I have a garage full of unpainted figures and various spray cans of primer, colours, varnish etc. like most hobbyists I imagine. I tend to clean up, base and prime figures in small batches and leave them on my paint station until they’re done. That way I’ve always got something to pick up when I feel like painting, but I don’t have to expend a lot of effort to clean and base figures that aren’t going to see a brush for months or even years.
Late last year I finished up my last can of Citadel ‘Skull White’ primer and dutifully purchased a replacement from a local model store. However I didn’t get around to using it a couple of weeks ago, when I discovered to my disgust that a full can of white primer had somehow rusted itself shut around the point the nozzle attaches to the can. I’ve never had a can do this to me before so I’m at a loss to explain what caused it. It’s summer over here and the can was stored on a high shelf in a bone dry garage. Yet there was obvious rust around the can top and not a drop would spray – despite the fact the can was definitely full.
It was at this point I noticed the can I’d purchased late 2006 was the older style – namely a simple white can without the Games Workshop branding. Does anybody recall when GW changed their primer can branding? Presumably the can I’d purchased had been sitting on a store shelf long before that.
After cursing the fates, local model store owners, Games Workshop and swearing never to use their products again I eventually relented and picked up a fresh can of primer from Vagabond in Queen St. This time I made very sure it was a new blue, rebranded spray can.
Since then I’ve been in the grip of ‘Primer Madness’. Basing and priming all my outstanding Pulp figures from Copplestone, Artizan and Obelisk, including the Obelisk Baboons and Hyenas that just arrived last week. I’ve also primed the two Bolt Action Sdkfz 222 Scout Cars that arrived mid January and that 15mm Flames of War Jeep you can see to the left is the last transport vehicle I have to paint to complete my NZers.
Ominously there also appears to be something odd with my current can too: the nozzle tends to angle spray downwards, hitting the side of the can and your hand as well, which is why the can top above is slowly turning white. I just hope the damn thing lasts long enough to prime my Flames of War DAK Panzergrenadiers and Corvus Bellis Romans and Carthaginians.
Now I’ll have to spend the rest of 2007 painting this lot!
I like the Armory primers, particularly the flat grey primer. Other grey primers are usually too dark- theirs is a very light grey, which I find much more helpful in picking out the detail. I use their black ad white primers too, when needed, and I’ve found them to be much better than the GW ones.
Dear All:
In general my experience with GW primers has been terrible. Clogging nozzles and inconsistent paint quality to name a couple of issues.
After doing some testing and research I have settled on Floquil brand spray primers. I have had no problems since.
http://www.testors.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=54
F330009 Floquil – Light Gray Figure Primer F330010 Floquil – Base Black Figure Primer
F330021 Floquil – Base White Figure
Minmus & Maximus also has a nice review of different primers.
http://www.maximusinminimis.com/Primer%20Test.html
Stu,
Looks like a nice group of diverse and interesting miniatures to take your brushes to. Seeing the FOW jeep off on the side of your various Pulp figures I imagined you running a game where your heroes have been been shrunk down along with there vehicle(s) by some Nazi or Bedouin magic and then have to flee through the territory of an angry troup of baboons. :)
Thanks for the links MrGunn! I found that primer testing page interesting. Believe me I only use Citadel primer because it’s readily available locally (ie. I can pick up a can on the way home from work). I live in New Zealand and locals have recommended gray auto primers in the past as a cheaper alternative, but I’ve yet to pick up a can to try.
Pagumb, variety is the spice of life!
Auto primers are usually kind of dark, though. Which is fine if that’s what you want- I like something that’s a little darker than white, which makes it easier for me to see the details, but still fairly light. The bigger concern with auto primers is that most of them are “sandable.” They go on a little thick, so that they can be sanded glass-smooth prior to painting. Great for big flat things, not so great for tiny irregular things.