Airframes
Benevolens Magister
As many of you probably know, I use Humbrol enamels, both for modelling and painting details in some of my pictures, and have done since around 1960. Over the past year, I have experienced a number of problems with the paints, ranging from variation in shade of the same colour, matt paints drying semi gloss or patchy, some paints not drying at all etc etc. There are also problems with the tins not sealing after being opened, and a consistant problem with paints going hard in the tin, after only a couple of weeks.
What I would like to know is, what problems, if any, have you expereienced with Humbrol paints, how often, how recently, any particular colours and so on?
The reason I want this information is because I feel that Hornby, the current owners of the Humbrol brand name, ought to be made aware of the problems concerning this well - known and long standing product line. This has been brought to a head tonight, when I spent two hours trying to clean my airbrush, after unsuccessfully attempting to spray Humbrol Gloss varnish onto my Boston model.
Whichever ratio of thinner to varnish I used, the stuff would, at best, just spit, or flow very slowly, in a narrow, uneven jet, a sure sign that the medium is clogging the needle and or nozzle. This is often caused by the carrier and the varnish medium (what would be pigment if it was a paint) separating, forming sticky lumps or beads.
When I eventually did achieve something vaguely approaching partial flow, the varnish settled in a patchy fashion, exhibiting 'bloom' as the nearest finish to gloss, whilst the rest was a patchy matt to semi matt finish. I eventually removed what little I had sprayed, and turned to the ubiquitous Johnson's Klear (Future) in order to apply a gloss coat.
It is interesting that this is only the second time I have used this particular tin. The first occassion was when I sprayed the Beaufighter a few weeks ago, achieving a vwery nice gloss finish, and I am wondering if the air content has affected the varnish in the tin, something that never used to happen.
Rather than just contact Hornby, and go on the attack with a 'your paint is sh**' approach, I would rather have some feedback, in order to explain, in a civil manner, what problems are being experienced by people, across the World. Afterall, as already mentioned, it may be that Hornby are totally unaware of any problems with this product line, even if they are wondering what's happened to sales of some Airfix products! If the problems continue, it is very possible that customers will turn to alternative products, which could eventually result in the Humbrol name disappearing completely.
Just a little brief history of Humbrol, to give you some idea of the background to the original company, and when I believe these problems first started.
Humbrol was a brand name, later the trading name, of the Humber Oil Company, formed, at Hull, UK, in 1919. In the early 1950's the company started to produce a vast range of paints designed specifically for the then new, but booming, plastic modelling market, and also produced dopes and other finishes for flying models, as well as glues and cements, the current polystyrene cement originally being known as 'Britfix'. By the late 1960's, they were the first company to introduce a range of specifically matched paints for modellers requiring authentic camouflage finishes for Luftwaffe, RAF, USAAF etc aircraft, known as 'Authentic Colours', and also had a range of paints for authentic railway colours, for the model railway enthusiast. All of these paints were specially formualted to be free-flowing, give good coverage without being so 'thick' as to clog detail, and have a quick drying time. They were packaged and sold in the familiar 14ml tinlet, with some colours also being available in larger tins, and aerosols (the current tinlets themselves also show a drop in quality of manufacture!).
Over recent years, the company has had a few changes, being part of the Borden Group, acquiring Heller, before going into receivership and being taken over by an Irish holdings company. In 2006, the company again went into recievership, and the original factory (for the paints etc) at Marfleet, Hull, closed down. The company was bought by Hornby Products, who also took on the Airfix, Scalextric and other brands, Airfix of course, being part of the Humbrol package already.
Up until approximately a year ago, there was no problem with Humbrol paints, and I suspect this was because there were still ample stocks of the original product and, probably, the original tinlets, which bore the Marfleet, Hull address. However, about a year ago, I first started to notice the problems of drying, separation and so on, even though the actual paint came in a tin with the Hull address, a location that had been closed, and derelict, for at least two years. (Some of you may remember my comments, after trying to paint a 1/48th Huey helicopter, as a gift for a friend!)
Over the last few months, the paint has been sold in a 'cheaper' quality tinlet, and the address is shown as the Hornby address, in Ramsgate, Kent, UK. These paints have a different smell, in most cases have a deep 'layer' of oil carrier floating on top of a very thick, sluggish pigment, and take a long, long time to stir to anything resembling a usable 'consistency'. Also, many of the Matt paints have a gloss finish to the colour on the lid, some have totally different numbers to the original paint number, stamped on the lid, and many can show a distinct variation in shade within the same colour number. One paint in particular, Number11 Silver, bears absolutely no resemblance to the original Number 11, being more of a metallic light grey, instead of the bright, almost chrome silver it once was.
