Mr. Hobby Primer/Surfacer/Base…

[TTJames]

Can someone explain the difference between the Mr. Hobby products Mr. Primer, Mr. Surfacer and Mr. Base. As a newbie they all seem to do the same thing?

 

[Jakko]

Mr. Primer is proper primer, intended to improve adhesion of the paints that go over it.

Mr. Surfacer is thick (the lower the number, the thicker it is) and though you can use it as a primer, it's really intended to either add texture (by, for example, stippling it with a brush while it's still wet), or to fill minor imperfections so you can sand it down to hide the imperfection.

Mr. Base … your guess is as good as mine.

 

[TTJames]

Mr. Primer is proper primer, intended to improve adhesion of the paints that go over it.

Mr. Surfacer is thick (the lower the number, the thicker it is) and though you can use it as a primer, it's really intended to either add texture (by, for example, stippling it with a brush while it's still wet), or to fill minor imperfections so you can sand it down to hide the imperfection.

Mr. Base … your guess is as good as mine.

Excellect!!! Thank you.

 

[the Baron]

If this is the Mr Base product you mean:

https://squadron.com/mr-hobby-mr-base-white-1000-bottle-40ml/

the label indicates that it "can make overcoat more vibiant (sic); can be used as a surfacer as well."

I'm not sure what the "overcoat" is in this context, and I certainly don't know how it can be made more "vibiant" (this reminds me of that line from "Beetlejuice", "This reads like stereo instructions"). Unless Mr Hobby means it's an undercoat as we would think of when we undercoat a color to make it brighter, like laying down white under yellow. That it can be used as a surfacer goes to Jakko's comment about using Mr Surfacer as a primer as well as a surface treatment. These products all overlap a little in their characteristics. I haven't yet tried using Mr Surfacer as a primer, but more because I haven't really needed to and I haven't curious enough to try. I can picture using Mr Base as a primer, too.

As an aside, I've always wondered whether in Japan, the brand is Hobby-san, with Base-san, Surfacer-san, and so forth. I wouldn't be surprised to find that to be the case.

 

[the Baron]

Also, if that is the product, I noticed that Squadron currently shows it as out of stock. I'm sure others carry it, though. I would try MegaHobby/Stevens International, if I were looking for it.

 

[airdave]

Although I have no experience with Mr Hobby Base White...

Base White is an especially thick white base more like the art of applying Gesso to a canvas.
It gives a super white base for opaque colours, as well as transparent colours, that doesn't change the overlapping colour (*overcoat).
It also reduces the amount of overcoat needed to achieve the desired colour.

I have Base white left over from Tee shirt spraying days.
It was used to lay down a solid white base on dark tees.
And as I mentioned it was thicker and coarser than my normal white. (covered quicker)

 

[duck]

From my understanding, most metallic paints perform better with a glossy black base coat. I still use Alclad II and Tamiya black is my go too for using that brand. But I also use it for AK extreme metal and Vallejo metal color.

Mr.Surfacer is not just a primer, it is a primer/ filler. It is used to help fill on minor gaps and surface imperfections. The 500, the thickest one, is useful for covering quit questionable surfaces. Like anything else, individual preferences and results very. I use the 500 and 1000 and thin them with the appropriate Mr thinners. Mr. Surfacer comes in both lacquer and acrylic based formulas, so make sure to use the correct thinner.

 

[stevethefish]

Mr. Surfacer is my regular go-to for priming model kits. It should suffice for the majority of your needs. Mr. Primer Surfacer really is for getting the job done if you really need to prime something. For example, use Mr. Primer Surfacer on resin (and probably ABS for that matter).

Mr. Base White is essentially a white version of Mr. Surfacer. use it as the base surfacer to ensure that colors are more vibrant (not "vibiant"). So if you have a car that you want to paint a nice bright blue or something, even if you have already primed it, go over it with Mr. Base White to ensure that the color really pops because the gray surfacer will make the color a bit dull.

When I built my first car kit, the Honda Fit by Tamiya, I used Tamiya's gray surfacer from a rattle can and then painted it blue. Then I painted that same blue on a white spoon and noticed how much better it looked as opposed to the car.

Also, if you have a model molded in red plastic, definitely use Mr. Base White if you are going to paint it something other than red! This also goes for any bright color paint job on black plastic. Use Mr. Base White as an undercoat and it'll protect your color.

 

[TTJames]

Thanks for the explaination.

 

[stevieb54]

Can I ask a question here about Alclad paint? Im leaning towards these paints because of no thinning and purchased a good selection of paints. I have the gloss black base for shiny/metallic paints, can this be used as a primer too and can it be used as a top coat and be topped with their clear? Another question no matter what paint you're using primer, base coat, topcoat, clear is it required to sand/scuff between coats? TIA

 

[Jakko]

I have no experience at all with Alclad paints, but which genre of models do you want to use them for? IIRC you mostly build cars, right? Though I'm not a car modeller, I would think that my choice for painting a car model would be car paint, as in aerosols sold for touching up real cars with. That way you can be sure you have the colour correct, anyway.

 

[urumomo]

Can I ask a question here about Alclad paint? Im leaning towards these paints because of no thinning and purchased a good selection of paints. I have the gloss black base for shiny/metallic paints, can this be used as a primer too and can it be used as a top coat and be topped with their clear? Another question no matter what paint you're using primer, base coat, topcoat, clear is it required to sand/scuff between coats? TIA

Yes
Yes
No

 

[Edbert]

Can I ask a question here about Alclad paint? Im leaning towards these paints because of no thinning and purchased a good selection of paints. I have the gloss black base for shiny/metallic paints, can this be used as a primer too and can it be used as a top coat and be topped with their clear? Another question no matter what paint you're using primer, base coat, topcoat, clear is it required to sand/scuff between coats? TIA

Allow me to provide a better answer...

Alclad is very popular, and it is a high quality product, but I've never used it so cannot offer specific advice.

A gloss or extremely smooth surface (I apply a Mr. Surfacer 1500 and "polish" that with soft cloth to make it hyper-smooth) is almost mandatory for a quality "bare metal" surface. Black is often preferred as it allows the painter to modulate the shine. I am fond of the AK Extreme metal series myself, it is airbrush ready right from the bottle too and comes in many slightly varied colors. But there are many good products these days.

I'd recommend sanding the plastic itself if any sanding is needed. A good primer can cover/hide the micro-scratches left behind. Then a color coat, pre shade or post shade is part of that. Once happy with the color I suggest a gloss clear, it can be of the same type as the color, I use Tamiya XF series almost entirely for color (other than the AK metals) and use their X-22 for the gloss clear. That allows a smooth surface for stickers to avoid silvering, and also allows the use of enamel/oil washes for weathering and detailing without damaging the X-22. I will typically put a matte vanish on when all the painting is done, depending on subject matter.

But sanding once the paint is down is not a thing, at least for me. Maybe I should qualify that though. Sometimes the primer stage will show gaps of flaws that require attention, but I do not think that is what you mean. I do not sand the primer as one would in a 1:1 scale automotive shop. I will polish the clear with compound and a pad, guess that is a form of sanding, but I only do that on automotive subjects.