I saw this over on RR LIne Forum. I don't know how many use Polyscale or Floquil paints but.
Dear Valued Partner,
I am writing to inform you about changes that are taking place at the Testor Corporation. For over 80
years, we have provided premium paints and finishing systems to the craft and hobby industry. Today,
we announced that we are transforming our business in order to more effectively address the changing
needs of our consumers and their interests.
We've made the decision to exit the following businesses within the Testor® Brand family - Pactra®,
Floquil®, Polyscale®, and ColorArtz®. This will enable the Testor Corporation to return to our foundation
of success – providing premium, innovative product that inspires creativity. We will continue to accept
orders and ship product for a limited time based on available quantities.
Going forward, the following brands will be critical to our success and development – Testor®, Model
Master™, and Aztek®. These brands will be infused with marketing support, innovation and operational
efficiencies.
In support of this, we have announced a consolidation of operations at our Rockford facilities. Over the
next several months we will provide updates critical to your order and delivery needs as well as product
availability. We assure you there will be no disruption to service during this transition.
Our commitment to the Testor brand has never been stronger. By implementing these changes, and the
ability to leverage all of Rust-Oleum's world class services, we are more strongly poised to take your
business to the next level through product and merchandising innovations, and increased customer
intimacy. Please contact me or your sales manager directly with any questions.
We appreciate your business!
Best Regards,
Kristin J. Schiro
Director of Sales & Marketing
Jerry
No real loss....the Floquil colors and quality had changed so much over the last 10 years it wasn't that good anymore. (and personally I never liked Poly-Scale).
I have about 4 dozen bottles un-opened of rust, roof brown, red oxide, boxcar red, and varous other grays and browns (and drifwood) stashed a way from 10 years ago.....Maybe I'll wait till the prices get all jacked out of proportion, then sell them on Ebay. ;D ;D
It really isn't surprising. Testors has completely ignored the success of Vallejo, MIG and AKInteractive. What makes it worse is the fact that Testors has (had) the better distribution.
I have one of the old Floquil actual paint chip (painted on, not just printed) color cards. I've offered this to Vallejo if they want to produce Model RR paints.
If you want to encourage them to do this, contact them here: http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/en_US/contact
dave
I sold all my Floquil paints last year as I hadn't used any for ages . I guess I could have made more if I had waited , but they were just sitting there getting dusty . So no great loss from my point of view . I've still got a can of Diosol kicking around , that might be worth a bit now .
Nick
I see this little event as an indicator of how the model railroad hobby has degenerated: Testors can't sell enough paint to stay in business ... because most train guys collect RTR products and leave them as-is. Not a great loss from the standpoint of a product line but rather depressing evidence of where we are headed. -- Russ
Russ,
I understand your feelings about the decline of the hobby. But what you call a decline is just a change of direction in my opinion. I am looking into the exciting and very innovative 1/35 military market or modelrailroad newcomers like BLMA. Those are perfect examples of a new approach to the hobby of model building. This is less about RTR, it's about a shift in interest.
That's why I believe that your work as a publisher and host of this forum is so important! The wide range and quality of modeling topic in this forum is unmatched! I am not a classic railroad guy, but there is barely any day that I don't check out what's going on here because this forum is about true modeling spirit. There are so many examples here, where modelers use the latest technologies and innovative thinking to create models in a very old fashioned approach. This is truly progressive thinking!
My problem is the decline of brick and mortar stores. Oh, how would I love a good old hobby shop, but even in a city like New York it is impossible to find such a store anymore. (I have 1 (!) store that sells Evergreen styrene and 3 that sell Plastruct, none of them carries any decent paint) I am forced to buy online, which makes me sad. I would love to give my money to a local business.
Christian
all the hysteria about the loss of Floquil is rather amusing in a way, particularly since in many respects it is an illustration of just how behind the time the model railroaders are. Floquil was and is an outdated, dangerous product that on a health & safety basis alone should have been banned many years ago.
This matter is rather close to home for me since my late business partner's death was to a large extent attributed to the use of Floquil (more particularly its chemical base) Michael was a custom model painter, painting hundreds of locomotives each year, all with Floquil and died after 12 years of using this product. I acknowledge that he also did not use a mask, however it remains that the toxic base in Floquil was the primary cause.
