Anyone have experience with ModelFlex? I've got a ton of questions about it. I see their catalog lists a wide array of colors, most importantly the railroad colors I am most likely to use. I have always used PolyScale and ModelMaster Acryl paints, but only because the local craft chain store carries some MM and I've been to stubborn to try anything besides PolyScale. I see it claims to be ready to spray, is it? Is it too thin to brush for detail and touch up? How about cleanup, do I need any special cleaner or can I still use Windex and water? Cost for a 1oz bottle is a buck or two less than PollyScale, does 1oz of ModelFlex go as far? Are they fairly consistent one bottle to the next? Any special considerations for primer? Any special considerations for decal application or clear coating? Any special considerations?
I just sold all my Modelflex for $1.00 a bottle to a member of our club. I found out it didn't store well. I found a few to many dried up paint bottles. I didn't find it would airbrush right out of the bottle. Color was consistent from one bottle to the next. That was never an issue. Primer shouldn't be a problem. I use Tamiya grey primer, but other brands should work. No special considerations for glosscote or dullcote. I just found other paint I liked better. I switched to Vallejo.
I painted a model one time for a friend as a bardering trade. He did some work for me and I painted a loco in return. Well he supplied me with the decals and paint. It was my first experience with using Badger Model flex and it will be my last. I found that it splattered out of the airbrush and was just too thin for my likings. I usually paint with Scalecoat or Floquil and paint around 13psi. I found that with the Badger even turning the psi down even lower didnt help me much. This is just my experience from using it the one time, so take my experience as a grain of salt compared to someone that uses it on a regular basis. Ryan
I rarely airbrush and mostly hand-paint. (Horrors!) Dries quickly, but also dries up quickly. I've thrown out several mostly unused bottles. However... PollyScale is rapidly becoming the benchmark in that area. I've had to throw out several never-used bottles.
Have not used it for quite a while as I no longer model US railroads, but when I had my N scale freightcar kit business I used a lot of Modelflex and found it very good. IIRC I used to thin it slightly with acrylic thinner with good results from the airbrush. Cannot remember any drying up problems, but I used to buy regularly and use up the pots quite quickly.
I used to paint a lot of diesels, (horrible! :-O,) primarily in HO and used almost exclusively the modelflex paints. It adheres well to a properly prepped surface and seemed to hold up well being handled. I did have to thin it to spray it with an older single action Badger airbrush. My only critique then was that it goes on too grainy for N scale, and so doesn't look good in photos. Tho in HO and bigger it looked alright. I can't speak to todays formula as to it's N scale worthiness, as I closed up that business in 96.
I've not used it for train stuff, but have for planes. Yes, it takes some adjusting if you are used to good old solvent based paints. But I would not say it's bad. You just need to learn it's quirks. It dries in the air faster than the solvent based, so you have to adjust your airbrush techniques. Lets face it, they're not going to make paints with the really good stuff anymore, no matter what. So may as well learn to live with what's available.
Just my experience, I use a #3 needle at a slightly higher PSI from Tamiya and PS acrylics of 20. Ad a drop or two of acrylic thinner/reducer and it helps. I agree with the drying up in the bottle, had that happen a lot to me.
I've airbrushed it and brushed it as well. It's wierd stuff. It doesn't behave like normal paint, particularly brushing it. You put on a coat and it looks like crap. Let it dry. Just get a surface on it. Second coat, repeatedly brush it, rapidly until the water either looses surface tension or evaporates, not sure what's going on and suddenly it 'graps'. Then it's fine. It doesn't show brush marks and it's very durable. After you get over that initial shock of what it looks like on the first coat you'll be fine. I did my GHQ L1, all brush, in PRR Brunswick Green. Looks just fine, thank you. Took like four coats to get the coverage I wanted. Never chipped though.
I have several bottles of Badger Accuflex (the predecessor to Modelflex) and I like it very much. I have to thin it a lot. I do have some issues with it drying out. Most of the paints that I have that dry out are in plastic bottles. If Modelflex was in glass bottles would this prevent it from drying out? I do plan to use the new Badger Modelflex. Might as well learn something. I will eventually go to solvent based paint if necessary but there are some other choices first. BTW...I once stated here that Accuflex was no longer made. Turns out that is incorrect. Who makes Accuflex now? Thanks.
Flash, you're correct. Testors bought the line from Badger and then killed it shortly thereafter. It's no longer made from the info I've gathered. I found a guy on the net selling his personal collection of Accuflex paint so I bought 36 bottles at $1 a piece since he still had the primary colors I use available. Even if only half the bottles are useable, I'm still ahead based on the average cost of new Modeflex and Polly Scale bottles. I can live with that. He said it's the newer paint that Testors started putting in glass jars versus the plastic bottle Badger used. From what I have gathered, Badger changed the formula and came out with Modeflex after the sale and a certain waiting period. At least that's how the story seems to flow... http://www.highlandsstationllc.com/ACCUflex.htm Brian
13 psi is way too low for modelflex paints. i usually spray ait 35psi.... out of the bottle works fine. never thinned the paint except for some very subtle weathering. also, you better get used to different paints than floquil and polly. seems testor stops the production. http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/13972 (where does this link under 'bottle works fine' come from ?????)
Sounds like this paint is just like any other, an you mileage may vary . Thanks for all your input here so far, I appreciate all of it!
Yes we're all aware of that, see the other thread on this and other forums. That's why I asked about ModeFlex, I'm thinking I'd like to try it and see if I like it!
kalbert, depending on your needs you might give true-line-train paints a try. in my opinion the best paint you can get. unfortunately there are only a few colors available.
Sandro you better stock up on True Line because Testors makes it for Darren. I hear he is looking for a new manufacture and he has his paint formulas.
Doesn't true line specialize in Canadian colors? How many of these might be adaptable to US railroads? Seems like there'd be a bit a coverage gap.
"True Line Train paint is blended by the RPM corporation to our strict standards and is consistent from batch to batch." - www.truelinetrains.ca I can only assume that True Line paint is Pollyscale with a different label, and possibly in custom colors for True Line. That would make it a very good paint, but also put it on the endangered species list. For railroad specific colors I'm going to give ModelFlex a try, I've heard enough good things about it that it's worth picking up a couple bottles and giving it a go. For the standard rust, dirt, grease, concrete, brick, etc colors I'm thinking about giving Vallejo a try. The military and figure modelers seem to like it, and they have lots of colors in their catalog.
Problem is that there are not many paint companies that can do small batch, fine grind paints such as model paint. Even more difficult is finding filling equipment for paint that can do 1/2 oz bottles. Not easy and not many of them out there. It can be done by hand filling, but that is expensive and not very practical. Testors is one of the few companies in the US that can do it, and it sounds like since they are reducing their floor space by 75%, they are not going to have a lot of capacity left. True Line is going to have their work cut out for them.
And actually, that more 'plastic-y' type quality can be helpful... It is more durable on plastic handrails and other parts made from that... what is it? Delrin I think? It tends to flex more and be less brittle. Hey, maybe that's where the 'flex' comes in.
