Paint Brand Questions from a Polly-Scale Orphan

[tehachapifan]

It appears my go-to after the loss of Polly-Scale (water-based) paints, Model-Flex, may now be getting hard to find....at least the colors I want for airbrushing (is it being discontinued too?).

I hear people raving about Vallejo paints, and I've used and like their primers but, AFAIK, they have no designated railroad colors and a cross-reference chart I found doesn't list my colors (primarily SP grey and scarlet). anyone know of close matches?

Other options? I think I saw somewhere that Model-Master is being discontinued too. Is this true? I prefer to stick to water-based as I don't like all the fumes of non-water-based (I don't have a booth and really don't want to have to set one up) and I like the water cleanup.

Also, before I switched to water-based, I started-out in the hobby using Floquil way back in my HO days and somehow managed to completely craze the shell of my first heavily detailed loco (no doubt my lack of painting experience being a main culprit). I then started using their "barrier" as a first step, which helped with the crazing issue but was another step in the process I would rather not have to take. Has anyone had or heard of any crazing issues using Tru-Color? Do they have or recommend a barrier? I ask this in the event I have no good water-based choices to go to any longer.

[mu26aeh]

If you're looking to buy up Modelflex/Badger while it's available, the LHS I work at part time shows SP Scarlet #37, SP Light #35 and SP Dark Lark gray #40, as in stock items

https://mainlinehobby.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=badger+s.p.

[tehachapifan]

Thanks!! Have you heard anything about that line of paint being discontinued?

[thomasjmdavis]

As far as Modelflex, for many years I've been ordering from USA Airbrush Supply (which carries all the various Badger paints, airbrushes, etc).  Once I had to wait a few weeks because 1 color was out of stock, but overall their inventory is very good. Of course, it may just be me and what I order.  They offer a good discount, have frequent sales, and the paint is always "fresh"- hasn't been sitting on a hobby shop shelf for years.
I would doublecheck with them on the specific colors you need, but I've been happy with their service and availability.

https://usaairbrushsupply.com/t/modelflex

Also useful are the Stynylrez (styrene-nylon-resin) primers that seem to have excellent adhesion to all sorts of plastics and I also use on brass.

I haven't heard anything about Badger discontinuing their paint lines.

[thomasjmdavis]

Let me also note that I also use the Badger "RC" paints since I discovered that one railroad paint scheme called for "Ford Orange".  But very handy for painting cars and trucks in prototypical colors.

[tehachapifan]

Good info, thanks!

[mu26aeh]

Thanks!! Have you heard anything about that line of paint being discontinued?

I have not heard anything to that effect. 

If you're going to order, I'd send a email first to check on inventory levels.  Just to be sure, if system says there is 1 in stock, it may be zero. 

[tehachapifan]

Thanks! PM sent.

[randgust]

One more word of caution - as a big and lamenting fan of Pollyscale, the ATSF blue was my go-to color.   I still do a lot of painting, and my CF7 custom builds are about 50% ATSF, so I entered the world of auction to get what I could while I could

Did you know there was a 'Canadian' version of Pollyscale?  Apparently a different plant or bottler?  It's clearly identified as a canadian manufacturer, and the lid is a different color, and the paint color was TOTALLY different from the normal Santa Fe Blue - not as dark and much more vivid.   Useless at a premium price.  This time I paid attention to the lid color in the auction, and got one more precious bottle of the right stuff.... but a lesson to pass along.   Caveat Emptor in a bottle.

The only paint that I've found that was completely, totally useless across the board was Tru-color, it is nasty stuff, had mild crazing (but not as bad as old Floquil) and was anything but the right color for the project I did, I fell back on some old precious Floquil.   I'm using a lot of Badger acrylics now, although the color accuracy by description is sometimes an opinion.   It's pretty much ready to use out of the jar, lot thinner, if you're patient and do multiple light coats over a lighter primer rather than dark gray it comes out pretty good.

I'm one of the guys that was happy to beat up on Rustoleum for dumping Floquil by attacking their social media sites to the point they had to take it offline.   Sell the line, darn it, if you don't think it's profitable, but the prices on the auction sites say you'd still sell it.

[kiwi_al]

I have just found this link, don't know what they are like but it looks a little  promising:

https://www.modelersdp.com/collections/airbrush-paint?page=2&view=list

USA based

Unfortunately no help to Russ for SP. It would be nice if they widened their range. I still have a fair bit of Floquil and Polly Scale left.

[Spades]

Russ

I use Vallejo Model Air.  71.003 Scarlet and 71.128 Grey for SP units.   I have also used Modelflex and liked them.  Vallejo has an incredible product range.

Vallejo started life in the US in the 1960's and moved to Spain.  They produced ink for animation work. http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/02/using-vallejo-paints.html

[Spades]

What Vallejo has to offer: https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/downloads/

[Bill H]

Not exactly on point to the OP, but as far as color matching from Pollyscale, model railroad hobbyist has a downloadable color matching chart from Pollyscale to most other brands. AFAIK, to get the guide, you just need to create a free account.

[Spades]

Mark5 just posted in Model Railroad Links: Model Railroad Paint Cross-Reference Resources (Floquil, etc) Russ it should answer most of your questions.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54616.0

[tehachapifan]

Thanks for the replies and info!

Mark5 just posted in Model Railroad Links: Model Railroad Paint Cross-Reference Resources (Floquil, etc) Russ it should answer most of your questions.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54616.0

Thanks! I have seen the first link before (which doesn't appear to list a water-based option for SP lark Dark Gray), but the second link does and I have not seen that guide before.