Walmart Red Primer

[ljudice]

I am pretty sure others here (Lee?) have mentioned this before - but one of the cheapest and most useful products on earth was the el-cheapo red primer spray paint from Wal-mart. It went on as an almost perfect mineral red, covered perfectly, seemed to do no harm to plastics, etc...   I used it as a primer or base for other boxcar/mineral red colors with really good results.

But - it seems to be gone!  All the other colors have been restocked at our two local Mega-Low Marts, but not this one. And the local employees basically deny any knowledge of it ever even existing.

Anyone know what is going on - or if it is available somewhere else????

[Walkercolt]

It's not as easy to find when you want it, but Big Lot's has a similar red primer available. Because of laws in several states, there is a major move to water-based acrylic rattle-can paints. It's harder to "huff" and is far easier to remove graffiti painted with it. The big auto parts chains all carry red primer, although most of it isn't cheap. RPM (Testors/Floquil/Polly Scale) will be removing ALL their solvent based paints from 6 states and more large metropolitan markets in the next two years, because of regulatory laws. You can't cure stupidity in politicians..... :

[wm3798]

This has been a gripe of mine for a few months now.  I also can't get the other standby's I use a lot of, flat white and silver aluminum, as well as the clear enamel.  That stuff was perfect for gloss coating before decals.  I've bitten the bullet and moved the the $4 cans of Krylon.  Their "mineral brown" is actually just about the identical color of oxide red.  I'm using a Rustoleum clear enamel for gloss coating, which works just fine, and is still cheaper than the tiny can of Testors gloss coat.

Next time I'm out, I think I'm going to stock up on the grey primer and flat black.

Lee

[ljudice]

Lee - I tried their similar red primer and didn't like the results - which were "sputtery" ie. dried in the air before reaching the model.

For some reason that $2.00 primer (which probably was a total piece of cr*p for everything they intended it to be used for) gave the closest to "airbrush" performance I've ever seen.

Actually - the reason is probably that it's thinned down to some degree.

Good idea on getting some of the others - the gloss black was also useful.

[wm3798]

$2??  I never paid more than 97 cents for it!  Oh, if only I could turn the clock back and buy a few cases of it...

Lee

[tom mann]

...gave the closest to "airbrush" performance I've ever seen.

Actually - the reason is probably that it's thinned down to some degree.

Isn't that funny?!   ;D

[ljudice]

Now you made me remember how cheap it REALLY was!!!  Yep 97 cents....  And a giant can too!

[Catt]

If I may offer a suggestion guys.Take that can of cheap (or expencive) spray paint and set it in a bowl or pan of HOT water.

Let it set till the can feels warm all the way to the top of the can.I think you will find you get a much smoother finish with it when the contents are warm.

[wm3798]

In winter, I would always lay the can across the top of the radiator for a few minutes before heading out to the garage.  The trick is not to get distracted by something else before heading out to the garage!

Lee

[AlkemScaleModels]

In winter, I would always lay the can across the top of the radiator for a few minutes before heading out to the garage.  The trick is not to get distracted by something else before heading out to the garage!

Lee

Too dangerous for a person with "But-first" syndrome. I'd have exploding cans everywhere.

[ljudice]

Didn't I see this on Mythbusters???????????   

BTW, I was in two WalMarts today - and asked the paint department person about it - the responses were "just what you see there"  and  "we don't carry it anymore"

[Ntrainz1]

I'm betting it has to do with the solvent. The cheaper the solvent, the worse it is for the environment.

Bob.

[Walkercolt]

Bob, you win the Brass Ring! Auto bodymen have had to re-learn their trade in the last few years because of new paint formulas. Some brands of cars actually have water based acrylic paints on them under a ureathane clear-coat, and it holds up extreamly well. Cheap "rattle-can" arerosols often used what ever solvent was available the cheapest and more often, blended together. Cheap primers were never "high-build" (cover small imperfections) anyway. I thought by now everybody knew the "hot water" trick on rattle-cans of any paint. Those cheap cup warmers for your desk work well with a container (with water in it!) just big enough to hold the can. As you spray, you notice your hand getting cold? The pressure inside is dropping faster than the tempature. Warm that puppy up, and it'll spray much better. Now I do what you aren't supposed to: I release all the propellent from the can, open the bottom of the can and drain out the paint into a jar, then use my $5 Harbour Frieght "knock-off" of the bargain Badger air-brush. I like the control of the pressure and the "spray"(somewhat with the chepo). 

[tracksentinel]

Stuff probably came from China and had lead in it and was taken off the market. Cough-cough!

[ednadolski]

I release all the propellent from the can, open the bottom of the can and drain out the paint into a jar, then use my $5 Harbour Frieght "knock-off" of the bargain Badger air-brush.

Maybe I missed something, but wouldn't it be easier just to buy the paint in a jar?