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MODELMATES PRIMER

MODELMATES PRIMER

400ml Matt  Acrylic Spray in aerosol cans
Colours: Black, Dark Grey, Light Grey, White
Available from Modelmates Limited for £7.99 each

 

 

I visited the Modelmates stand at the IPMS Telford show two or three times during the course of the weekend and watched in awe as some of the Modelmates products were demonstrated. How is it that these guys (and gels!) make it all look so easy? In most cases it has been my experience that the more practice you do, the easier it gets, but in the case of the Modelmates products I have encountered, the amount of practice is certainly reduced.

 

I will be talking about their ‘weathering’ products in a separate review, but in the case of the acrylic matt Primer aerosol spray cans, provided you have used them before (as most modellers have) there should be no problem at all.

 

Prior to using the Modelmates product, I have either been a Halfords aerosol plastic primer fan for large models, and/or,  Alclad Micro Primer through the airbrush for the smaller bits and pieces. Whichever type I use, I always follow up with a session of Micromesh 12000 and soapy water to smooth the primed surface. The result of spraying those products usually leaves a surface, albeit acceptably smooth to the naked eye, whereas a light touch would indicate the sprayed surface would benefit from a quick rub down.

 

So, how would the Modelmates primer perform in real time? I am building a couple of 1/32 Revell Arado Ar 196’s at the moment, and prior to gluing the top surfaces of the floats, I decide to try out the primer on one of the float tops. The colour I chose was Dark Grey. I also chose this time to try and get back into my wife’s ‘good books’, by dutifully taking the part and the spray can outside into the very inclement (cold and dampish!) early February weather - not ideal for aerosols, but a good pointer of how well, or not, the spray behaved.

 

It went on extremely well with a two or three quick passes and I very quickly returned inside the house putting on a big show for my wife to try and impress on her again how dutiful I was. It didn’t work though  – the showing off bit that is! What did work, and extremely well at that considering the temperature, was the Modelmates primer.

 

After putting the item aside for a couple hours while I attended to other domestic duties (creep!) I returned to inspect the sprayed float top to discover that the painted surface was indeed different to my usual results. It was definitely smoother to the naked eye and, more importantly, the touch. Not wishing to labour the point, or to get too romantic about it, it almost had a velvety feel to it. Photographs never seem to do things like this justice, I hope my pic will help but I really think I can get away without using my Micromesh and soapy water activities! What is similar to the Halfords spray can usage is the way the paint seems to shrink around the part as it dries which is very satisfying.

 

 

I then picked a random piece of corrugated cardboard, and armed with a suitable mask, I did the same two to three light passes of each colour to give you an idea of the colours available. This was also carried out in the same inclement weather - my wife being similarly unimpressed with my dutiful efforts and therefore my endeavours were wasted.

 

 

I would recommend visiting Modelmates website www.modelmates.co.uk where  you can see all  their products and also some very useful demonstration videos of their weathering products.

 

So what do we think?
I was impressed. I will definitely use the product over the entire Arado airframes. On first impressions, this ranks very high, and on the results so far, I would highly recommend this product. The top line of text on the can says it all: “Super matt acrylic paint with a fine spray nozzle. For use on plastic, card, timber, moulded acrylics, paper and metal”.

 

At UK£7.99 this represents good value in today’s costs (a Hasegawa 1/72 kit recently released at over UK£70.00!!) and this is for a 400ml can. Halfords primer is UK£6.29 for 300ml. By my maths the Modelmates product is better value for money anyway!

 

Overall: 10/10

 

Our thanks to Modelmates Limited www.modelmates.co.uk for the review samples.

 

Peter Buckingham