|
|
Post by nebrzephyr on May 7, 2020 6:16:06 GMT -8
There's a news item on Kalmbach website that Testors is discontinuing Model Master paint line. This would affect model rairoaders, but I think the model aircraft boys more so. Bob
|
|
|
|
Post by stevewagner on May 7, 2020 6:32:51 GMT -8
After Testors acquired Floquil, they discontinued both solvent-based Floquil and Floquil's latex-based PollyScale (formerly Polly-S, I think) paints. When they did so, they apparently duplicated some of the railroad colors in those lines in the Model Master line. The first online poster to comemnt on the Model Railroader news items at trains.com expressed the hope that such colors be added to the Testors line.
Living in a very small house with two others who are very sensitive to odors and harmful vapors, and not having a paint booth or somewhere else where I can use Floquil, I've stopped using that years ago. I've also squirreled away some colors of PollyScale that aren't available any more. I hope at least some of them are good. I've never had an airbrush, again having no place to use it.
|
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on May 7, 2020 7:27:20 GMT -8
I guess I'll be buying all I can when the hobby shop reopens. The line had been getting slimmed down over the past few years and some colors became impossible to get. It's a shame because there are some great colors that work fine as-is for several railroads. I'm sure going to miss RLM Gelb (Santa Fe yellow), Rot Braun (Southern red), Chevrolet Engine Red (Frisco orange), and Go Mango (SP Daylight Orange) among many others, not to mention the basic colors like burnt umber and raw sienna.
|
|
|
|
Post by slowfreight on May 7, 2020 8:15:55 GMT -8
Did they put out another obnoxious press release telling us how exciting it is that they're discontinuing our favorite products?  Whatever the reason for RPM ditching the line, I think we've found enough alternatives over the years to move on without Testors. I'll miss the satin finish metalizer sealer, but oh well. |
|
|
|
Post by lvrr325 on May 7, 2020 8:34:41 GMT -8
They're not discontinuing all their paint, I would presume the parts of the line which sell well will move to regular line. The press release confirmed what I'd figured out a while ago, Testors is owned by Rustoleum. It wouldn't shock me to find out some of the big cans in the hardware store are the same shades as some of these being discontinued.
Part of the problem is it's just hard to make paint in the US, all the environmental laws that made it hard to produce factory painted models in the US also affect making the paint itself.
|
|
|
|
Post by markfj on May 7, 2020 8:47:38 GMT -8
I would like to say I’m surprised, but that would be a stretch. It looks like we’ll be gobbling up old stock for a while and then just have to live with Vallejo I guess.
Mark J.
Reading, PA
|
|
|
|
Post by TBird1958 on May 7, 2020 9:06:36 GMT -8
I had this show up in my FB feed yesterday - It stated that they were discontinuing the acrylic Model Master line not the enamels or metalizer.
|
|
|
|
Post by railmodeltroy14 on May 7, 2020 9:28:27 GMT -8
I still airbrush Tru-Color paints although I am only painting and weathering structures, bridges, bridge piers and abutments. Excellent paint.
I will soon be painting track so I am looking at options for a non-solvent based paint.
The acrylics offered by MicroMark are great for airbrushing scenery and structures.
My spray booth is not designed for solvent-based paints so I am careful about fumes and overspray and do some projects outdoors.
Polly Scale is still the best spraying model paint, in my opinion, and that brand needs to be brought back from the dead.
|
|
|
|
Post by Christian on May 7, 2020 9:57:55 GMT -8
The acrylics offered by MicroMark are great for airbrushing scenery and structures. Those are Vallejo with a railroad name on the label and a higher price tag. |
|
|
|
Post by nebrzephyr on May 7, 2020 10:04:45 GMT -8
I had this show up in my FB feed yesterday - It stated that they were discontinuing the acrylic Model Master line not the enamels or metalizer. That's interesting. I would have guess the opposite. Bob |
|
|
|
Post by Christian on May 7, 2020 10:23:19 GMT -8
I had this show up in my FB feed yesterday - It stated that they were discontinuing the acrylic Model Master line, not the enamels or metalizer. The acrylic line was discontinued a year ago. The International Line before that. I'm just guessing that the rest is going away soon. BUT, there isn't anything on the Testors website. The Model Railroader news item that has folks excited is really kinda vague as to whether some or all is going. Particularly some of the specialty items. |
|
|
|
Post by Paul Cutler III on May 7, 2020 10:30:33 GMT -8
Just your friendly reminder that "Rapido ProtoPaint" is actually PollyScale paint with three major differences: it is thinner (so it airbrushes easier), it smells batter, and (other than weathering colors) dries glossy. The Canadian company that used to make Polly makes the ProtoPaint and uses the same color formulas when appropriate. For example, PollyScale Grimy Black = Rapido ProtoPaint Grimy Black.
|
|
sd50f
Full Member
Posts: 101
|
Post by sd50f on May 7, 2020 11:08:17 GMT -8
I was very fortunate a few years ago to walk into Wheels and Wings Hobbies (no trains, but what a paint selection!) in Toronto when they were selling off all their Italeri acrylic paint for 75 cents a bottle. I bought what looked good to me. Their Guards Red was a near perfect match for CN Red Orange, they had a few browns that were close to Boxcar Red, and their Green was almost spot-on for GO Transit green. It's a fussy paint for airbrushing, where I have had some luck in painting with it. I've also created a few new swear words while painting with it.
