Are Mr Hobby primers as good as the Tamiya?

[primekn]

At hobby lobby the other day and I noticed that the tamiya gray and  white primers have been replaced by Mr Hobby primers. 

  Are Mr Hobby primers as good as the Tamiya?

[Chuckyg1]

I've used it a few times to try it out and haven't noticed any difference between the two. With proper prep, it goes down nice & smooth,  ( I used the light gray.) I've used it under Testors laquers and Duplicolor without issue. Between this and duplicolor, these will be my main pri.ers.

[Dave G.]

I only use Mr Hobby and Stynylrez primers. Im happy with Stynylrez actually but under lacquers I prefer to use the Mr Hobby, either their Mr Primer  Surfacer or Mr Surfacer. But I airbrush them, even if Ive got a can, I'll decant it and airbrush it for far less waste. Not that I wouldnt use Tamiya but that I see no need to.

Edited March 10, 2024 by Dave G.

[TransAmMike]

Mr Surfacer 1500 for me, just sayin'?

[Zoom Zoom]

In general Mr. Hobby spray primers are better than Tamiya. They have more options; the higher the number (like 1500) the smoother the primer. 500 grade is better for in-process body prep when in the sanding/puttying stage. Tamiya Fine white or gray are quite good, but Mr. Hobby 1200 and 1500 likely both go down smoother. Otherwise very similar. I use Mr. Hobby thinners for Tamiya paints and many non-Tamiya paints. Their thinners are nearly universal and work with at least some automotive lacquers made for hobbyists. Mr. Hobby jarred primers are quite good too, wide range, and thick. You use a lot of thinner to lay it down with an airbrush. I have a ton of Mr. Hobby primers for both airbrushing and quick rattle-can jobs. 

[av405]

I concur with Bob's points. I will also add that Mr. Hobby primers are much easier to strip than Tamiya primers. Tamiya paints strip very easily, but their primer can be extremely tough. Tamiya primer is a great product, but Mr. Hobby is much more versatile. 

[bobss396]

I tried these out this past summer. I'll call them excellent primers, really all I use for bodies. I'm going to use up my Duplicolor on chassis and other details other than the bodies. I have a couple of cans of the 1500 black, which is really a nice smooth satin finish. Locally all I can find if the 1000 gray primer.

[Zoom Zoom]

1 hour ago, bobss396 said:

I tried these out this past summer. I'll call them excellent primers, really all I use for bodies. I'm going to use up my Duplicolor on chassis and other details other than the bodies. I have a couple of cans of the 1500 black, which is really a nice smooth satin finish. Locally all I can find if the 1000 gray primer.

Mr. Black surfacer 1500 is beyond amazing. I tend to airbrush it mostly. It's my go-to black for when I mask/spray window trim etc. It's just so smooth, and I can adjust mixture airbrushing so it sprays lightly and doesn't flood the masked edges causing bleed-under. If I'm super worried about that I spray Tamiya acrylic flat or semigloss black with their acrylic thinner in light coats and any bleed-under can be removed w/a pointed swab and some alcohol.

[primekn]

19 hours ago, Chuckyg1 said:

I've used it a few times to try it out and haven't noticed any difference between the two. With proper prep, it goes down nice & smooth,  ( I used the light gray.) I've used it under Testors laquers and Duplicolor without issue. Between this and duplicolor, these will be my main pri.ers.

 

Appreciate this . 

[primekn]

I can already see there is a wealth of knowledge here! 

[TransAmMike]

I'm in so much agreement with the comments about the Mr Surface primer. I've never used the spray can version, only the bottled one airbrushes. Getting ready as I type this to spray a body with the black 1500.

[bobss396]

22 hours ago, Zoom Zoom said:

Mr. Black surfacer 1500 is beyond amazing. I tend to airbrush it mostly. It's my go-to black for when I mask/spray window trim etc. It's just so smooth, and I can adjust mixture airbrushing so it sprays lightly and doesn't flood the masked edges causing bleed-under. If I'm super worried about that I spray Tamiya acrylic flat or semigloss black with their acrylic thinner in light coats and any bleed-under can be removed w/a pointed swab and some alcohol.

I have had mixed success at 2-tone paint work for years. I stumbled onto Tamiya masking tape, 6MM wide in the dispenser that keeps it clean. No turning back now... I have to try the bleed-thru avoidance thing going forward.

[Dave G.]

23 hours ago, bobss396 said:

I tried these out this past summer. I'll call them excellent primers, really all I use for bodies. I'm going to use up my Duplicolor on chassis and other details other than the bodies. I have a couple of cans of the 1500 black, which is really a nice smooth satin finish. Locally all I can find if the 1000 gray primer.

I've airbrushed the grey 1000 Mr Surfacer and it goes on smooth with a very slight sheen and I was not expecting that. No worries with top coating right over it. It's just that it fills micro scratches well from body sanding, that I'm not sure 1500 would handle. Even out of a can it's quite good but the fan is wider and the volume per push of the button higher than airbrushing it, the airbrush just better targets what you're spraying, at a controllable rate...

I'm one who believes in one or two light coats of primer, I'm not one to bury a body in coat upon coat of primer. I just want the primer to level out any odd tones in the plastic and increase bond of the final finish, make everything one color and get rid of that plastic look. Thus, generally speaking the 1000 works fine for me, given that it also dries quite smooth, at least for me..

[TransAmMike]

7 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I've airbrushed the grey 1000 Mr Surfacer and it goes on smooth with a very slight sheen and I was not expecting that. No worries with top coating right over it. It's just that it fills micro scratches well from body sanding, that I'm not sure 1500 would handle. Even out of a can it's quite good but the fan is wider and the volume per push of the button higher than airbrushing it, the airbrush just better targets what you're spraying, at a controllable rate...

