MattC Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Like it says. I just masked and painted a nice RLM71/02 scheme for a Bf110. Put on the RLM71 (Humbrol 30) only to discover that this tinlet is a totally different colour. Instead of being the usual medium green colour, this one is a very dark bottle green, more like bronze green than anything else. I should probably have used Hu116, but I've been happy with my "Old" tinlets of Hu30 for RLM71, this new one is just not the same colour AT ALL. I'm fed up with the "Humbrol Lottery" that the brand has become, I have no idea, when I buy a tinlet, what colour is actually going to be inside it. I'm rather annoyed. So I am going over to WEM paints I think, I know they are gloss finish, but thats nothing a satincoat/matt coat won't resolve. I'll just have to modify my brushpainting methods to suit the new paints. Dagnamit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Yes, new quality control sucks big style. Even if airfix change it there are loads in the system which are crap. Please let airfix/hornby know you are changing. WEM are good as are xtracolour (made by the same people), or you could try xtracrylix they brush well. Matt PM me if you need any acrylic advise as I have recently changed to them from enamal so can propbably answer some of your questions. Julien ps where me drifter! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 PM me your address and your drifter will be with you directly I might have a look at going to acrylics, are xtracrylics soluble in water? makes brush cleaning easier! I guess it might be worth slapping a coat of enamel down as a primer for the acrylic as it sticks better to the styrene? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I´ve suffered from the lapses humbrol´s quality control on more than one occasion so I totally agree with you there.... Only thing is that when you´ve used Humbrol for more than 20 years you end up having lots of small tins.....that makes it hard to quit using them becuase one have all the colors! I too am trying to move to acrylic paints....limited success there tho Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Only thing is that when you´ve used Humbrol for more than 20 years you end up having lots of small tins.....that makes it hard to quit using them becuase one have all the colors! Definately, I have about 150 humbrol tins in various states, some mixed into other colours with little labels on them, some half dried out, some never opened. They are now consigned to the spares draw to be used for detail painting and priming. So all modelling is on hold until I sort out what I am going to do about paint I think I will go for WEM enamels as I think I might get a better finish brushpainting them than I would acrylics. Its about time for a modelling break anyway, so time to move the completed models to another shelf, clear out the mess and come back to it again when I'm all enthusiastic again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phoenix 54 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Hi Matt, WEM is a good choice for enamels, much bigger range than even the old Humbrol Authentics. If you want to go 'Green' with acrylics you could do worse than try Vallejo, but also get yourself a bottle of inhibitor, these paints dry like crazy! On the subject of Humbrol, i am lead to believe that thay are still 'outsourced' and still coming from the far east. Proving Q.C. is a pig over more than a couple of hundred miles. Happy painting! Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fishwelding Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 That's a real shame about Humbrol. I have some tins I bought several years ago, and really liked the stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris_UK Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 PM me your address and your drifter will be with you directly I might have a look at going to acrylics, are xtracrylics soluble in water? makes brush cleaning easier! I guess it might be worth slapping a coat of enamel down as a primer for the acrylic as it sticks better to the styrene? Xtracrylix can be thinned with ordinary tap water . I use it all the time . Also try lifecolor , these to are acrylic and thinned with water , look out for the "special" box sets , especially for german a/c .. they also make box sets for armour Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tonyeh Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The only problems I've had with Humbrol have been with Hu30 and Hu106. Everything else has been fine. WEM has not been the answer though. I find some of their colours are way off and I find brush painting difficult with them. I really only use my WEM paints as a final thined top coat over a humbrol coat of the nearest match, e.g. WEM AII Green over Hu105. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 Well I'm going to keep going with Humbrol until I run out, but replacements will be from somewhere else I think. I am beginning to suspect my use of Hu30 as RLM71 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tonyeh Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Personally I think RLM71 is more olive than Hu30. Never liked that colour for RLM71. I use Hu163. It has quite a low contrast with Hu91 (RLM 70). But I think too much was made of Hu30, which was kind of Humbrol's flagship colour. They call it out for British and German aircraft. I use Hu116 for RAF Dark Green, which works well with Hu29 (RAF Dark Earth) and Hu27 (RAF Ocean Gray). The only thing I use Hu30 for now id Finnish aircraft. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Huey Gunner Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I gave up on Humbrol 30 years ago. Went to MM and swore I'd never change. Until WEM enamel came along. Now I'm slowly changing over to them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wayne737 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I gave up on Humbrol 30 years ago. Went to MM and swore I'd never change. Until WEM enamel came along. Now I'm slowly changing over to them. Who is WEM? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Who is WEM? http://www.whiteensignmodels.com Julien Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eric2020 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 (edited) I posted yesterday on Humbrol paints as well, if we get many people complaining than perhaps Humbrol is going to get better paint than we buy today. Even my shopkeeper is thinking to get rid of the humbrol paints and by getting Humbrol to improve their paint at least much better than now, than it will safe airfix as well. It is also under Hornby label and they invested to keep airfix alive and same goes for humbrol. If the sales drop than they have to blame themselves not us a users!! Edited February 13, 2009 by Eric2020 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fouga23 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 At least you guys can get humbrol! My town only has the Revell enamels. If I need a color, Humbrol has it. With revell I always need to start mixing 2 or 3 colors to get the right one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eric2020 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 One word of advise dont buy any humbrol tin fouga, it safes you loads of trouble and also saves your model as we have seen in the past many thinners used in the paint which would harm your model in serious ways. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ian lanc Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 One tip if your buying any Humbrol paints !! Look under the bottom of the tin, if its got a BAR CODE its a new batch !!, stay well clear of any tinlets which have the bar code under neath. Every tin i have brought which has a bar code has been crap eg'... Too thick / Won't mix / Horrible smell / Wrong colour / reacts with other enamels. ian. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pigsty Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Even my shopkeeper is thinking to get rid of the humbrol paints I hope he doesn't, since the usual default alternative is Revell, which in my experience is rubbish. I rely on Humbrol and funnily enough I've not had a bad tin yet, though as it's a lottery I suppose that will have to end eventually. I'd happily win the real lottery and lose this one instead, you know, if anyone up there is listening... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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