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Testors discontinues even MORE Model Master enamel


SkyKing

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According to a spokesman for Rustoleum, Testors' parent company, "The 9580D International Military & Figure Enamel was recently discontinued due to the lack of support for it in the marketplace."

Edited by SkyKing
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Interesting....I've never heard of it, let alone seen it in a shop or in a vendors area; and my local shop carries just about everything MM makes. How was it different from their regular military camo paints?

 

GIL :smiley16:

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Interesting....I've never heard of it, let alone seen it in a shop or in a vendors area; and my local shop carries just about everything MM makes. How was it different from their regular military camo paints?

 

GIL :smiley16:

You've seen them all right; they include the colors listed in this section of the Testors web site:

 

http://www.testors.com/product-catalog/testors-brands/model-master/international-military-and-figure

 

Figure Enamels

US Military Enamels

WW II US & UK Enamels

WW II German Luftwaffe & Panzer Enamels

WW II Italian/Japanese/Russian Enamels

Modern Armor NATO/Gulf War/Russia

Naval Enamels

Stain Enamels

 

9580D is the catalog number for the merchandising rack for these paints, which also include all of the US FS 595 colors. Some of these were previously discontinued or are now available only in rattle cans.

Edited by SkyKing
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Sad. I think RPM owns Testors and Rustoleum albeit a minor point

 

People aren't building as many models apparently and unfortunately, if you are like me, have switch to acrylics or have enough paint to last

 

Dave

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Is the market for this paint really that lame? Multiple LHS owners told me that sales of paint & supplies outperform the kits themselves and are the justification for even offering the kits in the store. (Of course almost none of them even try to move kits below MSRP.) Something just doesn't smell right here, IMHO.

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Is the market for this paint really that lame? Multiple LHS owners told me that sales of paint & supplies outperform the kits themselves and are the justification for even offering the kits in the store. (Of course almost none of them even try to move kits below MSRP.) Something just doesn't smell right here, IMHO.

I think the real reasons are that RPM/Rustoleum/Testors is (1) facing increased competition from and losing market share to manufacturers of both enamels and "acrylics" offering paint of better quality, and (2) is not making enough money off sales to satisfy some arbitrary profit target based on some arcane computation. The first is part of the competitive nature of free-market capitalism; the second is an abstract concept taught in modern "business" schools. Satisfying the customer with a quality product at a reasonable price apparently doesn't matter much any more.

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And, as a "division" of a corporation NOT involved in modeling, AND (I'm betting) being run by business people who also are not hobbyists, this becomes simply a corporate division not meeting sales goals or making a profit (or enough of one).

 

Testors began as a hobby company, but has been long removed from that at the corporate structure level for a couple of decades now. I'm not surprised that they'd rather close shop and cut losses than actually try to compete; which would probably cost them some money. :mad:

 

GIL :smiley16:

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What was the source of this announcement? Is it possible to view it anywhere on the Internet?

It's been reported/discussed on other modeling forums within the last few days:

 

Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support.

The 9580D International Military & Figure Enamel was recently discontinued due to the lack of support for it in the marketplace, however the Model Master paint line as a whole is still available:

http://www.testors.com/product-catalog/testors-brands/model-master

If you have any additional questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Jason K.

Rust-Oleum Product Support

Edited by SkyKing
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I just had a most pleasant and informative conversation with a representative of Testors. She herself is a modeler. She quite candidly offered reasons for this decision. (Some we already know.) She reiterated the fact of poor sales, but went on to describe the causes. She indicated that, for example, overseas sales have suffered because of increasing difficulties in sending enamels through the mail. Concerns about safety and the increasingly strict regulations regarding clean air (something with which I myself would not argue) have limited sales in such states as California and others. Being a modeler herself (and a Testors employee for 27 years) she too had to make the switch to acrylics when the apartment she moved into in Wisconsin would not permit her to spray enamels.

 

I guess we modelers will just have to accept that the demise is enamels is as inevitable as smoking in public places. We modelers are quick to criticize these businesses for behaving in a business like way. Yet we often forget that they are supposed to make a profit, not generate loss. All we care about is having fun! Those are two frequently incompatible goals. If they were making money on a product line, why would they discontinue it? And if they are losing money, who in their right mind would expect them to continue?

 

The very nice woman and modeler I spoke with had to make the switch to acrylics and did it successfully. Yes, she allowed that there is a learning curve as with any new technique or product. But she is now getting equivalent results. My friend uses MM acrylics exclusively and gets better results than I do with enamels, so it can be done.

 

Change is always painful. It is also a constant in life.

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So,

Besides Humbrol, who makes Military enamel paints? Sorry but while I am attempting to work with Acrylics there has been nothing (but the flat dull sheen of some) that has me wanting to switch. Even Humbrol enamels are hit and miss on ability to be brushable and sprayable.

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So,

Besides Humbrol, who makes Military enamel paints? Sorry but while I am attempting to work with Acrylics there has been nothing (but the flat dull sheen of some) that has me wanting to switch. Even Humbrol enamels are hit and miss on ability to be brushable and sprayable.

