Painting With Model-Master??

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

Alas! Alak and Phooey!

Think of it Pactra, Gone! Humbrol, Might as well be! Model Master, Yup!them too, so what’s a modeler to do? I have seen this from both a Modelers viewpoint and a Businessman’s as well. What to do? There’s nothing we can do. The Market is decided by either Quasi-Environmentalists or Brainless Bean Counters!

The thing is, did you ever get a survey in the mail or on line asking what your thoughts were about these Products, their Quality, or how you would feel as a consumer if they Disappeared? NOPE! They don’t care,Why? The real Unvarnished truth is simple folks. As Model Builders of plastic Models we are STILL considered a Niche Market, not a mainstay in the Hobby Business. That’s right ! They (The Manufacturers) would rather spend directly through their subsidiaries that cater to the Full Hobby Market. We are not them. We don’t Knit, Tat, build DollHouses, or the other things that are fringe but popular today.

Oh, I mustn’t forget, there are those who consider Watercoloring and Oil Painting as a mainstay of the hobby market along with Drawing and Sewing such as it is. Model Building in Plastic ? Let’s not waste money supporting that. With Oil and such being so costly on the Futures and Spot market they won’t be around much longer! I swear, I believe that’s the way they do think.

So where does that leave us? We have Plenty of Acrylics, and plenty of Trashilics, but nothing really one step Shake, or Stir, Open and Brush left out there. Remember when A lot of us started, the idea of a plastic modeler using an Airbrush in their Home, or Home shop area was ridiculous! Who needs them? let’s cut this line down because it doesn’t dominate the top spot in the market. I am Sorry, that’s the way I feel sometimes when I am mixing a color that was readily available as part of the Model-Master line. Back to the Cave I guess. I better start looking for the Raw pigment soon. They may decide in California that Hobby related paints and Glues will under California Guidelines, have been known to cause cancer or respiratory disorders and must be used only by Licensed proffessionals! You know what happens next if that transpires!

C’mon Wake Up! DID the Hobbyists all over the country using Model-Master flood the offices of Rust-Oleum with letters Saying don’t quit! Well, we didn’t, so where are we to go now? Wherever we can to get what we need to. I will use Commercial two Part paints before I stop building and painting MODELS, SO There!!

2

I use whatever and make it work. Course there is MCW and the like if you don’t mind the cost plus shipping. But ya commercial paints, automotive, decanted spray enamels, mix colors, actylics including craft paints and artist acrylics have become normal for me. Do I miss Pactra and MM ? Absolutely. But have moved on, it will be OK in the grand scheme of things. Mixing colors is just an extension of the hobby to me.

Edit: I also use the little square bottle Testors enamels and the newer Tamiya LP series lacquers. And Tamiya acrylic sprays much like solvent paints as well. My current wife ( you may recall my wife of 44 years married passed away and this lady just fell into my lap, shes a blessing) gravitates to acrylics so it’s good I had formerly learned to spray them over the last 4-5 maybe 6 years. I can now pass that skill on to her. It all works, just treat each as a system. Right now I’m playing with Ceatex Opaque colors but mostly for art work. Createx, Liquitex Soft Body and Goldens High Flow all have similar attributes in use through an airbrush…

3

As long as I don’t need the properties of an enamel, I’m using MRP lacquers almost exclusively as a replacement for the Model Master line. When I do need the properties of an enamel, the Testors square bottles fit the bill nicely.

4

Sorry, will have to disagree. The market isn’t decided by “quasi-environmentalists or beancounters”, it’s decided by us. As popular as it is to blame “beancounters”, (god, I hate that term, sounds very derogatory towards people who work for an honest living, but I digress), the blame is really on the us, the consumer, but also the competition. When Model Master launched in the 80s, there was barely any competition in the hobby shop. There was Tamiya, and maybe a couple of others (I honestly don’t remember other paint lines at that time, but some other experts can chime in here).

But look now. In my local hobby shop alone there is Tamiya, Mission Models, Vallejo, AK Interactive, Revell, Mr Hobby, and Humbrol.

But that’s not all. You want auto specific colours? You can now buy Zero Paints, Splash paints, Gravity Paints, Scalefinishes, etc. Any factory colour you want.

In my opinion, the market for hobby paint got way too crowded, for what is essentially a small and arguably a shrinking market.

I think that’s why modelmaster failed. Nothing to do with beancounters or environmentalists. Just too much competition.

As well, I do think the rise of the airbrush helped too. When I was a kid, I didn’t know anyone who used an airbrush. Everyone brush painted, and maybe used a rattle can. Now, most of the modellers I know are airbrushing most of their model, including the small parts. I think brush painting is not nearly as popular, which is really what Model master excelled at, which was a good brushable paint.

