# How Long Can PLastic Model Paints Last In Storage?



## soundhd

Just getting back into modeling. Just opened up a storage box that I remembered had some modeling supplies in and found about 20 bottles of Testors enamel paint and about 15 bottles/cans of 1/2 oz Humbrol "authentic color" paint (has a flammable caution note on the containers so I assume they are enamel also). 
The Testors were sitting on their "sides" so I turned then over to the opposite side and the Humbrol's were "right side up" so I turned them upside down...
Going to let them sit for a few days and see how they come out.
I could see the "liquid" moving around in the Testor's bottles.
Just wondering ow long hobby paints last?

thanks


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## slotcardan

......


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## djnick66

It depends on the paint itself and if its been opened before. I have some Humbrol and Pactra paints from 40 years ago that are still usable.


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## Trek Ace

I still have some unopened Testors paint jars that I bought back in 1961 that are still liquid. They even have the 5¢ price still printed on the lid.


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## Zathros

*Yep, same for this old man modeler..I have paints for about 20 years or so...as long as the bottle was tightly sealed, I have found them still good..may have to use a bit of thinner on occasion with some of the enamels..but that's about it..

Z*


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## djnick66

Trek Ace said:


> I still have some unopened Testors paint jars that I bought back in 1961 that are still liquid. They even have the 5¢ price still printed on the lid.


Oh yeah... I have a couple Ooooold Testors Ed Roth custom color enamels in the little 1/4 oz jars. Those have to date back to the early to mid 60s. They are still liquid in the jars and mix if you shake them (a lot)


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## scooke123

Yea, I have some 30+ year old paint that is still usable. A little thinner in some of the older paints may be needed.


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## soundhd

ooooo...ED Roth.......a chapter from the "way back machine".......lol 



djnick66 said:


> Oh yeah... I have a couple Ooooold Testors Ed Roth custom color enamels in the little 1/4 oz jars. Those have to date back to the early to mid 60s. They are still liquid in the jars and mix if you shake them (a lot)


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## hal9001

I bought some *Floquil Military Colors* on eBay recently that shake up just fine and those were dropped just after Testors bought the line (_don't get me __started!!) _way back in the late 80's-90's?

Only one bottle out of a couple of dozen bottles was dried up. And I mean DRIED up, which means the cap must have been loose. In fact the carrier had leached out and stained the Mfg.'s six pack box.

As long as they are stored well and out of heat and light and they are sealed properly, as many have testified, they should last quite a long time!

Good luck,
Carl-


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## mcdougall

These are 51 years old and still liquid...

Hell I'm 10 years older than these paints and I still have liquid in me (and a little dust)
Mcdee


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## John P

Same here. Just last night I used some Floquil military colors from God knows when. I have some Polly-S acrylics that still work, that I bought on clearance from a hobby shop that went out of business in the early 90s.

Conversely I have much newer paints that separated or dried out within a year.

Toss a coin!


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## djnick66

hal9001 said:


> I bought some *Floquil Military Colors* on eBay recently that shake up just fine and those were dropped just after Testors bought the line (_don't get me __started!!) _way back in the late 80's-90's?
> 
> O


Testors DID NOT buy out Floquil and they had NOTHING to do with Floquil being discontinued (or Poly Scale either). Testors, Floquil, Poly Scale and Pactra were all owned by the same Canadian parent company, RPM. RPM I believe is also the Rustoleum company... At any rate, RPM decided the Floquil brand was not universally as well known as Testors so it was discontinued in favor of expanding the more familiar Testors ranges with the Model Master II line. RPM felt two competing lines in the same stable were not viable financially and one was not well known or sold outside of the USA...

I really liked the Floquil stuff too, and it was dumb for RPM to drop it. But, it seemingly was not a big seller compared to Testors which is sold just about everywhere. I also liked the old Pactra INternational series of military paints. Those vanished in the 80s as well. 

I suspect there were other issues involved with discontinuing Floquil too... as around that same time, Testors totally reformulated all of their enamel paints. Likewise, Humbrol paints were pulled from the US until the new (revised formula) Super Enamel range was reintroduced. RPM probably did not feel like reformulating two competing paint ranges.


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## starduster

Ha, not too long ago I found several old model car parts along with a box of model paints from around 1950 and all were still in good shape these paints were great then and still good today, wish other things were that well made. Karl


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## Skymnky261

Most of my paint last a few yrs,,some colors go bad after about 6 months,,bizzare. What gets me is when my testors enamel turns to a "gel" after a few months,,if I add a bit of thinner,,its ok for about a week,,and then it turns to complete gel,,almost jello like,,but not all colors do that,,WTHey?,,Acrylics dont do it at all. I dont get it.


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## mr-replica

*Testors paints*



Skymnky261 said:


> Most of my paint last a few yrs,,some colors go bad after about 6 months,,bizzare. What gets me is when my testors enamel turns to a "gel" after a few months,,if I add a bit of thinner,,its ok for about a week,,and then it turns to complete gel,,almost jello like,,but not all colors do that,,WTHey?,,Acrylics dont do it at all. I dont get it.


Testors paints last a long time. Just this morning, I used two old bottles to detail a 1/25 Kenworth I am building. The bottles were at least ten years old, what you do is, add some Testors thinner and stir well.


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## Disco58

I have Testors square bottles with 15 cents printed on the lid, if that says anything. They're fine.


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## charonjr

A thing to keep in mind is to store the paint bottles tight and inverted. This allows the pigment to fall down to the cap and blocks the solvent from being able to evaporate via the cap grooves.


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## Cro-Magnon Man

I've got some Humbrol enamel tins from 1977-78 that are still liquid and work just fine, but compared to some of the paints in other replies they're quite recent purchases!


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## mr-replica

mr-replica said:


> Testors paints last a long time. Just this morning, I used two old bottles to detail a 1/25 Kenworth I am building. The bottles were at least ten years old, what you do is, add some Testors thinner and stir well.


Yes, exactly.


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## mr-replica

Last year, at a yard sale, I bought a big box of old Testors paints, some bottles and some spray cans. Some were covered in dust, but I offered $2 for the box and got it. Some of the bottles were useless and dried out, but some I added thinner to, and was able to use. 

All the spray cans worked, but of course, I didn't use the spray nozzles on them. I used newer nozzles. 

I recall back in about maybe 1990, an auto parts store somehow had some ancient automotive spray cans, colors of GM, Ford, Chrysler and AMC, from the 1960's. They were 10 cents a can, I bought 31 cans. 

Surprisingly, they all were fine. (Of course as you all know, you use primer first on plastic before applying automotive paint). 

I guess you never know on these things?


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## djnick66

I have a lot of Testors sprays where the gas has bled out of the cans. The paint is still good, though, and can be decanted and airbrushed.


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## MM2CVS9

*Same here*



Disco58 said:


> I have Testors square bottles with 15 cents printed on the lid, if that says anything. They're fine.


Here's my old stuff. got a whole box and most are still just fine with a bit of thinning.





EJ


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