Small Scale Military Headquarters

Poor modeler that I am, I've searched for years to find something that can give me good painting results. I've never had luck with airbrushing, and have always returned to rattle cans. When I found Tamiya spray lacquers, it provided me with a MAJOR improvement in results I could achieve. If my own personal modeling ends up being even close to not embarrassing, it's because of these paints.

So . . . it looks like they've become all but unavailable. My main source -- Tower Hobbies online -- is listing "out of stock," back order," or "temporarily unavailable" for every single color I need. Google searching on this has led me to posts on other model forums saying Tamiya has had a "hazardous chemical" label problem. But some of those posts are quite old. Are these great paints permanently gone because of the danger nannies? If so, I'm in a world of hurt . . .

I know a lot of Tamiya stuff has been behind because of the disasters in Japan.

A while ago I was told the same about the problems in Japan, but last week I needed Tamiya to match a project I had started and looked it up on Ebay. Very available and had a nice conversation with an eEbay seller. I ended up buying the paint in Nanuet N.Y. at a hobby shop that seemed to have a very good supply. This is the same store that didn't have it 6 months ago because of the supply problems from Japan. Good luck. Regards...Bob

Tamiya primer was the first to go, now many of the popular colors are also sold out but I hear that the issues have been solved and that shipments are supposed to be here at the end of October.

Rylau wrote:[snip] ...last week I needed Tamiya to match a project I had started and looked it up on Ebay. Very available and had a nice conversation with an eEbay seller. I ended up buying the paint in Nanuet N.Y. at a hobby shop that seemed to have a very good supply.

As much as I like to try new things in some parts of my life, I'm a terrible creature of habit in others. Once I find an online vendor that has a good interface that works for me and delivers reliably, I tend to almost never look beyond them. If I thought this problem would never get solved, I guess I'd have to break out of my shell and go looking for someplace like you found.

hworth18 wrote:Tamiya primer was the first to go, now many of the popular colors are also sold out but I hear that the issues have been solved and that shipments are supposed to be here at the end of October.

That's very good news. Since I won't be doing much painting for a few weeks I guess I'll be ok.

Thanks for the info.

That is good news. My local hobbyshop has all but run out of the colors I need... I've been using Testors in the mean time and while its not bad, it just isn't Tamiya. I've got a giant tank model to paint anyways and it has to be perfect.

I have found Ebay to be the best source of Tamiya paints right now. I use their fine surface primer for many of my projects and had to by 6 cans of it from a seller in China. My local hobby store owner told me about the label problem and that his sales rep for this paint has promised more stock before the end of the year. However I have not heard from anyone that seems to know exactly what the real story is.

This has actually been going on for a long time now. I bumped into it last March when I ran out of flat clear and went to pick more up at the local shop only to find out that it and the surface primers were sold out. I did a sweep of all the hobby stores and nada... Next I went on-line domestic and same deal. I finally had to resort to ordering a case from china. Only- all they can do is ship it sea mail so it took 2 months for it to reach me.

Originally Tamyia said no later than June 2011. Then it was pushed back to mid- august. Then- End of Sept. Now they are saying end of October. I'm not holding my breath any longer... I'm betting that it will be January.

I'm really really bugged at them right now.

I got lucky while I was in Albuquerque and found a hobbyshop that had 6 cans of Tamiya Primer, I came home with 2 of them. Luckily, my LHS isn't sold out of most colors yet.

If you are looking for a good clear flat spray I have been using Krylon's Matte Finish spray #1311 , not to be confused with Krylons Crystal Clear Flat which is acrylic and has ruined decals before. This new stuff seems to be pretty good, not acrylic, not as good as Tamiya but its close, hell of alot cheaper $5 for a 11oz spray can at Wal-mart

Jnewboy wrote:If you are looking for a good clear flat spray I have been using Krylon's Matte Finish spray #1311 , not to be confused with Krylons Crystal Clear Flat which is acrylic and has ruined decals before. This new stuff seems to be pretty good, not acrylic, not as good as Tamiya but its close, hell of alot cheaper $5 for a 11oz spray can at Wal-mart

I use Testors Modelmaster Lacquer Dullcoat for my repaints and it seems to work well.

http://stores.ebay.com/Empire-RC-Store? ... 4340.l2563

HK source, sells cans in groups of three.

So . . . it's the last day of October and I just checked Tower Hobbies' site to see if Tamiya spray lacquers had come back into stock . . . no joy. I was hoping to delay doing an order for other things I need until I could get the paint I'm now getting pretty desperate for. I guess not . . . .

Finally had to break down this morning and do an order from Tower on some things I need . . . I'd hoped by putting it off as long as possible, the Tamiya spray lacquer rattle cans would finally be in but no such luck. Anyone hear any new news about when we might expect to see these paints again?

Strange, we have so many of these rattle cans up here. Hope your search ends well!

There is an online hobby store in Missouri that has a pretty good selection of Tamiya rattle cans in stock. Try http://www.hobby1.com. Like any store, there are some colors that are out of stock, but they have much more in stock than out of stock. I repaint lots of models in DAK and really like Model Masters Afrika Mustard. Also use the Tamiya Dark Yellow with good results for DAK vehicles.

hotrodrock wrote:There is an online hobby store in Missouri that has a pretty good selection of Tamiya rattle cans in stock. Try http://www.hobby1.com. Like any store, there are some colors that are out of stock, but they have much more in stock than out of stock. I repaint lots of models in DAK and really like Model Masters Afrika Mustard. Also use the Tamiya Dark Yellow with good results for DAK vehicles.

Thanks -- managed to pick up one of the colors I'm needing there. Still can't find Dark Yellow . . .

well . . . I had heard or seen somewhere that the Tamiya drought was supposed to begin to let up in December but, checking Tower just now, I see more colors than ever noted as "Temporarily Unavailable," including, of course, the Dark Yellow I need most.

Anyone know if this is going to be a permanent situation and, if so, whether there are any close substitutes for the military colors Tmiya has seemed to be the only source for in the past?

I think it's rust-olium paint in lowes. They have camo colors and their tan does not look too bad for panzer yellow. That's sorta... last ditch effort.

Ever consider an airbrush? They're loads of fun!!!

Hey Guys Testors Gloss and Dul Coat is a great product too