Noticed once again the lament about the loss of the "local hobby shop" and the distress that one now has to buy on-line. Perhaps we also need to look at the other side of the coin insofar that the vast majority of the on-line traders are in fact the equivalent of the "mom n' pop" stores, with one major exception; they usually carry a complete range of products instead of a dusty rack with half a dozen tired bottles of paint normally found in most hobby stores. ditto with most other products. Modern on-line traders (certainly here in Australia) carry the full range of several manufacturers, have direct lines of supply with the manufacturers and supply in very quick time at prices that are highly competitive. instead of moaning about the loss of outdated products and stores we need to reflect on the incredibly diverse range of products available to us today, all at prices that are far lower than they have ever been in real terms.
I for one am actually thankful that the manufacturers of Floquil have seen the light and removed this out-of-date product from their line-up. Perhaps now they might even become competitive against their very successful, innovative competitors.
have fun
BernardS
I concur with both Christian and Bernards comments.
... from my perspective I would like to add;
I tend to order 80% of my products on-line, as I usually have strange and specific needs that most shops can't fill....or at least not at one shop, or in a reasonably timely manner. ...that said...I really do enjoy and would so very greatly miss the two or three shops that I frequent for my non-strange purchases. There are so many items that they have on racks and in boxes, that I sit for hours browsing through all manner of bits, parts, pieces, regardless of scale or genre...trying to see if/how I can adapt or use them for a current or future project, outside of their intened use/purpose. I have found countless items doing this, and it has helped improve my models and detailing immesaureably.....I definitly would not be scratch building at the level...or at least some of the pieces I do...were it not for the ability to do this "in person" browsing. (and doing so online, by ordering piles of pieces hoping they would work...even if I found them online...would have cost me a fortune in wrong guesses.) :)
Quote from: narrowgauger on May 21, 2013, 03:07:54 PM
all the hysteria about the loss of Floquil is rather amusing in a way, <snip>
have fun
BernardS
Can't image what will happen when they RR hobby finds out that dry-brushing, and pastel-chalks washed with Iso, are no longer the pinnacle of weathering. :P :D
QuoteThere are so many items that they have on racks and in boxes, that I sit for hours browsing through all manner of bits, parts, pieces, regardless of scale or genre...trying to see if/how I can adapt or use them for a current or future project, outside of their intened use/purpose
Ahhh the good old days.
I am willing to bet I am the only scratch builder in Southern Florida.
I miss being able to get something useful at the hobby shop.
-Mj
Bernard made a good point about the online stores. They are indeed the "new" mom and pop hobby stores. So again, we have indication for a directional shift, rather than a decline! The business is not going away, it just moved.
And I have to admit, that I am usually in need of a lot of obscure stuff as well, which wouldn't make sense for a hobby store to stock. But I do miss the "inspirational" browsing that brings up new ideas.
Christian
Re. Christian's comment about modelers leaving trains for other challenges: Maybe, if the model railroad industry and press were less short sighted, it would be unnecessary for people to change direction. Chuck, Marc, Christian, many others, and I have to look elsewhere for creativity, artistry, inspiration, and camaraderie because so much of that has disappeared from model railroading.
Kalmbach has the loudest voice in the train hobby. Then comes Carstens, then the Gazette. Kalmbach publishes unmitigated rubbish to fill the space between its ads. Carstens' overall quality is laughable but offers the occasional decent article, however anachronistic the modeling techniques may be. The Gazette used to be a guiding light but has decayed into caricature and worse, except for the few articles that swim against the current.
Why? Because all operate on the principle of prostitution.
If they, and the manufacturers, had integrity or could overcome their slovenly inertia they could lead by example (as the Gazette once did), influence hobbyists in a positive way, and inspire younger people to participate. But prostitution is easier -- in the short run. Of course, after a while, prostitutes catch diseases and die. And guess what is happening to the model train industry.
Russ
Well there is still one guiding light in the narrow gauge model train world in the form of the Industrial & Narrow Gauge Review. Roy Link has consistently ensured that the big commercial producers do not get foothold in the publication and continuous to encourage new, small start-up companies to find a place in the magazine.
In many ways I&NGR has continued where Bob Brown left off.
