Scott - Elm City Hobbies

IT was on Speed here Sat. Morning. I think Gearz got bumped to prime time on Monday night, but only after they had committed to the usual Sat. morning slot. Will be interesting to see if it is the same episode or not.

While you aren't supposed to send paint (depends on what kind of paint actually) I do ship them within Canada, no trouble yet shipping Testors spray cans, or Tamiya Glue. To the US....just ship it via Surface and it is no problem. My main brand of paint I sell in the shop is Vallejo, which is an acrylic, but not an isopropyl based acrylic and is perfectly safe for shipping any method world wide.

Don't forget to check out the Harder & Steenbeck line of airbrushes. Every bit as good and precise as their Iwata equivalents, for much less.

Love it....when is the kit due!! Revell Germany you listening? I suppose though it will be a few years, as we are just going to be getting the 599GTO later this year, and I belive this new model is the 599 replacement.

Since I am one of these LHS', I can speak on the subject from this side of the counter. The area where I live (Atlantic Canada), there is my shop.....the next closest is in Halifax, which is about a 4hr drive south, and Quebec City, about a 6hr drive north (that is of course if you don't count the massively overprice kits at Micheal's) So you could say I am in a unique position with not much in the way of competition. My shop grew out of the lack of a "good" hobby shop in the area. The one we did have, the owner really didn't have a clue as to what he was doing, we as a modeling community would tell him what was new coming out, but he never bothered to bring any in, and if he did, it was usually one or two...and once they were sold out, he would never bring them in again. This became frustrating as he always complained about his high min. orders from suppliers, yet when someone came in to ask to special order something, laying down the cash for said kits up front, well more money than what would be needed to make the min. order quota....and he would pass the money back and say he couldn't do it. This coupled with the fact that his family owned the building they were in, located in the downtown core with tons of people coming and going (although he never had anything anyone wanted), so he paid little to no rent. Such a wasted opportunity is what bore what is now known as Elm City Hobbies. I first started looking for retail spaces around the city and quickly realized that if I wanted to make a go of a hobby shop, that paying rent would not be the way to start out. I was looking at anywhere from $2/sq ft in the downtown core, to well over $10-$15/sq ft closer to the malls. The one location I did look at downtown, was about 900 sq/ft....and would have cost me about $2000/month before ever opening the doors (nevermind heat and lights). So I had to make a choice....take the high rent, and have the walk-in traffic, or sacrifice the walk-in traffic and have no rent and just run the shop from my home. I chose the 2nd choice, and at the home we had...the dining room became the shop. Couple of years later, we moved to a larger house, and I now have the whole basement for the shop, with a separate entrance. Being a modeler myself (not just cars, but everything, which is probably why my stash is 600 kits +++), as well as spending 15+ years in the grocery and retail business, I kind of had the know how to run a business such as this. It has been a slow climb....not going to be cashing that $1million cheque anytime soon, but I enjoy the work, enjoy helping people find the kit they want. As far as what to stock....first off, I don't do RC....mainly because I personally have no interest in it....I mean yeah sure,.....love to play with them, but the logistics of selling them I don't love. My way of thinking, if I am selling Buggy X....then to provide good customer service, I need to have all the consumable parts for said Buggy X in stock. That in itself isn't so bad....except for one thing...if the same company puts out Buggy X, and Buggy Y, most of the parts on it aren't interchangeable, so there for you have to have different parts for each, and there in lies the large amounts of $$$$ that you have tied up in parts, so I choose not to get into the RC market, especially considering that one of the largest RC retailers in Canada is about 2 1/2 hrs away, and does a large amount of mail order in RC parts, coupled with the fact that there have been 3 RC shops that I know of within a 90 min drive that have opened, and then closed within 6 months, doesn't seem like that smart of a business to get into IMHO. Something I do for customers on my mailing list, is every week they get an e-mail outlining everything that has been released