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!

No more Floquil?

32460 views
249 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,707 posts
Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:28 AM

Sheldon,

I believe,a lot of the replies about Floquil,paint,are in reference ,to the original solvent,based formula,before they changed to water base..

Cheers,

Frank

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:31 AM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

Well, this is no be deal for me, I stopped using Floquil years ago in favor of Scalecoat.

I don't like the water based paints, never have been able to master using them in the airbrush.

Sheldon

 
Funny how differently the hobby is enjoyed..
 
I never had luck hand painting with Scalecoat I or II.I loved Poly S paints since it went on smooth and didn't leave a brush mark..
 
Gotta love this hobby.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,869 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:33 AM

zstripe

Sheldon,

I believe,a lot of the replies about Floquil,paint,are in reference ,to the original solvent,based formula,before they changed to water base..

Cheers,

Frank

Frank,

Respectfully you misunderstood me. Many people commented about how water based paints have replaced solvent based paints and that is one reason solvent based paints are "going away".

Not so for me, I don't like the water based paints. Water based paints are not an acceptable replacement for Floquil or Scalecoat in my view. But Scalecoat is a much better product especially for painting rolling stock.

So solvent based Floquil has not been on my shopping list for a long time now.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,869 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:41 AM

BRAKIE

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

Well, this is no be deal for me, I stopped using Floquil years ago in favor of Scalecoat.

I don't like the water based paints, never have been able to master using them in the airbrush.

Sheldon

 
Funny how differently the hobby is enjoyed..
 
I never had luck hand painting with Scalecoat I or II.I loved Poly S paints since it went on smooth and didn't leave a brush mark..
 
Gotta love this hobby.

Brush mark? Brush painting with Scalecoat? - only for small details - and it works fine for me. But as my opening implies, I don't do anything large with a brush.

The main reason to use Scalecoat it that it is gloss. When sprayed it covers better and provides a one step surface for decals - then the clear can be mixed to any desired sheen. I top coat most locos and passenger cars with semi gloss clear, not flat, before a VERY light weathering - and some are left with that "just left the shop" look.

I do use water based paints for brush work on structures, but unless I spring for an external mix air brush, spraying water based paints is out of the question for me.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,707 posts
Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:44 AM

Sheldon,

Yes, I did misunderstand you,,,My apology,,

Cheers,

Frank

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,763 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:09 AM

I've largely switched to Model Master already, mainly out of ease of obtaining them.

It wouldn't surprise me if MM Acryl actually was Polly Scale.

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Bradford County, PA
  • 1,319 posts
Posted by Lehigh Valley 2089 on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:20 AM

Even if kit and scratch building are in decline, what about weathering. So far, the only good dirt and earth colors I've found were from Polly Scale. No experience with Floquil. Like the rust colors form Testors, and also use solvent based colors, so I MAY get used to this from the weathering standpoint, but for custom paint jobs, man..................

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,434 posts
Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:20 AM

The health effects from solvent based paints are no joke.  That goofy "known by the State of California" lanuage that you see on everything has made us suspect that all such warnings are bogus CYA efforts by the lawyers but that is not so.  There truly are dangers to solvent based paints.  I am not sure that even a larger demand from the hobby would make a difference when the product is dangerous in this way.

A buddy I know who paints for himself and for commercial customers has always liked Floquil -- true Floquil -- but he admits he worries about the effects.

 I remember a letter to MR from a custom painter who said he was basically dying, I think of a liver ailment, and his doctor suspected it was the paint.  That is when MR started to seriously investigate what is needed in an effective and safe paint booth.  A month or two later they reported that they guy had in fact died.  Before that the health issues were sort of a pro forma "take appropriate precautions" sort of thing but that made it very real for those of us who were MR readers at the time.

Dave Nelson

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Bradford County, PA
  • 1,319 posts
Posted by Lehigh Valley 2089 on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:23 AM

dknelson

The health effects from solvent based paints are no joke.  That goofy "known by the State of California" lanuage that you see on everything has made us suspect that all such warnings are bogus CYA efforts by the lawyers but that is not so.  There truly are dangers to solvent based paints.  I am not sure that even a larger demand from the hobby would make a difference when the product is dangerous in this way.

A buddy I know who paints for himself and for commercial customers has always liked Floquil -- true Floquil -- but he admits he worries about the effects.

 I remember a letter to MR from a custom painter who said he was basically dying, I think of a liver ailment, and his doctor suspected it was the paint.  That is when MR started to seriously investigate what is needed in an effective and safe paint booth.  A month or two later they reported that they guy had in fact died.  Before that the health issues were sort of a pro forma "take appropriate precautions" sort of thing but that made it very real for those of us who were MR readers at the time.

