I find the state of our changing industry and labor and raw material shortages causing a not expected change. I called our primary sign supply house to place an order for some lettering colors we're getting low on. Said I didn't care if it was 1 shot or chromatic or Ronan, and they didn't have the colors I needed. Called two other suppliers and received the same reply. Finally found one that had all the colors in different brands and some bulletin colors rather than lettering color. They have lots of vinyl though.
Posted by Gerald Barlow (Member # 3477) on :
I concur, Rick. I have found that alternate sources may carry more paint colors than my regular sign supply houses. I think the big supply stores are catering to the vinyl users more than us. There aren't many of "us". Try TCP Global or Letterhead. I even order Ronan direct from Ronan. Times are a changin'. Jer
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Those colors you ordered may not perform quite as well as you experienced in times past either. Back in the heyday of One-Shot, one could paint on a coat of red, maroon, or purple, and it would last without fading for a good 5 to 7 years. This all changed when the formulations of paint omitted any lead-based pigments, and more dye based colors were incorporated into the formulas. Sign type paints will simply NOT outlast the same equivalent vinyls, and that's the current situation.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Ronan was sold. New folks won't sell to me.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Have you tried McLogans in Los Angeles or Coast AirBrush in Anaheim Callifornia? If McLogans ain't got paint,,,,
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Makes me think "So what is next? Are they going to start running out of the pigments for vinyl lettering? Is it all going to be about Digital Printing?"
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Alicia, McLogan's is where I ordered it from. I remember dealing with Freddie Silva down there in Anaheim back in 69. That's when I had my first account with them.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Rick, you're like the pasta maker who can't find Semolina flour. What to do, what to do!
Posted by Curt Stenz (Member # 82) on :
Rick, This whole thing is frustrating! Back in the 70's when I was a rookie, I used to be able to go to the local paint store and buy almost every color of 1-shot in most sizes. They had color charts too. Ronan must have changed ownership as they used to be so helpful and willing to sell direct.
Kind of makes you want to stock up on everything while you still can.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Wow! I looked on Coast Air Brush's web site,, Coast Air Brush They are out of stock on some 1-Shot colors. Never thought I'd see the day.
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Unfortunately, this issue will soon expand to the point of no longer being able to buy other essential tools of the trade. With the ever diminishing number of tradespeople who practice actual hand lettering, I'm predicting that brush and quill manufacturers will soon look at their declining sales numbers, and decide that the making and selling those items is no longer worth their while, and they'll fade away. It's a declining market, and it gets smaller with the passing of every tradesperson who had those skills, and used those tools. Sad, but the only constant in life is change, and it's either adapt, or get left behind.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Such a simple way to make a living,, just paint a sign.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
McLogans was also 15% cheaper than Glantz.
Posted by David Thompson (Member # 2395) on :
I've never used this myself, but I thought it might help.
Alpha has some good colors and some folks report other colors not so good. I still like my paint in a can.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
That's bad news that Ronan sold and isn't selling direct. That's how I've bought Ronan lettering enamels since most places only carry Ronan bulletin colors. I might have to switch over to Sherwin Williams. They have some very good paint now. One Shot, if still made in America, is probably having supply issues because they have been buying their pigments from China. This is one reason why One Shot paint doesn't last nearly as long as it didn't EVEN after they took the lead out.
