The hobby is shrinking and more people want RTR.
I am seeing the discussions in other forums.
Rich
It's true....Testors Corp. made the announcement last Friday.
Poly Scale/Floquil is gone.
All other brands of theirs remain unchanged (Testors, Model Master, Pactra etc). The new stains and the markers, including track markers will still be produced.
In my opinion not a real loss....Testors has enough other colors in other lines, that making substitutions shouldn't be too difficult. Remember the colors discussion a few months back?
Sid
Sid-
I disagree. Maybe it's just habit, but I like Poly Scale and, especially, Floquil paints. I've always felt I
got the best job with them. Well, at least I have a good stock of loquil paints which should last a few
years. Beyond that, I'll just have to adjust, the way the railroads have had to adjust to changing
conditions and realities. Maybe this is just a new aspect of prototypical operation?
-- D
Argh,
Floquil Grimy Black was the most useful paint IN THE UNIVERSE: great primer, great weathering color. It was just right for so many things. I have one full bottle and 1.5 cans of the spray. When they're gone, I will be going through some serious withdrawal.
Regards,
Jonathan
This is sad news. I also have found the Floquil paints to be superior to others I have tried. It also has a certain odor that just tells me I'm working on the railroad. Growing up, I used a lot of Testors and Pactra paints on model cars and each had their own special odor that told me I was sitting at the workbench doing something I loved doing. [sigh] I for one, will definitely miss the brand. :-[
Quote from: TimR on May 21, 2013, 07:50:05 PM
This is sad news. I also have found the Floquil paints to be superior to others I have tried. It also has a certain odor that just tells me I'm working on the railroad. Growing up, I used a lot of Testors and Pactra paints on model cars and each had their own special odor that told me I was sitting at the workbench doing something I loved doing. [sigh] I for one, will definitely miss the brand. :-[
Its not all of testors brands that are going away, just some.
Quote from: GG1onFordsDTandI on May 21, 2013, 10:06:00 PM
Its not all of testors brands that are going away, just some.
Yep, I understood that. However I couldn't find an "official announcement" on their website so I looked at their Facebook page which is awash with complaints. This rumor was apparently driven off an email sent to suppliers that someone leaked. A snippet of that email states: "Weve made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family - Pactra®,
Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®."
I didn't think Pactra was also included in that, but there it is. Testors had even denied this rumor as late as May 13 that it wasn't true:
" Sometimes colors come and go Roger but we are not discontinuing PollyScale.
Like · Reply · May 13 at 6:44pm"
Later on they do acknowledge it on their FB page. I guess their Social Network Admin hadn't gotten the memo on the 13th.
Quote from: TimR on May 22, 2013, 12:05:28 AM
Quote from: GG1onFordsDTandI on May 21, 2013, 10:06:00 PM
Its not all of testors brands that are going away, just some.
Yep, I understood that. However I couldn't find an "official announcement" on their website so I looked at their Facebook page which is awash with complaints. This rumor was apparently driven off an email sent to suppliers that someone leaked. A snippet of that email states: "Weve made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family - Pactra®,
Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®."
I didn't think Pactra was also included in that, but there it is. Testors had even denied this rumor as late as May 13 that it wasn't true:
" Sometimes colors come and go Roger but we are not discontinuing PollyScale.
Like · Reply · May 13 at 6:44pm"
Later on they do acknowledge it on their FB page. I guess their Social Network Admin hadn't gotten the memo on the 13th.
I think O Gauge Forum got a good post from a rep. yesterday on the 21st.(at least that's when I spotted the thread. I also realized too late that my post was lame, info already covered, but didn't really have time to elaborate, edit, or delete "had to send and shut down" NOW. Sorry.
GOOD NEWS!
Walthers still has virtually the whole Floquil/Polyscale line in stock.
Jonathan, maybe another bottle or two of Grimy Black is in the
cards for you.
-- D
Better jump quick! People on every modeling and craft forum around have the same idea!
If it goes fast enough maybe it'll be Testors "McRib".
to TimR: be very careful with Floquil and Scalecoat paints. They use a solvent called xylene and xylene can be very, very harmful to your lungs (among other organs).
When I was building models (and Floquil was the standard to use for many years) I always worked in a well ventilated room and used a homemade spray booth. The Tupperware lazy susan I used to turn the model being painted was impervious to the Floquil solvent. The spray booth was attached to an exhaust fan. Even then you could catch a whiff of the solvent.
I would think that there are liability issues with Floquil. As for PollyScale, I tried it but didn't like it. Model Master was much better.
Here is the official letter from Testors...........
