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Testor MM Enamel Comparisons

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  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
Testor MM Enamel Comparisons
Posted by MA Cooke on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 8:17 PM
If any or many of you are like me, you have more than one bottle of a particular paint color. I have found that it is impossible to not have multiples on colors that I use frequently.

I've just spent the last couple of hours going through and taking an inventory of all my paints. I've done about half...just the Testor Model Master enamels. One or two jars had all the pigment coagulate to the point of being a rubbery goo. Other than that, most of the paints are still in relatively good shape. A few of these bottles date back to the Reagan Administration (first term).

But, I have noticed here and there that some samples of colors seem to different from each other. So I decided to put small samples on 3 X 5 index cards. Where I have multiples of a color, the "splotches" are side-by-side. I'm posting just the cards I made for my greys and greens. The numbers in parentheses are the FS numbers.

GREYS:





I can really detect a difference between the two samples of "neutral grey" (36270), "medium grey" (35237), and the three samples of "intermediate blue" (35164). There's a HUGE difference between the two samples of "dark gull grey" (36231); I even mixed them for a "hybrid". I do notice a slight difference between the two samples of "flat gull grey" (36440) and the two of "dark ghost grey" (36320).

GREENS:



Not much here; the differences between the samples of "medium green" (34102) and "dark green" (34079) jump out at me like black and white. Sorry the number got cut off on "dark green".

Does anyone else see this? Or am I just being too overly anal about this?

Of course I know these "chip samples" are hardly scientific, but hey, there's only so much I can do with two toddlers jumping and running through the house, right above my desk.
On Bench: AM P-51B, Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1A On Deck: Hasegawa F-14's (too many); Tamiya P-47D; Academy P-47N;
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 8:48 PM
Yeah, I see it to. Plain as day. I would ahve expected a lot more consistency from one lot to another. Wonder if the age had anything to do with the shading difference.

Interesting comparison, and food for thought for the "Color Purists" that complain about a model being a shade too light or dark Wink [;)]
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: A Spartan in the Wolverine State
Posted by rjkplasticmod on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 9:03 PM
You will find that paint color does vary from batch to batch, sometimes considerably. I have seen this with all brands of paint, not just ModelMaster. I almost always start a new model with fresh bottles of paint. I only keep the used bottle if I know it will be enough to finish a second model. If not, I toss it.

Regards, Rick
RICK At My Age, I've Seen It All, Done It All, But I Don't Remember It All...
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 9:23 PM
Years ago that wouldn't have surprised me at all, Rick. These days, with all of the advanced and accurate manufacturing equipment available, I would have expected a lot more consistency. Oh well, live and learn.
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
Posted by MA Cooke on Thursday, February 24, 2005 4:20 AM
OK, Scott and Rick, now pick the correct color out of the multiples. Up for it?
On Bench: AM P-51B, Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1A On Deck: Hasegawa F-14's (too many); Tamiya P-47D; Academy P-47N;
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Charlotte, NC
Posted by armorman on Thursday, February 24, 2005 7:08 AM
jeez, night and day difference there. I have noticed that my gunship gray will darken with age. Like the others I would have assumed more consistentcy with new technologies. I'll probably have to do what Rick does and buy new jars when I start a new kit and keep the old when I need some to mix. Interesting point, Mitch.
Next Up: 1/35 Tamiya Merkava 1/48 Tamiya King Tiger 1/35 Dragon M1A1 AIM
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Southern California, USA
Posted by ABARNE on Thursday, February 24, 2005 2:32 PM
I am not surprised at all. I have encountered the same issue with their Olive Drab. I was building a Sherman and my bottle of Olive Drab died after I had completed the majority of painting, but prior to doing some of the details. My replacement bottle was not even close to the same shade as the first bottle. I had to get very creative to mix up a batch of OD that matched my first bottle to allow me to finish the tank. I think the moral of the story is to make sure you have enough paint of each color at the begining of a project so that you don't have to get more of a matching color in the middle of the project.

Andy
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
Posted by MA Cooke on Thursday, February 24, 2005 5:55 PM
I know: I'll just mix every sample of each color together. I'll need bigger bottles, though. Big Smile [:D]
On Bench: AM P-51B, Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1A On Deck: Hasegawa F-14's (too many); Tamiya P-47D; Academy P-47N;
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Thursday, February 24, 2005 6:17 PM
QUOTE: I think the moral of the story is to make sure you have enough paint of each color at the begining of a project so that you don't have to get more of a matching color in the middle of the project.

Problem is that even that won't always work. Grab two bottles at the LHS and if one of them came from a different lot you'd still never notice until you started to spray.

Mitchell, how do they look in the bottles? Can you see a difference then or is it only after they dry? And, no I'm not gonna try and pick which one is right and which is wrong Tongue [:P]
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
Posted by MA Cooke on Friday, February 25, 2005 4:21 AM
In the bottles? I can tell a difference looking into the open bottle....some are glaring, like the dark gull greys. As far as looking at the bottle itself, it's hard to tell.

On Bench: AM P-51B, Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1A On Deck: Hasegawa F-14's (too many); Tamiya P-47D; Academy P-47N;
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Friday, February 25, 2005 8:01 AM
Yeah, I was wondering if it would be possible to see any difference in the shades by looking at the bottles in the stores. Guess not though. Probably the safest thing to do, if someone got two bottles of the same color, would be to mix them together before use. That way at least both of them would be the same shade.
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    July 2003
Posted by schulerwb24 on Friday, February 25, 2005 12:27 PM
Not surprised to see a difference. Yep. There can be big differences between bottles of the same color, seen that. And, yes, I have seen colors change with age, but only when some had been used. Seems the color changes as the quantity in the bottle becomes less. I have found the best way to get close to the color number is start with a new bottle.
Now, I too, put paint chips on white card stock to see what they look like. I have found some colors look good, others don't even come close. It would probably be best to use a neutral grey color card to paint this on instead of white or yellow. I have found that if I brush paint from the same bottle on a white index card, on white plastic, then airbrush onto the same medium the colors are not the same. Even airbrushing or brushing the same color on a primed model will be different than what I have on my samples.

And, did you know that some brands of colors are supposed to change color after they dry? Try airbrushing Model Master Intermediate Blue. It looks terrible, very green and yuckie. Give it a day and it matches the FS color chip pretty good. Out of the bottle, not even close. This is normal for some colors and brands.

For me, I use the chips as a reference just to get an idea what the basic differences between the different grays, greens, etc.are or see what the general color looks like. If I need to match an FS number, I will use a new bottle, duplicate exacltly how it will be applied and over what on the model, then tweak the color as needed to get the exact match.
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