Etching primer base coat

[hollybeau]

I have some Precision Paints etching primer in black (and should add that I have never used etching primer before). Obviously (?) this will be OK to use as a primer on things like black locos or chassis but I also have some crimson lake coaches to paint (spray).
Should I:
a) Just use the black stuff because the red (crimson lake) will cover OK.
b) Buy a lighter colour etching primer (I believe the only other colour available from PP is "buff")
c) use say a red oxide colour primer (car aerosol) on top of the black etching primer as an intermediate coat between the black and the top coat.

Any thoughts or advice would be gratefully received. I have Ian Rathbone's excellent book which does cover primer base coat colours but not for etching primers.

I should add that all the models to be painted are primarily brass (with some nickel silver and the odd bit of whitemetal casting)

Thanks in advance.

Bryan

[Jol Wilkinson]

Bryan,

I would recommend option b or c, or preferably both.

I have just spayed some LNWR carriages, using PP etched primer (grey) followed by red oxide. The LNWR coack lake has poor covering power and I expect crimson lake will be the same, so the red oxide gives a good base.

Jol

[David Thorpe]

How necessary is an etching primer? I know that in the past I've sprayed Halford's primers straight onto brass and it seems to have stuck fast and provided a good surface for the top coat.

DT

[Andy W]

Like Davey I've sprayed red primer followed by crimson lake - so far so good. I'm not sure how necessary etching primer is?

[hollybeau]

My earlier brass etc models certainly "make do" with the usual Halfords grey or red oxide car aerosol primer as advocated by Iain Rice all those years ago and they seem OK to date. However, it was while reading Ian Rathbone's book " A Modeller's Handbook of Painting and Lining" that he declared that etching primer is "an essential for non-ferrous metals". Ian seems to be well regarded and who am I to argue? Does anyone else in the know agree/disagree?

Bryan

[martin goodall]

All red pigments are inclined to be translucent, so have poor covering power.

So a black or grey undercoat will not give you the appearance you are looking for in the top coat. The undercoat for crimson, crimson lake or maroon must be red oxide.

Whether you use an etch primer under this is an open question. Maybe the car primers suffice by themselves; I am not qualified to say.

[Mark Tatlow]

I prefer etch priming. I was convinced by a demo piece at the Precision Paints stand - they had brush applied some to a strip of brass and invited all comers to chip it off. You couldn't and in fact it was wearing down to the base metal, rather than chipping.

As Martin says, reds do have a translucent tinge. I would personally use the grey etch primer sprayed, then a light coat of Halford's red oxide primer (but really used as an undercoat) to colour this before going in with the red. I do genuinely think the red undercoat improves the eventual red finish of the model.

[Joe Newman]

Has anyone any experience of using

Teroson Etch Primer Aerosol for Metal & Plastics

on brass?

This is sold by C&L at £17.50

Joe

[Mike Garwood]

Excellent stuff on brass/whitemetal, make sure you clean the nozzle after use, otherwise it will clog.

Mike

[Joe Newman]

Many thanks for the information Mike.

Joe