Primer for use with laquer based paints

[craigolio1]

Hello. I have another paint question.

I have always used Floquil primer under my laquer based paints. But I've run out. I stocked up on Scalecoat II for my fleet of British Columbia Railway locos and cars but a need a new compatible primer.

I would appreciate a recommendation.

Thanks, Craig

[Kisatchie]

If I (rarely) used primer, it was Scalecoat II MOW Gray. It went on super-thin and covered very well. Most of the time, I just skipped that step, with no noticeable consequences.


Hmm... Kiz just sprayed
freight cars, locos, and
the occasional building...

[craigolio1]

Thanks for the reply.  Do you find certain colours need primer and other not? 

Craig

[C855B]

Reds and yellows. Not so much for adhesion, but to get even color underneath because they're transparent. I've found that one coat of a light gray (as Vincent mentioned) saves three coats of yellow.

[craigolio1]

Awesome, thanks. I found my Scalecoat II BC Rail dark green to be see through as well. Hence my search for a decent primer.

Any recommendations for a laquer based primer, or other type that will work well with my Scalecoat?  My choices are limited as far as brand. True Line Trains, True Colour, Testors, and I'll have to check what else.

Man I really miss Floquil. It goes on so smooth and thin. Curses.

Craig

[robert3985]

I use Scalecoat II also on both brass and plastic and Scalecoat I sometimes on brass.  I agree that Scalecoat paint doesn't "need" primer for adhesion.  However, in the past, I've found that U.P. Yellow needed a light gray primer because it wasn't as opaque as I liked.  Another solution was to apply a thicker coat than I normally do for the other colors instead of using a light gray primer.

Since Scalecoat doesn't sell a primer, nor do they recommend a primer and their application instructions state in the first sentence "Scalecoat Paint Requires No Primer" when you need a primer, I use their U.P. Hopper Car Gray for both Scalecoat II and Scalecoat I. 

However, I started mixing my paints using a Badger battery powered mixer that has a little propeller on the end of a long shaft instead of shaking my paints.  This has improved the opaqueness of my Scalecoat U.P. Yellow as well as its smoothness.  Now, I don't use a primer for any Scalecoat paints, just as their instructions claim, with no covering problems, except on my CA-1 kitbashes when I've used MT UP cabooses which are molded in a yellow plastic.  I spray a "primer" coat to make the plastic opaque so I'm looking at shadows through the caboose windows rather than a translucent yellow.  I do this with whatever paint I'm using when spraying a carbody that's molded in a translucent plastic.

Just for your information, Scalecoat II is NOT a "lacquer based" paint.  It's an enamel based paint and I use plain old mineral spirit paint thinner as thinner.  Scalecoat I is a lacquer based paint, which works great on metal, but can ruin a plastic model, and I use Scalecoat I thinner only for it.

[mmagliaro]

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...

Man I really miss Floquil. It goes on so smooth and thin. Curses.

Craig

Have you used Scalecoat I (not II)?    It is excellent solvent-based paint that sprays like a dream,  cleans out of airbrushes easily,  and covers well.  I used to used to use it on all my PRR steam, but I switched to Floquil only because i liked the flat finish (Scalecoat is glossy).  I think it is every bit as good as Floquil.  Now that Floquil is gone and my stocks are running out, I stocked back up on Scalecoat I.

[craigolio1]

Interesting. I did t know that Scalecoat II was an enamel.

No I havn't used Scalecoat I. I don't think it's available in Canada anymore.

Thanks for the input everyone

Craig.

[peteski]

Interesting. I did t know that Scalecoat II was an enamel.

No I havn't used Scalecoat I. I don't think it's available in Canada anymore.

Thanks for the input everyone

Craig.

I believe that you are correct. Both Scalecoat I and II are enamels (not lacquer).  The paint nomenclature we use in our hobbies is really messed up and not very accurate anyways.