You can read it here
https://mrr.trains.com/news-reviews/new-products/2020/04/testors-discontinues-model-master-aztek-and-pactra-brands
I do use some Model Master paints, and the enamel stain weathering markers. The loss of Pactra would have bothered me more in my youth when I assembled plastic models (not trains).
I think Testors also used the Model Master name on some tools and implements but have no idea if those too are going to be discontinued. I was relieved to see from my rattle can that they do not use the Model Master name on DullCoat.
Dave Nelson
PS amended post - Model Master "Desert Sand" is probably their color I use the most, for weathering but also for trim on residential houses and garages. I know Tamiya has a similar color. But I could get Model Master for 40 or 50% at Michaels with a coupon.
PPS yet another amendment to the posting: the latest MR just arrived and I see from Cody Grivno's article on modifying an N scale hopper car that he uses many types of Model Master paint in his work. It isn't that there aren't other paints to use. You find one you like and learn its qualities and nature. And sometimes you find yourself wanting to match earlier work. Modest example, last year I kitbashed houses. This year I'm doing the garages. I'd like them to match.
I'd be happy if they retain the bottle-versions of Testors Dullcote and Glosscote, and extremely happy if they re-instate Pollyscale paints, regardless of which name they might choose to use for it. Model Master paint was okay, but only a shadow of what Pollyscale offered.
Wayne
Some of the colors matched to polly scale colors were model master if i recall. could pose a problem if nobody pics up that line
Shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Guess this means we better start working on tutorials like how to match Spray Chalk Shimmer Tuscan Red for weathered N&W Redbird Geeps...
NVSRRcould pose a problem if nobody pics up that line
I don't think "picking up the line" is going to happen. There are still a decent number of competitors out there. The freelanced railroad is a distant memory.
If the freelancers still exist in any number, how many bottles of Milwaukee Road orange or C&O blue are they going to buy? Of course those were Floquil or Polyscale colors. MM didn't offer that. Testors brand airbrush paint offers only offer 24 varieties.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I'm sorry mostly because Model Master Clear Flat gave me better results than Dullkote. I even bought two cans at the same time from the same store and tried them on two identical models.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
I made extensive use of MM military colors because there were such a massive array of grays, tans, and browns. I hope at least some of the more common military colors emerge in some form in the Testors line.
Failing that, I hope someone can work up a crosswalk to Vallejo colors. In some places, the FS codes are reliable, but foreign WWII era colors don't exactly have those.
I did not know Pactra was still around.
Aztek... no interest from me there.
Model Master... Guess I better go stock up on the 5 colors I use.
The Model Master line is HUGE, probably much larger than many realize. In solvent based paints there are two military racks, an automotive rack, and the metalizers. They also have an extensive water soluable Model Master line. The whole Model Master line would take up at least 15 feet of linear shwelf space.
My metalizers do not say "Model Master", but they are in the Model Master rack at my local hobby shop.
Then... Model Master was pretty bad paint. Tamiya, Vallejo, Citadel, and AK/Interactive are all much better paints for the military model builder.
I need British Crimson, German Light Gray, Japanese Imperial Navy Dark Green, Light Sand, and Ferrari Red. I think I already have a good supply of each.
If Testors wants to stay viable, they better come up with a top-quality water soluable paint line... and quick. It might be too late, AK/Interactive has really launched big-time with an incredible product line.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Companies hate having huge numbers of SKUs. Inventory gets to be a real cost factor, especially on something volitale like paints. If they sit around too long they are scrap.
I can see why an outfit wants to shed products that take up too much warehousing and inventory control.
RPM is a huge outfit. https://www.rpminc.com/ They are probably looking at "trimming the waste" and spinning off the 1/2 and 1 ounce bottle lines.
Good Luck, Ed
While I have some Model Master paint my go to paint is Tru Color line of railroad paints for my needs.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
dknelson You can read it here https://mrr.trains.com/news-reviews/new-products/2020/04/testors-discontinues-model-master-aztek-and-pactra-brands
Rich
Alton Junction
Why did Rustoleum aquire Testors if they do not want a zillion SKUs and slow product movement.
They must have realized it was a specialty product line.
Only thing I will miss is a couple of spray paints and their lusterless flat.
SeeYou190 Why did Rustoleum aquire Testors if they do not want a zillion SKUs and slow product movement. They must have realized it was a specialty product line. -Kevin
The problem I think is they do not understand their specialty product line. If you look at the Testors website it is completely out of touch with how a modeler does things. They organize it like a hardware store selection- reds browns etc- not by application- Military Automotive or what precious little railroad they have.
That's annoying, I like Model Master paints. They work better for my needs than their Testors equivalents. I also think you get better bang for your buck with Model Masters.
How come the Testors paints in the 1/4 ounce little glass bottles are still around and popular? Are these what many model builders are using?
I use them myself, but only when I need bright red, green, and blue in glossy finish.
This may turn into another re-branding exercise, with Model Master paint colors now part of the Testors brand.
On the other hand, maybe.... this means the hobby shops in my area might start to carry Modelflex paints. The few times I've used them I've been quite pleased for both brush and spray use. But when you need just one bottle for one project it's expensive to order online and pay more in shipping than the bottle of paint costs.
I can't understand the really fears and lost which is expressed in this thread.
Floquil is gone, now Testors like Model Master is gone; when I read the comments seems you can't paint anymore in the future.
I'm sorry but there are numerous perfect brand of model colors to use for our hobby.
I never used Floquil paint, just a very very few Pollys scale and probably one Model Master colors.
None have give me an unforgettable memory really.
