Should I use primer under Tamiya spray paints?

[lotus123]

I can't really find a clear answer on this one, so maybe someone has some experience with this.

I use Tamiya primers for the bodywork (grey to check for imperfections, white over that to prepare for colour).

My question is really about using primer for components (suspension, engines, etc). Is primer really necessary before using Tamiya spray (TS) on these pieces, or does the lacquer "take" properly on clean plastic?

[SuperMele]

I dont usually primer everything that is going to be covered in paint.
But what i have noticed is that if you spray a small piece with a ts spraycan that bubbles develop faster on the small piece then when covered in primer first.

[taliesen]

TS sprays are supposed to be plastic friendly, so I don't think it will damage your part. I believe some of Tamiya's instructions say to use TS-71 smoke on clear parts, which you can't prime, so it should be OK. But primer does help the paint adhere better to the part, so especially for those parts you're going to have to handle a bit more (suspension bits, for example), it's probably still a good idea to prime first.

[Raikkobin]

I do, but mainly for checking my work. I use mr. surfacer 1000 through an airbrush in light coats, so I don't obscure the details. For adhesion promotion it technically isn't neccesary. I've had pieces which looked perfect in raw styrene and awful once the first primer coat goes on. It really is hard to tell sometimes. Hope this helps.