during the pass week by my suppliers, and the prices the kits are going to be. Lets face it....I can't have everything that has been released in stock....otherwise I would have gone out of business long ago, as well, if I feel that the price of a kit is going to be too expensive, and that I don't think the customer will pay the price, then the weekly e-mails allow that one or two customers that will pay it, to get me to order it in for them. I try to gauge what customers are going to like and not like. Price has a big factor in it as well of course, but I try to keep up on the latest releases and make sure they are stocked, based on what my customers like. I am involved with Revell and their Preferred Partner's program, so I do get their new releases earlier than most places, and so far that has worked out well...other than sometimes I would like to have more control over what I get, as sometimes there are some releases in there, that I would like to have less of, and more of something else....but alas, it is, what it is. As far as suppliers go. I am loyal to my suppliers to an extent, but if one is offering kit A for $2 cheaper than another supplier, then it is a no brainer. Doesn't seem like much, but if it makes a new Revell car release $22.75, vs $24.75....then it is good for everyone. When I first started the shop, being in Canada, and not having a "retail" store front, Canadian suppliers didn't want anything to do with me. No retail store front....then no sales. So I went stateside, and any of the US suppliers I talked to basically said....you got a credit card, and an address to send the product to....that is all we need. I live about an hr to the closest US/CDN border crossing, and have all my US originating orders sent to a PO box there. This not only cuts down on the cost of shipping, but also allows me to take advantage of shipping and cash payment discounts that my suppliers offer, which are only valid if the order is going to a US address. The alternative is much higher shipping into Canada, and UPS/Fed Ex take a "pound of flesh" in brokerage fees to process the orders. The amount I would pay in brokerage fees for one order would pay for the rental on my PO box in the US for about 2 years....so that alone is a huge savings for me. I have since gotten on with a few smaller CDN suppliers, now that I am an established business they all seem to want my buisiness now, which I find funny, as nothing has changed...still no "retail" store front. As far as suppliers, they list the price of a kit, accessory, bottle of paint, tool, etc, etc, at the MSRP, and give you a percentage off of it, which ends up normally being about 40%. Suppliers that also act as the importer of the product line, can increase that discount off the MSRP to as much as 52% depending on the line. I know, I hear it all the time about how the prices of kits and such keep going up, especially here in North America, as compared to Asia. Fact of the matter is....the reason that places like Lucky Model, HLJ, Hobby Easy, etc, etc, can offer the prices they do is because they are buying 99% of their product factory direct (and oh btw, the factory is located just down the road, so there is no shipping cost to have it shipped halfway around the world added to the price), and therefore can offer the kits cheaper. Like I tell people, if I had the Trumpeter, Dragon, Tamiya, Revell and Hobby Boss factories all within an hr of my shop....I could probably buy the products factory direct as well, and offer cheaper prices, but the fact remains that 99% of kits are manufactured somewhere other than North America, and have to be imported/shipped into the NA market. This isn't free, and adversly effects the price of the kit, not to mention that some products can go through as many as 2-3 supplier/importer hands before it gets to the LHS, and at every step of the way another percentage of markup is placed on said kit. I was once told by somene that had contacts in China at the Trumpeter factory, that the $45 armor kit that I am selling on the shelf, you could buy for about the equivalent of $6US direct from the factory. So you all can do that math from cost direct from the manufacturer to the end consumer buying it from their LHS. However....this is really no different than most stuff we buy in NA these days, a good portion is also manufactured in Asia and shipped here, with the same disparagy from factory cost to consumer retail. When it comes down to it. You have to weigh the cost of our hobby vs the amount of hrs we put into it. Good example is golf, people pay on average $50-$75 for a round of golf, that lasts 4-5hrs. Revell car kit, average $22-$25, and can last weeks to months to build. I know what is the better deal in my book!