Really I don't need them and if I used them, no trouble a substitue exist.
I paint a model each week, by brush or with one of my airbrush; most are not painted with model colors, I use for the most Golden Artist acrylics colors, the rest is from Vallejo, MIG, AK and Tamiya colors; I also use craft paint from Decor Art and Folk art.
I paint this way since 40 years, I use the colors which I need,no matter the origin.
Perfect result, and since I model in Nscale I can say paint has a scale; these paints don't eat details on model in N scale because of thickness.
These colors don't fade in time and are very easy to use and except Tamiya you have around 130 colors to choice from in each brand....more than enough I think
The military model community say these colors are first rate quality for modeling; knowing the quality of models they produce, the artistic paint job they do, this is a real testimonial about these colors and their use.
All these brand offer satellite products and special colors like wash, pastel chalk, special paint kit for special effect, glue and many other stuff with a first rate quality.
Yes may be the special "reefer orange" don't exist anymore, but nearly the same or may be a match one exist in these colors line, and saying a color from 50 years ago is the prototype one is probably not the truth, because pictures give only a rendering of the color not the accurancy of it, so you can go easily this way I think.
In any case forget Floquil, Polly scale and now Testors; they are gone for ever !
Go ahead, they are numerous excellent colors on the market.
Marc_Magnus I can't understand the really fears and lost which is expressed in this thread. Floquil is gone, now Testors like Model Master is gone; when I read the comments seems you can't paint anymore in the future.
LOL
OK, a bit of an exaggeration. But losing Pollyscale, then Model Master Acrylic, hurts. If you have never been in love (with a particular paint), then you could not possibly understand.
I agree with Rich on the reason we don't like to see the lines disappear. I use testors rust. It is part of a signature formula that I have used on literally thousands of items on the layout. Sure I can find another color that is right but experimenting to get the new color takes time away from other parts of the hobby.
I just ordered seven bottles today, should last a year or two depending on how long the shelter in place thing lasts.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
trainnut1250 I agree with Rich on the reason we don't like to see the lines disappear. I use testors rust. It is part of a signature formula that I have used on literally thousands of items on the layout. Sure I can find another color that is right but experimenting to get the new color takes time away from other parts of the hobby. I just ordered seven bottles today, should last a year or two depending on how long the shelter in place thing lasts. Guy
BigDaddy NVSRR could pose a problem if nobody pics up that line I don't think "picking up the line" is going to happen. There are still a decent number of competitors out there. The freelanced railroad is a distant memory. If the freelancers still exist in any number, how many bottles of Milwaukee Road orange or C&O blue are they going to buy? Of course those were Floquil or Polyscale colors. MM didn't offer that. Testors brand airbrush paint offers only offer 24 varieties.
NVSRR could pose a problem if nobody pics up that line
The ATLANTIC CENTRAL colors are CB&Q red, and ERIE LACKAWANNA grey........
But I have been a SCALECOAT user for a long time and don't plan to change as long as it is still available, so far, so good.
I have not yet mastered the use of acrylic paint in an air brush, I grew up on Floquil and now SCALECOAT.
I don't know how many freelance modelers are left, but this poses more questions about the direction of the hobby than just freelancing.
Even if I only modeled the three prototype roads that I model along with the ATLANTIC CENTRAL, I'm not sure I would be waiting around for every piece of equipment I want to be made RTR.
I model the WESTERN MARYLAND, not a lot of WM passenger cars out there, I painted and lettered my own..........
Sheldon
richhotrainIt's not that you can't paint anymore in the future. When you fall in love with a Pollyscale color like SP Lark Dark Gray or Dirt and then cannot find it anynore, it tears your world apart.
I feel your pain brother, and the pain is real.
I will never get over Citadel reformulating their paint and eliminating Boltgun Metal.
richhotrainI've done the same thing with disappearing colors. I stock up whenever and wherever I can find it.
I know... My hoarding of Model Master paints will begin tomorrow. I just realized in another thread I need a bunch of reddish browns for painting brick buildings.
Should have known the writing was on the wall when I started seeing Model Master paints at my local Dollar Tree stores a few months back. Maybe it's time to start looking there again, once the social distancing is eased, of course...
I've never worried about discontinued paint colours, as it's easy enough to mix whatever you need. However, once you find a brand or type of paint which gives you the results you like, it's hard to find a suitable replacement once it's discontinued.Floquil was good, in its day, while Floquil's Polly S was iffy...good in some colours, not so good at all in some other colours. For me, Pollyscale, also from Floquil, hit the nail on the head when I used it with a brush, and again, when I finally read their instructions for airbrushing it.The only other paint that I found comparable (and only for airbrushing) was SMP's Accupaint, now available, I think, as Tru-Color.
The parent company, RPM, bought Testors in 1984 and then bought Rust-Oleum in 1994. In any event, it's probably just the usual case of consolidating the business.
Considering many (myself included) find mixing and matching colors a struggle I bemoan the loss of any line of hobby paint. A color wheel can be a helpful guide when mixing and practice increases improvement, but not everyone is blessed with an 'eye for color'.
Regards, Peter
Frustratingly, I discovered yesterday that my supply of Floquil spray cans went bad. I'd bought up a bunch of Boxcar Red and apparently I exceeded the shelf life on them. Never opened and not so as a fizzle of noise from them.
They have to be close to 10 years old, so I don't know why I anticipated the survival.
I got many spray paints over 10 years old, maybe it is just Floquil.
NittanyLion Never opened and not so as a fizzle of noise from them.
Did they just lose propellant pressure? Is the paint still liquid in the can?