Weavers closing, along with Scalecoat

[Rich_S]

Like it or not, no matter how long of a discussion we have about the current state of the government, the bottom line is that Floquil and now Scalecoat paints are gone! What's next?  CA glue because it might be causing cancer?

These hobbies will not be as much fun anymore (at least for me).  And I don't want to hear about alternative paints. It seems that instead of a pleasurable time, my hobby is becoming more a struggle to find the hobby supplies which I prefer (and which  had been previously available for many decades).  Time to start thinking of moving on to pre-decorated structures from Woodland Scenics and RTR models from all the manufacturers. 

Peteski, It seems many already have chosen the path you are about to head down. Back when I started in "HO" all Athearn blue box models were kits, the old timers called them shake the box kits, but they were still kits. My first Gloor Craft kit was a true kit, a box full of wood strips and a instruction sheet. Most models you purchase today require no assembly. I'm not sure what happened along the way, but people use to enjoy building things and now it seems people enjoy showing off models that have all the bells and whistles direct from the manufacture. If people were still custom painting and decaling locomotives and rolling stock, Testors would still be producing Floquil paint. You know the old saying "Follow the money"

http://www.testors.com/pages/modelers/

No mention of model railroading on the above web page.

 

[sirenwerks]

Yes government is a necessary evil...

The evil part is a reflection on the owner of the government.  Too many people think there's is the majority thought and their representative can do no wrong when they stop the works holding out for one side of a belief when negotiation is the only real option.  Look at real issues that have gone unaddressed for too long - immigration, education, campaign finance... look how long the federal system has operated on an endless series of CRs rather than having a real budget approved by Congress.  We shouldn't be sending our reps to the Hill to screw everyone else, but to make our voice heard and get the best deal they can, and we should accept that; but let's not sit on our hands and kick the cans down the road anymore waiting for the perfect moment.

The people of this country have more power than even you might realize. The biggest problem is, the people refuse to realize the power they hold. For example, if you believe a company is doing wrong, stop purchasing their products. Their income comes from you purchasing their products.

In this age of shell and parent companies and DBA, it is far easier to, with major corporations, go straight to the heart and stop action before it hits the market.  If one does it wrong for cheap, they likely all will and then there's no alternative product/company to go with.  While the FDA is not the best model to cite, it is the process we should be using to approve possibly dangerous products/processes in all realms, like fracking.  Do no harm should be the mantra, not oh we'll clean it up later but for now fughettaboutit.

Do not buy into the "You didn't build that" lie.

Haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about.

[Rich_S]

The evil part is a reflection on the owner of the government.  Too many people think there's is the majority thought and their representative can do no wrong when they stop the works holding out for one side of a belief when negotiation is the only real option.  Look at real issues that have gone unaddressed for too long - immigration, education, campaign finance... look how long the federal system has operated on an endless series of CRs rather than having a real budget approved by Congress.  We shouldn't be sending our reps to the Hill to screw everyone else, but to make our voice heard and get the best deal they can, and we should accept that; but let's not sit on our hands and kick the cans down the road anymore waiting for the perfect moment.

In this age of shell and parent companies and DBA, it is far easier to, with major corporations, go straight to the heart and stop action before it hits the market.  If one does it wrong for cheap, they likely all will and then there's no alternative product/company to go with.  While the FDA is not the best model to cite, it is the process we should be using to approve possibly dangerous products/processes in all realms, like fracking.  Do no harm should be the mantra, not oh we'll clean it up later but for now fughettaboutit.

Haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about.

You're joking, you don't know what I'm talking about.

Now explain to me the issue with immigration?  We already have laws on the books regarding immigration, and none of them say you can just walk into our country. If you woke up one morning and found someone you did not know sleeping on your living room floor, would you just step over them or would you call the police. There is no other country in the world that would let you cross their border illegally and then let you stay in that country. We do not need immigration reform, we need to enforce the laws that are already in place. None of those laws stop people from becoming citizens, just don't try to sneak in the back door. 

we should be using to approve possibly dangerous products/processes in all realms, like fracking.

You're joking right? didn't you read the report from the government? Here is the report in the Washington Times.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/21/frackings-safety-gets-boost-from-federa-377430624/?page=all

In a nut shell, our government has turned into the Penn Central. It's the red team against the green team, they are spending way more than they are taking in and raising taxes on the 1% will only turn us into Greece. Now you may say it's unpatriotic for the wealthy to walk away, but they will say our government is acting irresponsibly in terms of finance. At one time in the country, the American dream was to own your own business and try and become independently wealthy. Now far too many people believe it's the governments job to take care of them. As long as this attitude continues, we will continue to see the US economy shrink. Sure you may say the unemployment numbers have been going down, but the problem is the public assistance numbers have been going up. The vast majority of people who lost their jobs in 2008, have not found new jobs, so now they are on public assistance. It will reach a point when the 48% will grow tired of supporting the 52% and that is when the bubble will really break. Don't believe me, just keep an eye on Greece, Greece is the Easter Island of the modern world.

One last point, I might be in the minority, but I do receive weekly / monthly email updates from my House of Representative congressman and my Senator in both the Federal government and my state government. I also regularly email them my views on the various subjects. I also believe too many citizens do not take an active role in their government, in this day and age it's very simple to send your representative an email. They are there for us, tell them what you think.

