UH-Oh. Floquil and PollyS are going away

[rschaffter]

Sounds like I get to discover just how many drops of green in a bucket of black it takes...

I always thought Floquil Brunswick Green was too green.  I use the ModelFlex Pennsy Green...

[chicken45]

I always thought Floquil Brunswick Green was too green.  I use the ModelFlex Pennsy Green...

I just paint everything "black" and as soon as there is a cloud in the sky, it's magically DGLE 

But yeah, I heard it got greener over the years due to the pigments containing copper as it oxidezed.

On an even more sarcastic note, What are we going to do for things like zinc chromate, boxcar red, and all those other things? I mean, the SPFs already have a paint committee that will have to start over for new paint brands, maybe?

FIRST CODE 55 NOW THIS. GRR. TIME TO BUILD TURNOUTS AND GRIND PIGMENTS.

[Dave V]

I never understood what those old Testors enamels were good for. Did any of you use them for anything beyonds "arts and crafts" time?

My father still uses Floquil almost exclusively, but then he works mostly in basswood and metal.

[Packer]

I've used the base testors for weathering and some painting. The "light interior grey" seems to be a decent fade color and works as a color for touch-up on gray covered hoppers.

[basementcalling]

I hate to see Polyscale go away. With my painting area in a room with a gas waterheater, using solvent based paints is problematic for reasons besides the health issues.

What are the chances another manufacturer takes up the slack and steps into the void, or even tries to buy the formulas from Testors and keep making Floquil and Polyscale?

I haven't bought a 1oz Testor's enamel bottle in years, not since I quit building model planes as a kid.

[JSL]

This is such a dissapointment. I guess I will need to stock up asap.

[Dave V]

We can express all kinds of disappointment, but it may very well be a money-loser for them.  They're in business to make money after all.  I don't pretend to know their profit margins.

And as for crusading, until someone makes a better Dullcote, there will still be Testors if some sort on my workbench...just a whole lot less of it.

Now's a good time to find the right PRR structure colors amongst the $1.49 craft paints at Michael's or AC Moore.  I was getting sick of paying PollyScale prices anyway just to find they've changed color formulae yet again.

[VonRyan]

Unfortunately, this may make you feel a little better, but it will have exactly zero effect on Testors. Remember... with very rare exception, boycotts never work.

Besides... Dull Cote is still one of the best flat finishes out there.

True... all of it.


-Cody F.

[Puddington]

from Credit Valley Railway webpage:

Important Announcement from Testor Corp

Yes, we will be exiting the market with Floquil/Pollyscale and Pactra brands. We will continue to accept orders and ship product for a limited time based on available quantities. Stains and Washes are available under the CreateFX brand. In support of this announcement, there will be a consolidation of operations at our Rockford facilities. Over the next several months we will provide updates critical to your order and delivery needs as well as product availability.
We appreciate your business and your patience during this transition.

... regards,

Conni Schultz
Sales Assistant
The Testor Corp.

[ljudice]

Not really that surprising....   Wonder how long Microscale and Scalecoat (which I guess is owned by Weaver) will still be around.

I've noticed that Microscale's new products are now including non-RR stuff, which I don't recall seeing (as new products) previously.

[C855B]

... So now change is coming in a hobby where change is not a very welcome word...

I wouldn't characterize it quite that way. Floquil, whether you used it or not, is iconic in our niche. Floquil (and Pactra) have been parts of our hobby experience since... well, since dirt. Always there. We can (and do) get into debates about whether it is or was the best, but it has nonetheless always been a baseline of what to expect, and the kicker is that it was always there at the LHS, whether it was a generic local hobby shop or big trains-only store.

The real shock of the change is the loss of a reliable icon, not necessarily the loss of the product itself.

[Nato]

           I'am so "Old School" that I grew up in the days (era) when Testors and Pactra actually competed against each other and were different companies. There were just starting to be railroad specific paint brands, I remember the adds for Floquil in modeling mags. Yes I painted some early N Gauge (now Scale) models with the basic Testors Colors,but I did mixing,I mixed up my own UP Yellow  (red & yellow) to repaint Aurora /Trix UP Postage Stamp pasenger cars from their incorrect silver with a yellow window band ,and even fired off a letter to Aurora suggesting they re do their cars which they ,later Trix  never did. I'am primairly an acrlic user now ease of clean up although at various times I have used Rattle Cans (do not rattle anymore) of Testors military colors for some projects. I still have some jars of Accu Paint that are still good. Best solvent based paint Bar None is Scale Coat. I remember when Con Cor made the big announcement they would be usuing only Scale Coat and their Cannary Yellow UP Passenger cars suddenly became correct looking visually to me.                                        I found some fantsy figure paints at one LHS/Toy Store in the early 90's that were acrylic and were useful one shade of green matched GN Glacier Green, and with only a small ammount of mixing UP MOW Green. I still have some almost thirty year old bottles of the original basic Testors colors that have not gone bad. Also some Humbrol solvent based paint in those mini metal paint cans still good,one shade of military green matches Northwestern Passenger car green.                                                                                                                                             I have done quite a bit of color mixing lately with Tamya (good stuff). New com[panies like "True Color" will be good for the hobby. Lastly I agree with Tony thet Testors shot themselves in the foot with RC model car paint, when they had the market cornered.                                Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[fredmoehrle]

I've noticed that Microscale's new products are now including non-RR stuff, which I don't recall seeing (as new products) previously.

I've got a sheet of USAAF roundels from the mid 70's.
Also some USAF font decals.
Both are 1/72 scale.

[Kiasutha]

I've got a sheet of USAAF roundels from the mid 70's.
Also some USAF font decals.
Both are 1/72 scale.

+1
Have their AFV decals in 1/285 I think are that old too.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I have been stuck in a transition from laquer/oil based paints to water based acrylics for years. This will probably finally push me over the edge.

I have moved over to acrylics for health reasons, but I also like the Testor's Acryl line a lot. I also use Tamiya and Model Flex quite a bit.

Floquil was great for weathering becasue of the high quality pigment and the ability to really, REALLY thin the paint out. That being said, I have not used their paint for anything other than weathering for years.