Gregg, I didn't realize that this was an option, not that I usually ever have any left, but Golden Bell Press has never mentioned anything about this to me, as a Hobby Shop, you would think they would.... One thing that I do find a problem with is getting back issues. I have asked in the past and it was never an issue, but the last time (about a month ago) they gave me a run around about getting a back issue. Customer had missed getting the previous issue and asked if I could get one. When I asked about it, GBP told me I would have to pay the retail price for the back issue, and it would have to be shipped separately from my normal order, with a separate shipping charge, as opposed to just popping it in the box when the next new issue was shipped. They gave me the excuse that it had to do with USPS (I am in Canada, but live close to the border and the magazines are shipped to my US Postal box), and that they weighed each package to make sure there wasn't anything extra in the box that shouldn't be there. I had said that if there was a difference in shipping of 12 issues vs 13 issues, that I would pay the difference no problem, but had no interest in paying a separate shipping charge for just one issue, and at retail vs the usual dealer cost. All seems a little excessive for a shop to just get a back issue for a customer.

Chris, You do know I bring MCM into the shop here. Can easily get it from me. Usually get 2-3 extra issues everytime it is released. If you want me to put you on the subscriber list, just say the word. $7.50CDN per issue.

Hey there everyone, Just wanted to bring to your attention the Capital Area Modeler's Society Spring Classic Model Show coming up on May 28th 2011, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. This years themes include: Long Bodies Plus (Station Wagons, El Caminos, Rancheros, Sedan Deliveries) AND World War II in the Pacific from the attack on Pearl Harbour to VJ Day For more information about the show, please head over to our website: Capital Area Modeler's Society and click on the link to the show page. You will also find gallery links to past shows. Largest Model Show east of Toronto!

Hey there everyone, A few new things in this week at Elm City Hobbies. New in this week: * A new line for ECH, in the RB Models line of Barrels and accessories, * Round 2's new 2pk '25 Model T kit, * New Releases from Revell, '32 Ford, '57 Nomad, '55 Bel-Air, Ford F-250, C-54 Skycrane, * New Trumpeter Releases, E-50, E-75 and M198 Late, * Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Solo, as well as a restock on a couple of other H&S products, * The big Gallery Models 1/350 USS WASP, And much more, come have a look at: Elm City Hobbies - What's New

Capital Area Modeller's Society are hosting their 22nd Annual Spring Classic Model show, coming up on May 29th, 2010, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. This year's special themes are: 1. 21st Century Pony Cars - With the re-release of these modern interpretation of the classic muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's, comes a muscle car build of the 21st Century. Create your "modern" classic muscle car and let your imagination fly. 2. Das Auto - German Automobile theme. Any German Automobile from VW to Audi, Porsche, BWM, Mercedes, etc. Vintage, Classic, or Modern. 3. 70th Anniversary of the German Invasion of the West - Any battle from Jan. 1, 1940 to Dec. 31, 1940 between the Germans and the Allies. From the Norway Campaign, to the invasion of France and the lowlands, to the Battle of Britain. Come and enjoy the biggest and best model show east of Toronto, celebrating our 22nd year, help us make this the biggest show yet. Lots of door prizes, Raffle prizes, Silent Auctions, medals trophies and more. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.capitalareamodellers.ca/ There you will find information on the show, the dreaded countdown timer, as well as photos of past shows going back to 2003. So why not come on out and participate in Atlantic Canada's largest model show.

Even better, go to your DIY store and pick up some white 1 1/2" PVC plumbing pipes and elbows. Construct a box out of it, use whatever color Bristol board you want to use for the back drop, or go to a fabric shop and buy a couple of different colors of cloth for a backdrop. Thinner white material for the sides, to diffuse your lights, and whatever color for the backdrop you want. White, Blue, Grey and Black are your usual colors. Best part about the PVC pipe, is as long as you don't glue the pipe together, you can easily expand the booth to fit a bigger model

Bathroom fan works fine, and is not too "powerful". If you are doing a rear draft, or bottom draft, your paint has to pass the subject long before it gets into the airstream, so you should be safe. Go with a 100cfm or more bathroom fan to give you good suction. Tip that I learned from building my own. Where your wood panels come together. Seal the inside seams with some bathroom or kitchen silicon and it will seal you booth up, and allow to fan to give you better suction.

