Same Old Story

[Peterpools]

It seems like everything else these days, when I try to place an order, more and more of what I need for upcoming projects are, 

Out of Stock or Back Ordered. Rarely is everything I need for a build in stock the past few years and I'm forced to spend hours online trying to find what I need all from a single vendor, trying to avoid paying shipping fees from two different vendors. 

What I have been doing for example with 48th scaler, buying mainly Eduard Profi kits or the Magic Factry Corsair set, where the kits have: die cut canopy masks, PE detail set with seatbelts and some resin. Cost is normally better then buying everything separately but more import, I get what I need in in the box without wasting a lot of time for nothing.  

 

[ScottsGT]

I know the feeling.  Just placed an order with Squadron for some AK paint FS 16473 since MRP or Mr. Color doesn’t make it.  Of course I need to get some more Leveling Thinner and they don’t carry Mr. Color products.  Then again, I don’t have a local hobby shop and even if there was one in the nearest town I would spend the same on gas to get there. 

[Peterpools]

Scott

Right on the money. Nothing as frustrating as spending hours hunting for what you need and then to find out it's out of stock and who knows when it will be in stock. Mr Hobby Self Leveling Thinner has been out of stock almost everywhere for months now at: SB, SH, Hobby Nut Models to just name a few.

I was thinking of trying Tamiya Lacquer Thinner but is way more expensive the Self level Thinner. 

[belugawhaleman]

1 hour ago, Peterpools said:

Scott

Right on the money. Nothing as frustrating as spending hours hunting for what you need and then to find out it's out of stock and who knows when it will be in stock. Mr Hobby Self Leveling Thinner has been out of stock almost everywhere for months now at: SB, SH, Hobby Nut Models to just name a few.

I was thinking of trying Tamiya Lacquer Thinner but is way more expensive the Self level Thinner. 

Leveling thinner here:

https://www.usagundamstore.com/products/mr-hobby-color-leveling-thinner-400ml-t108-gunze-gsi-creos-airbrush-paint-supply

[Peterpools]

Thanks Paul

I bought two 400 ml bottle from them a week ago and if it wasn't for the storm we just had, was scheduled to be delivered today, now tomorrow. Just seems so much of everything is either back ordered or out of stock. I' guess it's just the world we live in now. 

 

[ScottsGT]

USAGundam is one of my secrete go to’s for hard to find Mr. Color stuff. At least it use to be. Now all you clowns know my hidden hidey hole of paint supplies.  😡

Since we’re sharing, here’s another.  But they’re also out of leveling thinner right now. 
https://gundamplacestore.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAnfmsBhDfARIsAM7MKi3uvQEyAatGFnNCICw9bkT_U1xIAoFyvkfu7qhTbYT9SpTwxyFnmG4aAlRlEALw_wcB

[belugawhaleman]

8 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Thanks Paul

I bought two 400 ml bottle from them a week ago and if it wasn't for the storm we just had, was scheduled to be delivered today, now tomorrow. Just seems so much of everything is either back ordered or out of stock. I' guess it's just the world we live in now. 

 

I ordered two bottles from them earlier today...then I saw your post. It's the same story for most Takom kits...I'm debating

wether to order one from Hong Kong!

[belugawhaleman]

9 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

USAGundam is one of my secrete go to’s for hard to find Mr. Color stuff. At least it use to be. Now all you clowns know my hidden hidey hole of paint supplies.  😡

Since we’re sharing, here’s another.  But they’re also out of leveling thinner right now. 
https://gundamplacestore.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAnfmsBhDfARIsAM7MKi3uvQEyAatGFnNCICw9bkT_U1xIAoFyvkfu7qhTbYT9SpTwxyFnmG4aAlRlEALw_wcB

I've also ordered from them too!

[KevinM]

I am glad my Hobbytown in Mobile usually keeps that stuff on hand granted it's an hour drive but hey get out of town eat out.The other shop sad to say is an independent in New Orleans about 1.5 hrs out and a really cool store but it's New Orleans!!The last time I was there I spent like 400/500 bucks they had alot of stuff there,there are certain parts of that city anymore that only a .45 can be my friend.

[BlrwestSiR]

It's like hitting the jackpot if you can order everything for a project from one place in one go. That's yet to happen for me. It's usually place an order for some stuff from one place, another order elsewhere or later on and hope it all arrives when I want to start. But shipping costs are making that an expensive option. Then throw paint and supplies into the mix. 

Just today I was hunting around in my paints for a colour I needed. I think I have around 500 different bottles of paint (not counting multiples) and I found two in the colour I needed. Yes, I really should consolidate on a couple paint lines and stop buying all over the place. 

As for Mr Color Levelling Thinner, it's gotten a bit thin on the ground here too but still available. More importantly though, it's gone up in price almost 50%. So with the last few sales at my LHS, I've stocked up on Tamiya thinner with retarder (their version of Levelling Thinner) and airbrush cleaner. 

Again, I'm happy to have a well stocked Hobby shop in my city. 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Way to go.

Unfortunately, Tamiya thinner with retarder isn't available here in the state, same with their white cap glue that comes in the same shape bottle as Extra thin.  Tamiya thinner yellow cap in a 250ml bottle (largest size) is about $11 while SLT 400 ml is about $12.50 - quite a difference in price.

I normally buy most supplies in doubles ... wish I had the room to store a supply like yours. 