So, that's it. If you've had problems, however small, any information would be welcomed, in order for me to write to Hornby, point out these shortcomings, and see what, if any, response is received.
Thanks for taking the time to read this rather protracted post!
Terry.
What I would like to know is, what problems, if any, have you expereienced with Humbrol paints, how often, how recently, any particular colours and so on?
The reason I want this information is because I feel that Hornby, the current owners of the Humbrol brand name, ought to be made aware of the problems concerning this well - known and long standing product line. This has been brought to a head tonight, when I spent two hours trying to clean my airbrush, after unsuccessfully attempting to spray Humbrol Gloss varnish onto my Boston model.
Whichever ratio of thinner to varnish I used, the stuff would, at best, just spit, or flow very slowly, in a narrow, uneven jet, a sure sign that the medium is clogging the needle and or nozzle. This is often caused by the carrier and the varnish medium (what would be pigment if it was a paint) separating, forming sticky lumps or beads.
When I eventually did achieve something vaguely approaching partial flow, the varnish settled in a patchy fashion, exhibiting 'bloom' as the nearest finish to gloss, whilst the rest was a patchy matt to semi matt finish. I eventually removed what little I had sprayed, and turned to the ubiquitous Johnson's Klear (Future) in order to apply a gloss coat.
It is interesting that this is only the second time I have used this particular tin. The first occassion was when I sprayed the Beaufighter a few weeks ago, achieving a vwery nice gloss finish, and I am wondering if the air content has affected the varnish in the tin, something that never used to happen.
Rather than just contact Hornby, and go on the attack with a 'your paint is sh**' approach, I would rather have some feedback, in order to explain, in a civil manner, what problems are being experienced by people, across the World. Afterall, as already mentioned, it may be that Hornby are totally unaware of any problems with this product line, even if they are wondering what's happened to sales of some Airfix products! If the problems continue, it is very possible that customers will turn to alternative products, which could eventually result in the Humbrol name disappearing completely.
Just a little brief history of Humbrol, to give you some idea of the background to the original company, and when I believe these problems first started.
Humbrol was a brand name, later the trading name, of the Humber Oil Company, formed, at Hull, UK, in 1919. In the early 1950's the company started to produce a vast range of paints designed specifically for the then new, but booming, plastic modelling market, and also produced dopes and other finishes for flying models, as well as glues and cements, the current polystyrene cement originally being known as 'Britfix'. By the late 1960's, they were the first company to introduce a range of specifically matched paints for modellers requiring authentic camouflage finishes for Luftwaffe, RAF, USAAF etc aircraft, known as 'Authentic Colours', and also had a range of paints for authentic railway colours, for the model railway enthusiast. All of these paints were specially formualted to be free-flowing, give good coverage without being so 'thick' as to clog detail, and have a quick drying time. They were packaged and sold in the familiar 14ml tinlet, with some colours also being available in larger tins, and aerosols (the current tinlets themselves also show a drop in quality of manufacture!).
Over recent years, the company has had a few changes, being part of the Borden Group, acquiring Heller, before going into receivership and being taken over by an Irish holdings company. In 2006, the company again went into recievership, and the original factory (for the paints etc) at Marfleet, Hull, closed down. The company was bought by Hornby Products, who also took on the Airfix, Scalextric and other brands, Airfix of course, being part of the Humbrol package already.
Up until approximately a year ago, there was no problem with Humbrol paints, and I suspect this was because there were still ample stocks of the original product and, probably, the original tinlets, which bore the Marfleet, Hull address. However, about a year ago, I first started to notice the problems of drying, separation and so on, even though the actual paint came in a tin with the Hull address, a location that had been closed, and derelict, for at least two years. (Some of you may remember my comments, after trying to paint a 1/48th Huey helicopter, as a gift for a friend!)
Over the last few months, the paint has been sold in a 'cheaper' quality tinlet, and the address is shown as the Hornby address, in Ramsgate, Kent, UK. These paints have a different smell, in most cases have a deep 'layer' of oil carrier floating on top of a very thick, sluggish pigment, and take a long, long time to stir to anything resembling a usable 'consistency'. Also, many of the Matt paints have a gloss finish to the colour on the lid, some have totally different numbers to the original paint number, stamped on the lid, and many can show a distinct variation in shade within the same colour number. One paint in particular, Number11 Silver, bears absolutely no resemblance to the original Number 11, being more of a metallic light grey, instead of the bright, almost chrome silver it once was.
So, that's it. If you've had problems, however small, any information would be welcomed, in order for me to write to Hornby, point out these shortcomings, and see what, if any, response is received.
Thanks for taking the time to read this rather protracted post!
Terry.
