Model Paints

For plastic, I generally use Testor's or Tamiya model paint for small detail work, figures, etc. and Krylon spray for larger areas.

For metal (like diecast cars), I generally use Rustoleum can or spray paints.

I also occasionally use small bottles of water soluble acrylic paints from Michaels on a variety of surfaces.

@Richie C. posted:

For plastic, I generally use Testor's or Tamiya model paint for small detail work, figures, etc. and Krylon spray for larger areas.

For metal (like diecast cars), I generally use Rustoleum can or spray paints.

I also occasionally use small bottles of water soluble acrylic paints from Michaels on a variety of surfaces.

All three of these are very sensible recommendations.

In particular, don't be afraid to use something cheap (such as $1 bottles of craft acrylic) where it isn't going to matter.

I just discovered Tamiya acrylic paints- terrific!!  I use them in my airbrush, use Tamiya thinner for thinning, but iso alcohol for cleaning the brush and general cleaning.

I was using Tru-Color (which are sold as model RR paints) BUT the LHS's supply all dried up- in the bottles.  Tru Color paints use acetone as the solvent, I think, and the lids do not seal near as well.  After about a year, the LHC had Tru Color paint that was down to 1/8" of dried pigment.  And, cleaning up Tru Color is not near as easy, and far more costly than a paint w/ alcohol as the solvent.

His Tamiya acrylics were all fine after (in some) 3-4 years.  I think the trick is the lid on the Tamiya paints!

Mike

Like you I have trouble with the thin plastic original seals failing on bottled model paint.

I cut out new seals from clear plastic from new shirt collar forms or packaging from toys or other items.  These hold up against acrylic , enamel and lacquer paints.

Since I get most of my model paints at garage sale and on old stock paint at LHS many of my paint is many years old.  The wife will not let me store them in the refrigerator to extend the life even further but I do have some glues there!

Charlie

Badger Modelflex. Edit add:  Acrylic paints that are available in Railroad oriented colors. It appears that railroad colors are not a main stream paint item, today's market.  Badger also supplies Air brushes.  I've purchased bottle gaskets, via Badger Modelflex, on Walther's website, along with other, (mostly tips), air brush parts/accessories.  Takes time to search the Walther's site for these unusual items.

My air brush has three tips.

(1.) Small, (used for ink, air brush writing).

(2.) Medium used most oil/solvent based paint.

(3.) Large, the one I use for acrylic model paint.

Edit/Add: 1/21/2023 A.M.   Paint thinners, (test check, before using, some thinners don't work well with plastics, or other primer/paint, already on models).

Repair parts and tips for Badger Air Brushes should be available, via a general internet search.

An air brush and associated air/compressor equipment is an expensive part of the hobby.  Maybe best to rattle can, spray paint, until you think it's a good investment.     My, most used, air brush project, was painting rail, Fort Pitt Highrailer modular track display.   

Caution:  Any spray painting, requires an organic respirator, (not a paper cloth mask).   Paint, even acrylic paint is not good for your lungs.  At the very least, paint outside, on a warm summer day, with a nice breeze.   Mike CT.

@Mike Wyatt posted:

.......the lids do not seal near as well.

This is endemic to modeling paints. They are using the bare minimum required bottling and caps and very few are of any decent quality.  As far as they are concerned, that just sells more paint.....

I looked up Tamiya and the Badger both of which they say are for air brushing.  I plan to use an artist's brush.  Another comment about the Tamiya was that it dries as soon as you put it on if you do use a brush not giving you enough time to work with them.

Is that correct?

And if Testors ends up being the best bet (still) for hand painting plastic models do you guys buy them from Amazon, Michaels, or a hobby shop?

John

@Craftech posted:

I looked up Tamiya and the Badger both of which they say are for air brushing.  I plan to use an artist's brush.  Another comment about the Tamiya was that it dries as soon as you put it on if you do use a brush not giving you enough time to work with them.

Is that correct?

And if Testors ends up being the best bet (still) for hand painting plastic models do you guys buy them from Amazon, Michaels, or a hobby shop?

John

A local hobby shop owner told me this week that Testors had been purchased by Rustoleum (?) and was getting out of the model paint business and staying with auto finishes.  I was looking to buy Testors ELO (easy lift off) which is how he explained his out of stock/no reorder condition.

