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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
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Tamiya Surface Primer
hobbydude
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Nevada, United States
Joined: August 27, 2008
KitMaker: 16 posts
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Posted: Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 03:29 PM UTC
Hi
Can anyone please tell me what to use to this the grey Tamiya surface primer that comes in the glass bottle.
viper29_ca
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New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: October 18, 2002
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Posted: Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 03:53 PM UTC
I don't know about anyone else, but I use it like you would Mr. Surfacer filling in small seams and such. Also works well if you want to replicate cast metal
Phil_H
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New South Wales, Australia
Joined: November 10, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 01:34 PM UTC
Indeed, it is quite similar to Mr Surfacer and can be used the same way. However, it seems to dry a little softer than Mr.S.

Another difference is that Tamiya's product is fully soluble in ethyl (denatured) alcohol. This makes it a little easier to use than Mr Surfacer.

It can be applied to a spot or seam, allowed to dry and then can be smoothed and/or cleaned up with a tissue/paper towel moistened with denatured alcohol - no abrasives required, no detail loss/damage to model.
Spiderfrommars
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Milano, Italy
Joined: July 13, 2010
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Posted: Sunday, June 24, 2012 - 09:06 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Indeed, it is quite similar to Mr Surfacer and can be used the same way. However, it seems to dry a little softer than Mr.S.

Another difference is that Tamiya's product is fully soluble in ethyl (denatured) alcohol. This makes it a little easier to use than Mr Surfacer.

It can be applied to a spot or seam, allowed to dry and then can be smoothed and/or cleaned up with a tissue/paper towel moistened with denatured alcohol - no abrasives required, no detail loss/damage to model.


I really suspect that actually it's nothing but nail polish...
Anyway, It's true, it tends to get dry a little softer than Mr surfacer and most of all, it takes a longer time to do it. First time I used it, being used to Gunze product, I thought that waiting 15-20 minutes was enough, so I sanded it down and I made a huge mess
It seems to me less effective to fill gaps. In my opinion is more similar to mr Surfacer 1000 or 1200 rather than Mr surfacer 500. Anyway I've read that you can dilute it with Tamiya lacquer thinner and you can apply it with AB as a primer. Probably that's its original purpose

Cheers
viper29_ca
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New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: October 18, 2002
KitMaker: 2,247 posts
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Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 - 04:59 AM UTC
I found just the opposite. Found that it dried faster than Mr Surfacer, and filled gaps better.

Not big gaps mind you, for that I still use a suitable filler, but for regular everyday seams, I found it worked better, just because it didn't shrink as much as Mr. Surfacer. I would use Mr. Surfacer to fill small seams, and when dry, I would have to go over it again with more because it shrunk into the seam rather than filling it. Not so with the Tamiya product.

Also, despite the cover in the bottle of Mr. Surfacer, I find it dries out badly. Yes you can add more lacquer thinner to it to thin it back out, but never seems to be the same again, and ends up being gooey and not very forgiving. Haven't had that with the Tamiya product (yet). It will separate from it's carrier, but a quick stir and it is as good as new, also smells better.
Spiderfrommars
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Milano, Italy
Joined: July 13, 2010
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Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 - 05:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I found just the opposite. Found that it dried faster than Mr Surfacer, and filled gaps better.

Not big gaps mind you, for that I still use a suitable filler, but for regular everyday seams, I found it worked better, just because it didn't shrink as much as Mr. Surfacer. I would use Mr. Surfacer to fill small seams, and when dry, I would have to go over it again with more because it shrunk into the seam rather than filling it. Not so with the Tamiya product.

Also, despite the cover in the bottle of Mr. Surfacer, I find it dries out badly. Yes you can add more lacquer thinner to it to thin it back out, but never seems to be the same again, and ends up being gooey and not very forgiving. Haven't had that with the Tamiya product (yet). It will separate from it's carrier, but a quick stir and it is as good as new, also smells better.


Yes, me too for larger gaps I still use common putty.
Regarding the surfacer...well... once again it's shown that everyone has their personal feelings about different products and techniiques
I'd say that I can't replace the Mr 500, but it's just my opinion

cheers
GALILEO1
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Maryland, United States
Joined: April 18, 2006
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Posted: Monday, June 25, 2012 - 07:31 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I found just the opposite. Found that it dried faster than Mr Surfacer, and filled gaps better.

Not big gaps mind you, for that I still use a suitable filler, but for regular everyday seams, I found it worked better, just because it didn't shrink as much as Mr. Surfacer. I would use Mr. Surfacer to fill small seams, and when dry, I would have to go over it again with more because it shrunk into the seam rather than filling it. Not so with the Tamiya product.

Also, despite the cover in the bottle of Mr. Surfacer, I find it dries out badly. Yes you can add more lacquer thinner to it to thin it back out, but never seems to be the same again, and ends up being gooey and not very forgiving. Haven't had that with the Tamiya product (yet). It will separate from it's carrier, but a quick stir and it is as good as new, also smells better.


I've heard both good and bad things about Tamiya's Surface primer so I guess trying it is in order.

And I agree completely with you about Mr. Surfacer. Once it dries in the jar and you re-thin it (I use Gunze's Leveling Thinner) it's never quite the same again. I got to keep adding layer after layer of the stuff and is still not enough.

Rob
hobbydude
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Nevada, United States
Joined: August 27, 2008
KitMaker: 16 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 - 08:05 PM UTC
I have also found it great for around lights and lights guards and around where I ass copper sire handles. Thanks for all info guys and Gals that was great ! I now use the stuff all the time now that I know how to thin it down
orangelion03
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California, United States
Joined: March 09, 2013
KitMaker: 176 posts
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Posted: Thursday, June 20, 2013 - 03:27 AM UTC
I've had a couple bottles of Mr Surf 500 since 2003 (I dont build much), and have had NO problem keeping it functional by adding the appropriate reducer. I keep one thick so that you need a putty knife to apply it, and the other thin to apply with a brush.

I still have Mr Color paints in the original tab-top bottles that date back to 1995 or earlier and the paint is still good. Hell, I've had one or two dry out so that there is only a puck of solids rattling around, and they fully recovered with addition of Mr Color thinner. Their original Silver was THE best silver paint you could buy...fine enough to represent silver cars in 43rd without grain, but tougher than MM Metalizer non-buffing (even finer grain, but fragile). The new MrColor silver sucks...
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