Where Do The Model Companies Get Extra Parts?

[oldcarfan]

On another site a guy was saying he contacted Revell and they sent him a decal set for a particular release that I think hasn't been in production for a good while. That started me to wondering how the companies get replacement parts. Do they keep a bunch of extra kits somewhere back in the warehouse and when a customer calls for something they send someone back there to raid them for parts? Do they have a bunch of old kits or parts of kits? I want that job!

[Mike Chernecki]

Not sure about other companies, but I was talking to Moebius last week about replacement parts. If they don't have it on hand, they will break open a sealed kit for parts. I assume the left-overs get thrown into the parts pile.

[DrKerry]

I remember years ago at CARS in Miniature car club Christmas party. Bill Lastovich was there and one of the guys were looking for a part to a long out dated kit and they just weren't around. Bill went back and told the powers that be to pull the mold out of the cobwebs and run a couple shots through it. He came back to the next months meeting and handed the guy looking for the part, the tree that part was on.... But that was almost 20 years ago now....

[Pete J.]

I have been privy to Tamiya's process for many years now.  They have a large room with racks of models.  When someone calls with a request, if they don't have already have an opened kit with the part and it is still an active kit, they will get an unopened kit from the warehouse and open is and send the part on.  The remainder of the kit goes on a shelf for future requests. They really have a bunch of parts kits both old and new.  

 They also have file cabinets full of decals.  Some times they can order decals from Japan, in which case they order multiples and keep them on hand.   

There parts room is really a model builders dream.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Pete J.

[Jon Haigwood]

I don't see it happening today but in the big box stores when someone would open up a kit and leave it on the shelf the were instructed to toss it in the dumpster since it was cheaper then sending it back. I never could find out when K Mart dumped their kits so I could retrieve some.

Edited April 22, 2017 by Jon Haigwood
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[Exotics_Builder]

I have been privy to Tamiya's process for many years now.  They have a large room with racks of models.  When someone calls with a request, if they don't have already have an opened kit with the part and it is still an active kit, they will get an unopened kit from the warehouse and open is and send the part on.  The remainder of the kit goes on a shelf for future requests. They really have a bunch of parts kits both old and new.  

 They also have file cabinets full of decals.  Some times they can order decals from Japan, in which case they order multiples and keep them on hand.   

There parts room is really a model builders dream.

That is what Revell USA does.  They have kits in a storage area and search through for the part.

[Brett Barrow]

They just write it off.  

Edited April 22, 2017 by Brett Barrow

[Brett Barrow]

But seriously, they account for it.  They know something like .5% will be bad.  A run of 5,000 kits will really be 5,004 or maybe 5,016.  If they need them for parts, they're there, if not they're gravy.   

[Exotics_Builder]

I remember years ago at CARS in Miniature car club Christmas party. Bill Lastovich was there and one of the guys were looking for a part to a long out dated kit and they just weren't around. Bill went back and told the powers that be to pull the mold out of the cobwebs and run a couple shots through it. He came back to the next months meeting and handed the guy looking for the part, the tree that part was on.... But that was almost 20 years ago now....

20 odd years ago, they still were in Morton Grove and had injection machines and molds on site.  I remember on a trip out to Chicago getting a tour from Bill and seeing a test shot of a B-36 in Purple Styrene

[DrKerry]

20 odd years ago, they still were in Morton Grove and had injection machines and molds on site.  I remember on a trip out to Chicago getting a tour from Bill and seeing a test shot of a B-36 in Purple Styrene

Right, they had the easier luxury of going in the back pulling the mold and running it on short order..... not to much anymore!!!!!

[fumi]

I believe Tamiya do extra runs on sprues that they anticipate to be particularly susceptible to being "missing" or "damaged", for example the speed parts in the 1970 Skyline GT-R custom special.  From time to time they clear them out in the Tamiya Plamodel Factory outlet stores in Tokyo.

So far I have bought several S20 Skyline engine sprues, as well as the custom parts for the 1970 and R32 Skylines there.

[Slotto]

I recently contacted Revell for the glass tree for a kit I bought over 10 years ago. They kindly replied that that kit was no longer in production and they told me that they couldnt help. Then I did some research and found a similar kit that is still in production and requested that glass tree. This was no problem. They sent out the tree and I was able to finish my Corvette.

Years before, I had purchased the 60 Impala low rider kit and the body was warped. I asked for a replacement and they sent it right out. 

I have no problems with Revell. Excellent customer service.