May i just rave about my Testors airbrush......

BGuy wrote:

Testors sells shoddy products and refuses to stand behind them.

That's an ignorant, blanket statement.  Testors sells a lot more than just airbrushes. Testors has the history of buying other companies and selling their products.  Italeri being a recent example that has now been sold to MRC.  Testors may own Aztek but Aztek is not Testors. Would you call Model Master Enamels "shoddy"!  They are one of the finest enamels out there.

-Jesse

Testors has never owned Italeri, and currently neither does MRC.  The are/were simply the US importer for Ialeri kits.

Bronto wrote:

Testors has never owned Italeri, and currently neither does MRC.  The are/were simply the US importer for Ialeri kits.

You might be right.  I was going by Wikipedia (of course, that can be dangerous): "Later that same decade, the Italian model kit manufacturer Italeri was acquired, further expanding Testor's line of plastic model kits..."

-Jesse

usmc1371 wrote:

Bronto wrote: Testors has never owned Italeri, and currently neither does MRC.  The are/were simply the US importer for Ialeri kits. You might be right.  I was going by Wikipedia (of course, that can be dangerous): "Later that same decade, the Italian model kit manufacturer Italeri was acquired, further expanding Testor's line of plastic model kits..." -Jesse

The Italeri profile web page said nothing about being a Testors subsidery.

Italeri S.p.A. was founded in the early 1960s with an energy that only an unstoppable and young passion could develop. Even as boys, the two founders loved military aircraft and vehicles, but they soon realised that they were not content with the models that were found in the shops: they wanted something better. What they were searching for did not exist and they decided to produce it themselves. The hobby, transforming into a precise knowledge, became the stimulus to produce models that do not tolerate even a minimum inaccuracy; models that the real modellists were searching for. Italeri affirms, constantly increases its range of products and grows. Thanks to the imagination and inspiration of the two founders and their collaborators, the company has become the leader in the modelling sector over the years and not only on the Italian market. From the original workshop, the company has developed into a modern manufacturing structure, with highly qualified personnel that have thirty year's experience in the static modelling sector. The company's production is entirely carried out in the new 10,000 sqm factory; from the planning and development department that utilises the most up-to-date CAD/CAM computer equipment to the injection moulding and packaging of the final product. In 2002, Italeri S.p.A. took over Protar, the famous manufacturer of scale-model motorcycles (both in kit form and assembled) to offer lovers of scale-modelling a new range of products. Italeri's trademark is also well-known in the sporting world; for many years the trademark has been connected to the successful Fortitudo team of Bologna, one of the most important teams of the Italian Baseball Championship

At the Testors web "About Us" page, they said:

Agreements with an Italian manufacturer, Italeri, led to the expansion of the Testor model kit line in the late 1970s. Today, Testor / Italeri plastic kits are marketed jointly and they among the most respected in the world.

It seems that Wiki is wrong on this count.

Well, whatever the relationship between Testors and Italeri was, that wasn't my point.  My point was that just because someone doesn't like the craftsmanship of Testors' airbrush doesn't mean all of Testors' products are "shoddy".  Let's not go off on a tangent...

-Jesse 

I pinged Testor's customer service, an was interestingly answered by the same rep who handled my warranty replacement a few years back, and here is the straight dope on the Aztek warranty.

Testors Customer Service wrote:

The warranty was revised back in 2003. Effective January 1 2003 the Aztek airbrush warranty program has been changed to cover all claims for material and workmanship defects for a period of 3 years. The Testor Corporation will, with the cooperation of our assigned agents or through Testor Customer Service, replace any defective airbrush bodies for the Testor airbrush models A4702, A4704, A4709, A4802, A4809, and A7778 for 3 years from date of purchase. All airbrushes manufactured after January 1 2003 display a date code demonstrating date of manufacture. Airbrushes displaying this date code will be covered under the three year warranty program. Any airbrushes manufactured prior to January 1 2003 not showing the date code noted will remain under the lifetime warranty program. Consumers are required to mail to Testor the warranty registration card enclosed in the airbrush package when purchased. Mailing this card activates the airbrush warranty program. After the expiration of the 3-year warranty period, Testors will repair or replace any airbrush body for the consumer for retail price of the body.

 

 

 

 

For what is worth, my Aztek 470 broke a few years back (around 2004) and it was given to me as a gift around 2001.  I emailed Testor and they asked me to send it back.  They confirmed that it was broken with an explanation as to what was broken with a email. I got a 'brand new looking' one as a replacement in about 7 days. I've been using it ever since.

I think the Aztek ABs are a hit and miss proposition. Some folks who own them swear by them and claim to have had years of trouble free use.

Others have used them for a few months, had huge problems, sent them back, got replacements, had them fail, sent them back again, yada, yada, yada.

I had one back before they were Aztek. (ModelMaster) Mine worked wonderfully for about nine months or so then went to hell. Now, I'm the kind of guy who if a product fails me, I rarely every give it a second chance, I'll use something else. I never buy those extended warranties stores try to sell because I figure if it doesn't last past the original warranty, I don't want it and I'll buy something else. When my ModelMaster ab failed the warranty was lifetime but I never sent it back. It failed me once and I figured would do it again and I bought an Paache VL. Buying the VL got me back to work NOW and it got rid of what I considered to be a failure of a product.

My biggest complaint with the Aztek brushes was the warranty. The fact that they needed the warranty so often was a deal killer. If it fails and they replace it, fine. But what is one to do while they wait for it to return? Buy a back up?

I'm happy that there are folks out there who are happy with their Azteks. I'm happy with my Iwata's! Now lets go airbrush something.

May I just rave on about my H&S Infinity;

I hear all the talk about Badger, Iwata & all the rest & really couldn't comment, as I have never seen one, let alone used one - so I am in no position to comment.

However, after reading several (probably into the hundreds) reviews I decided to splash out on an H&S Infinity with 0.15, 0.2, 0.4 & 0.6mm needle sets. I had never previously used an airbrush & other than you helpfull people on this forum didn't know anyone who had / used an airbrush, so I was not exactly full of confidence.

Anyhows, after spending a couple of nights trying to shoot Tamiya acrylic with the thinning ratio the wrong way round & getting nowhere, I thought I had made a huge mistake in buying an airbrush. After realising my mistake & thinning correctly, all I can say is WOW, the brush is a delight to use, does just as advertised, is easy to strip & clean & does most of what I want with the 0.2mm needle (1/72 A/C in camo).

My first completed job was Revells 1/72 B-1B, which I am quite impressed with considering it my first airbrush job - I thank the Infinity for this, as opposed to my skills - as I have none.

The Infinity has now done the B-1B, XB-70, Mirage IV-A & is midway on the Airfix 1/72 Vulcan, as well as doing some easter egg's as well!!

Big up to H&S!