Is it possible to airbrush primer on?

Ok, so I've finished building the body. Now awaiting primer, and here's my question:

I know I can buy a can of primer and spray the entire body with it as per Guiddy's instructions. BUT, I have this little jar of Testors primer (the little square bottle) that requires an airbrush to apply. So, is it a good idea to prime the body using an airbrush, or should I stick to the spray can?

And if I were to use the airbrush, do I have to thin the primer with alchohol or thinner, or should I use it straight from the bottle? What about airbrushing techniques? Just spray the area going back and forth like a crayon?

Any help is appreciated! :)

For the primer coat you're not really concerned about the smoothness of coat, as it should be a tad rough to give the paint a "tooth" to bite into. So, it doesn't matter if you use a spray can or your airbrush.

To thin your primer depends on whether it's enamel, acrylic, or lacquer. If it's an enamel find some mineral spirits (white spirit) to thin it with - if it's acrylic find some isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and if it's lacquer get some lacquer thinner. Your primer should be thinned to the consistency of milk.

Airbrush with a wide spray width (trigger down and all the way back) at 15-20 PSI using steady strokes. Start away from the model and move your airbrush across it, stopping at a point away from the model. Spray "past" the model, not at it. You need to apply light coats. That's about all I can say over the internet without showing you myself..

You don't have to thin any Acrylic Testor jar (I alway use those for my model with my airbrush)

For primer, Stick with Spraycan. and keep the testor jar for small work (ie: i use it when i need to put red/yellow and other light color over a black piece like engin or sterring.) very usefull.


Also you can wash your airbrush with water when you use testor Acrylic (that is soooooo easy and don't cost much for thinner ! here why i always use that kind of paint)

And sorry daggerlee, but Testor acrylic thin with water not isopropyl alcohol . (and not with testor thinner) that simply didn't work

Hmmm... those Testors acrylic bottles seem pretty small... and I got one of those cheap Testors dual action airbrushes.... If I don't thin the paint or thinner, how much of the stuff do I pour into the bottle (for the airbrush, it's not gravity feed I think) to, let's say, cover an entire car body? :eek:

And sorry daggerlee, but Testor acrylic thin with water not isopropyl alcohol . (and not with testor thinner) that simply didn't work


Hmm, I've had the exact opposite! I used Tamiya thinner (isopropyl alcohol) to thin Testors acrylic with no problems, but when I used water, I got all sorts of problems! Must be the weather differences between the countries!

crab- How big is your bottle?

The testors acrylic bottle is the same as any other testors jar.... the tiny square ones... not sure how many mL.... 7mL or so

But the one for the airbrush is more like a model master paint jar.... much larger, like 20mL or so.... round, tall bottle

They're both acrylic, right? Which one is the primer...the square bottle or the round bottle?

It's impressive

I got a Dual Action Testor (probably same as you, not the cheapest) with a 7Ml jar, it's ok for 4 good coat of paint (for me it's 2 model even 3)

prety cheap

Testor also make a model master Acryl paint jar (scew right on your airbrush).. here it cost 3$Can and so far, i made 1 model with and the jar is ¾ full !!

the square bottle is the acrylic primer, the round bottle is empty and it came with the airbrush.... just wondering how much of the round bottle i need to fill up, and to fill it with diluted primer (primer + thinner) or simple primer straight from the square bottle (poured into round bottle, round bottle attaches to airbrush) :)

Spraying from those round bottles of Testors acrylics...I've covered an entire model with about 3/4 of the bottle left over (like Vric)...So I'd fill it about 1/4 full of whatever you're spraying (Remember, it has to be the consistency of milk.)

im not too sure about air brushes but i have a tiny (i think acrilic) bottle of testors silver. and it is squarish (w/ a circular top of course). it said it held 1/4 ounce (for those of us who use customary measurements.;)) the conversion for 7ml seems about right compared to 1/4 ounce. i might be wrong though:confused:

Put it straight.. no thinner needed for Testor Acrylic paint (7Ml or Model Master 15Ml, both work very good.. i always use those now for my airbrush)

Then clean your airbrush with water after.. take 5 minute.


The only problem with this paint it's you need to put a lacker or the paint will be very fragile.

I will post my Porsche GT3 this week.. i used 3 color for the body.. all testor Model Master paint.

Look to my F1-2000, it's red Model master with 2 coat of lacker !

good luck

Hey Vric, whereabouts do you live in Quebec? I might drive to Montreal and Quebec City this summer (weekend vacation...) Know of any good hobby shops with good deals on Tamiya models? I've only seen one hobby shop in Quebec City, and it's inside some big mall near the old fort area. Any recommendations? :)

If you ever drop by the Toronto area, you HAVE to go to Pacific Mall... Good model selection + Run by Chinese people = Tax free purchases + Lots of happy customers ;)

I'm from sherbrooke (140km of montreal) there is no hobby shop here.
I order my tamiya model from a guy called Tamiyaking http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=tamiyaking on ebay (you can ask for model that are not in auction) and he is from Montreal. This is the only way i can find model, and it's taxe free too.

I also got bad time finding paint and other model like Hasegawa or Fujimi ;-( I don't want to order to hlj and pay twice the price for the shipping.