mikemodeler

JF stuff runs the course from not bad to this will take some time to be nice. The price is right and the subject matter sometimes is not available from other sources. No experience with SMH but have heard mixed reviews.

Check out Fireball Modelworks or Scenes Unlimited and put some modern wheels and tires on that truck, those Desert Dogs are so 1970's!

Um, don't think I was taking a swipe, just stating my reasons for not scooping up marked down kits and you gave yours for scooping up kits. I stand by my reasoning as many times I have been in the aisle at Hobby Lobby and witnessed someone struggling to find something they can afford. I will point out the coupon or direct them to the clearance section and get a nice "Thank You" as a result. We all talk about getting more people into this hobby and what better way than to help them afford it?

Might be able to find someone to do them with a 3D printer.

Most likely leftovers from previous sales. They got huge shipments of model kits, mostly Lindberg, and have periodically placed them out for sale. Still worth checking out as not all stores get the same assortment.

While one can appreciate finding a deal, when I am in the same situation, I leave them for the next guy. I have more than I will ever build and cannot see buying kits for the sake of buying kits. Who knows, maybe some father and son will be walking the aisles and wish there was something more affordable for them to buy and build together, maybe a single mother trying to please a kid and keep him busy for a couple of hours (or more) during this pandemic or like I was 45 years ago, trying to stretch my allowance to buy a kit to build. I see no sense in hoarding clearance kits "just because I can" but maybe that is me.

Doubt this will ever come to be Tom. Art is no longer a member here, he had some legal issues as it pertains to images found on his computer and the people contained in them. It should be noted that this post was from 2006, long before Art was charged and convicted of crimes.

I like the look of the second picture- I would leave it as is!

Most model companies have limited staff and those that work there typically wear multiple hats. If it is an existing tool that they are planning on running again, they might use pre-orders from kit distributors to finalize the decision. In the past, kits were announced but never made it to the shelves as demand waned and they weren't produced. If it's a new tool, they probably have a good idea of how well it will sell, especially if they scan the forums seeing what people are stating as their wants.

Found the Racers Wedge body parts in a scrap parts box today so i think I will get one for the pickup but will likely trade off the wedge bed when it shows up.

Thank you Chuck for your observations, spot on.

With the government limiting how many people can be in a building and who can enter the country, it is no surprise that shows are cancelled. My employer is saving several hundred thousand dollars by not displaying / attending SEMA & AAPEX.

Now it all comes to me why you sent that picture the other night! Like the way this looks, those wheels make the car look racier than it really is!

Don and Carol Holthaus (The Modelhaus) created the standard by which resin casters are held to and with good reason. Some resin folks do this as a side job, others it becomes their main job. In any event, stating upfront what the timeline will be helps all involved and is what made Don and Carol so successful. Like it or not, but their method of processing orders in the order they were received kept them organized, on time and had people willing to wait for the product because they knew how they were being treated. Today many casters try to operate the same way and they have earned a similar reputation as The Modelhaus. The biggest problem I see is a lack of communication leads to frustration. In the case of (un)Reliable Resin, it becomes confrontational and usually not worth the hassle. If you are laying out $5 or $150, it pays to vet whether or not a company is worth it.

I have mixed emotions about it myself as it's a great opportunity for me to network with old friends and make new ones. It's also a time for me to see old customers and hopefully meet new ones. Yes, our company will save hundreds of thousands of dollars but if they had a choice, they would rather spend the money and grow the business if they could. New times mean new way of doing business and we are adapting and succeeding, but definitely miss the personal contact that comes from the old way.

It was announced earlier this afternoon that the automotive industry mega event- SEMA and AAPEX- traditionally held in Las Vegas around Halloween every Fall, has been cancelled. Reality set in when they figured the majority of companies that normally attend and display had decided not to go and the likelihood of a government limit on the number of attendees made the events unlikely. As someone who has gone for years, it's a relief to know I can plan on being home this year and my feet and back are happy as I usually end up sore after a week of standing at the shows.

Hobby Lobby sells the Tamiya stands, around $20-24. Use the 40% off coupon and you get a really nice paint stand with accessories. I also use old paint cans and wooden fixtures depending on what I am painting. And in a variation of Ace's idea, I have glued a wooden paint stick from Home Depot (thicker than regular ones) to a latex glove.

I snagged a Moebius 67 F-100 Utility bed truck for under $30, along with some jars of paint.

As much as I agree with you and know what great sellers that could yield, I also think there is a market for the Dodge trucks. The GM trucks could be done as pickups and maybe even a Suburban, with GMC and Chevy variants. The next group to tackle would be some 73-87 GM trucks and sport utilities.

I personally think there is more potential if - fill in the blank model company- were to offer the never-before-kitted series of Dodge trucks from early 60's to '72. Much like the Moebius model, just update grilles and you could have a bunch of different vehicles to offer. I think if a company was to offer the post WWII Dodge Power Wagon they would be limiting the different versions and ROI on the development costs.

I believe that project got scrapped, not sure if it was licensing issues or tooling problems.

So my math was not 100% but the fact of the matter is that Issue #230 or something close to that should be out now and it isn't. The magazine has a history of not be published on a regular schedule and now, because someone has been announced as Associate Editor, you have expectations that ALL of the problems are in the past and we should see it delivered like clockwork? For your information, Issue 204 was the last one printed before Harry died. Issue 205 was printed after he died but was nearly complete and ready for print. Issue 206 was contest coverage from the two previous years, stuff that had already been seen online and in other publications. There hasn't been any "NEW" MCM material for over three years, and Gregg has said in the past that he plans to run another Contest issue, which clearly indicates no new material. I fail to see where the excitement is over that?

There's plenty of model builders in the area, all one has to do is look at the shelves at HL and see the movement of models and supplies. Go to a local show and meet fellow modelers and they say the same thing. The reason why a hobby shop struggles is pretty evident- online competition. I have bought more models and supplies online this year than I have in person. Need some paint? Click on the computer and check a couple of sources and in less time than it took to drive to HL to see if they MIGHT have what I am looking for, I ordered it and will have it in a couple of days. New releases? I can hope that HL will have them or I can order online and have them delivered to my door without guessing. Sure, I might pay a few bucks more because I didn't use my 40% off coupon, but then again I didn't waste time and money driving to the store, risk catching the Rona and being disappointed at the kit not being there. The other hurdle facing a brick and mortar store is the costs associated with running a retail operation. If you are in a strip mall, likely have certain hours and days you have to be open. Might have to participate in a "Sale" where you discount your merchandise. Need to hire help? Try finding competent help for less than $12 per hour around here. Rent and utilities? Not cheap. Discount the kits and you still can't compete with HL or Michaels' coupons. Add in that model builders are cheap bastards and it's painfully clear.

Haven't seen two issues in 5 years and you want two issues in 5 months???????

You could argue that SA had no competition as MCM hasn't been published on a regular schedule for years. Not sure how a magazine will survive and attract new readers without any distribution in place. Hobby shops? Not sure how many are left in North Carolina where I live, none in the Charlotte area for sure. The hobby is changing, I shop for more of my models online than I do in person. Reading about the hobby is done online. Wanting to have a printed magazine to read is great, but the writing is on the wall- print media is dying. I work in sales and we stopped printing paper catalogs years ago and only print sales flyers on as needed basis. Even Harbor Freight has stopped printing their catalogs, realized the cost versus benefit was not there.