Looking for quality primer to use on soft plastics

[Arkoudaki]

Hi all,

I know this question has been asked a million times but I still can't seem to get an answer that works for me. So I have loads of soft plastic figures, and for some reason my primer just doesn't seem to work all that well with the Zvezda ones. I have recently tried the Rust-Oleum Plastic Primer that was recommended to me but I get the same problem, the paint on the end points chipping at times.

FYI, I don't want to use the PVA glue method, as it is too messy and time consuming. I am searching for a good quality primer that will cover well and adhere to the soft plastic.

So your HELP is badly needed..... Thanks in advance

[Beano Boy]

I use ordinary white enamel paint brushed onto all my figures, but mix matt and semi matt together.
This I found makes for a better grounding undercoat.
Acrylic paints work well with this firm stay put skin covering.
I found that the recommended expensive primers I bought always cracked or pealed off spoiling my painting style, which was awful to start with, but I did want it to stay put and not peal off. BB

[Beano Boy]

Of course I am quite eccentric in my ways,but they give good results for me. BB

[The Talking Horse]

Not noticed any difference on Zvesda figures from others, but have found good results with Halfords Plastic Primer. Testing Wilcos' white primer over the past few months. Looks good so far.
Have you been degreasing figures first, warm water and a few drops of Fairy or equivalent.

[FredG]

I use Wilko's primer after degreasing too. White, light grey and dark grey.

[Bluefalchion]

I will chime in here on the degreasing issue. The best primers in the world will not stick to a figure that still has the mould lubricant on it. Removing that lubricant is essential, but the process is not quick. But you can queue up some jobs to do next.

Get a glass jar. Fill half full with warm tap water with some ordinary dish soap. Add a few drops of bleach. Put your soft plastic figures in the jar. Screw on the lid and shake the jar around vigorously. Leave them there in the jar for a week or two. Then take them out, rinse them off with tap water, and let them thoroughly air dry.

I then coat the Zvezda ones with a thin layer of PVA glue, but you have said you want to skip that step. So be it. For me, after the PVA glue dries, I then prime. Games Workshop Chaos Black worked well for me, but right now I am just using some Tamiya White Primer spray.

That's the process I use, and I haven't had much problem with my paint falling off. As stated, it takes a while. I am sensing from your op that you just want a product that you can use to take figures out of the box, spray prime them, then go. This product may not exist.

Or, try 50% water and 50% gesso as a primer. It sticks really well but you have to be careful not to obscure the fine details.

[Wiking]

My experience:
In the past with email paint or water based paint I use as Beano Boy do simply a white color for priming. (Hey, Beano Boy so I was eccentric too!)
But with the milky, clear Shapeways 3D print figures it was necessary to change to a dark color.
So I decide to give a try to this:



I use this primer for soft plastic, had plastic, 3D clear printed figure, 3d grey printed figure, resin figure as metal figures.

The Talking Horse wrote:
Not noticed any difference on Zvesda figures from others ...

Same for me.

Also for (Zvezda) figures, rider. The black (Zvezda) horse is only this primer.

[Arkoudaki]

Thanks all!

Yes, I have thoroughly degreased and cleaned the figures beforehand, using white vinegar first, then warm soaping water with toothbrush scrub, and air dry. I think I will go back to using the Halfords primer, as I have some of those from ages ago. It was pretty durable stuff but the paint was a bit thick in places. I haven't tried Wilcos...where do you source this from (I'm based in London, UK)? How does this compare to Halfords?

The Vallejo surface primer might be a good idea, as I can airbrush that one on and keep it fine. I like using rattle cans for primer work as I usually use the Tamiya Fine Surface Primer...but the laquer paint does like soft plastic...works fine on hard plastic oh.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences. I will have another go at this, as it is frustrating when the paint chips off before you even start!.

On that note, who can recommend a good sealant to keep the soft plastic figs in good form, as well as keep the paint on???

[The Talking Horse]

Wilkinsons primer is slightly smaller cans than Halfords, but cheaper, for me it 's just easier to get and seems just as good. For Varnish I use a Windsor and Newton Acrylic sealant, good price at The Range. Seems good but only time and bad handling will tell.

[Beano Boy]

The only trouble I ever had with paint peeling off or cracking, was with the spray paint highly recommended by the sellers of the acrylic paint for their own range of plastic figures. I first began painting toy figures from the age of 10,and now at 68 I still paint a few each year,but not many. Needless to say really,but I will, " I returned darn quick to enamel paints that stay on."

To Get That Releasing Agent Off

I seal my figures in a glass jar with a screw top.
I soak them in thick bleach,that is not diluted with water.

( DANGER,Never add soap or vinegar to this mix! )

I take the figures out one at a time and rinse them under the cold tap.
This is because I wish to use the neat thick bleach again.
A couple of days should do the soaking trick,but longer is ok as this will not melt plastic figures.
Well they sell it in plastic bottles don`t they? I have never needed to wash or scrub figures further.

However I do not recommend this for rubber type Hat figures. Soap and water soak is enough for them and for only a short time. OK?
Although I do use the bleach on their ridged plastic 28mm figures.

This process I use to strip off paint from period piece toy figures,but soak them for 4 or more weeks.

So my undercoating,paint and soaking to clean i have covered here within two comments.

I sincerely hope everyone`s paints stays put. BB

[Arkoudaki]

So just straight bleach and leave them for a few days? Does that effect the plastic color at all???

I will give it a try, as I haven't used this approach before. I have used vinegar to clean things before and never had any problems. I would have thought bleach would be a bit too harsh for the plastic but I trust your experience.

[Ochoin]

This one:
https://www.kingshobbiesandgames.com/v/ ... me-2-2.jpg

I've used it for several years & even the sometimes rough & tumble of wargaming has not resulted in a single flake.

BTW I think brushing on a primer is vastly superior to spraying. You get an even, complete coat.

donald

[Beano Boy]

The above figures were all covered in paint,and soaked in neat thick bleach for four weeks.
They are donkeys years old and are as good as new. BB

[Arkoudaki]

4 weeks!!!!!!!!!!! Were you going for a record? LOL

I bought some ASDA thick bleach today...already put it in a jar...and will try is shortly...but I won't be leaving them that long...