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Testors is Gone - International Sales Affected


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On 5/1/2020 at 10:43 AM, mawz said:

Testors seems to have wanted to own the market without any product development.

This. 

 

But hey, their dumb behavior caused me to try Mr Color and I've never looked back. 

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I to have found alternatives for almost all paints from them I used to use.  I just need to burn through all the model master I have.

 

I assume the glue is not going to be made anymore?  Does anyone else make a glue like theirs with long tip?  I use Tamiya and model master glue both but for some things I like the applicator on the model master bottle best.

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1 minute ago, mike_45 said:

I to have found alternatives for almost all paints from them I used to use.  I just need to burn through all the model master I have.

 

I assume the glue is not going to be made anymore?  Does anyone else make a glue like theirs with long tip?  I use Tamiya and model master glue both but for some things I like the applicator on the model master bottle best.

 

 

Do do you like the length of bristles on the testers glue or the length of the handle so you dip down to the end of the bottle?  Because the Tamiya brush shaft length is adjustable. If you want it longer just give it a gentle tug with some needle nose pliers.  I learned of this two weeks ago, saw a video on it. 

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11 minutes ago, mike_45 said:

I to have found alternatives for almost all paints from them I used to use.  I just need to burn through all the model master I have.

 

I assume the glue is not going to be made anymore?  Does anyone else make a glue like theirs with long tip?  I use Tamiya and model master glue both but for some things I like the applicator on the model master bottle best.

 

You might like the Touch n' flow glue applicator

 

https://www.flex-i-file.com/adhesives.php

 

It allows very precise application of liquid cement.

 

But on the overall topic, it is sad to see testors wither away and fade like this. Back in the 80s when the Model Master paint line was introduced, they were on top of the world, and an innovator. 

 

But times change, and when I tried Mr. Color, and later MRP, I never wanted to go back to airbrushing enamel.  That being said, for small detail painting with a brush, I will miss model master. It does brush paint very well. 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, is it windy yet? said:

 

 

Do do you like the length of bristles on the testers glue or the length of the handle so you dip down to the end of the bottle?  Because the Tamiya brush shaft length is adjustable. If you want it longer just give it a gentle tug with some needle nose pliers.  I learned of this two weeks ago, saw a video on it. 

 

 Model Master glue comes in a plastic squeeze bottle with a needle applicator. Testors liquid has the brush in the cap.

 

 As an aside, for anyone who wants a better brush in their Testors liquid bottle the one in the Tamiya liquid bottle fits in the Testors cap, and with the adjustable length it's all kinds of better. I save all the ones out of my empty Tamiya extra thin bottles for that purpose.

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3 hours ago, is it windy yet? said:

 

 

Do do you like the length of bristles on the testers glue or the length of the handle so you dip down to the end of the bottle?  Because the Tamiya brush shaft length is adjustable. If you want it longer just give it a gentle tug with some needle nose pliers.  I learned of this two weeks ago, saw a video on it. 

 

O wow, I had no idea.  Thanks for the heads up!

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3 hours ago, Kurt H. said:

 

You might like the Touch n' flow glue applicator

 

https://www.flex-i-file.com/adhesives.php

 

It allows very precise application of liquid cement.

 

But on the overall topic, it is sad to see testors wither away and fade like this. Back in the 80s when the Model Master paint line was introduced, they were on top of the world, and an innovator. 

 

But times change, and when I tried Mr. Color, and later MRP, I never wanted to go back to airbrushing enamel.  That being said, for small detail painting with a brush, I will miss model master. It does brush paint very well. 

 

 

 

 

I shall give that a spin!

 

And agree on both your other points.

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6 hours ago, is it windy yet? said:

Do do you like the length of bristles on the testers glue or the length of the handle so you dip down to the end of the bottle?  Because the Tamiya brush shaft length is adjustable. If you want it longer just give it a gentle tug with some needle nose pliers.  I learned of this two weeks ago, saw a video on it. 

I just learned something new! 

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22 hours ago, mike_45 said:

 

I shall give that a spin!

 

And agree on both your other points.

 

Be careful with that Plast I Weld stuff. I`ve had a full bottle evaporate on me which is no bueno. Shelf life of that thing sucks. It could be a bad seal on the lid but still sucks.

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2 hours ago, breadneck said:

Be careful with that Plast I Weld stuff. I`ve had a full bottle evaporate on me which is no bueno.

As far as I can remember that has been true since the 1980s.

It would even evaporate out of factory sealed fresh bottles in the hobby shop I worked at.

And don't dare put the rack for the product where sun through the windows would ever hit it.

I still don't have a solution other than pay attention when you are done using the bottle for the day and secure the cap well.

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On 5/2/2020 at 4:24 PM, mike_45 said:

I to have found alternatives for almost all paints from them I used to use.  I just need to burn through all the model master I have.

