I have found some really great primer in a spray can that, to me,
is comparable to K-36. So if you don't want to haul out the spray
equipment every time for primer this could be the ticket.
It has great adhesion, coverage and sands and feathers as good as the PPG.
Find it at paint and body shop supply stores. Kind of expensive @ 11 bucks,
but the ease of use is worth it.

where did you get it? Pep-B? O'Relilly?

No, probably can't find it there. Ask at your PPG or Dupont Automotive paint dealer. Most carry SEM products.

Mach, I don't mean this in any negative way, but have you used a gallon or more of K-36 or K-36 and shot it with HVLP equipment? I've seen reports of this before and found out later that the person had "seen" k-36, or sanded on some K-36, but had not actually used the stuff. I'm just trying to make sure this stuff didn't come up because of the sticker shock on other primers. Not that 11 bucks for a spray bomb is cheap by any means.

Thanks

Sean

Seriously, I don't mean this post in a negative way, just looking for an honest answer.

This is a good primer as far as spray can stuff goes but it can't replace catalyzed primers such as K-36 especially for large areas. I use the SEM on occasion mainly for small parts or touch ups. Also the durability is not nearly the same. Paint adhesion is not as good and will be more prone to chipping. Still in terms of convenience, works pretty good, just remember to give sufficient time between coats.

Chris

Could someboy tell me...............what difference does the primer make?
I've only used the Pep Boys stuff and I don't really have much to complaint about. But Im just wondering what effect has using different primers. Will paint really stick better depending on the brand?

Im not being a smart *****, I really wish to learn. Im buying my first turbine model from a friend and may repaint it. I have some PPG paint in my garage and no use.


David

David, next time you are in the Austin area, get in touch with me and I'll educate you on primers. There is a massive difference in quality between a 3 dollar can of rattle primer and a $120.00 gallon of PPG K-38 and the $50.00 pint of hardner that mixes with it. Everyone has to justify for themselves what they do with their hobby dollars and what is acceptable to them in the performance of what they buy.

FWIW, I bought a gallong of K-38 about two years ago, and a quart of it, I simply gave away. Anyway, I just now two years later made my way to the bottom of the gallon. So a hundred bucks a year for the best primer (in my opinion) made, not a bad deal, at least for me.

Good Luck,

Sean

Sean,
Yeah, I've been using K-36 and PPG paints for 10 or more years.
As far as chipping and such, that makes no sense at least from the way I finish an airplane.
I end up sanding most all the primer off anyway. After you spray a base coat of white, then
add the color coat(s) then the clear, what's to chip. If you bang it hard enough to chip the primer....well.

All I know is that I've sanded and finished a bunch of jets and this is the primer I will use from now on.

(I probably would not use it to refinish a Porsche, though)

Great tip, thanks for it.

What have you sprayed over it? I do not worry so much about adhesion but rather basic compatability, will the top coats dry?compatability.

To me the convenience of the spray can is for small jobs as an indicator coat, when you are trying to get a simgle part smooth and the last thing you want to do is mix up another batch of poison.

Matt,

I use PPG base coat.

As I stated, I can tell no difference between this and K-36 as far as adhesion to fiberglass
and wet or dry sandability. (I've tried the wal-mart variety 'rattle can' primers and they
don't come close to this product.) Like I said, I wouldn't use it on a car but it seems to
work great on our stuff and the futher I can get from the ISO's the better. You be the judge.

W.G. Hunter

Thanks Sean.

I have used SEM Self-Etching Primer on both aluminum....full scale leading edge touchup on aluminum......and on steel auto touchups.......leading edges were top-coated with Imron and auto top coated with PPG B/C.......I also did a re-spray of aluminum rocker covers with SEM on an aircraft engine prior to topcoating with a high temp epoxy......

No chipping or incompatibility noted......dries to touch in 15 minutes....sand in an hour.....beats a primer gun......

I am using some of the standard primer described in this thread for some touchup on my KingCat with PPG Concept being the topcover.......

Tom