# Alternatives to Citadel primer?



## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

Now, I want to get one thing straight.

I love citadel primer. I hate the rest of the citadel paint line but the spray primers are worth every red cent. Never dries fuzzy, never bubbles, and even if I accidentally put it on too thick it comes out just fine.

The problem is, I live in the US, so the spray primers are difficult to come by. I have to order it from GW's website, which runs me an extra ten dollars of shipping and I have to wait for it.

What I want to know is if there is a spray primer of equivalent quality that I can get elsewhere. I like the paint. Not so much the shipping charges and waiting several days before I can resume painting.


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## lav25gunner (Dec 13, 2008)

This right here. I read about it from a Golden Deamon winner's interview.
It goes on super fine and smooth and it's only like $6 a can. You can find it at your local Advanced Auto or such.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

I like Krylon a lot-- their basic spray paints work pretty much exactly like Citadel's, and are $3 a can instead of $15. Rustoleum's sprays are also good for the price. You want to make sure you're getting a basic spray paint instead of a primer (much less a primer and paint in one) though-- they're meant for house painting and the like, and will mess up the surface if you don't use just a basic enamel spray paint.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

I've heard good things about Krylon, it is a bit hard to get in oz so not as popular down here.

3M make a good primer that is readily available to us and is quite cheap. 

I use mainly Tamiya Spray Primer and Vallejo Grey for airbrush or normal brush work.


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## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

Not a lot of car places where I live (I'm in the middle of nowhere...) but I can get some Krylon alright. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!


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## Silens (Dec 26, 2010)

I don't know if there are any US retailers, but I stand by Army Painter sprays until the end!


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## asianavatar (Aug 20, 2007)

Krylon paint and primer works great. You can even get it in multiple colours to save you that base coat. Try to stick with the matte ones, but the satin finish is not noticable once you paint and dull coat after.


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## aranelthemithra (Nov 1, 2011)

Silens said:


> I don't know if there are any US retailers, but I stand by Army Painter sprays until the end!


Really? That stuff flakes off Finecast Resin models like you wouldn't believe. 

And I am obsessed about cleaning my resin finecasts because they have that problem anyway due to the residue, but I can't use Army Painter due to the flaking. 

I use Vallejo - that stuff is great.


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## notsoevil (Nov 30, 2010)

Another word in for Duplicolor. It is amazing.


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## falcoso (Apr 7, 2012)

Iron Angel said:


> The problem is, I live in the US, so the spray primers are difficult to come by. I have to order it from GW's website, which runs me an extra ten dollars of shipping and I have to wait for it.


Do they not have GW in the US? If you get it from there I'm sure it would save you a bit, and I get mine from wayland games, can never remember the make but it is the other spray which is on the sit which isn't citadel, and it works on resin very well


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## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

falcoso said:


> Do they not have GW in the US? If you get it from there I'm sure it would save you a bit, and I get mine from wayland games, can never remember the make but it is the other spray which is on the sit which isn't citadel, and it works on resin very well


They do, but the nearest one is pretty far away. There aren't nearly as many stores in the US as there are in the UK.

I'd be spending in gas what I spend for shipping. At least with shipping I don't have to actually drive anywhere.


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## spanner94ezekiel (Jan 6, 2011)

I use standard Halfords acrylic spray. Dunno what the US equivalent of Halfords is though (it's a bike shop).


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## KarnalBloodfist (Jan 30, 2010)

I use Armory brand primers from The War Store. I will have to give the Krylon stuff a go one of these days.


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## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

I have the Armory brand primer on my shelf. I used it once and won't go back to it.


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## KarnalBloodfist (Jan 30, 2010)

Odd, I've never had any issues w/ it. It's worked better for me than the GW stuff. Funny how stuff like that works.


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## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

I dunno. It went on really fuzzy, like you could scrape it off with your nail without trying fuzzy. Maybe I just got a bad can, or the humidity was too high or something. I live in the mid-eastern united states and temperatures regularly soar to 90 every day here. Humidity isn't far behind.


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## KarnalBloodfist (Jan 30, 2010)

I know what you mean about cazy temps. I live in the Midwest (WI) and we can hit the upper 90s w/ high humidity. I usually prime stuff in the back corner of the basement to try to take weather and humidity out of the equation. :wink: And I try to do it at night so the Mrs. isn't to perturbed by the smells.


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## Marius_Ruberu (Feb 15, 2012)

Silens said:


> I don't know if there are any US retailers, but I stand by Army Painter sprays until the end!


I am lucky, we have a place near my town that stocks Army Painter supplies. Hands down my favorite brushes, paints, and tools.


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