Having seen the depressing news about the coming demise of Floquil and associated paints, it sure looks like I’ll be needing a good replacement.
Some have suggested Weaver’s Scalecoat paints, and as I prefer the acrylics, it looks like Scalecoat 2 would be my choice. There’s a nice selection of colors, so these might work. My question would be regarding thinning the stuff for spraying. The website instructs the user to thin the paint with Scalecoat’s proprietory thinner, which is sold in quantities ranging from an ounce to a quart.
Is this actually needed, or can something else be used instead? Is it like the manual for your car that dictates to “always use genuine Ford ( or Toyota or whatever) brake fluid/washer fluid/ power steering fluid, etc”, rahter than a generic brand that costs half as much?
And for that matter, when a person does use their solvent based paint, is there something in the paint formula that actually requires their own brand of thinner?
I have used ‘lacquer thinner’ for Scalecoat paint. I have not used Scalecoat for a number of years as it is a solvent paint, and does take ‘days’ to dry. It dries with a super gloss finish and is great for ‘baking’ like on brass models. Scalecoat II is plastic compatible and can be air brushed directly on plastic. IIIRC, it is a solvent paint as well(lots of strong fumes).
If Floquil is going away, I will switch over to Badger Modelflex acrylic paints. I am hoping that some of the Floquil/Polly Scale line may be merged into the Testors Model Master line. The acrylic gloss/satin/flat was merged in last year. I have never had good experience with brush painting Badger Modelflex as it is already thinned out for air brush painting. I does spray great though. Badgers original Accu Flex paint pretty bad, and was replaced my Model Flex - I think the bad experiences with Accu Flex carried over to the Model Flex line. They are two different paints. Most true acrylic paints can be thinned with water or alcohol.
I have been using Scalecoat II for a couple of years now as I did not like the change of paint formula that Testor’s forced onto the Floquil Line a number of years ago and then discontinued Diosol.
That being said, Scalecoat II needs more thinner than Floquil almost 50% Thinner and 50% Paint. I have always been a firm believer in using the manufacturer’s thinner with their paint to avoid any possible problems with paint application. The great thing about Scalecoat II is the not needing a primer and then not needing a gloss coat as the model is ready for decaling after paint application.
I have used Scalecoat for a number of years. Their UP Armor Yellow is actually yellow!
Like has been mentioned, Scalecoat works great thinning it 50/50 with lacquer thinner.
The only problem I have with it is the shelf life after the bottle has been opened. Floquil would last for what seems like forever. Scalecoat, not so much.
I have been trying ScaleCoatII for a couple years now…
Having excellent results too.
The thinner seems to smell a little Turpertine to me, but it works, it is, however slow to dry, & in the summer I place items in an empty car to heat dry, & accelorate theprocess form a very cool humid old house…
I tend to shoot a little higher pressure & a little thicker paints than most, but a good 50/50 or a 60 paint/40 thinner works, depending on the base paint, some (newer) are thinner than others.
It gives me a good over spray layout time & works nice.
If I had contaminated some with other thinners, I have noticed I may get the old Cottage Cheese effect, where it may chunck out in the jar.
That is a discard & start from raw materials.
That is because I had contaminated it with something else, not an issue with the correct components.
Over all;
Positives; I like the coverage, can be mixed per your equipment, & dries glossy - ready for decal placment!
Drawbacks; Takes a while to dry/cure (in my environment/mixture setup). Is a solvent smelly paint.
I know Scalecoat II is supposed to be plastic-safe, but I remember there were (and may still be) issues with Kato and other undecorated parts from Japan and China crazing if you used anything other than water-based paints. In other words, I’d hate to kill a $30+ shell because I used a “safe” paint that wasn’t safe. Are my concerns warranted, or has the problem with painting Oriental plastic with a lacquer-based paint gone away with Scalecoat II?
I began stripping and painting Kato N scale shells around 1990. I have used a lot of Scalecoat and Floquil, with an airbrush, and have never had any problem. I’m not sure if anything would happen if you brush painted or not. But with an airbrush, all has worked well.