Also please note, this is a friendly debate, I'm not trying to start a flame war, just carrying on a conversation and I apologize for going off topic.       

[Doug G.]

Look, nobody's saying there should not be government and it's a little amazing anybody would think that.

It's all about government overreach and some of the nonsensical decisions made by government, supposedly in the name of protecting citizens or the planet when it's really furthering an agenda. Face it, some people involved in making these decisions should NOT be in a position to do so. They are fanatics.

And I miss being able to buy Floquil paints too and I understand the demise is more related to sales than regulations but do we really know that?

Doug

[pjm20]

I see nobody is sad to see Weavers go. 

[Denver Road Doug]

I'll admit that I don't custom paint a lot of stuff, but it is not because of lack of desire...even though there's a ton of RTR stuff out there, I still believe there are a LOT of opportunities for that segment of our hobby to thrive if given the chance.   And I have dozens of projects sitting in bins awaiting paint.   It just seems like finding that "perfect storm" of interest, a ton of research, a correct paint formula, the paints to actually acheive said formula, additional paint supplies like masking tapes, correct decals, creation of custom decals in lieu of that, the right ancillary chemicals like setting solutions, primer, etc., finding a good undec model, stripping and/or kitbashing in lieu of that, a decent place to paint, and adequate ventillation system, a working respirator, a decent work window aside from the rest of life's demands where you can truly focus on a project,  and THEN still having interest in the project after gathering all that....well it doesn't scream success.  Yet, still I do get a project or two done every once in awhile, and I have an addiction to buying paint and decals for future use. 

So seeing another domino fall is disappointing to me, but I'm not standing on the building ledge ready to jump.   What it really means is the costs will rise and that might deter some but probably not in the grand scheme.   I think we'll find ways to make the colors we want.  I suspect the stakeholders could have continued but it probably was a good milestone to say "let's do something else" and let someone else worry about it.    Market issues?  Meh, with a deck stacked against them I'd say without jumping into the political discussion too much.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, ok, ok, you guys all know the no politics rule, right?

In case you don't: there is a strict "no politics" rule here. It's one of the few rules we have, and it's in place to keep this place friendly and civil.

[sirenwerks]

Hey mods...  I know no policitics is one of the rules on TRW but can we steer this friendly debate over to the Crew Lounge for continuance and return this thread to Weaver mourning?

[peteski]

The no politics applies to the entire TRW forum (Crew Lounge too), thank you!  Thinking about it, it should also extend to religion, and track/wheel cleaning! 

I was smelling a thread lock here for a while. I think that mods are being very lenient.

[MVW]

You're joking right? didn't you read the report from the government? Here is the report in the Washington Times.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/21/frackings-safety-gets-boost-from-federa-377430624/?page=all

Sorry, Rich. Relying on the Washington Times as a news source is roughly akin to learning about railroad operations by watching Thomas the Tank Engine.

Jim

[coosvalley]

I, personally, think the whole Sir Topham Hat regime is corrupt...those damn Republicrats have ruined the Island of Sodor's economy....

Sounds like nonsense, right?...So does political talk on a model RR forum

Back to the little trains......Does Weaver make anything in N scale?

[johnb]

I, personally, think the whole Sir Topham Hat regime is corrupt...those damn Republicrats have ruined the Island of Sodor's economy....

I agree, hiding a tank car of tar at Percy's station so that Bertie the bus had a roughride is proof.....that my son likes Thomas

[sirenwerks]

Rich,

Peteski has a point so I'll end this by answering your queries.  No, I didn't know what quote/speech you were referring to.  I don't focus on politicians' words.  I focus on their actions and how they impact how my/our government functions.  I seek fact and intelligent reason, not fear and blame. 

I don't think Italy is turning those who arrive by raft on its shores away, that would be the most recent example I can think of.  I know through friends that Norway and Denmark are very lax about people who arrive without proper papers also.  And since my wife is a Moroccan national, I can tell you plenty that is wrong with the methodologies of the existing immigration system.

As for the fracking issue, I don't think one can turn a blind eye to the increasing issues that are being brought up surrounding the process.  The science may not be there to prove or disprove beyond a shadow of everyones' doubt that fracking is responsible for the water and other issues, but the math isn't too hard to do.  Regular seismic activity occuring in areas where fracking is occuring in earnest, where minimal plate tectonic activity existed before is kinda the geology version of a plague of locusts.  I laugh (uncomfortably) when the drilling industry says not to worry, that they're minor eartnhquakes; when damage to structures (houses, bridges, schools) that are not built to a resistant code aggregrate over time.  I think Arkansas was smart to ban the process.  And lo, once fracking stopped, the number of quakes dropped by 2/3.  Oh it's probably just a coincidence that the quakes started when fracking started and dropped so prolificly after...  Really?  Pull the wool over your own eyes.

[coosvalley]

 

[Rich_S]

Back to the little trains......Does Weaver make anything in N scale?

To the best of my knowledge, NO. I think their major focus is "O" scale. It's a shame as they seem to have quite a selection of O scale rolling stock.  It would be nice to see Bowser Mfg. pick up the line and the Scale coat paint.

sirenwerks, as other have mentioned this is a model railroad forum, you've said your piece and I've said mine, so now let's get back to talking trains