Floquil

[ericsp]

Has anyone else noticed how thin Floquil paint has been getting? I just bought some Branchline Trains Berwick boxcars (anyone know a word the means trains but starts with a "b"?). I decided to paint the side grabirons with Floquil Railbox Yellow. Is as appaled. It was like I was using water that had some food coloring in it.

[krump]

no experience with Floquil yet, but that's the first "less than pleased" assessment of the product that I've heard. how disappointing...
Do you know if there is a shelf-life ? sometimes paints expire (usually found at reduced prices)
cheers

[ericsp]

I just bought it a couple of months ago. However, I have never heard of paint thinning as it ages. It makes sense that it would thicken since the more volatile components would be more likely to escape and it seems like most hydrocarbon products seem to thicken (gasoline forming sludge).

[EL PARRo]

Did you mix it properly? Usually the paint at the top of the jar is very thin and the paint at the bottom is very thick and they need to be mixed properly to get a good consistency in the thickness.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EL PARRo

Did you mix it properly? Usually the paint at the top of the jar is very thin and the paint at the bottom is very thick and they need to be mixed properly to get a good consistency in the thickness.

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Paint mixing is very important to get the best end result each time use that paricular jar of paint. I read about adding two or three bb's to a jar and then shake it. The bb's work like the those in a spray can. A tube of bb's will last a very long time so it is very economical. I have used this tip for over twenty years.

[Don Gibson]

i think you didn't shake the bottle.

[Anonymous]

I just sprayed about half a bottle of Floquil through my airbru***o paint a couple of models. These were new bottles that I just purchased. I noted no problems, however, I always use the Mircromark paint stirrer to thoroughly stir the paint first. When I do not use this stirrer, I get results that I am not happy with.

[Anonymous]

I also noted that you were paining a yellow color. Yellow is very difficult to paint--it takes several coats because the pigment particles are not as fine as with other colors. You might want to paint the model with a light gray basecoat first. When I painted some equipment UP armour yellow, I experienced a similar problem.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JimdeBree
[brYou might want to paint the model with a light gray basecoat first.

Even if I am just painting grab irons?

[chutton01]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

QUOTE: Originally posted by JimdeBree
[brYou might want to paint the model with a light gray basecoat first.

Even if I am just painting grab irons?

Yep, I concur, even if you're just painting grab irons (or anything).
Yellow, whites, other light colors, I find I always need a primer or basecoat to get even results.
Sometimes I had to mix light Floquil paints for a long time (15minutes...) to get a decent enough consistancy.
And perhaps you just got a bad batch (which may mean all the other bottles of Floquil Yellow in your hobby store are the same...)

[Anonymous]

I have been using Floquil for 35 years. I love their products and can't recommend them highly enough. It's possible you got a bad bottle. However, the light colors ARE more difficult to work with and do need multiple coats. My thoughts are the paint wasn't mixed enough. THANKS for the BB tip! Never thought of that but certainly makes sense!

[CBQ_Guy]

I haven't bought any Floquil paint in a few years, since my move. However, I believe I read that somewhere in the past couple years they were bought by, IIRC, Testors, and the formula was changed. Maybe this has somethig (everything) to do with your experience.

[ericsp]

I have not had problems with Floquil until recently. I noticed that the Caboose Red and DRGW Orange (Polly S) I bought a few months back was on the thin side, not as thin as the RBOX Yellow. Even the lighter color paints I bought years ago seemed to cover better than any of their recent paints. Back in the 1990s I used TTX Yellow and Reefer White with no problem.

[Anonymous]

All paints now need to conform to tougher environmental regulations. Perhaps that is the reason. I have also noticed that the price of paint seems to be rising as fast as the price of gas.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JimdeBree

All paints now need to conform to tougher environmental regulations. Perhaps that is the reason. I have also noticed that the price of paint seems to be rising as fast as the price of gas.

If it is petroleum based, it makes sense. Odd as it seems, gasoline prices actually have been coming down some here.

[BRAKIE]

Well,I picked up 3 bottles of FloQuil last Saturday..The only thing I found wrong is I had to stir it more then I usually do..I have use FQ for many years and Poly S in the last 10 years..Yes FQ was bought by Testors and I have not seen a major change in the paint.