Rustoleum has owned Testors for many years. It's just that Rustoleum seems to be getting out of paints for modelers. Over the past few years they discontinued Floquil, Polly-S, Pactra, and Testors Model Master. The only thing left for Testors seems to be some basic colors and a limited line of paints for crafts.

My go to paint is Scalecoat II and Tamiya now.

Ken

@Craftech posted:

What is everyone using these days?

Lots of interesting information above. For me, my current paint is Tru-Color. Difficult time with this at the beginning, but after working with it I find it covers very well with thin coats allowing detail to come through, much more then acrylics. This is my airbrush paint. I do not use the Tru-Color clear coats.

To a much lesser degree, I do stock and use Tamiya, Scale Coat II and Badger.

To echo what Ken said above, Rustoleum has owned Testors for a long time.

Charlie

@Mike Wyatt posted:

...the LHS's supply all dried up- in the bottles.  Tru Color paints use acetone as the solvent, I think, and the lids do not seal near as well.  After about a year, the LHC had Tru Color paint that was down to 1/8" of dried pigment...

I sent Tru-Color an e-mail about the LHS's problem.  They responded to the shop owner immediately, saying that they had changed the bottle/lid combination a few years ago and offering a solution to the problem to him.  Their response was, IMO, great.

Also- I had said that acetone was their solvent- that is not true-

We should use their thinner only for thinning, but CLEAN the airbrush using acetone, then try 25 PSI or so, thinning at a significant percentage- try thinning at 25- 50%.

They have a special formulation for BRUSH painting, and their "airbrush-ready" line is NOT for brush painting.

Years ago, someone told me that the reason to use "model" paints on models is because pigment is ground finer than in paints used for full size applications.    That way it did not go on as thick and did not hide details.    It made sense. 

A second point, I have used Tamiya paints mostly blacks, for brushing for years and it has been very successful.

I like the Scalecoat brand that is now owned/sold by Minuteman Models and sold by my LHS.    Their railroad colors seem to be most like photos of the prototype and the finish is smoother and easier to put decals on than some other paints.

@Mike Wyatt posted:

I sent Tru-Color an e-mail about the LHS's problem.  They responded to the shop owner immediately, saying that they had changed the bottle/lid combination a few years ago and offering a solution to the problem to him.  Their response was, IMO, great.

Also- I had said that acetone was their solvent- that is not true-

Okay, then what is it?  All I'll heard and been told since day 1 is that is was acetone.

@mwb posted:

Okay, then what is it?  All I'll heard and been told since day 1 is that is was acetone.

All we (LHS) were told by Tru-Color was that acetone is fine for clean-up, but to dilute their paint specifically for airbrushing, use their thinner...it has added "flow enhancers".

Personally, I guess I can live with that explanation.  I've found it to be true with Testor's (and, formerly, Floquil) acrylic paints.  I know some of our customers have poo-pooed the idea, but for the few times I've had to thin those paints for acceptable spray quality, their special thinners have worked well.  But, of course, so much for Testor's anything...anymore.

BTW...  Their labeling has changed through time.  I just retrieved a couple of their bottles from my paint rack to check the printed info.  Both bottles say "Contains Acetone".  However, one bottle under the 'Directions' states "Clean up with acetone."  The other bottle does not include that statement, but gave their limited space to a longer list of 'ingredients'..."Contains acetone, ethanol, methylethyl ketone, toluene, propyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, or butyl ester ascetic acid."  (I'm guessing the latter is the more recent labelling....giving the medics more info on what little janie or Ralphie just drank for selecting the proper treatment...or to make the state of California happier.)

FWIW, though.....and TEHO.

KD

@Pingman posted:

  I was looking to buy Testors ELO (easy lift off) which is how he explained his out of stock/no reorder condition.

Based on my experience with both--and the odor--ELO is mostly the same stuff as DOT 3 Brake Fluid.

@palallin posted:

Based on my experience with both--and the odor--ELO is mostly the same stuff as DOT 3 Brake Fluid.

I can't speak to its odor, but ELO was a bust when trying to remove a recently applied decal that had been treated with Microscale's Micro Sol solution.  The ELO attacked the Scalecoat II paint beneath the decal before dissolving the decal.  For that application, it was a bust.