Sovereign (formerly White Ensign) Colorcoats. Available from Sprue Brothers and H & B Hobbies. Xtracolor is also a quality producer of enamel paints, but does not export them to the U.S. (yet).

 

I think enamels are going to be with us for a long time yet, Testors' giving up on them notwithstanding.

Edited by SkyKing
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While we may take some comfort in the remaining availability of other brands of enamels, it must be recalled that these seem to be much more expensive than Testors Model Master. Maybe that is why they were losing money on them. They weren't charging enough!

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Sounds like we need to check out our stash of enamels and duplicate any that are running low.

 

A year or so back I picked up a bunch of Aero Master enamel colors from a guy on eBay for a bargain. So I'm stocked till the day I die!

 

Rusty

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Thanks Mike! I have never been overly concerned with a cost as long as the paint actually can be brushed on in one coat. Model Mast and Humbrol BOTH used to be that way. Now it is a hoping game whether it can be brushed on.

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Adaptation is a key to survivability. I had to adapt when I lost my quick and easy source to Gunze. I began transitioning away from MM so time ago when Testors first began to limit the supply in that line.

It's all good.

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Sounds to me likr this is a chance for Xtracolor abd Colorcoats to increase thier market in the States in the enamel area. With Testors backing out from most colors it just leaves Humbrol selling enamels with out too much competition.

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MM is some of the worst enamel paint on the market. Testors bought out all of the higher quality competitors, and instead of using the superior quality formulae they then owned, killed them off.

 

The ever-shrinking supply side of the market was answered by smaller lines showing up and presenting the community with superior products, in both the "enamel" and acrylic forms.

 

Acryl or Vallejo? I sold Vallejo at about a 20:1 ratio

 

Model Master or Gunze or WE Colourcoats?

Around 5:1 against MM each

 

Now we also have Mig, MRPaint, and other lines to choose from.

 

Testors did their best to run off customers thru pride, and they succeeded.

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MM is some of the worst enamel paint on the market. Testors bought out all of the higher quality competitors, and instead of using the superior quality formulae they then owned, killed them off.

 

The ever-shrinking supply side of the market was answered by smaller lines showing up and presenting the community with superior products, in both the "enamel" and acrylic forms.

 

Acryl or Vallejo? I sold Vallejo at about a 20:1 ratio

 

Model Master or Gunze or WE Colourcoats?

Around 5:1 against MM each

 

Now we also have Mig, MRPaint, and other lines to choose from.

 

Testors did their best to run off customers thru pride, and they succeeded.

I agree (although I've never used Vallejo). I posted this originally mainly as a public service to those who are still using Model Master and to (further) illustrate how Testors and/or its corporate overlords have lost touch with the modeling community. High-quality enamels are still in demand.

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Only as a hobby consumer can I comment. I have always been more than satisfied with MM enamels. They are less expensive than other lines and readily (up to now) available. Most importantly to me - and, presumably, some others- years of working with them provide the comfort of familiarity with their strengths and weaknesses, as all paints have. When you add in the nuances of the individual modeler's tecnniques, his or her equipment and the environment in which they are used, (temperature, humidity, etc.) the calculus has almost infinite variations. One brand or type of paint that can work well for one modeler simply can't be made to work for another. Any poor painting outcomes I have experienced are almost always due to my own mistakes. I recently have dramatically improved my results with MM enamels by thinning more and lowering the pressure at which I operate my compressor. On the other hand, I have not, of late, had such good results with acrylic paint. I suppose I can apply myself and could learn, but that is, for me an aggravation I would prefer to do without.

Edited by Nick Filippone
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Nick makes a good point which should be emphasized. The mastering of one's techniques to improve one's results with a particular paint type/brand so as to achieve that "comfort of familiarity" that we all desire will be of no avail when the manufacturer of that paint discontinues it. This decision by Testors is, in my opinion, going to force many average modelers, who have become familiar with and prefer Model Master enamel, to leave the hobby altogether rather than suffer the frustration of learning the idiosyncrasies of another brand or type of hobby paint, and the repercussions of this further shrinking of an already changing hobby will affect all of us.

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I think Michael makes a good point....If you stop and think about it, it's the Testors/Model Master paints that have been the most generally available over time; not just in hobby shops, but also at craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels, and even Wallmart and other department stores back in the day. While Testors will still be there, and perhaps some of the Model Master line, there will be less PAINT available wherever most models are sold. And, the majority of model builders are NOT like us. They don't have a knowledge of what else is out there, they don't "mail order", and will be more likely to buy fewer models if they can't also buy the paint they need at the same time in the same place.

 

It's a bigger deal than it appears at first glance.

 

GIL :smiley16:

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If Testors made that bed, then they can sleep in it. Am more than happy to transfer the flag to these guys:

 

http://www.scalefinishes.com/welcome.html

 

I discovered Scalefinishes.com as a vendor at the (Colorado?) IPMS Nationals and bought a couple of samples. Nice enamel paint, looks accurate for the mil colors, great shelf-life so far and the per oz. cost appears very competitive with MM. My impression is that they got established making quality paint for the model car sector. More power to them!

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