White vs grey primer - probably an age-old question...

[munkster]

OK, ran out of grey Halfords primer yesterday so trundled over to get some more but they only had white, which is fine because I am going to be painting an F1 bodyshell in white so white primer will do there.

Question is, if I prime things in white might there be a difference in the finished colour (am about to do semi-gloss black on lots of parts) to those I've already primed in grey?

Presume black is about as good as it gets for not being affected by the primer colour but this is one model I don't want to stuff up so thought I'd ask the forum's hive mind first. Thanks!

 

[Edgar Brooks]

The only time that it's likely to make any real difference is with the top coat of paint. Although there will be a queue to say that I'm wrong, red and yellow should always have a white undercoat, since they have very little "body," and the white will reflect light back through the top coat, and deepen its lustre. Other colours, depending on how well you spray your covering coats, will be less critical.

Edgar

 

[munkster]

So, as I suspected, that's a vote for "won't make any difference with black" I think... Cheers!

 

[m1ks]

It'll be fine with black, black and metallics will cover over any basecoat.

I find Red is better over a Yellow primer, tends to be more red but I guess it's personal taste.

 

[yak face]

It'll be fine with black, black and metallics will cover over any basecoat.I find Red is better over a Yellow primer, tends to be more red but I guess it's personal taste.

Didnt i once read somewhere that red is also the best primer for yellow too? I remember having a nightmare trying to do yellow over a grey primer, it just looked green even after 3 coats ,i didnt fare much better over a white base either, maybe the red gives it a nice depth without makihg it go green? tony

 

[stona]

I'm with Edgar on this one,its a practice I follow. I don't think it will make any difference to a black top coat. Other lighter colours may seem lighter for the same reason that Edgar mentions for yellow but to my eyes at least this is barely discernable,particularly after a few coats of varnish.

Tony isn't there some system that sign writers use which involves a first coat of red/yellow before yellow itself? I read something years ago so I might be barking up the wrong tree! I just use white under yellow.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Ian M]

Yellow over white and red over yellow is the way i normally go-

Ian M

 

[stona]

Yellow over white and red over yellow is the way i normally go-Ian M

That might be along the lines of what I (vaguely) remember!

Cheers

Steve

 

[Richy C]

Hi Rob , as the guys have said white primer will be fine for most the kit , saying that with the floor pan being large I would go over it with a flat grey over the primer if it was me , small stuff will cover fine , larger stuff may go patchy with semi-gloss without a dark undercoat , bottom line is if your unsure hold fire and get down to halfords for some more grey primer , in the mean time try and suss out them Japanese instructions mate.

Richy

 

[munkster]

Hehe, the instructions are pretty easy to follow (I think!!) in Japanese so no worries there.

I must say I am very nervous about painting the bodyshell of this thing. I've got the Zero Paints "Rothmans Blue" and "White" from Hiroboy ready to go and will have to hermetically seal the garage to avoid any dust particles spoiling my fun! Have you used these paints? Any good? Wondering what clearcoat to put on top, for my planes I've been using a Klear-type substance from Lakeland which works well but would be very distressed (as would the paint probably) if that messed up a lovingly applied couple of coats of Zero Paint!!!