Wanna paint your locomotive... not in Canada for much longer !

[Puddington]

Now; I don't have all the facts on this but last weekend while at Credit Valley Railway I noticed a sign; to paraphrase it said Walthers has stopped shipping virtually all paints; solvents; glues and various other items (like krytal kleer) to canada due to new international regulations for these items.

When I queried the owner he told me that therewas some international conventions set a few years ago for solvents, paints, et la and that Canada, like Europe is now putting these into effect. Because some substances found in our model paints, glues etc... are on these lists, they are banned items. Banned, even though the amount is below tolerance levels and/or measureable levels.

Polyscale has started making paints that conform but Walthers just said "to hell with Canada" and won't ship anything (Yet another reason I dislike the patron saint of HO scale). The United States is dragging it's feet on the convention because of the huge cost it will have to pass to mfg's and consumers. (good on ya)

So; if you go to an LHS in Canada you won't find Testors primer; dullcoat; most bottled paints; Goo, glue or Krystal Kleer unless they are "sneaking it over the border" until this all shakes out.

I don't know all the details, maybe one of our members who works in the industry can clarify but it strikes me as the height of governmental and inductry stupidity to ban a 2 oz jar of water based Milwaukee Rd. Orange when a coal fire generating plant sits on the shores of Lake Ontario poluting the crap out of Ontario and NY state every day............guess the manderines need to find something to do... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr............. >

[ljudice]

So much for our plans to move to Canada if xxxxx xxxxx ever gets elected President.

 ;D

[SirTainly]

Walther's doesn't ship directly to the LHS here as it is for paints etc so no change. Central has to drive south of the border to pick the stuff up and then drive it over the border, presumably paying all the required taxes so hardly sneaking.

You will be fine if you use acrylic paints, it's just the solvent stuff that can't be shipped, so order those directly from a US seller - this is how I've had to operate for years as none of the Walthers paint has ever been available in Europe.

[lock4244]

If there is a stupid law that needs to be passed, Canada is your man, oh sorry, I mean person. Premier Dad would ban breathing if someone said it was bad for the environment. Asshats on toboggans...

[Puddington]

It's not just the solvents that's the issue here - it's Walther's stupid "we don't want to ship any paint/glue/product to Canada" approach that's half the problem. They won't ship ANY paint - not just a ban on solvent based; water based as well.

Look; It's no secret that I'm a card carrying member of the "Walther's hater club" but this time it's not my bias talking - their decision is clearly stupid. What; they can't read a code...? Because Polyscale has a "c" on their new stuff that complys - c meaning "complys".....Walther's missed the day at school where they taught the alphabet ?

I'd say I give up on Walthers if I hadn't done so years ago.....maybe this new law will bring about a ban on their unwanted garbage HO-centric monthly mailing........nah, no such luck.

[Nato]

   Pud, I have to agree with your last post (comments) about Walthers even if Canada did pass some dogey legislation. I was suprised though when I got my recient (two copies) "check your computer guys" of the monthly flyer and found a larger than normal N Scale section.                                                    Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake,Utah U.S.A.

[Zox]

Walther's missed the day at school where they taught the alphabet ?

Well, they seem to have missed the letter "N" as well. Probably too busy in the symbols section, learning "$"...

[SirTainly]

It's not just the solvents that's the issue here - it's Walther's stupid "we don't want to ship any paint/glue/product to Canada" approach that's half the problem. They won't ship ANY paint - not just a ban on solvent based; water based as well.

You're missing the point, that stuff hasn't been available to the rest of the world from Walthers for ages - so now it's the same here as everywhere else. The laws on shipping paint from the US are that it can be shipped if it's not solvent based, so if you want Walthers paint order it from <insert your favourite online retailer here, but not Walthers> and they can ship it North of the border. Of course hobby shops close to the border will still drive it over as they have done for years and you could always order if from them within Canada if that's what you want.

Sorry Pud, I just don't get why you're so mad at this, maybe it's because I'm used to having to mail order everything I want, and because as a Brit I've had years of being told I can't get stuff shipped in from abroad because of dumb rules - you try getting Dullcote in the UK. (Actually come to think of it I had a really hard time getting Solvaset here and it had to be driven over the border for me).

[up1950s]

Dateline , the border .

Man arrested by Canadian border police smuggling in hobby paint from from the USA . Being that is it just about the last thing made in the USA it may crash America's economy . The accused is to stand trial , if found guilty he stands to get 2 to 5 years in the lock up , and rehab to cure his addiction to hobby painting which is usually accomplished by tying him down on his back naked as the day he was born . Then a foolproof 30 foot section of G scale track is laid down due south from his fuzzy round things . Repeated full throttle runs are made with a working razor-blade adapted rotary plow pushed by a scale Canadian 4-8-4 right into the Jewel Canyon . This will be endured till he either promises to be a better Canadian , or croaks .    

[Jim Costello]

The problem is with solvent based products like solaset ,goo,Accu paint etc which we have not been able to get for years here in Australia other than by illegal means cannot be shipped in the mail or by Air freight/couriers etc  under this International law. They are able to be shipped by sea freight, appropriately packed, labelled as flammable goods at an extra premium.  Testors paints, incl Floquil, are shipped to Australia by Sea Freight by container, marked as flammable etc, and then distributed within by road courier only...NO postings.

As a retailer, the cost of even a lcl load by shipping, one still has pay to have the goods prepared for shipping by repacking ,by others,to meet these standards. Customers would not pay extra for this.

The fact that were shipped by post for 30-40 + years without any disasters does not rate.

Jim

[BCR 570]

Central has to drive south of the border to pick the stuff up and then drive it over the border, presumably paying all the required taxes so hardly sneaking.

Another reason for Puddy to move to B.C. . . .


Tim

[Puddington]

Walthers will not ship ANY paint - water based included...."'splain that to me Lucy"......................

[up1950s]

Walthers will not ship ANY paint - water based included...."'splain that to me Lucy"......................

1 ... It's easier for them to implement the new plan that way . Canada is now a dry country !

2 ... By declaring that there will be no liquids shipped north of the border they manage to tick more modelers off , who will in turn revolt and Canada will change the law to exclude Walther's shipments from any restrictions .

3 ... Walther's doesn't think or care that the volume of Canadian modelers is worth their effort to be selectively restrictive .

[Puddington]

1 ... It's easier for them to implement the new plan that way . Canada is now a dry country !

2 ... By declaring that there will be no liquids shipped north of the border they manage to tick more modelers off , who will in turn revolt and Canada will change the law to exclude Walther's shipments from any restrictions .

3 ... Walther's doesn't think or care that the volume of Canadian modelers is worth their effort to be selectively restrictive .

Nothin to it folks............

[wm3798]

psssst!  Hey, kid.... wanna buy some Solvaset?