Interesting that there is some conflict between our own views pertaining to lack of innovation in the model train hobby world, such as our earlier debate about contests. From my own observations here in Australia and in South Africa together with ongoing participation in modelling contest, I have found that these contests provide an exceptional foundation for stimulation, presentation of new concepts & ideas that do find their way into the wider model building field. There can be no doubt that in Australia the standard of model building has improved dramatically since the inception of the ANGC. Similarly icon layouts have played a major role in improving model building standards and the demise of "slot train" layout formats.
whilst our group in fact represents a leading light in model railroading, particularly through the adaptation of ideas & concepts from other modelling sectors, we have to be careful that we do not loose sight of "model building" as an art by too much focus on the use of technology as a means to an end. I recently had a good example of this when we commissioned a 3D printed master for a narrow gauge locomotive side frame. Whilst absolutely perfect with every bolt head turned precisely the same way and every leaf in the springs the same length the master was totally sterile and lacked character. The 3D master was discarded and a new hand-built master produced, complete with minor faults etc.
our main advantage over many other groups and magazines is the fact that we are an international body of model builders, thus bringing together the ideas, stimulation and competition that encourages innovation & experimentation. Long may it continue.
have fun
BernardS
Quoteour main advantage over many other groups and magazines is the fact that we are an international body of model builders, thus bringing together the ideas, stimulation and competition that encourages innovation & experimentation. Long may it continue.
Well said Bernard!
That should be written on a wall somewhere here, may be in the corner?
-Marty
Great points from everyone so far.
The comment from Bernard about the "international-ness" of this forum is very relevant.
Perhaps I could add something from a New Zealand point of view having recently resigned as President of the New Zealand Association of Model Railway Clubs (our national body) after a 12 year tenure.
The local hobby shop as known in the US and possibly Britain is nonexistant here. The term "model" shop is more apt with most trying to please everyone with run of the mill over priced everyday items, although I was surprised yesterday to see that the local model shop, usually very conservative now has a small selection of Vallejo paints and washes and powders from the Mig range in stock.
As has been alluded to by others the standard railway modellers here are generally fixated by "Model Railway items and practices" - railway being the definitave term, the unwillingness to look at what aero, military and other non railway modellers are doing is so dyed in the wool that the hobby is basically treading water.
CAD developments in etched brass kits is slowly making an appearance but the LCD (lowest common denominator) modellers are running around screaming words like 'elitism' and other espousing other flat earth like solliloquies that those who try anything new have been driven to international forums like this and are seldom seen in the greater public outings. The main exceptions are Krusty and me who have been sent to this forum by a greater force. Resin modelling is for the most part still relatively primitive, however brass detail parts via lost wax are well improved from the metal blobs of yesteryear.
Flippancy aside, in a country of only 4 million people, one could probably only find perhaps a hundred or so modellers of all persuasions that are trying to push the envelope. Luckily there are one or two 30 somethings included who are not glued to their i-gadgets and they are beginning to have an effect on the over 50s that are all to prevalent in our hobby.
Earlier Christian wrote "Kalmbach has the loudest voice in the train hobby. Then comes Carstens, then the Gazette. Kalmbach publishes unmitigated rubbish to fill the space between its ads. Carstens' overall quality is laughable but offers the occasional decent article, however anachronistic the modeling techniques may be. The Gazette used to be a guiding light but has decayed into caricature and worse, except for the few articles that swim against the current." Unfortunately those magazines are somewhat lauded here because they are seen as coming from one of the model railway powers in the world. There are similar publications in Britain that are regarded similarly, and unfortunately our hobby suffers for it.
Bernard is right about Roy Link's and lately Bob Barlow's magazine I&NGR. Like Russ's books I have it on subscription. My mainlne fix is from Model Rail magazine from England. Not a bad general read, but a hell of a lot of ads surround the articles.
Regards to all
Russell
Yo Village Person.
What is this "local model shop" of which you speak? If it's the one in town, their MIG stocks are the rats and mice leftovers from the stock they got in a couple of years ago. Or do I need to make my annual visit to Plimmerton to see what he hasn't got in stock this time? The good news is that Modelair in Orcland are now stocking some AK Interactive, although they haven't got the oils yet. Just needs someone to start bringing in Lifecolour and happiness will be overflowing.
