Mr. Hobby Primer/Surfacer/Base…

TTJames

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Can someone explain the difference between the Mr. Hobby products Mr. Primer, Mr. Surfacer and Mr. Base. As a newbie they all seem to do the same thing?
 
Mr. Primer is proper primer, intended to improve adhesion of the paints that go over it.

Mr. Surfacer is thick (the lower the number, the thicker it is) and though you can use it as a primer, it's really intended to either add texture (by, for example, stippling it with a brush while it's still wet), or to fill minor imperfections so you can sand it down to hide the imperfection.

Mr. Base … your guess is as good as mine.
 
Mr. Primer is proper primer, intended to improve adhesion of the paints that go over it.

Mr. Surfacer is thick (the lower the number, the thicker it is) and though you can use it as a primer, it's really intended to either add texture (by, for example, stippling it with a brush while it's still wet), or to fill minor imperfections so you can sand it down to hide the imperfection.

Mr. Base … your guess is as good as mine.
Excellect!!! Thank you.
 
If this is the Mr Base product you mean:

https://squadron.com/mr-hobby-mr-base-white-1000-bottle-40ml/

the label indicates that it "can make overcoat more vibiant (sic); can be used as a surfacer as well."

I'm not sure what the "overcoat" is in this context, and I certainly don't know how it can be made more "vibiant" (this reminds me of that line from "Beetlejuice", "This reads like stereo instructions"). Unless Mr Hobby means it's an undercoat as we would think of when we undercoat a color to make it brighter, like laying down white under yellow. That it can be used as a surfacer goes to Jakko's comment about using Mr Surfacer as a primer as well as a surface treatment. These products all overlap a little in their characteristics. I haven't yet tried using Mr Surfacer as a primer, but more because I haven't really needed to and I haven't curious enough to try. I can picture using Mr Base as a primer, too.

As an aside, I've always wondered whether in Japan, the brand is Hobby-san, with Base-san, Surfacer-san, and so forth. I wouldn't be surprised to find that to be the case. :D
 
Also, if that is the product, I noticed that Squadron currently shows it as out of stock. I'm sure others carry it, though. I would try MegaHobby/Stevens International, if I were looking for it.
 
Although I have no experience with Mr Hobby Base White...

Base White is an especially thick white base more like the art of applying Gesso to a canvas.
It gives a super white base for opaque colours, as well as transparent colours, that doesn't change the overlapping colour (*overcoat).
It also reduces the amount of overcoat needed to achieve the desired colour.

I have Base white left over from Tee shirt spraying days.
It was used to lay down a solid white base on dark tees.
And as I mentioned it was thicker and coarser than my normal white. (covered quicker)
 
From my understanding, most metallic paints perform better with a glossy black base coat. I still use Alclad II and Tamiya black is my go too for using that brand. But I also use it for AK extreme metal and Vallejo metal color.

Mr.Surfacer is not just a primer, it is a primer/ filler. It is used to help fill on minor gaps and surface imperfections. The 500, the thickest one, is useful for covering quit questionable surfaces. Like anything else, individual preferences and results very. I use the 500 and 1000 and thin them with the appropriate Mr thinners. Mr. Surfacer comes in both lacquer and acrylic based formulas, so make sure to use the correct thinner.
 

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