'm not sure if it was the Tamiya primer or something I did wrong with the Alclad.  Either way, I'm really hesitant to use Tamiya primer under Alcald ever again.

 

Eric

Link to post
Share on other sites

I rarely prime when using Alclad and get decent results. I've never had any problems with the Alclad pulling up. With that said, the only reason I don't prime most of the time is pure laziness. 😊 If I'm doing an overall NMF which required sanding of seams, then I'll prime. I'm building a 1/72 B-36 right now and primed with Alclad White Primer because there was a LOT of sanding on the fuselage seams.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I find that the Alclad primers are very similar to the old Floquil primer which was about as good as it ever got.  The Alclad fills in sanding marks and other minor flaws very nicely.  If doing a paint finish, I prime with gray Alclad and the hit the paint.  For a metal finish, I prime with gray Alclad and seal it with a coat of Tamiya clear gloss.  This gives a very smooth and high gloss finish for the metal paints to settle over.

 

HTH, Dave

Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

I'm building a 1/72 B-36 right now and primed with Alclad White Primer because there was a LOT of sanding on the fuselage seams.

 

 

Any pictures of your B-36 build yet Darren?  I've been toying with the idea of working on my Monogram Peacemaker again and this may be the inspiration I need 🙂

 

-Derek

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

For Alcads I always prime. I usually use Tamiya Semi gloss Black. Being old school, I always seal any putty work as it's usually fairly porous.  I use to use Thin CCA, but these days I've switched to brushing on Tamiya gray primer sealer or Mr. Primer Sealer 1,000. 

Joel

Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, viking73 said:

 

 

Any pictures of your B-36 build yet Darren?  I've been toying with the idea of working on my Monogram Peacemaker again and this may be the inspiration I need 🙂

 

-Derek

 

The base coat of aluminum is on. I'm now in the middle of masking off the different shades. Let's just say it's kind of stalled a bit. I've got a couple of other projects I want to finish up, then I'll get back to that bad boy.

Link to post
Share on other sites
12 hours ago, Darren Roberts said:

The base coat of aluminum is on. I'm now in the middle of masking off the different shades. Let's just say it's kind of stalled a bit. I've got a couple of other projects I want to finish up, then I'll get back to that bad boy.

Darren,

  I'm sure that more then a few of us would love to see your progress to date. How about just posting some pictures for us to admire your work.

Joel

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 6/15/2018 at 7:27 AM, echolmberg said:

Not sure if this has happened to anyone else but here's my most recent story:  I'm working on a P-47 right now and I primed it using the wonderful Tamiya white primer in the rattle can.  I polished the primer to the point where it was fairly glossy.  I then used Alclad's polished aluminum.  After letting it cure for over a day, I then masked off areas using low-tack blue painter's tape.  I've used this technique before and never had a bit of problems with it.  This time, however, when I removed the tape, it darned near took most of the underlying Alclad along with it!  So I'm not sure if it was the Tamiya primer or something I did wrong with the Alclad.  Either way, I'm really hesitant to use Tamiya primer under Alcald ever again.

 

Eric

 

I’d say it was the polishing that created the layer that lifted.

Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎6‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 3:27 PM, echolmberg said:

Not sure if this has happened to anyone else but here's my most recent story:  I'm working on a P-47 right now and I primed it using the wonderful Tamiya white primer in the rattle can.  I polished the primer to the point where it was fairly glossy.  I then used Alclad's polished aluminum.  After letting it cure for over a day, I then masked off areas using low-tack blue painter's tape.  I've used this technique before and never had a bit of problems with it.  This time, however, when I removed the tape, it darned near took most of the underlying Alclad along with it!  So I'm not sure if it was the Tamiya primer or something I did wrong with the Alclad.  Either way, I'm really hesitant to use Tamiya primer under Alcald ever again.

 

Eric

 

Have you used Polished Alu before, or some other Alclad. As per Alclad instructions, only regular Alclad paints can be masked, while their high-shine series cannot... at least without some sort of coating. Polished Alu is one of the high-shine line along with Chrome, Stainless Steel, Airframe Alu and some others.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you, Scooby and Sevastijan!  Lesson learned.  A couple of models ago, I built the Pro-Modeler P-47N.  I finished that one off with the Alclad polished aluminum and that one turned out great.  I'm fairly certain I masked over that one as well but nothing pulled up.  I'm 98% certain that I gave that plane a base coat of Testor's Model Master gloss black which I had polished.  Who knows.  Maybe the Alclad adheres better to the enamel more so than the Tamiya primer.

 

Eric

Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 8:45 AM, echolmberg said:

Thank you, Scooby and Sevastijan!  Lesson learned.  A couple of models ago, I built the Pro-Modeler P-47N.  I finished that one off with the Alclad polished aluminum and that one turned out great.  I'm fairly certain I masked over that one as well but nothing pulled up.  I'm 98% certain that I gave that plane a base coat of Testor's Model Master gloss black which I had polished.  Who knows.  Maybe the Alclad adheres better to the enamel more so than the Tamiya primer.

 

Eric

Eric,

  I do believe that you're correct in your assumption that the Alcads are formulated to adhere to enamels as their own gloss black primer is enamel based. But as I said in my previous post, I've never had any issues using Tamiya primer which is lacquer based, nor Mig primers which are Acrylic based. 

Joel

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...