Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model master acrylic replacement

3329 views
10 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2021
  • 194 posts
Model master acrylic replacement
Posted by NorthsideChi on Thursday, November 18, 2021 5:49 PM

Searched the forum but didn't see this.  Rusoleum / testors model master acrylics have been gone from store shelves for maybe a year now.  I've been searching for a suitable replacement.  Must be brush on flat acrylics.  I see this Microlux product on Micro-Mark's product that would work.  Limited colors but they work for me.  I'm in the final stretch of completion of 150 buildings and still have some residual model master stuff. But for larger surfaces I need more earth tone colors and I've run out of that.  

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, November 18, 2021 6:35 PM

150 buildings?  Wow

I use the rustoleum rattle can camoflage colors, but I suppose you want more diversity for that many buildings.

Star Hobbies used to be local to me and they had a nice selection of Valejo paints, which come in a very small container.

I've not used Tamiya.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,669 posts
Posted by snjroy on Friday, November 19, 2021 8:47 AM

Hi There. For buildings, I use acrylic craft paints. You can apply with a  brush or airbrush.

Simon

  • Member since
    July 2021
  • 194 posts
Posted by NorthsideChi on Friday, November 19, 2021 2:28 PM

^ I bought by accident some acrylic craft paints made by testors that I thought might work.  The color was good and coverage decent but it scratched off really easily.  The fine print said it wasn't meant for plastic, so that was my error.   I'll probably use it still for interiors and wood structures.  Wish it would have worked on everything because I got a large set for just $25 that would probably last me a few years  

  • Member since
    July 2021
  • 194 posts
Posted by NorthsideChi on Friday, November 19, 2021 2:36 PM

yep for large coverage I use any of the rustoleum camouflage spraypaint.  Great for brick or concrete colors and I use the greens for windows.   But for the details and interiors I'll then paint with the model master stuff.


BigDaddy

150 buildings?  Wow

I use the rustoleum rattle can camoflage colors, but I suppose you want more diversity for that many buildings.

Star Hobbies used to be local to me and they had a nice selection of Valejo paints, which come in a very small container.

I've not used Tamiya.

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • 1,517 posts
Posted by trainnut1250 on Friday, November 19, 2021 3:15 PM

Vallejo, Citadel and several others offer a wide selection of acrylics.

Guy

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,249 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Saturday, November 20, 2021 2:43 AM

FWIW, for basic colors (black, white, rust,etc.) I have had pretty good luck with Humbrol paints. I am just starting to get into the Vallejo paints. (For the longest time, I couldn't find them. Enter internet auctions site.) A few "issues" I have with them are as follows:

  1. That you have to clean up with acetone. It is a bit of a smell to use and evaporates quite quickly. (I tend to let my brushes soak to get all the paint out. Yes, I don't use an airbrush. However, I've got many compliments on my brish painted models.)
  2. For some of the paints if they are the airbrush ones which certain colors are only available in, they don't cover well and show the brush strokes. (For the cars in question, I can hide that with some weathering but it is still annoying.)
  3. Given that they are in the squeeze bottles, you have to have another container to put the paint into to use the paint.

However, that's just my My 2 Cents worth. I imagine I will get the hand of them but they are fairly new.

Of course, my really old grumble is not being able to find a good mix for the old Polly S/Polly Scale MEC Pine Green. That is the "green" in my avatar and for my protolanced road. I have a few bottles that I have scrounged over the years but eventually I will need to find a replacement as undoubtly the jars I have will dry out.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Saturday, November 20, 2021 9:00 AM

Vallejo, or the new TruColor Brushable line, both work well for plastic models.

(TruColor is similar to the old AccuPaint line, acrylic but acetone based.)

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, November 20, 2021 9:06 AM

trainnut1250
Vallejo, Citadel and several others offer a wide selection of acrylics.

Vallejo and Citadel are top-quality with massive selections of colours.

I prefer Vallejo because the container is so much better. Citadel just can't seem to get the container to match the quality of the product inside.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, November 20, 2021 11:57 AM

While I've used some Model Master paints, I was never impressed with it. When Testors bought Floquil and Pollyscale, they would have better phased out both Model Master and Floquil, and left Pollyscale, as it was far superior to the others - great shelf-life, suitable for brush and airbrush, and useful on wood, plastic, and metal.

I've not yet used Vallejo - the small bottles are a deterrent if one is painting a batch of freight cars or a bunch of structures. 

Wayne

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Quebec
  • 983 posts
Posted by Marc_Magnus on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 8:05 AM

I use nearly exclusively Golden artist acrylic Color's for my N scale models

Some are painted from 40 years now, never see any crack or change of luminosity probably because Golden Color's are UV garanted 

There are over 150 Color's to choice from and more over if you use tube, these colours hold perfectly on plastic and wood and are very thin

Golden also offer a big collection of ready to use airbrush paint but also all the polymer like fluid, disperser, and the most matte varnish I ever see perfectly transparent 

here are pictures of first a N scale plastic model and second à wood one also in N scale 

https://i.imgur.com/hhC3MON.jpg

 https://i.imgur.com/2UyK0N2.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/twElpA3.jpg

 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!