Testors Model Master Enamels too thin

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Testors Model Master Enamels too thin

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 31, 2004 5:23 PM

Hello,
I think this might be the first time I've posted on this forum, even though I have been reading FSM for over 12 years and read these forums quite often.
I have been modeling for 20+ years off and on, I have modeled almost everything you can think of but my favorite subject matter always seems to be armor, and even though I take a break from it now and then, I would consider myself of advanced experience.
So here is my deal:

I have been using Testors Model Master Enamels for hand painting small parts and detail for as long as I can remember, not so much by choice but mainly because it is the paint that all of the hobby shops in my area carry, lately it seems like when I buy a fresh 1/2 oz. bottle, the paint is so thin that no matter how long I stir it, it still takes several coats to cover flat white primer, I was just using brand new flat black and it was little more that black tinted thinner, and it didn't dry flat but more of a semi-gloss, it would work great for a wash straight out of the bottle.
Also, the last bottle of steel I bought seems to actually be Chrome Silver, the steel I remember (and still have an almost used up bottle of) has a bit of a gold/yellow tint to it, but the new bottle is just chrome and almost unusably thin.

I have other fresh bottles of Model Master paints in various colors that are the same, I stir them thoroughly but they are still much too thin, I never had this problem in years past with this brand of paint, has anyone else noticed this or know what is going on?

Note: This is standard Model Master Enamel I am reffering to, not the airbrush mix, although it would probably shoot from an airbrush without much problem.

I have some Tamiya acrylics and Humbrol enamels that I ordered from the internet that are of perfect consistency, especially the Humbrol which covers in one coat and has become my favorite brand for hand painting details and small parts, but no one carries it in my area so I have to search for it on the web.
Anyone know of a good dealer for Humbrol? At this point I wouldn't mind replacing all my MM with Humbrol if I could find a good dealer.

Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks
Paz

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maddafinga

Member since
March 2003
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Posted by maddafinga on Friday, December 31, 2004 6:23 PM

I haven't had any problem with MM enamels at all. It's odd to me that suddenly all the enamels would do that. I believe you that you've got experience, so I'm sure that you've thought of making sure they were well stirred. Have you tried emailing the company about your problem? You might get some replacements sent to you.
As far as Humbrol goes, I like it really well myself also, but I always feel like I have to thin it way too much. Strange.

Madda Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle. -- Leonardo Da Vinci Tact is for those who lack the wit for sarcasm.--maddafinga

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pmm736

Member since
April 2004

Posted by pmm736 on Friday, December 31, 2004 6:24 PM

Firstly, welcome to the forums. Secondly, I also use MM enamels for the same reason, but I have never experienced this consistancy problem. Do you always paint over a primer coat? Maybe the primer is soaking up the pigment? Just a thought. Good luck, and let us know if you get it figured out. Pete

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tho9900

Member since
July 2004
From: SETX. USA

Posted by tho9900 on Friday, December 31, 2004 6:33 PM

I've had that happen on a bottle of flat black MM once... I got it at the local HL and I think it was just old or something, or a bad batch... but for ALL of them to do it is wierd.. REAL wierd...

I'd contact Testors as mentioned... but also Gunze, Vallejo and Tamiya all make good acrylics if you're up for a change... also MM acrylics are great in my book too... I've used them for awhile now with no complaints... in fact certain colors I specifically use MM Acryl to hand brush...

Good luck to you and I hope someone can give you a more concrete answer than us!

---edit---

Have you ever tried one of those Badger paint stirrers? I bought my equivalent at the local grocery store labeled "battery powered mini mixer" I cut the paddles (more like plastric strips) off leaving just about 1/8 inch on and stir my paint with it... it REALLY helped me get consistent paint mixing every time... I always stirred by hand before and sometimes even though I got all the solid stirred in (I thought) it would still come out too light. Worth the 4 or 5 dollars I apid for it! or if you wanna oder the real thing it is like 10 dollars from badger on sqaudron.com and others...

After I stir I stick in my bottle of cleaner and turn it on again and clean as a whistle!!!

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 31, 2004 7:20 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900

I've had that happen on a bottle of flat black MM once... I got it at the local HL and I think it was just old or something, or a bad batch... but for ALL of them to do it is wierd.. REAL wierd...

By HL do you mean Hobby Lobby? Because that is where I have bought a lot of my MM enamels, possibly all the colors I've had problems with, maybe Hobby Lobby waters down the keg, if you know what I mean Whistling [:-^]

.

I've got some MM Acryl and some MM acrylic enamels that seem to work just fine, also some Tamiya colors, I considered switching over to all acrylics, and was experimenting with several different brands, so I have quite a bit of everything at my disposal to go along with all the MM enamels I already had on hand.

I think I will start setting aside the jars I come across that seem too thin and see if they all came from the same place,

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tho9900

Member since
July 2004
From: SETX. USA

Posted by tho9900 on Friday, December 31, 2004 8:38 PM

yeah it was Hobby Lobby... it's a bit of a trip to the nearest hobby shop so for a quick jar of paint I just stop there sometimes... hmmmm could be a conspiracy! Wink [;)]

seriously though, I rarely see anyone build models might less paints there... unless it is one of their sales so maybe they don't get rotated much..

Testors should put a "Best if used before" date stamp on em like the grocerystore...

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!