Dave Nelson

 

 

Hence why I just go outside when I do my airbrushing. Brush painting I do inside.  

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Route of the Black Diamond Express, John Wilkes and Maple Leaf.

-Jake, modeling the Barclay, Towanda & Susquehanna.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Memphis
  • 931 posts
Posted by PASMITH on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:49 AM

Oh for the good old days of stove polish.

Peter Smith, Memphis

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 8:54 AM

LION is Guilty.

Him never used Floquil Paint, nor any other hobby paint ('cept once him used Tamyria).

LIONS being cheap use whatever colors Walmart has for 99c. Is close enough!

Here are LIRR coaches painted by LION. Is good enough once Long Island weather has its way with the patina.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,869 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 9:06 AM

dknelson

The health effects from solvent based paints are no joke.  That goofy "known by the State of California" lanuage that you see on everything has made us suspect that all such warnings are bogus CYA efforts by the lawyers but that is not so.  There truly are dangers to solvent based paints.  I am not sure that even a larger demand from the hobby would make a difference when the product is dangerous in this way.

A buddy I know who paints for himself and for commercial customers has always liked Floquil -- true Floquil -- but he admits he worries about the effects.

 I remember a letter to MR from a custom painter who said he was basically dying, I think of a liver ailment, and his doctor suspected it was the paint.  That is when MR started to seriously investigate what is needed in an effective and safe paint booth.  A month or two later they reported that they guy had in fact died.  Before that the health issues were sort of a pro forma "take appropriate precautions" sort of thing but that made it very real for those of us who were MR readers at the time.

Dave Nelson

 

 

I have always used an effective paint booth for many decades now - for my health, and to keep the paint off the things not being painted.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Staten Island NY
  • 1,734 posts
Posted by joe323 on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 9:39 AM

LION is Guilty.

Him never used Floquil Paint, nor any other hobby paint ('cept once him used Tamyria).

LIONS being cheap use whatever colors Walmart has for 99c. Is close enough!

Here are LIRR coaches painted by LION. Is good enough once Long Island weather has its way with the patina.

 

In that event so am I because I use mostly acrylic craft paint from Michaels. 

Joe Staten Island West 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: South Carolina
  • 1,719 posts
Posted by Train Modeler on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:07 AM

To me this is because most modelers want RTR and the economy isn't great.   Surprised more detail mfg companies haven't gone under.   

I've often had to blend paints for custom colors and some of the testors stuff wasn't correct.  Oh well, it will make the model builders add another skill or get a substitute.

Thanks to whomever posted the tru color link.  The issue now will be to get some w/o paying as much for the freight as the paint itself and trying to see what it looks like before  you buy it.  

I've got scalecoat and it's OK, not crazy about the baking step though.

Richard

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Chamberlain, ME
  • 5,084 posts
Posted by G Paine on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:55 AM

Walthers recently sent this e-mail to their dealers:

Unfortunately there are changes taking place at the Testor Corporation. They  have made the decision to exit production of the Floquil, PollyScale and  Pactra brands.  Paint will be shipped for a limited amount of time based on availability.  The Testor, Model Master and Aztek lines will carry on.
Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Crying Angry

zstripe
I believe,a lot of the replies about Floquil,paint,are in reference ,to the original solvent,based formula,before they changed to water base..

Floquil is stil solvent based; they changed the solvent base some time ago to one less toxic than what was used in the 1980s and earlier. PolyScale is their equivlent acrylic water based paint line

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 12:24 PM

joe323
In that event so am I because I use mostly acrylic craft paint from Michaels. 

I guess I'm the cheapskate of the bunch. Most of the paint I use is latex and satin house paint. I buy it as mis-tints from Lowe's for 75¢ and $1 per 7.25oz can from Valspar and Olympic. I filter it through a tea strainer lined with a piece of a cheap paper towel to remove any lumps or chunks.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,619 posts
Posted by dehusman on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 1:09 PM

I think a lot of this discussion would have not happened and a there would have been a lot less knashing of teeth if Testors had said whether they were going to continue some or all of the colors from the railroad line into one of the other lines.

I remember the days when you had to mix your own colors (MR used to run a feature on the recipe to make various prototype colors from the existing paint colors).  I am really not looking forward  to mixing my own paint colors again.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    January 2013
  • From: PA
  • 481 posts
Posted by Schuylkill and Susquehanna on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:00 PM

dehusman

I remember the days when you had to mix your own colors (MR used to run a feature on the recipe to make various prototype colors from the existing paint colors).  I am really not looking forward  to mixing my own paint colors again.

