Primer as a basecoat

[ulvdemon]

Has anyone used the primer for the build as basecoat? Current working on a USS Gato and I am tempted to keep the black primer I used as the basecoat for part of the finish. Also, I noticed that Vallejo's paint set has the Light gray listed as primer also. Just wanted to see what others have done.

[southwestforests]

Has anyone used the primer for the build as basecoat?

That's pretty much my standard practice, be it spacecraft, trains, tanks, boats, buildings, wargame minis, model rocketry.

[ulvdemon]

Figured it was a silly question but had to ask. Making the hull of the sub black and figured no sense in driving myself crazy if the primer is also black to go with that also.

[southwestforests]

Reading this again a few hours later I'm now not sure I meant what I thought I meant.
Eh, never mind, I don't feel good today and my brain is muddy.

[irishtrek]

I've been using grey primer for space craft, hell even used it for a PT boat model.

[ulvdemon]

Good to go then. Going to use the black primer for the black on a USS Gato for the black part of the hull. no need to make it too complicated. The model was complicated enough.

[EVApodman]

I have used Tamiya white lacquer primer for my Proteus sub and gray for my K'ting warship. In both cases I wanted a base that hopefully wouldn't lift up with masking. I felt that a lacquer primer would "bite" into the plastic better that enamel or acrylic.

Normally I am wary of rattle can paint but both of the them went on satin smooth after repeated light coats. Tamiya puts out a quality product.

[seam-filler]

I've used primers as base-coats several times. If the colour is right then it doesn't matter a hill of beans as to what the original intended use of the paint may be. As a matter of fact, I've found that Halford's white primer is pretty close to the "Ford Diamond White" used on may Gerry Anderson vehicles.

Most black primers (especially Halford's and Games Workshop Chaos black primer) are very, very close to to the back paint used for modern Royal Navy submarines.

[blakeh1]

If it is a color I need I will not hesitate to use primer as a base coat

Saves me a step

[ulvdemon]

Guess I am such a stickler for the process I am using that using the primer for the color is still a stretch.