The paint companies above (tamiya, AK, etc) excel at airbrushing.

5

Modelmaster Enamels excel at airbrushing.

6

Yup. That’s exactly why I still seek out Model Master enamels on occasion, when I need a specific color or color mix and I want to brush paint it because the situation calls for brush painting an enamel as the method with the least amount of risk and best results. I love being able to brush paint an enamel on details on a mostly finished model that has already been airbrushed with lacquer paint, knowing that any slip of the brush can easily be removed from the existing finish without damaging it.

But, up until Model Master enamels went away and paints like MRP came on-line, Model Master enamels were my go-to paints for airbrushing. They did so with a minimum of BS…you didn’t need a chemistry set to make them work, and they were extremely durable.

Personally, I think Testors kind of damaged the reputation of the entire Model Master line when they released the Acryl versions of those (which were terrible), and they ended up creating a need for competitors to come in. I think a lot of people coming into modeling tried them out, and stopped buying altogether because of how poorly the Acryl paints performed…and they didn’t necessarily want to say “OK, well that paint was awful…maybe their enamel paints will be better”. I know that when I get burned, I’m not really all that enthusiastic about giving that manufacturer another chance with a different product. So, maybe that had something to do with it as well. Who knows.

I agree on the “bean counter” thing. It is a business afterall, and they have to make money in order to keep the doors open and the lights on. If something isn’t paying for itself, they have to cut it loose. That’s just the way it is.

7

Well, I’ll say that corporate raiders & bean counters had something to do with it. When Model Master was launched, Testors was either their own brand or part of the Rockford corporation. It was quite successful in its’ niche market. There were competitors such as Humbrol, Pactra, and Floquil. In the decade or so later, they launched their first acrylic line (black label and gray bottle cap), which in my experience were far superior to their later Acrylic line- no primer needed on bare styrene, excellent adhesion & scratch resistance, and they brush painted very well. Then for some unknown reason, they cease that formulation, and release the new Acrylic line which is the one that gave everyone fits. They also went to RPM(?) Corporation and started acquiring their competitor lines such as Pactra, Polly S/Floquil, as well as their subsidiary lines of Aeromaster. Sure enough, within a few years, they drop most of the acquired competitor lines. Why? I’m guessing that the bean counters up top see redundancy, and a place to cut costs. (we already sell this product and color, why do it two or three times with separate formulas and labels- paint is paint) Fast forward a few more years, and Testors is acquired by Rustoleum. Hobby pants are a drop in the bucket for them. There is still money to be made there, but compared to all of their other endeavors, why bother? Of course also throw in there quality control issues about 10-15 years ago where paints turn to useless gum in the jar after opening them and one or two sessions. Had that happen on several occasions.

In some respects, we are turning back the calendar several decades, going back to using the old Testors 1/4 oz square bottles again for our enamels. At least where they make colors that fill the requirements. I’ve still got some of those early Testors Yellow Box kit instruction sheets that have mix formulas for various colors from the days before they released the Model Master line. Maybe there’s something to do while paints and glues are drying…

8

There are still plenty of enamels around: Humbrol, Xtracolor, Colourcoats, True North, Tru-Color, all readily available by mail if not at your local hobby shop. Tamiya even makes a line of enamels, but they are somewhat harder to fine. And there seems to be plenty of Model Master out there, if eBay listings are to be believed, but at premium prices.

Companies such as Pactra, Testors, and Floquil were founded by hobbyists or catered to them. Rustoleum never was hobbyist oriented and never understood the hobbyist market, in spite of acquiring those firms. Rustoleum’s executives simply thought of them as small paint makers they could swallow up so as add to their bottom line. When the bean counters realized Pactra, Testors, and Floquil catered to a very small niche market, these product lines were doomed.

9

All Testors enamels are great for handbrushing too. I don’t think the old MM or even the new ones have any different chemistry from their new lines.

10

I think the Testors square bottles spray or brush nearly as nice as MM enamel did .Either way a few drops of mineral spirits for brushing goes a long way to nicely flow out. Just you don’t have the certified color matches anymore. MM was pretty color accurate to the military charts at least. Not so sure on the automotive colors .

And most enamels spray nice if mixed right.

11

You are 200% correct. My best complex German schemes involving tight mottling even in 1/72 scale have been sprayed with MM enamels using a Sotar AB cranked down to 5-8 psi. Simply LOVE the results. I have tried with acrylics and not close enough. My worst acrylic performer for thin tight and sharp mottling is Vallejo.[N]