 

I agree completely.Bow  Testor's should sell Floquil, Polly Scale, and the other(s?) instead of discontinuing them.  At least that way they could get some money out of it, and all us modelers would still be at least reasonably happy.  "Reasonably" being not wanting to say long strings of words that would not be out of place around an army or naval base.Angry

Sorry, I'm almost never upset enough to swear and cuss, but this REALLY torques me!!!Ashamed

Yeah, I agree that mixing paint colors is a pain.  Car body colors are bad enough, but have you ever tried mixing weathering colors?  A bad "rust" or "dirt" can really ruin the weathering on a model.Ick!

All the local hobby shops stock the regular model car and tank paints, but the only railroad paints that they stock is - you guessed it - FLOQUIL and POLLY SCALE!!!!Super Angry

God, I hope that those Clown at Testor's realize their mistake and reverse their decision.Crying

 

 

Who's in favor of starting a petition to give to Testor's saying that we want Floquil and Polly Scale back??

 YesYes

 

Alright, I'm done with the soapbox now.  Who's next?SoapBox

S&S

 

Modeling the Pennsy and loving it!

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:25 PM

Found this on Testors Facebook page:

Many of you have expressed disappointment regarding our decision to exit Floquil and Polyscale. Decisions such as these are never easy. Trends in model railroading have changed over time.
Creating product for weathering and scenery has been more of the focus as train cars have moved to pre-decorated. The good news is that the same great products for weathering and scenery can be found in Testor's CreateFX line that is available now.
Please check your local hobby shop or www.testors.com and search CreateFX for information regarding this product line.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    October 2010
  • From: Chesterfield, MI
  • 167 posts
Posted by Doug from Michigan on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:43 PM

 I would fully expect that the colors of PollyScale that have good sales will be kept, but under the ModelMaster line of acrylics.

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 243 posts
Posted by AVRNUT on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:50 PM

jeffrey-wimberly

Found this on Testors Facebook page:

Many of you have expressed disappointment regarding our decision to exit Floquil and Polyscale. Decisions such as these are never easy. Trends in model railroading have changed over time.
Creating product for weathering and scenery has been more of the focus as train cars have moved to pre-decorated. The good news is that the same great products for weathering and scenery can be found in Testor's CreateFX line that is available now.
Please check your local hobby shop or www.testors.com and search CreateFX for information regarding this product line.

Well, that may be the trend on some layouts, but on this railroad the CEO, yard foreman, rail gang foreman, brakeman, carman, cheif engineer, fireman, cook & bottlewasher still does an awful lot of kit building! I just came across not one, but 2 old Ambroid partially built wood kits of B & M prototype snowplows and an un-built wood kit of a Canadian Pacific 2-window wood caboose. The two snowplows will join my BAR fleet & the caboose will be done in AVR colors & markings, so all will need painting. I also still have an as yet un-built kit for a U.S.Army troop sleeper with all the parts to make the BAR's conversion for one of their MOW cars & that will need painting. Have an old Athearn Blue Box Kit of an undecorated 40 Ft. Pulpwood car on the way to me & that will need painting.

Only have about a half a bottle of Polyscale Boxcar Red left & 1 full bottle of Caboose Red. Guess I better stock up on those & a few other colors while I can, (sigh). Was still hoping this was some kind of a hoax, but I guess not now.

Carl

"I could never belong to any club that would have me as a member."

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Maryland
  • 12,869 posts
Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 3:01 PM

AVRNUT

jeffrey-wimberly

Found this on Testors Facebook page:

Many of you have expressed disappointment regarding our decision to exit Floquil and Polyscale. Decisions such as these are never easy. Trends in model railroading have changed over time.
Creating product for weathering and scenery has been more of the focus as train cars have moved to pre-decorated. The good news is that the same great products for weathering and scenery can be found in Testor's CreateFX line that is available now.
Please check your local hobby shop or www.testors.com and search CreateFX for information regarding this product line.

Well, that may be the trend on some layouts, but on this railroad the CEO, yard foreman, rail gang foreman, brakeman, carman, cheif engineer, fireman, cook & bottlewasher still does an awful lot of kit building! I just came across not one, but 2 old Ambroid partially built wood kits of B & M prototype snowplows and an un-built wood kit of a Canadian Pacific 2-window wood caboose. The two snowplows will join my BAR fleet & the caboose will be done in AVR colors & markings, so all will need painting. I also still have an as yet un-built kit for a U.S.Army troop sleeper with all the parts to make the BAR's conversion for one of their MOW cars & that will need painting. Have an old Athearn Blue Box Kit of an undecorated 40 Ft. Pulpwood car on the way to me & that will need painting.