Sid
Friday, May 17th, 2013
Dear Valued Partner,
I am writing to inform you about changes that are taking place at the Testor Corporation. For over 80 years, we have provided premium paints and finishing systems to the craft and hobby industry. Today, we announced that we are transforming our business in order to more effectively address the changing needs of our consumers and their interests.
We've made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family - Pactra®, Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®. This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation of success – providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity. We will continue to accept orders and ship product for a limited time based on available quantities.
Going forward, the following brands will be critical to our success and development – Testor®, Model Master™, and Aztek®. These brands will be infused with marketing support, innovation and operational efficiencies.
In support of this, we have announced a consolidation of operations at our Rockford facilities. Over the next several months we will provide updates critical to your order and delivery needs as well as product availability. We assure you there will be no disruption to service during this transition.
Our commitment to the Testor brand has never been stronger. By implementing these changes, and the ability to leverage all of Rust-Oleum's world class services, we are more strongly poised to take your business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer intimacy. Please contact me or your sales manager directly with any questions.
We appreciate your business!
Best Regards,
Kristin J. Schiro
Director of Sales & Marketing
Quote from: WoundedBear on May 23, 2013, 09:46:17 AM
Here is the official letter from Testors...........
"We've made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family - Pactra®, Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®."
Geez. What is that? Business-school speak? They can't just simply say they are discontinuing those brands?
Quote"This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation of success – providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity."
OK. I'm not sure how discontinuing a product line will do this, but never mind. I do scent a whiff of baloney, however.
Quote from: Johnson Bar Jeff on May 23, 2013, 12:04:10 PM
Quote"This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation of success – providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity."
OK. I'm not sure how discontinuing a product line will do this, but never mind. I do scent a whiff of baloney, however.
Discontinuing a product line - especially one such as Floquil / Polly Scale - will truly inspire creativity... as we start to seek out creative solutions to replace the paints we've been using for decades. :-\
This is a disappointment. I've used Floquil for years, and found it the best paint to work with. Testors' own main paint line was always too thick for the fine work we do in railroad models, and besides, most railroad colors are rather subdued compared to automotive colors. The closest comparison would be military colors, especially those used for camouflage work, which for obvious reasons are subdued and dull.
Of course, I have to admit new factory paint work, even on low-cost items like Bachmann and Athearn "Blue Box" (actually Ready-To-Roll) is fantastic, but there are times you have to paint a locomotive, or you are working on a fleet of 100 or 200 hopper cars (or a similar fleet of refrigerator cars for western modelers), and the only way to get all those cars with individual numbers (and sometimes variations in the data) is to paint them yourself.
First decals went away, and now the paint. . .ugh.
Dear All,
I've been a big Floquil user over the years, but lately I've found that spray cans were 50-50 at best (for working at all!). I really like Scalecote paints, and every can works.
I think we're OK!
Have fun!
the Bach-man
Quote from: J3a-614 on May 23, 2013, 09:10:41 PM
Of course, I have to admit new factory paint work, even on low-cost items like Bachmann and Athearn "Blue Box" (actually Ready-To-Roll) is fantastic, but there are times you have to paint a locomotive, or you are working on a fleet of 100 or 200 hopper cars (or a similar fleet of refrigerator cars for western modelers), and the only way to get all those cars with individual numbers (and sometimes variations in the data) is to paint them yourself.
Factory paint doesn't weather itself. Factory paint doesn't match the patchwork paint of a well seasoned rust bucket locomotive. Factories don't paint locomotives for (the majority) of shortlines. Factories don't paint locomotives that they don't offer, and thus have to be kitbashed. And factories don't paint locomotives for freelanced model railroad companies.
So, unless we are all going to start modeling the UP / Santa Fe / PRR, with pristine equipment fresh from the factory and the wash rack, we do need paint. O! And lets not forget buildings. They sort of need to be painted too, unless you enjoy their realistically molded colors (or natural wood wooden kits).
BTW, I've yet to see any of the alternative brands mentioned in any of the hobby shops here in NYC. :-\
There are many other brands of paint available to the hobbyist. As far as weathering is concerned any brand can be used effectively. As the Bach Man noted the Scalecote line of paint is comprised of just about any Railroad specific color that can possibly be imagined as well as weathering colors. It is a shame that Testors has decided to discontinue these lines of paint but there are alternatives available. If these lines of paint were selling well I seriously doubt they would have been discontinued. Let's all keep a positive outlook.
Adding to what the Yardmaster said, I contacted my 'supplier' of Polly Scale paints and he told me that the hobby wouldn't feel the effects of the discontinuance for some time; as there is a lot of product in the 'pipeline'. Perhaps with the demise of the Floquil and Polly Scale ranges - Scalecoat products will become more available. One of the most important skills a model railroader can learn is that of adaption...we will adapt to this 'bump' in the road.
Regards,
Ray