I'm finding that I have to get more and more hobby stuff online. What makes it a shock is that we lose a long-time, well-recognized, name branded product that was available in most any hobby shop and arts and crafts store-and, before that, drug stores, dime stores, discount stores, department stores, hardware stores, convenience stores, toy stores.Īs much as it pains me to say this, in all but a very few cases the brick-and-mortar hobby ship is on life support. But even those have equivalent products available. I might add the Metalizer Sealer to the list, as it was a superb, near-bulletproof clear gloss. The only products I have heard lament for (outside the Model Master enamels) are the bottled Glosscote and Dullcote. Metalizers have competition from Alclad, AK, and Vallejo. See where this is going? Even the specialty products like flocking (which has been gone for a few years) can be found elsewhere. All are still available (the Weld-On products in quantity through Tap Plastics). Since then, I have used (in no particular order of appearance) Weld-On #3, Weld-On #4, Plastruct Plastic Weld, Ambroid, Tamiya Extra Thin. The last time I used their liquid was to thin Squadron Green Putty (the old stuff, $1.98 a tube!) to a brushable consistency. Glues and cements? The last time I used Testors tube glue, I was still buying Monogram model kits for a dollar. Putties? Testors putty has always been the shop vac of suck anyway, and most people steer well clear of it.īrushes? There are literally dozens of places to buy paint brushes equal to or superior than Testors. Today, just look around-Vallejo, Mig, Lifecolour, AK Interactive, Mission Models Paints. Color, MRP, and Tru-Color.Īcrylics users never really liked the Acyl line (I must be one of 50 people who got good results with few problems). Lacquer fans abandoned Testors years ago when they squashed the original Floquil line. Also, True North Precision Paints makes an alkyd enamel that, from reports I've read, are as good as the Testors Model Master line.
Think back to 1975, and that's what they were laying out as their "new" lansdcape for 2020.Īs I've posted on several other forums, this may seem a shock, but there is precious little Testors produced that can not be found elsewhere.ĭo you like enamels? Humbrol is still available, as is Xtracolour. Our local HobbyTown (Columbia, SC) was informed in March that the only Testors products that would be available were the square bottle enamels (in boxed sets only), generic aerosols, and the glues. Apparently, things have changed in even the past two months.