And another vote for the Review, which I've subscribed to since issue one -- the only magazine I'm prepared to put down money for sight unseen these days (well, that and some guy's Modellers' Annual, grease, grease).
Quote from: finescalerr on May 21, 2013, 11:24:10 AM
I see this little event as an indicator of how the model railroad hobby has degenerated: Testors can't sell enough paint to stay in business ... because most train guys collect RTR products and leave them as-is. Not a great loss from the standpoint of a product line but rather depressing evidence of where we are headed. -- Russ
I don't know how it is over your side of the pond but I do feel that's having quite a drastic effect over in the uk, especially over the last 2 years or so. We have RTR models with RTP (ready to plonk) buildings and people seem less and less capable of doing things for themselves. I'm not talking about the stuff you guys on here do but what is considered the most basic of tasks. People get upset that a model hasn't be released with the particular number they want!
But on top of that there's a strong backlash against anyone who dare suggest that thier treasured RTR model might have room for improvement or have some fundamental errors that they shouldn't have. Those offering opinion are instantly branded rivet counters and made to feel that they should appologise for wanting to make something better.
Sadly the modeller to shopper ratio is all wrong. Its almost lke mob rule is trying to preserve mediocrity!
Jim
I have stopped using the Floquil solvent paints, though i still have a fair number of new bottles. I have switched almost completly to acrylics. I will miss some of the Polly Scale paints, but i know there are other brands out there and I mostly use weathering colors. I think this would mostly impact those who use the pre-mixed RR colors.
still, a sad commentary on our hobby. wonder whats next?
To answer your question, Chuck, I have watched the hobby shrink and the typical hobbyist become more lazy and dilettantish since I started Westlake Publishing. In the late '90s I predicted the model train hobby ultimately would dwindle to something similar to the model ship hobby. Most larger companies will sell their dies and machinery to smaller ones able to sustain themselves with less income and we may see big changes in available products.
The number of participants seems to be dropping enough to support my prediction but the kind of person the hobby has retained or attracted is quite different. Modelers make up less than 1% of the total.
Model trains, unlike other craft hobbies, have moved from creativity and construction to game playing (running trains) and collection. So that's what's next and it's already here.
Russ
Quote from: finescalerr on May 24, 2013, 11:58:19 AMModelers make up less than 1% of the total.
Wooo hooo! Finally I get to wear one of those bad ass 1% patches!
Sweet!
The changing hobby environment will certainly be interesting to watch for say the next 10-20 years, particularly model railways. Going back before the commercial explosion of RTR competitive marketing, when NG&SLG was a decent read and showcased a reasonable number of craftsmen who had actually built their models instead of bought them, they were the "good ol' days" (maybe the www has killed that a bit by seeing too much stuff online that just isn't of publication standard, but when you could only see stuff in magazine print, there was a better crap filter in operation). So if the current commercial world does tend to fizzle out over the next decade, there will no doubt still be plenty of modellers with an interest in railway stuff, so if they are dedicated enough, they will find a way to fabricate their hobby the same way others did back years ago. The interesting trend to watch will be if there is a commercial decline, followed by a resurgence in an attempt to commercially reproduce the work of those that push on and still "play trains" the hard way. Bit like the circle of life, just in injection moulded plastic.
As for the Floquil thing...never used it myself, so no issue for me personally. Never really found the colour range to my needs (that may also be a slightly more youthful and new school thing though), and with the likes of companies like AK Interactive bounding forward, with more and more product development and releases, there are plenty of (better) alternatives out their anyway. The model railway guys might need to open their eyes a bit wider to see that they don't need to buy a familiar railway brand in a familiar railway colour to be able to get the job done. Just because they can't paint their train in their favourite Floquil colour anymore doesn't mean they need to stop the hobby...but if they do, that exposes a lot. Generally speaking, I don't think many modellers amongst this forum would be overly troubled by one paint brand fading out...just mix something different and keep doing what you love doing.
Dan
You sure hit it on the head Dan.
I don't think many modellers amongst this forum would be overly troubled by one paint brand fading out...just mix something different and keep doing what you love doing.
I think everyone should think this way. Just do what you love doing!!
Jerry