Floquil/Polly Scale Discontinued

[richg]

The hobby is shrinking and more people want RTR.

I am seeing the discussions in other forums.

Rich

[WoundedBear]

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

[Doneldon]

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

[jonathan]

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

[TimR]

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. 

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

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.

[TimR]

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.

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

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.

[Doneldon]

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

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

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".

[Woody Elmore]

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.

[WoundedBear]

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

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

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?

"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.

[Piyer]

"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. 

[J3a-614]

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.