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plasticmod992

Member since
January 2003
From: The Hoosier State

Posted by plasticmod992 on Saturday, January 1, 2005 3:48 AM

Paz,

It seems that our modeling rap sheets are very similar, having used Testeros enamels exclusively. I have had this happen as well with Flat Black over Flat and Gloss white. Unofficially, I think Testors have changed the Flat Black formula similarly to their new MM II formula. While this makes for much improved airbrushing quilities, the hand brushing has suffered some. What I did to improve it's handbrushing qulities was to use a wide #4 or #6 flat brush. I also use Badger's motorized in-bottle paint stir, Copper BB's and Tamiya's metal paint stir to prepair my paints. I have to admit their Steel and Chrome Silver have been pretty consistant throughout the years with no appreciable difference, however the Jet Exhaust is still a bit thick even after preping the paint by the various stirring/ shaking methods. Also, imbarassingly, I have in the past put thinned color back into their original contianers before causing similar results that you are having. At any rate, I hope this helps.

Greg Williams Owner/ Manager Modern Hobbies LLC Indianapolis, IN. IPMS #44084

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 1, 2005 5:40 AM

It's nice to know I'm not the only one that has had this problem, seems to mainly be with the flat black enamel, on my current project have had been having better luck with MM Acrylic flat black after being pretty well discouraged with the flat black enamel, oh well, as long as the end result is the same I suppose it doesn't really matter, acrylics dry faster and clean up easier anyway.

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tho9900

Member since
July 2004
From: SETX. USA

Posted by tho9900 on Saturday, January 1, 2005 9:07 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by paz8473

on my current project have had been having better luck with MM Acrylic flat black after being pretty well discouraged with the flat black enamel

I guess it would have been nice if I told you that this is one of the colors I specifcally brush with Acryl... Wink [;)]

it does seem to cover better, and when it seems to get a little too thick I just plop a little thinner in the bottle and stir and boom! back to normal!

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!

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Tankmaster7

Member since
August 2004
From: Nowhere. (Long Island)

Posted by Tankmaster7 on Sunday, January 2, 2005 12:27 PM

one time that happened to me... but there is ghlop on the bottom that i dug out w//a toothpick and stired in. it worke okay after that,. check to see if yours has the glop.

-Tanky

Welcome to the United States of America, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, in partnership with Halliburton. Security for your constitutional rights provided by Blackwater International.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 3, 2005 1:25 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tankmaster7

one time that happened to me... but there is ghlop on the bottom that i dug out w//a toothpick and stired in. it worke okay after that,. check to see if yours has the glop.

Yeah, I'm aware of the glop factor, I usually stir extremely well, especially if the consistency seems too thin, then I stir some more or as a last result I may even shake the heck out of the jar although I don't like to do this because of the resulting gunky lid that if you don't clean thoroughly it forms a cement bond between jar and lid.
Thanks for the suggestion anyway.
I think I just ended up with some funky paint.

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lolok

Member since
March 2003
From: On the way to AC+793888

Posted by lolok on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 7:24 AM

Those battery mixers are a godsend. I picked a couple up at a local kitchen goods store.They are sold as Coffee frothers and have a metal stem with a twirly thingy on the end.just use a dremel cutting wheel to sever the end leaving a small right angle at the bottom of the 6" stem and you can whip up any gunge at the bottom of the deepest paint tin or bottle and a darn sight quicker than hand stirring.

Jim Ryan Ex-Pat Limey in warsaw.Poland. " MENE,MENE,TEKEL U PHARSIN"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 2:54 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by lolok

Those battery mixers are a godsend. I picked a couple up at a local kitchen goods store.They are sold as Coffee frothers and have a metal stem with a twirly thingy on the end.just use a dremel cutting wheel to sever the end leaving a small right angle at the bottom of the 6" stem and you can whip up any gunge at the bottom of the deepest paint tin or bottle and a darn sight quicker than hand stirring.

I may have to look for one of those, sounds very convenient.

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lolok

Member since
March 2003
From: On the way to AC+793888

Posted by lolok on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 4:48 AM

Paz,Let me know how you get on.If you have trouble finding one I will look again in Warsaw to see if I can find another.

Jim Ryan Ex-Pat Limey in warsaw.Poland. " MENE,MENE,TEKEL U PHARSIN"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 5, 2005 6:23 AM

for mixing paint, I get brass nuts (brass so it won't rust) and drop one in the bottle and shake it. Same principle as a spray can.

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djrost_2000

Member since
February 2003
From: Where the coyote howl, NH

Posted by djrost_2000 on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 11:58 PM

Could it be that the paints had been sitting on the hobby store shelf so long that they congealed?

Dave

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ABARNE

Member since
February 2003
From: Southern California, USA

Posted by ABARNE on Wednesday, January 12, 2005 3:03 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by paz8473

I was just using brand new flat black and it was little more that black tinted thinner, and it didn't dry flat but more of a semi-gloss, it would work great for a wash straight out of the bottle.

Did you do a really thorough job of stirring the paint? I have experienced the effect you are describing which occured because some of the heavy pigment and flatteners settled to the bottom of the jar.

On the other hand, I have occaisionally, but not often, gotten a bottle of MM paint that was just thin and to which no amount of stirring would help. I recently got a bottle of Sand that was litterally thin enough to shoot with an airbrush. Another bottle of Sand was normal, so I assume that they mus just have some batch to batch variation. Somethimes two different bottles of supposedly the same color will have significantly different shades.

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