Which paints to stock

i still like humbrol's quality, even though they dropped the rlm mix's.

Gunze's Mr Aqueous for acrylics, Mr Color or Humbrol for enamels. LifeColors are fine, but thinning them correctly for airbrushing can be a real challenge. Not for the casual modeler, IMHO. Aircraft Colors are very good too, but WWII GB/US/D colors only. You might want to take a look at Andrea's range of acrylics instead, they're handy for drybrushing and detail/figure painting, since they do not dry as fast as other brands.

David,

I honestly believe that you should consider stocking Humbrol, the casual model buyer, who buys an "Airfix" kit now and again will probably be familiar with them and more likely to buy them as opposed to the more specialised paints available.

Don't forget several model companies, Airfix & the Eastern European specialist companies particularly, often give Humbrol references in their kits.

By all means stock Life Colour and /or Xtracrylix for those guys that want them, but the new blood in this hobby has to start somewhere, protect your investment, today's casual buyers could be tomorrows avid modeller and your best customer.

Happy modelling Ant

Stock Testors Model Masters enamels - the full line. The bread and butter staple of enamels.

I'll put in my vote for Humbrol enamels. They're hard to beat and as Ant says, just right for the casual modellers.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Something else to think about, my advice would be to check and see which paints you can get from your distributor(s) easily, versus having to wait weeks or months for a restock.

I'll second the Humbrol suggestion as well, it's the paint that Joe Average is most familair with .

Ken

Actually, I have found LifeColor the easist to airbrush. I use airbrush cleaner as my thinner and use about 60 - 40 paint to thinner. I get great results with it. They are more expensive than o ther paints though but we can get them in thress rather than sixes so the initial investment in the whole range is somewhat less.

The discussions regarding enamels have centreed around stocking the expected. No-one has really proposed an acrylic alternative that is mainstream in the UK so I think that I will go with them.

Thanks for the input

David

We do have a fantasy shop in town that stocks some kits and also stocks Model Master paints. They are not really mainstream in the UK so I will leave that line to them I think but thanks for the advice.

David

The difficulty with Humbrol is that we are only doing aircraft so it will be tricky to sort out the range as we will want to eliminate the railway colours etc. Also, my main trade suppliers either don't stock humbrol or only stock a subset for general craft hobbies so I will need to speak to Humbrol themselves regarding supplies.

I think the idea is good that we stick to what people know.

Thanks

David

snipped-for-privacy@totallyobjects.com (David Pennington) wrote in :

I don't think you should do that. You may specialize in aircraft, but the local modelers won't, they'll expect you to stock the full range. Looking at my own situation: I accept that my LHS doesn't stock esoteric kits, (I can always order from Hannants) but it would be really annoying to have to order all my supplies online. Stuff like plasticard, tools and paint are often needed on short notice, so I just swing by the lhs for that.

UK modelshop - so you MUST stock Humbrol

What railway colours?

TBH There is a huge crossover within modelling, so stocking non aircraft bits would sell.

Eg both Enzo Matrix and I are big railway modellers, I have spent far more on model railway stuff than plane kits.

I also detail railway stuff

Thanks for the thought. We are, of course, limited in our capital to invest so have to make some trade offs in the first few months. As an example, we currently have a Scrapbooking shop and having been open for 6 months, are about to treble the stock levels now that we are sure of what people want.

We are planning to install about 700 aircraft kits (no duplicates) in the shop and with Hannants as our main trade supplier we will be stocking some of the more esoteric makes. We do expect to expand this stock once we have established the size of the market here in Ipswich and on the Internet

David

Too far for me to drive..... :(

Still as far away as I am from there, I can still get them easily nearby :)

Allan

I think I have come to that conclusion. It seems we can get all we want from an existing trade source so that's done then!

Thanks for the input.

David

Not to mention that 'Grass Green' looks very good as that green on Russian landing gear wheels. I've also used 'German Red-Brown' on railway track to convey the rusty sides of the rail.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

I have to get mine through Squadron. The closest shop that had them was in Trexlertown, Pa. and I have no idea if they're still there.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

humbrol/revell/xtracolor and if you can get it the paints that italeri specify in their kits [name escapes me for now.]

hth,

The trouble is that to stock a full range of paint in 6 tins costs around £500 ($900) so holding 4 ranges oif enamels is a bit out of the question then add on a couple of ranges of acrylics and you are cutting into the number fo kits you can hold. We are planning on holding about 700 - 800 kits plus paints, plus knives, plastic card and a range of books. We are also having a section on OOD RN FAA with decals, etched brass and books to support it. Too many paints could kill a lot of that so we need to get a balance.

David