As my stocks are being used up, I'm moving on to Tamiya paints. Lots of choices there, and it airbrushes nicely. Mission Models paints look promising as well.
Point is, when we lose one source of paint (or detail parts, or track, or whatever), there are options out there. We just need to be on the lookout for them.
|
|
|
|
Post by mdvle on May 7, 2020 11:42:17 GMT -8
I had this show up in my FB feed yesterday - It stated that they were discontinuing the acrylic Model Master line, not the enamels or metalizer. The acrylic line was discontinued a year ago. The International Line before that. I'm just guessing that the rest is going away soon. BUT, there isn't anything on the Testors website. The Model Railroader news item that has folks excited is really kinda vague as to whether some or all is going. Particularly some of the specialty items.
Doesn't seem vague to me - says they are going to focus on the Testors brand and discontinue everything else (PACTRA, AZTEK, and Model Master brands).
So if it says Testors, it will continue. If says the other 3 products then it is done.
|
|
|
|
Post by brakie on May 7, 2020 12:11:45 GMT -8
While I have server bottles of Model Master paint I been using Tru-color as my go to paint for the last 2 years.. I have had no issues using a brush.. The key is to use a quality brush with dry brushing techniques.
|
|
|
|
Post by bdhicks on May 7, 2020 12:31:29 GMT -8
Without any clarification it's hard to tell what's actually going on here. They could be just consolidating all their products under the Testors name, they could be completely giving up on the serious modeling market, or somewhere in between.
|
|
|
|
Post by railmodeltroy14 on May 7, 2020 12:44:40 GMT -8
The 2 oz. bottles of MicroLux paints are great if you are painting large structures such as grain elevators, several piers and abutments, walls and large bridges.
I was able to purchase the larger bottles of paint directly from Tru-Color.
|
|
|
|
Post by el3625 on May 7, 2020 13:29:56 GMT -8
I miss Floquil paints for a lot of projects and never really found anything that I felt comfortable with. For a while I was using Scalecoat II and was happy using that. I still have several bottles of Floquil and Scalecoat II and use them as needed but I paint mostly with Tru-Color now and am really happy with it. I always order directly from them and get it in 3-4 days.
Bruce
|
|
|
|
Post by lvrr325 on May 7, 2020 19:05:01 GMT -8
I actually bought a rack of Model Master acrylic I think mostly military colors, although there were some Pactra hidden on the bottom shelf and I ended up with about 30 spray cans too. A local auctioneer sold off the contents of a hobby shop I'd never been to, it was mostly model planes but some odd HO and Lionel. Guy hauled all that stuff 50 miles to the auctioneer's gallery and I think I paid $35 for the rack and all the paint on it. I haven't tried to sell it, I was going to build a small rack that matched my show crates so I could take it but it would have to come inside between events and need some covers made so the paint wouldn't fall out and I decided it wasn't worth the effort to sell the leftovers at half whatever they listed for.
|
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on May 7, 2020 20:22:56 GMT -8
I have some Pactra paint for lexan R/C car bodies in black and yellow. That stuff is a little goopy, but it sticks to delrin handrails pretty well. For as much as I use it those two bottles will probably last forever, or until they harden up. Another brand I'll miss....
|
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on May 8, 2020 18:06:33 GMT -8
I attended a webcast a couple of days ago where the gist of the presentation was that the COVID-19 crisis is accelerating macroeconomic trends. Companies are desperate to reduce costs, so marginally profitable lines will be cut, labor will be replaced by robotic capabilities (robotics is defined in a broad sense to include any tasks that can be automated) and supply chains are being revisited. When I reflect on that webcast, the discontinuance of the Model Master paints is probably part of this phenomenon. Another point made was that businesses that are marginally profitable will be put out of their misery and profitable segments will be acquired by consolidators. When this process is complete, the survivors will do a better job of meeting the marketplace needs. I presume that the model railroad industry will see its share of this phenomenon.
