CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRIMER

To achieve a good quality paint finish, it’s essential to prime bare plastic, metal, resin and 3D-printed components. Having tried countless primers over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Mr Surfacer range, from the renowned Japanese Mr Hobby brand, is the best.

A variety of grades is available, with the 500 grade being the thickest and 1,600 the finest. It’s offered in aerosol form and in jars for application by hand or airbrushing, although it must be thinned with cellulose thinners. The 500 grade doesn’t leave the smoothest of finishes, but it’s effective at levelling out uneven surfaces and curing small blemishes. When dry, it can be wet-sanded smooth with 2,400 grit wet/dry paper. The 1,000, 1,200 and 1,500 grades produce an incrementally smoother finish, although the gap-filling properties inevitably dwindle.

The neutral shade of grey provides a suitable backing for most colours. For brighter or white topcoats, Mr White Surfacer is recommended. This is best applied over a coat of the grey primer, which is much more effective for identifying surface imperfections. For darker colours or as a base for metallic paints, Mr Finishing Surfacer 1,500 Black is ideal.

Always wear a facemask and work in a well-ventilated room or outdoors when using aerosol-based paints.