@Craftech posted:

I looked up Tamiya and the Badger both of which they say are for air brushing.  I plan to use an artist's brush. Another comment about the Tamiya was that it dries as soon as you put it on if you do use a brush not giving you enough time to work with them.

Is that correct?

And if Testors ends up being the best bet (still) for hand painting plastic models do you guys buy them from Amazon, Michaels, or a hobby shop?

John

Tamiya makes many bottle paints for hand brushing. I have not noticed that they dry any quicker than Testor's.

I buy from a couple of different LHS's that still stock model paints.

Seems that trying to save a couple bucks by using acetone (which is not cheap anyway) might be $$ foolish.  "Kleen Strip" acetone is $20 a quart at Home Depot =  .63 per oz.   The Tru-Color 1 oz. thinner is $ 5.35 a bottle/ per oz.    Yes- a buck is a buck.  But first of all how MUCH thinner are you going to use, for thinning?

But you are not going to use $ 7 Tru-Color paint for painting armature trees, or the side of your mountain, or even a building.  You are going to use it for the specific color matching your road preference- on a car or loco.  This after you spend hours prepping the thing for paint, priming, etc.  and then you are going to spend another $5 to $8 for a set of decals, then clear coat.  And you might have spent $60 for a car, and/or $ 500 or MORE for a loco to go under the shell you are painting. 

Then you are willing to chance on the whole thing to save how much by using what you THINK is the secret ingredient to the correct thinner sold by the paint manufacturer?  Don't make sense to this ol' boy.

I use regular lacquer thinner for all these types of paint, including Tru-Color. Lacquer thinner is a tried and proven product for Testors, Tru-Color, Floquil, Scalecoat I and II, and Model Master. I’ve used it for years. No need to buy $5 per ounce thinner. That’s literally crazy right there.

@dkdkrd posted:

BTW...  Their labeling has changed through time.  I just retrieved a couple of their bottles from my paint rack to check the printed info.  Both bottles say "Contains Acetone".  However, one bottle under the 'Directions' states "Clean up with acetone."  The other bottle does not include that statement, but gave their limited space to a longer list of 'ingredients'..."Contains acetone, ethanol, methylethyl ketone, toluene, propyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, or butyl ester ascetic acid."

So much for any claims that solvent based paints are going away!

@dkdkrd posted:

BTW...  Their labeling has changed through time.  I just retrieved a couple of their bottles from my paint rack to check the printed info.  Both bottles say "Contains Acetone".  However, one bottle under the 'Directions' states "Clean up with acetone."  The other bottle does not include that statement, but gave their limited space to a longer list of 'ingredients'..."Contains acetone, ethanol, methylethyl ketone, toluene, propyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, or butyl ester ascetic acid."

FWIW, though.....and TEHO.

KD

Wow.  I am imagining the chemist looked at the dump tank in the lab and said, "Hmm.   Let's try this."

Bob

On a serious note, for finely detailed models, I still like Floquil for brush painting.   It just flows on so smoothly.  I use Floquil and Scalecoat II for airbrushing.  I can still find Floquil bottles at train shows, and as reported Scalecoat and Scalecoat II is still made.  For wood or plaster structures, I use mostly craft paints, and some Polly S.  Scenery is all craft paints and hardware store Latex paint.

Bob

Scalecoat I vs Scalecoat II.  What is the difference?

I am also seeing Citadel model paints for brushing on some YouTube videos.  Has anyone used them?

John

@Craftech posted:

Scalecoat I vs Scalecoat II.  What is the difference?

Scalecoat I Is a solvent based enamel paint that is designed for use directly on metal and wood without use of a primer. All Scalecoat I paints dry with a gloss finish unless specified. Scalecoat II is a solvent based enamel paint that is designed for use on Plastic without use of a primer.

Lately, I have had trouble finding Testor's DullCote.  I bought Tamiya Flat Clear (also a lacquer), and was very happy with the result.  I have used in aerosol form (convenient).

I also have used Tamiya Acrylic Flat Clear acrylic through my airbrushes with good results.  For re-glazing plastic "glass" after I dull the entire car or loco, I use Testor's Gloss Cote, brushed, right out of the bottle.