I have not done any modeling over the past 90 days, but the modelling I was doing involved a greater use of Vallejo paints than Model Master paints, so I am not that perturbed by this development.
|
|
|
|
Post by GP40P-2 on May 8, 2020 18:59:34 GMT -8
Doesn't seem vague to me - says they are going to focus on the Testors brand and discontinue everything else (PACTRA, AZTEK, and Model Master brands). As I said, the Model Railroader note is vague. Here's RMC's post of the real notice. rrmodelcraftsman.com/testors-discontinues-popular-lines-of-model-paint/Cut and paste: Testors recently announced that it was discontinuing its Model Master acrylic, Pactra spray and Aztek airbrush paint brands so that it could focus more on other products.So this is really fake news?? All Model Mater Enamel and Laquer paints will continue, but those still using Pactra rattle cans or MM acrylic are SOL. I don't even know what Aztek paint is, as no hobby store I have been in around here (or on the road) has had any; must have been a real big seller  |
|
|
|
Post by alexandrianick on May 8, 2020 19:04:36 GMT -8
Aztek is/was their airbrush line. Saw it at Michael's.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mark R. on May 8, 2020 22:00:03 GMT -8
It's right on their Facebook page (for those on Facebook). They are discontinuing EVERYthing with the Model Master brand name attached to it - enamel paint, acrylic paint, glue, tools,etc. and focusing more on the Testors brand name. .... Testors Discontinuing Model Master ProductsIf you look through their Facebook page, you'll see their strong focus is more of craft paints, and model cars. Model trains / military doesn't even appear on their radar by the look of it. They have some pretty cool spray paints, unfortunately, none of it has any value to the model railroader. Mark. |
|
|
|
Post by Christian on May 9, 2020 1:32:07 GMT -8
It's right on their Facebook page (for those on Facebook). They are discontinuing EVERYthing with the Model Master brand name attached to it - enamel paint, acrylic paint, glue, tools,etc. and focusing more on the Testors brand name. .... Testors Discontinuing Model Master ProductsIf you look through their Facebook page, you'll see their strong focus is more of craft paints, and model cars. Model trains / military doesn't even appear on their radar by the look of it. They have some pretty cool spray paints, unfortunately, none of it has any value to the model railroader. They are leaving the hobby shop and concentrating on Michels, Hobby Lobby, and that sort of store. I wonder if this will have any real impact on the model building community? Military model builders and European modelers have been long gone from Testors. I rooted through my RR paint drawer and found only one bottle of MM - acrylic clear gloss with a bottle date from 1999. It was very thick and very yellow. My other-than-RR-paint drawer uncovered tail light red and turn signal amber. And a square bottle of rubber. I know that in the 1950s Testors square bottles were my only model paint choices and I certainly used a lot during those teen years when I'd build a model of anything that captured my imagination. But for trains, I used Floquil and 410M. Because trains were sacred! Darn the asthma attacks from the fumes; if Gordon Odegaard used Floquil, so would I! |
|
|
|
Post by brakie on May 9, 2020 3:21:35 GMT -8
If their overly thick line of Testors square bottle paint is their "flagship" then I will pass.
I am going to look into Rapidos line of paint.
|
|
|
|
Post by cp6027 on May 9, 2020 8:29:10 GMT -8
... I will soon be painting track so I am looking at options for a non-solvent based paint. ... I am right at that same point and would also like a non-solvent-based paint suggestion for track. Although now that it is warmer and I can open up some windows, a rattle can for painting the track won't fly with the family. The stay-at-home order still in effect here makes it hard to paint and then leave the house for the rest of the day to let the fumes disperse. |
|
|
|
Post by railmodeltroy14 on May 9, 2020 9:04:42 GMT -8
... I will soon be painting track so I am looking at options for a non-solvent based paint. ... I am right at that same point and would also like a non-solvent-based paint suggestion for track. Although now that it is warmer and I can open up some windows, a rattle can for painting the track won't fly with the family. The stay-at-home order still in effect here makes it hard to paint and then leave the house for the rest of the day to let the fumes disperse. If you have an airbrush and portable spray booth, you can use acrylic paints with some fumes and overspray to deal with. I am using Golden High Flow acrylics in the 4 ounce bottles for track and structures. Earthtones, buff and white are the colors I use and mix custom colors for concrete and track and store in squeeze bottles. Even though these are not solvent-based...the overspray can really affect those with respiratory issues. Whatever solvent you use to clean the airbrush with will leave vapors. I always wear an N95 or a double cartridge respirator mask to airpaint. RMT |
|
|
|
Post by bdhicks on May 9, 2020 13:29:27 GMT -8
Seems to me like the smart move for Testors is to try to get in on the gaming miniatures market, since that's a hobby that skews young and also consumes a lot of tiny bottles of paint. If I were them I'd worry that this move puts them at the mercy of Michaels or Hobby Lobby deciding to drop them in favor of some store brand.
|
|
|
|
Post by valenciajim on May 10, 2020 21:39:30 GMT -8
I suspect that Testors is a relatively small proportion of Rustoleum's overall business and I suspect that Michaels or Hobby Lobby are not viewed as a threat. Many years ago, I used Floquil and Polly S exclusively. Now I predominantly use other brands. I am sure that I am not alone. That trend, as well as having to deal with increasingly tough environmental regulations is probably the cause of the situation.
|
|
