Paints New and Old

[CPbuff]

I am cleaning my out my paint supply area and have a simple question or so I thought ! are the following paints oil based or water based?

Testors, Floquil, Pollyscale,Model Master, Humbrol, and Craftsmart... I have my suspicions, but would like to compare...

 

[chutton01]

Well...
Floquil = enamel
Pollyscale = acrylic
Model Master = Both enamels and acrylics available - check the labels
Testors = Both enamels and acrylics available - check the labels (enamels used to be the most common IIRC).
Humbrol = Apparently both enamel and acrylic available. I think enamel is most common.
Craftsmart = Acrylic craft paint.

[BigDaddy]

My LHS still has Floquil and Polyscale paint display.  Understandably the choices are pretty limited.  If you were going to throw away either, you might put them on ebay.

[AntonioFP45]

Hello CPBuff,

Suggestion: 

If there is a model railroad club within a reasonable driving distance from where you live, contact a rep and inform him/her of the paint that you have. The club  might be interested since there is always something to paint, weather, or touch up on a club layout, rolling stock or locomotives. Indivdual members may show an interest as well. Up to you whether you're selling or donating your paint materials.

High Greens.

 

 

CPbuff

I am cleaning my out my paint supply area and have a simple question or so I thought ! are the following paints oil based or water based?

Testors, Floquil, Pollyscale,Model Master, Humbrol, and Craftsmart... I have my suspicions, but would like to compare...

 

 

[7j43k]

I think Floquil was a lacquer, not an enamel.

Testors is reputed to be an enamel, and acts like it.  I like to let it dry a week before handling it.

I think Model Master is supposed to be "the same" as Testors, hence an enamel.  I've mixed them together for spray painting, and had no problem.  I do feel that Model Master is a bit "thinner", though.

I see, looking at the Testors website, that both of the above also have acrylics.  News to me.  I haven't used acrylics, and use that as an excuse.

 

Ed

[chutton01]

7j43k

looking at the Testors website, that both of the above [Testors and Model Master] also have acrylics.

Yes, I mentioned that in my response above posted a few days ago. To be fair, I only recently learned (last year) that Testors (in the good ol' square base quarter-ounce bottle) also has acrylics in the same format; must have saw them at Michaels numerous times without thinking about it. Model Master, OTOH, I have had some bottles of acrylic for many years (mostly of colors not found in the Model Master Enamel line at my LHS, like 'Flesh').  Hence why I cautioned the OP to "check the label".

I think Floquil was a lacquer, not an enamel.

.
Well, depending on the time frame you could be correct.
A snippet from a thread c. 2004 on the FSM forum:

...Under the previous organization Floquil was a lacquer based paint.
However about 8-9 years ago the Floquil brand was consolidated with
Testor under a reorganization plan initiated by our parent company RPM.
(RPM owned both Testor and Floquil). When this occurred production of
Floquil paint was phased into the Testor product line. It was at this
point (about 7 yrs. ago) that Floquil was re-formulated to an enamel
based paint. 
Floquil is now currently either enamel or acrylic (Polly-Scale) based
paints.

.
So, the changeover was 1997 or so, only for Floquil to be discontinued in 2013...

[7j43k]

The last bottle of Floquil I bought had to have been before 1983.  So I think you can see when my opinion came from.  

 

Ed

[SeeYou190]

chutton01

Well...Floquil = enamelPollyscale = acrylicModel Master = Both enamels and acrylics available - check the labelsTestors = Both enamels and acrylics available - check the labels (enamels used to be the most common IIRC).Humbrol = Apparently both enamel and acrylic available. I think enamel is most common.Craftsmart = Acrylic craft paint.

.

Water soluable: Some Model Master, Polly-S, Pollyscale, Some Testors.

.

Mineral Spirits Soluable: Floquil, Some Testors, Humbrol, Some Model Master.

.

I have never seen water soluable Humbrol, but that sure does not mean that it does not exist.

.

-Kevin

.

[BRAKIE]

Guys,Since we are discussing paint may I add this tidbit?

Before you toss any old paint I suggest  investing in a Badger 121 Paint Mixer.

I have one and have revive several old bottles of Poly S and Flo-Quil I thought was kaput.

[chutton01]

SeeYou190

I have never seen water soluable Humbrol, but that sure does not mean that it does not exist.

It most certainly does: Humbrol Acrlyic Paints 

With the Humbrol Acrylic range having grown to over 100 colours, it will satisfy almost every modeller's needs. Being water-based it's easy to apply both by brush, which can be cleaned with water, or by airbrush, thinned with water or a small amount of Acrylic Thinners

Not sure when Humbrol Acrylic was introduced, just learned about it when checking on paints to respond in this thread.
Even the enamel paint was not common in area LHS, so I never got into the habit of using it (although after hundreds of YouTube UK modellers videos, I now know how popular it is - and who doesn't like the little tins...).