Buying for me from at least two suppliers to fill my original order adds anywhere from $16-$20 per order and getting worse.

[BlrwestSiR]

It's interesting to see the price difference as well as availability. If I make it to the Nats, I should bring some down for you.

I wonder why they're not available in the US. Tamiya in Canada is brought in by a small (?) distributor, while you have Tamiya America in the States that's owned by Tamiya itself. 

I've picked up my Tamiya thinner for $9 on sale, usually $10 a bottle, while the big bottle of Levelling Thinner is now $18. Plus those prices are Canadian so more like $6.50 and $14 USD respectively. 

Gunze doesn't go on sale often but Tamiya does. 

And absolutely, shipping costs are something that can't be ignored any more when ordering. But it's not always easy to consolidate everything into one order. I wish more places do what HLJ does. They'll hold stuff that you've bought and paid for, for up to 60 days. Then you can keep adding to it and ship it all at once. So you get one bigger shipment rather that several small ones.

[Peterpools]

Carl

Good question. As an example, that comes to mind, when Tamiya started selling their lacquer LP paint range, they weren't available in the US for a good few years, and no one would ship them to the states. I have no idea why. Now they are everywhere their acrylic range of paints are sold. 

Just seems strange that a product SLT, that has been so readily available for years is now out of stock almost everywhere for months. Next thing you know there will be a nice size price increase when it becomes available again, due to supply shortages, shipping costs or maybe regulations required the labeling to be redone. Seem the same is with everything these days. 

Peter

 

[Jeff]

I’ve never understood how , other than GREED , if a product is low in stock it converts to HIGHER prices. In real life it should be , thats the price and when it’s gone it’s gone . And shipping costs are out of control, everything I buy has to be shipped as my closest Hobby shop is about 400 miles from here . All I want to do is ‘rent’ a little space in the truck , I don’t want to BUY the truck. And for the costs of shipping it seems packages are taking longer to get here and usually come with a fairly healthy dent or two. You guys who have a LHS are SO lucky, even if it is an hour away, a nice drive, lunch out, and fondle plastic … perfect day . I love to go to a hood hobby shop and just brouse and take it all in, BUT the ‘down side’ is that temptation is hard to resist, on line one can just walk away at the LHS , ah….. not so much. For me at least 🤭

[Peterpools]

Jeff

I think the answer is greed .. just a perfect excuse to raise prices. Still the question remains, why has SLT vanished from stocks and is nearly impossible to find?

[Jeff]

10 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Jeff

I think the answer is greed .. just a perfect excuse to raise prices. Still the question remains, why has SLT vanished from stocks and is nearly impossible to find?

Does, the low stocks come under the same category?? And then that does beg your question as to why it has vanished off the shelves............ will it be gone for a while then re-stocked at a premium and they know sales will be high? I guess it's just business, but it makes things a challenge for the little guy.....

[Peterpools]

Jeff

Surely it does. 

[KevinM]

This is the place over in new Orleans basically the West side pass the dome.

 

https://hubhobbyshop.com/

[npb748r]

28 minutes ago, KevinM said:

This is the place over in new Orleans basically the West side pass the dome.

stop posting porn pictures, it's bad for my blood pressure  !!!🤪

[GusMac]

19 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

It's like hitting the jackpot if you can order everything for a project from one place in one go. That's yet to happen for me. It's usually place an order for some stuff from one place, another order elsewhere or later on and hope it all arrives when I want to start. But shipping costs are making that an expensive option. Then throw paint and supplies into the mix. 

Just today I was hunting around in my paints for a colour I needed. I think I have around 500 different bottles of paint (not counting multiples) and I found two in the colour I needed. Yes, I really should consolidate on a couple paint lines and stop buying all over the place. 

As for Mr Color Levelling Thinner, it's gotten a bit thin on the ground here too but still available. More importantly though, it's gone up in price almost 50%. So with the last few sales at my LHS, I've stocked up on Tamiya thinner with retarder (their version of Levelling Thinner) and airbrush cleaner. 

Again, I'm happy to have a well stocked Hobby shop in my city. 

There's the reason for the shortages fellas - Carl has it all!! 😁

[belugawhaleman]

I noticed on Amazon how vendors raise prices on scarce items. There's

a couple of items that are selling at almost twice what they originally sold

for! One, is a hard to find kit from Pegasus Hobbies. Luckily, I found it

on ETSY for a reasonable price. I remember when it was hard to find Tamiya

Olive drab anywhere.... 

[BradG]

I noticed recently a lot of aftermarket isn't coming into Australia. A large retailer that use to stock a lot of that pulled the pin and post from anywhere is expensive to down under. Not to mention the issues on the docks here with unions threatening strikes and recent go slow work conditions, a lot of stuff is probably still sitting in sea containers.

[Peterpools]

Brad

Sad state of affairs ... unfortunately just not much we can do about it. 

[BlrwestSiR]

19 hours ago, KevinM said:

This is the place over in new Orleans basically the West side pass the dome.

 

https://hubhobbyshop.com/

For a moment, I thought that you'd managed to sneak into Ernie's place and get pics of his stash!

Then I saw the Gundam models. 

[BlrwestSiR]

18 hours ago, npb748r said:

stop posting porn pictures, it's bad for my blood pressure  !!!🤪

There was a shop near my work that had a 10 ft long aisle that was only Gunze products. They've moved so aren't as convenient to get to but do offer free local shipping on orders over $40.