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TESTORS SPRAY PAINTS


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Just wondering if  Rust-Oleum has always manufactured Testors paint or is this something fairly new. I hadn't noticed in the past and don't recall reading anything about it here, but I could have missed it. Picked up several cans this morning at Hobby Lobby and just happened to notice.

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About the only Testors paint that I buy anymore is bottled enamels & primer.

I only use the primer for a first coat because it covers better than Duplicolor & helps get a base established to guard against any crazing that could occur with the Duplicolor.

Testors enamels take far too long to cure, a good majority of their metallic lacquers and enamels have metallic particles that are wildly out of scale, and I've had too many issues with their clear lacquers to continue using them on bodies.

I now rely almost exclusively on Duplicolor primers and clears and MCW paints applied with an air brush.

If Testors, (or Rust-oleum) really wants to compete with Tamiya or a myriad of other after market paint suppliers, with picky modelers like me, they have a great deal of improving to do.

 

 

Steve 

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I'm looking at a can of Lime Ice one coat lacquer. '2015 The Testor Corporation....same address', So my super sleuthing abilities tell me that Rust-Oleum acquired them sometime between then and now :P. As for paint quality, I've done a couple kits with the lacquer and loved the results. Metal flake scales fairly well with the lacquer IMO (so far). I am getting ready to do the Lindberg Big Red Rod in the lime ice.

I think it was Testors that did the Colors by Boyd line (enamel?) in the '90's. IIRC some of those flake colors didn't scale out too well but the choices were great.

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I still use some Testors spray but never use the white as it has a slight blue tint to it. Have tried a few cans and they're all the same. I don't get it. Tamiya is the best. More expensive but the paint and the nozzle they use is top quality. My paint jobs make me look like a better painter than I am.

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I've had great results with the one coat laquers and  also the Model Master laquers but only use the flat colors in their enamel. I have  had to many cans of their enamel hemorrhage paint out and drip all over the floor. Pretty much have switched over to Tamiya paints for all builds now. 

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Testors enamel spray paints are what drove to me learn airbrushing with a vengeance back in 1985! I had not one, but two cans ruin a model paint job the cans were so bad. Haven't used 'em since 'cept to decant them in to a jar and then airbrush them.

Model Master is a different story..........I used their cans a time or two out of curiousity (their clear) and it wasn't bad at all. How can two different brands from the same company be so markedly different?? :huh:

Another downside to Testors is their woefully slow drying time which is why something will instantly go in the dehydrator once it's painted.

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22 hours ago, Dentz said:

I'm looking at a can of Lime Ice one coat lacquer. '2015 The Testor Corporation....same address', So my super sleuthing abilities tell me that Rust-Oleum acquired them sometime between then and now :P. As for paint quality, I've done a couple kits with the lacquer and loved the results. Metal flake scales fairly well with the lacquer IMO (so far). I am getting ready to do the Lindberg Big Red Rod in the lime ice.

I think it was Testors that did the Colors by Boyd line (enamel?) in the '90's. IIRC some of those flake colors didn't scale out too well but the choices were great.

To repeat, Rustoleum didn't acquire Testors. Both brands are already (and have been for a while) part of the RPM corporation.  As far as what is printed on the can, it is just a name game.  It is all part of RPM.  If anything, they might have either merged production lines of both brands, or closed down the factory where Testors paints were made and now make them in the Rustoleum factory.

I tried few One-Coat lacquer metallic paints (and took photos of many contest models painted with those paints) and the metallic flakes in them were hugely out of scale. They look more like glitter than a typical (Mica or Poly) metallic finish.  Which paints in your opinion have well-scaled (for 1:24/25 models) metallic particles?

Yes, Colors by Boyd paints were from Testors and those actually had much finer metallic flakes than the One-coat Lacquers. Still have some in my stash.

Edited by peteski
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2 hours ago, peteski said:

To repeat, Rustoleum didn't acquire Testors. Both brands are already (and have been for a while) part of the RPM corporation.  As far as what is printed on the can, it is just a name game.  It is all part of RPM.  If anything, they might have either merged production lines of both brands, or closed down the factory where Testors paints were made and now make them in the Rustoleum factory.

I tried few One-Coat lacquer metallic paints (and took photos of many contest models painted with those paints) and the metallic flakes in them were hugely out of scale. They look more like glitter than a typical (Mica or Poly) metallic finish.  Which paints in your opinion have well-scaled (for 1:24/25 models) metallic particles?

Yes, Colors by Boyd paints were from Testors and those actually had much finer metallic flakes than the One-coat Lacquers. Still have some in my stash.

I bought a can of Testors One Coat "Fiery Orange" some time ago, and it had the same metallic problems as most other Testors metallics.

I guess it might just be in the eye of the beholder, but metal flakes in 1/25th scale should be just barely perceptible.

Even some of the MCW metallics seem a bit too large & they are generally very good.

My expectation with metallic paint for 1/25th scale is that you should have to examine the model very closely to see the flakes.

Case in point, this '58 Impala is painted in MCW "Cay Coral Metallic" but I defy you to pick out any flakes, even up close, in person.

It just has a nice metallic sheen without obvious flakes.

Perfect in my opinion.

 

Steve

 

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