I'm one who believes in one or two light coats of primer, I'm not one to bury a body in coat upon coat of primer. I just want the primer to level out any odd tones in the plastic and increase bond of the final finish, make everything one color and get rid of that plastic look. Thus, generally speaking the 1000 works fine for me, given that it also dries quite smooth, at least for me..

You're input in painting matters are always very informative Dave. I'm a recent user of the Mr Surfacer 1500 and so far really like it over the Stynylrez. I aways got a grainyess when spraying it. Not so with the Mr Surfacer.  I'm doing a black paint job right now. Very smooth finish. I did a spoon test spraying clear directly over the 1500 and wow, it really came out nice. 

Thanks for your input ?

[oldcarfan]

I'm glad to hear this stuff is good. The Hobby Lobby and the Hobby Town I went to were all out of Tamiya stuff and I'm running low. The Hobby Lobby nearest me just started carrying the Mr. Surfacer and I'll give it a try.

[Bugatti Fan]

I find automotive acrylic primers from an aerosol perfectly ok on my models and see no need for using modeller aimed products. The ones I have used go on well and do not obliterate detail. They are generally easy to source and per millilitre a lot less expensive than hobby primers, plus not having the faff of setting up an airbrush.

[Dave G.]

13 hours ago, oldcarfan said:

I'm glad to hear this stuff is good. The Hobby Lobby and the Hobby Town I went to were all out of Tamiya stuff and I'm running low. The Hobby Lobby nearest me just started carrying the Mr. Surfacer and I'll give it a try.

I think you will be pleased.

[Dave G.]

14 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

You're input in painting matters are always very informative Dave. I'm a recent user of the Mr Surfacer 1500 and so far really like it over the Stynylrez. I aways got a grainyess when spraying it. Not so with the Mr Surfacer.  I'm doing a black paint job right now. Very smooth finish. I did a spoon test spraying clear directly over the 1500 and wow, it really came out nice. 

Thanks for your input ?

The trick I learned with Stynylrez over in the FSM forums was to cut the Stynylrez quite a bit with hardware store lacquer thinner. I tried it and the results were very very smooth. But you and I spoke before about Stynlrez and the problems you had with fuzziness, that for the most part I wasn't getting even without the thinner.. All I can think of is maybe something climatic. And or proper mixing with something like a Badger power mixer. You can never properly mix Stynylrez with a stick or hand shaking. The power mixer does the job in about 2 minutes.

Anyway, glad you find the Mr primers to do the trick for you ! Now you don't have to figure out the Stynylrez at all. I personally still use Stynlrez under acrylic paint jobs and I also like it as a barrier coat if a kit is yellow, blue or red plastic, as Stynylrez is a primer/sealer.

[bobss396]

On 3/12/2024 at 8:36 AM, Dave G. said:

I've airbrushed the grey 1000 Mr Surfacer and it goes on smooth with a very slight sheen and I was not expecting that. No worries with top coating right over it. It's just that it fills micro scratches well from body sanding, that I'm not sure 1500 would handle. Even out of a can it's quite good but the fan is wider and the volume per push of the button higher than airbrushing it, the airbrush just better targets what you're spraying, at a controllable rate...

I'm one who believes in one or two light coats of primer, I'm not one to bury a body in coat upon coat of primer. I just want the primer to level out any odd tones in the plastic and increase bond of the final finish, make everything one color and get rid of that plastic look. Thus, generally speaking the 1000 works fine for me, given that it also dries quite smooth, at least for me..

I too was impressed at how little work the primer needs after the fact. I may scuff it with 3200 grit to get out a fly turd or dust particle. I go with a light coat or 2 in a perfect world. I can touch up spot areas that need a little more help and it blends in nicely.

I'm back with a new dehydrator and use it for primer, glues, putty and paint. I tend to be a tad heavy-handed with anything I shoot on models. I have noticed that if I go directly into the dehydrator, I can get a little bubbling in the primer and some Tamiya or Ace Hardware sprays. I run it at 105 F, which I have always done. I have a candy thermometer in the lid to confirm the heat level. Now I have much better results if I wait for the primers and paint to flash-over first (10 to 16 minutes) and then into the dehydrator. I have also cranked the heat down to 100.

[Dave G.]

On 3/13/2024 at 9:31 AM, bobss396 said:

I too was impressed at how little work the primer needs after the fact. I may scuff it with 3200 grit to get out a fly turd or dust particle. I go with a light coat or 2 in a perfect world. I can touch up spot areas that need a little more help and it blends in nicely.

I'm back with a new dehydrator and use it for primer, glues, putty and paint. I tend to be a tad heavy-handed with anything I shoot on models. I have noticed that if I go directly into the dehydrator, I can get a little bubbling in the primer and some Tamiya or Ace Hardware sprays. I run it at 105 F, which I have always done. I have a candy thermometer in the lid to confirm the heat level. Now I have much better results if I wait for the primers and paint to flash-over first (10 to 16 minutes) and then into the dehydrator. I have also cranked the heat down to 100.

I scuff for dirt as well, using somewhere between 2400 and 3500. But I tend not to dehydrate straight primer because generally I've primed days if not weeks ahead of the color coat paint job.Priming is often one of the first things I do to a kit right after de- flashing. That's the case because I don't care for the look of bare plastic, unless I have to glue something in ahead of the paint, like external hinge mounts that are somewhat weight bearing.

[bobss396]

I will spot prime here and there if I'm adding locating details and doing general body clean up. I'll sometimes use the dehydrator to accelerate the drying. Usually it takes under an hour so I can handle it again.