Testors spray cans

[Olds Rocket 88]

Anyone else been having trouble with testors spray cans or is it just me? I use it for some small quickie jobs and I'm fed up with it, even a new can. It comes out lumpy and uneven then in trying to smooth it out I get too much paint on. Even white primer does it. Makes me mad to work on a part to make it nice then the paint screws it up.

[Erik Smith]

It seems I have always had trouble with Testors spray cans. I don't even look at the enamel sprays anymore - too many better alternatives. Their laqcuer line is better but I still find them difficult to control. They spray too much paint. Check out Tamiya and, my favorite spray cans, Duplicolor Color Match. For primer, Plastikote.

[txdieseldog]

Olds Rocket, I use Testors Model Master brush paints by puting a small amount of thinner straight into the bottle and then I made a lid with a suction tube for my airbrush. Take off the lid, go to town. Flows well and best thing in my opinion is you can mix any color you want! Makes things easier than searching store to store for that color you want.

Barry

[Jim Gibbons]

I've had pretty good luck with Testor's, but I do two things. First, I warm the cans in hot tap (not boiling!) water. Then I shake the heck out of them before I spray. After I finish painting, I invert the can and spray to clear paint from the nozzle so it won't clog or sputter next time I use it. Here's a poor picture of a couple of resin 1/43 kits I built. This is Testor's Guards Red and Italian Red over Plasticote primer. I built up light coats so I wouldn't fill in detail, and am very happy at the results. I polished the paint without using clear over it.

[mr cheap]

hot water to improve your paint .. but the absolut best you will ever get is a air brush sys .. very very good and so ez to do .. im working on a hot pink viper ... looks great ..jr

[Guest]

The only Testors paints I spray from the can are Metalizer, or flat clear, otherwise I put them in my airbrush and spray.

[MikeMc]

Testors still makes paint??

[Guest]

The best thing to do Ron is ditch the Testors and start using Tamiya or another laquer paint like Model Masters which is also good paint. I wouldn't recommend Testors Laquers unless you want metal flake paint. If you want to stay with Testors,warm the can up before spraying and keep your nozzles in thinner. It will make them spray like new every time. For primer,it's very hard to beat Plasti Kote and you get a twelve ounce can for around $6.50.

[sportandmiah]

I too have had horrible results with Testors lately. That was until I bought an airbrush. I decant a little each time I need to paint, and the results are now flawless.

[Scale-Master]

I still use and like the Testors bottled enamels, but have had many issues with the spray cans over the years. If I decant the spray paint and airbrush it, I get significantly better results. As mentioned, it comes out of the can too heavy and not very well atomized.

[Harry P.]

There are so many other choices available these days. I prefer Duplicolor myself, others swear by Tamiya... most people swear at Testors sprays!

[RickRollerLT1]

... Most people swear at Testors sprays!

:lol:

I agree with you guys on the testors and model master enamal sparys, they're horrible!!! (cept the lacquers and bottles because those work well)

There are so many better and cheaper alternitives like Duplicolor, Plastikote, Valspar, Krylon, Rustolium, Tamiya (more than testors, but better quality paint overall), the list goes on.

Heck, even the Wal-Mart colorpalce paints are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better for base colors (Flats and Glosses such as black, white, red, blue, green and etc.) then testors, because:

Pricewise-

Colorplace - .97

Testors enamal spray - 4.79 ans it's not even good!!!

Quality and quanity -

Colorplace - Does a good job with the right primer (will get to that soon), and dries smooth and quick; lasts for a good amount and cheap as oats.

Testors enamal spray - Lumpy and bubbly; horrible nozzle; barely lasts for one car/part if you can get it on properly; like paying $5.00 for a used pair of jeans someone "missed" in.

I tried their (testors) primer once and YEEEEUCK!!! It looked like dinosaur skin or something like that. I also tried colorplace primer, but it crazes the plastic. So one day I was stumbling at the local sears hardware in their spray paint section and they had a line of paints under the "Quick and Easy" line; all of them were mediocore except the gray and red oxide primers which work REALLY well over plastic, with no crazing whatsoever. Applies nice, thick, smooth, ans is cheap too ($1.69 - can't beat that for a good cheap primer)

[Chuck Most]

Testors enamels in spray cans are best left to collect dust on the shelf, for the most part. There's no consistency. Some colors lay down well and dry quickly, others are orange-peely to beat the band and take 96 years to dry (I don't believe the gloss black ever truly dries... ). The Lacquers and Model Master stuff is great, as are the One Coat colors, but on the whole, I'm suprised Testors still even bothers making spray enamels. I have to wonder how many modelers were scared away from the hobby forever by terrible Testors paint and putties.

[Guest]

I use Walmart's Colorplace primers, never had crazing issues, the trick is light coats for the first couple, then you can spray wet. As far as Testors enamels, no, I dont spray them out of the can, but when airbrushed, I have never had any issues, drying or otherwise. I agree their nozzles suck tho.