Only have about a half a bottle of Polyscale Boxcar Red left & 1 full bottle of Caboose Red. Guess I better stock up on those & a few other colors while I can, (sigh). Was still hoping this was some kind of a hoax, but I guess not now.

Carl

And the nice people at Weaver are likely to see an increase in Scalecoats sales that may well insure it is around for decades to come.

Weaver, being a small model rairoad only company, likely has a different business model than Testors.

Sheldon

    

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 3:21 PM

seems like a shame that they're cutting the two brands, but my LHS doesn't seem to have a big MRRing customer base which means that all of that paint I won't have to compete with other people to buy it. 

Just give me gloss black, BN green, reading yellow, and pullman green I can do all the BN & SP&S locos I need.

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,763 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 5:09 PM

It is a bit discouraging and I'd hope that at least a few of the colors survive on in the Model Master name.  Especially Reefer White.  Classic white is a bit too stark and that's the only one that's in a rattle can.

Weathering colors, I'd think, shouldn't be too major a problem.  Really you need earth tones for that and most of the military colors are, well, earth tones.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,133 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 5:48 PM

Dunno.

I am having a hard time accepting this.

It is sorta like Kadee getting out of the coupler business or  Caboose Industries dropping their line of manual ground throws or Circuitron abandoning the Tortoise.

Why exit a leadership position?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Northern Minnesota
  • 2,774 posts
Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 5:55 PM

richhotrain

Why exit a leadership position?

Rich

That is an interesting question Rich!  Why indeed?  If I were Testors, I'd drop their line of crappy little bottle paints and Latch onto Floquil as the company's favored product line!  Howeva, like Forrest always says: "Stupid is as stupid does".

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,763 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:03 PM

I guarantee you they move more of those little rectangular bottles in a day than Floquil and Polly Scale.

If I was running the show, I'd have identified redundancies in Floquil, Pollyscale and my other lines and eliminated them, then folded Floquil into my enamel Model Master line and Pollyscale into my acrylic line.

  • Member since
    December 2011
  • From: Northern Minnesota
  • 2,774 posts
Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:05 PM

NittanyLion

I guarantee you they move more of those little rectangular bottles in a day than Floquil and Polly Scale.

If I was running the show, I'd have identified redundancies in Floquil, Pollyscale and my other lines and eliminated them, then folded Floquil into my enamel Model Master line and Pollyscale into my acrylic line.

The reason they move more of the small Testors bottle is because of name recognition, not because it is better quality.

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Potomac Yard
  • 2,763 posts
Posted by NittanyLion on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:08 PM

NP2626

NittanyLion

I guarantee you they move more of those little rectangular bottles in a day than Floquil and Polly Scale.

If I was running the show, I'd have identified redundancies in Floquil, Pollyscale and my other lines and eliminated them, then folded Floquil into my enamel Model Master line and Pollyscale into my acrylic line.

The reason they move more of the small Testors bottle is because of name recognition, not because it is better quality.

Neither, I'd wager.  They have broader appeal and utility.  They're for someone that wants "red paint" but also something other than a craft acrylic or artist's paints.

Plus they're much more broadly available.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Coastal Massachusetts
  • 77 posts
Posted by Voyager on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 7:20 PM

We may complain, but I doubt that Rust-Oleum's exec's will be swayed by modelers' pleas. As the company letter states, model railroading has changed, making the classic paint lines no longer profitable enough for big corporations. What goes unsaid is that manufacturers too have changed: gone are the days of the small firms run by people with a commitment to their products much less the hobby. As someone earlier noted, industry after industry has seen this same result; consolidation of small firms into the hands of big, outside corporations leads to the loss of quality, then products (and eventually jobs). By comparison, note the thriving number of small structure kit manufacturers, all based domestically and run by people who participate in the hobby and are content with small margins of profit.

Well, there's little use in lamenting. The question now is what are the remaining alternative paint lines for modelers who still make and paint--especially spray paint--railroad equipment. Craft acrylic paints are fine for wood, but not so satisfactory for plastic or metal. Is there any solvent line left other than Scalecoat I  and Humbrol enamels for painting brass?  Auto laquers can serve, but they don't come in many colors needed for railroad equipment and must be bought in large volumes. Acrylics or other organic synthetics seem better represented with the domestically produced Modelflex and Tru-Color paints as well as the the imported Tamiya and Humbrol  lines. What else is out there? And perhaps equally important, where can they be obtained now that local hobby stores (another vanishing small business)  are growing few and far between?

Frank

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

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!