Not to mention the old Monogram '55 Ford was re-released, the F-250 truck is coming back in March. The Cyclone S10 will be back out in April (not sure why, but Revell must know something we don't)

Hey there Everyone, Small update this time, a few new items in. Have a look! Elm City Hobbies - What's New Few new releases from Round 2 and Revell, as well as a new release from Dragon and Cyber Hobby. Thanks Scott

Hey there everyone, hope everyone is enjoying the weekend, Some new items in at the shop. Check them out here: Elm City Hobbies - What's New February 2010 This time around, we have some new items from Revell USA and Revell Germany, couple of new items from Dragon, new colors in from Vallejo, some new books and magazines, as well as a restock on alot of items.

Mine is homemade booth, 100cfm bathroom fan, that pulls everything through a furnace filter and then extracted outside (see pictures) Mind you, most of what I spray is Acrylic, I do spray lacquer for car bodies, however I also decant any spray cans into an AB bottle. Not sure if lacquer is any less dangerous than enamel, but I am willing to bet that what actually ignited was the spray can propellant, and not actually the paint. As well, not sure if the furnace filter has anything to do with somehow changing the paint fumes so they wouldn't ignite in the motor....who knows.

Hey there everyone, Just letting you know that here at Elm City Hobbies, we are having out Boxing Week Sale. 15% off everything in the store, including items already on sale, (excluding Pre-orders and Special Orders). Sale runs from today December 26th until next Saturday January 2. Come on over and see us at: Elm City Hobbies Thanks, Hope everyone had a great Christmas, and that you have a Happy New Year!

Hey there Everyone, Well, final update for the year. I sincerely hope Santa finds you all, so we have a few more kit boxes to sit on the shelf and collect dust, telling ourselves we will get to them soon! This time around we have new items from ICM, Masterbox, Miniart, AModel, some special purchases from Lindberg and AMT that are on special, new items from AFV Club, Tristar, Revell, Orange Hobby, Harder & Steenbeck (ooooo the Infinity 2n1 Airbrush is nice!), Dragon, Trumpeter, Xuron, Revell, Tamiya, and the list goes on. You can check it out by following the link: Elm City Hobbies - What's New December Pt. 2 And of course the rest of the shop: Elm City Hobbies Finally, from myself and my wife here at Elm City Hobbies, extending best wishes to you and your family during this Holiday Season. And see you in 2010!

Just was perusing my supplier's site as they usually tell us dealers new stuff that is coming down the road, and found these: TSM-2507 1/25 1964 Sprint Hardtop Car TSM-2511 1/25 1965 Falcon Ranchero Pickup Nothing on Trumpeter's site about it, and I have only seen pictures of the aircraft and tank side of the new catalog. Makes it very interesting! I know alot of people aren't really thrilled with some of the cars Trumpeter has put out, but hey, its something new at least!

Hey there everyone, Some new items in at the shop, come see at : Elm City Hobbies - What's New! Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire finally in! Thanks Scott Millican Elm City Hobbies

Schumacher is probably one of the few that would be allowed to take his FXX out of the Ferrari factory in Italy. How would you like that.........YOU buy one of the rarest Ferrari's on the planet (keep in mind that they also only sold them to people that was a current owner of an Enzo, which you could only get if you were a current Ferrari owner with some pull), and you couldn't take it out from the Ferrari factory in Italy, other than to run it on their test track. On the flip side of that, they must have a pretty decent budget for Top Gear, with all the destruction they do on the show, nevermind getting Shumy and his FXX over to the UK. That was one wicked lap though!!

Going to run $25.50CDN up here in the frozen waste land

Actually it is only the Chrome and the Polished Aluminum that requires a gloss black base coat to achieve the desired Chrome or Polished Aluminum finish. None of the other colors require it, that being said, a black base may enhance the other colors, but not sure as I have never tried it.

Thanks, Stripping chrome.....well my method is probably the nastiest....I use straight ammonia, pour into a tupperware container, enough so the parts are immersed and let it do its magic. Probably takes over night, depends on how thick the kit chrome is on. Someone told me Simple Green works just as well....so once I am out of the Ammonia....I am probably going to switch to it....as it is much safer, and not as toxic. Once the parts are stripped. Wash with soap and water. Spray with your favorite Gloss Black (this one I used Humberol), and then once dry, spray on the Alclad Chrome in a couple of thin layers.