Reviews of general scale modeling products such as paint, glue, etc.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
March 15, 2023
Company
Tru-Color Paint
MSRP
$42.95

Rick Galazzo and Scott Cohen started Tru-Color Paint in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008, based on their experience in formulating paint for the commercial market. They reformulated the former Accupaint formulas and created this paint line. It is refreshing to see that in today’s day and age with model kits and supplies moving overseas, that these paints are made in the USA. They have five paint lines including automotive, aircraft, naval and military colors, including many sets to make a project easier by having all the colors in one box. Another huge bonus for me is that Scott Cohen wrote a personal letter explaining the paints for review, a request for new paint color suggestions, and genuinely supporting modelers and IPMS. Based on all this, I was eager to try these paints for myself.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
February 6, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$13.99

For anyone painting United States Army Helicopters from the Vietnam-era onward, one of the latest releases from Ammo by Mig is an Air Set providing three different greens and flat black for the rotor blades. The bottles include a mixing ball (as identified by the yellow cap) which greatly aids in agitating the paint prior to use. I find the paints of a consistency that allows for brush painting straight from the bottle, and I add a small amount of thinner when airbrushing. This is a great set that I highly recommend if you have any US Army helicopters in your stash.

Review Author
Mr. Paul Dunham
Published on
January 27, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$6.14

Ammo’s “Quake Crackle Creator Textures” are a line of thick acrylic paints formulated to dry with cracked surfaces in order to simulate terrain such as dried mud or cracked pavement. Quake is available in five colors: Crackle Base (white), Old Blacktop (black), Scorched Sand (tan), Baked Earth (brown), and Dry Season Clay (red-brown). I’ve tried the first three colors in this review. The product comes in 40ml plastic bottles. The screw-caps are nearly as wide as the bottles and have prominent ridges, so if you get paint on the threads, you can still get the bottles open.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
January 25, 2023
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$16.95

This is a new riveting tool from UMM-USA and adds to its growing line of modeling tools. The single wheel tool allows you to emboss fine rivet lines on plastic, resin, soft wood, and thin metal sheets. The black handle, about the thickness of a Bic pen, fit well in my hand and was comfortable to use.

I experimented with the tool on several different types of styrene and an old plastic kit. I used a thin plastic ruler on the flat surfaces and found that it was easy to emboss a row of rivets. On some pieces of pieces of styrene I had to put more pressure on the tool due to the hardness of the styrene. On curves surfaces I used a thin metal straightedge from an old drafting class – labeling tape would also work well.

I found the tool easy to use and I was impressed by the rivet lines produced. I look forward to using it on some of my older kits where there are no rivets.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
January 25, 2023
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$12.95

This is a new tool that was added to UMM-USA’s line of modeling tools this fall. The tool consists of a thin double-edged saw blade and black plastic handle. It is intended to be used with resin parts and thin styrene.

The tool is used similar to a full-sized keyhole saw. While it can be used like a standard saw, cutting from the edge in, its principal use is to cut a hole inside a part. I experimented by drawing out a rectangular panel on scrap styrene, drilling pilot holes at each corner and then using the saw to cut from hole to hole, creating a rectangular opening. The corners were then cut out using a sharp Xacto knife.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$17.61

AMMO by Mig has released a new line of acrylic paints for railroad modellers called the Rail Center. There are 41 railroad specific colors in the series, with twelve box sets:

  • Ammo.R-1000 Spanish Renfe Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1001 Dutch Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1002 British Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1003 German DB Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1004 German DR Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1005 Germany DRG-DB Steam Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1006 Via Rail Canada Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1007 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 1
  • Ammo.R-1008 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 2
  • Ammo.R-1009 British Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1010 American Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1011 German Freight Cars

The paints depart from the familiar Ammo by Mig 17ml eye drop containers and are packaged in 15ml cylinders with stirring balls.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$17.59

AMMO by Mig has released a new line of acrylic paints for railroad modelers called the Rail Center. There are 41 railroad specific colors in the series, with twelve box sets:

  • Ammo.R-1000 Spanish Renfe Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1001 Dutch Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1002 British Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1003 German DB Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1004 German DR Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1005 Germany DRG-DB Steam Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1006 Via Rail Canada Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1007 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 1
  • Ammo.R-1008 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 2
  • Ammo.R-1009 British Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1010 American Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1011 German Freight Cars

The paints depart from the familiar Ammo by Mig 17ml eye drop containers and are packaged in 15ml cylinders with stirring balls.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
January 16, 2023
Company
UMM-USA
Scale
n/a
MSRP
$6.95

UMM-USA is known for many things and one of them is tools. Tools specifically found or designed by owner John Vojtech. If you look at just the web page for the chisels, there are 26 different varieties or sets. You can find them here:

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/index.php?cPath=21_224

The two we are reviewing here are the 2.0mm elliptical chisel (Umm 38) and 3.5mm flat double beveled chisel (UMM16). They both have great handles which provide a very sturdy grip.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
January 10, 2023
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$12.95

This is a new scribing tool that was added to UMM-USA’s line of modeling tools this fall. The fine chisel point allows the tool to be used either to clean out or sharpen existing panel lines or create new ones. The hook point has a nice sharp triangular point that easily cuts through plastic and allows you to adjust the depth and cutting angle by moving your hand.

The textured handle helps you keep a good grip on the scriber and find the position that is most comfortable for you.

I used the scriber to re-scribe the panel lines on an old Airfix Vulcan (the original kit, not the new one) as sanding and filling the joints on the upper and lower wing had pretty much obliterated the original raised panel lines. Using the scriber and a small plastic ruler I had no trouble creating new panel lines on the flat body of the Vulcan and using a thin flexible metal straight-edge I was able to scribe new panel lines over the curved spine and nose of my Vulcan.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
January 9, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$12.40

A new release from prolific AMMO by Mig Jimenez, is this three-color acrylic paint set labeled for the three tone NATO camouflage. The paint comes in 17ml plastic bottles, complete with a stirring ball, in a clear plastic clamshell box. While the paints can be procured individually, the three major colors are included (and most likely cheaper than buying them individually). The following paints are included:

  • AMMO 0046 Matt Black
  • AMMO 0084 NATO Green
  • AMMO 0085 NATO Brown

I am a fan of AMMO acrylic paints and am very impressed with this paint set. While advanced modelers and painters can mix their own colors, basic modelers like myself prefer the easy off-the-shelf solution provided in this set. With the plethora of NATO vehicles wearing the NATO three tone camouflage since the 1980s, there are numerous vehicles waiting to be painted with this easy-to-use solution. The paints are also odorless and non-toxic.