 

I assume the glue is not going to be made anymore?  Does anyone else make a glue like theirs with long tip?  I use Tamiya and model master glue both but for some things I like the applicator on the model master bottle best.

You can try sourcing Revell Contacta.  It seems to be quite popular amongst those youtuber's from Europe.  

 

Also, I would assume that hobby lobby's across the USA when they do re-open, with either have the glue on the racks as normal, or on clearance.

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47 minutes ago, southwestforests said:

As far as I can remember that has been true since the 1980s.

It would even evaporate out of factory sealed fresh bottles in the hobby shop I worked at.

And don't dare put the rack for the product where sun through the windows would ever hit it.

I still don't have a solution other than pay attention when you are done using the bottle for the day and secure the cap well.

 

 

 Bought a bottle at a shop once and didn't notice half of it evaporated away until I got it to the counter. The cashier gave it to me 👍

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On 5/2/2020 at 5:06 PM, WymanV said:

 Model Master glue comes in a plastic squeeze bottle with a needle applicator.

 

Are you talking about the stuff that's more viscous? Kind of a slightly thinned version of the tube glue? Comes in a square black plastic bottle with a long metal tube for dispensing? If so, I too like this stuff. There are certain things that that stuff is just the perfect solution for. I like to use it on spots with a large surface area. You can squeeze a line of glue and it will stay where you put it until you join the parts.

So, I guess I better stock up on some if they are going to discontinue that too.

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 I've never used it but I've seen it on the shelves. After reading your post I better get a couple myself. I've recently went back to tube glue for those areas you describe but after gluing up wing halves today, I'm thinking something else would be better. The bead of glue from the tube actually created a gap in the trailing edge and I had to run some liquid cement in there to soften it up and squeeze them closed.

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13 hours ago, WymanV said:

The bead of glue from the tube actually created a gap in the trailing edge and I had to run some liquid cement in there to soften it up and squeeze them closed.

This from Tamiya is thick enough to leave a sort-of bead & slow enough to give you time,

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/finishing/plastic-cement-20ml/none/

 

Here, watch this between the 2:45 and 7:45 points, it shows a way to use that thicker, almost syrupy, cement,

(and by the way, cement works on both regular polystyrene plastic and ABS plastic like this kit is made from)

(I did some of these ABS nozzles a couple months ago & yesterday some Revell Saturn 5 body tube halves of the standard styrene)

 

 

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On 5/2/2020 at 4:29 PM, is it windy yet? said:

 

 

Do do you like the length of bristles on the testers glue or the length of the handle so you dip down to the end of the bottle?  Because the Tamiya brush shaft length is adjustable. If you want it longer just give it a gentle tug with some needle nose pliers.  I learned of this two weeks ago, saw a video on it. 

well then.. I feel a little stupid..I have been doing the one handed tilt for a while now trying to not spill any. 

 

 Thanks for the tip!! (pun intended!)

 

 Sean

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On 5/3/2020 at 9:39 PM, ytsejam87 said:

You can try sourcing Revell Contacta.  It seems to be quite popular amongst those youtuber's from Europe.  

 

I use different kinds of glues for different situations, but I have been using Contacta in that line up since 1990. I lost the needle cover years ago, and even though it is still 30 years old, the glue still does its job. (I have the first bottle of it I bought) I have also bought a newer bottle of it as well. Absolutely no complaints about that stuff....

 

As far as MM paint goes, Im buying the snot out of it while I can....

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On 5/1/2020 at 1:34 PM, Joe Hegedus said:

With the exceptions of Tamiya and Gunze,  which have been around since at least the mid-80s, I’m curious if the rise of these new paint lines is a result of declining availability of Testors products, or is declining availability of Testors a result of additional competition?  

With the internet market we can get any paint, including Model Masters and it was still more readily available in store than most other brands.   Testors was available, but once we could easily get better products we did.   People will pay for quality products, look at the following MRP has, and it is only available from a couple places.   So I think Testors declined because they offered an inferior product in a market with many better options.  

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I have been searching for enamels like Testors and Model Master WERE years ago. Please

tell me where these enamels are with better options. I tried Humbrol but they seem to be

going the same route as MM, they gel up and turn to putty. Who makes enamels that paint

like MM USE to. jon

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5 hours ago, jonwinn said:

I have been searching for enamels like Testors and Model Master WERE years ago. Please

tell me where these enamels are with better options. I tried Humbrol but they seem to be

going the same route as MM, they gel up and turn to putty. Who makes enamels that paint

like MM USE to. jon

 

Have you tried True North Paints. They are a line a enamels pretty much designed to fill in the niche being left by MM.

 

https://www.truenorthpaints.com/

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I WILL look into these!!! I really liked the way the old MM painted, their black went

on bare plastic ONE COAT!!! I hear the reason they went south was that they messed

with the "ingredients"? EPA? Corporate greed was there also. Oh well on with the "show".

Thanks again for the tip. jon

Edited by jonwinn
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