fulcrum1 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I haven't been able to find any in the states for around a year and my supply is almost up. I know their paint and primer is getting to the hobby shops finally, but there really isn't any word on the cement. Kind of odd that their cement fell into the paint fiasco. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AVGBob Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Yep, same here. Almost a year w/ no Tamiya Thin. Might have had something to do with the earthquake......and the tidal wave.........and the whole almost Chernobyl thing....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) Same here in Jax. I very much like the extra thin and the thicker stuff in the orange topped bottles. My LHS isn't paying attention anyway. They haven't received a Tamiya paint or glue shipment in ages. I checked the tamiya-model.com website and they have pretty much all of their finishing materials in stock for mail order, including the extra thin and the "regular" in the Orange topped bottles. Look in "Tools and Paints," then under that "Finishing Materials." So what this tells me is Tamiya either has not made it available for large scale wholesale export yet, or it is caught up in that whole labeling issue mess that has been going on for the past year or so, or that it and other Tamiya finishing products have fallen off the radar scope of distributors because of all that has gone on and it is just not getting ordered. There is always Tenax to keep us going, although it is not quite the same and comes in easy to spill bottles. Anyone care to ask sprue brothers what the deal is? If anyone will tell us, it's them. They are very aware of ARC and the high end modeling community, which we are a part of. *edit* Just sent SB an email. We will see what they say. Edited December 29, 2011 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hawkeye's Hobbies Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) I prefer using something I can source locally from industrial plastic suppliers. As far as availability of Tamiya paints and such, when governments get involved, there is very little the consumers and retailers can do...in this case new labeling requirements had to be agreed upon by several nations before product could be fed into the supply pipeline. Ordering from a source in the home country or one that doesn't have such labeling requirements is an option, but understand that importing goods not meeting regulation mandates does pose some potential consequences. One might not think the gov't will come after you, but just take look at some of the arrests and seizures our gov't is making to enforce the laws. Edited December 29, 2011 by Hawkeye's Hobbies Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SoarinSukhoi Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 It's the labeling issue. I have a few bottles, but I don't plan on selling any. Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement is acetone based. I've heard of modelers using MEK, which is a ketone like acetone, as plastic cement, but I'm not sure you get the same working time as with Tamiya cement. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 It's the labeling issue. I have a few bottles, but I don't plan on selling any. Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement is acetone based. I've heard of modelers using MEK, which is a ketone like acetone, as plastic cement, but I'm not sure you get the same working time as with Tamiya cement. Weld-On #3, and Tanex work very fast and evaporate super fast. That is both an advantage and disadvantage. The fact that it evaporates so rapidly means it causes little damage to adjacent surface detail when using it. It also gives you a strong bond very rapidly. With Tamiya Extra-Thin, there is a little more working time, plus it comes in a square low CG bottle which is not likely to tip over. I use both Tanax and Tamiya, depending on what I am doing and what mood I am in! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) Ok, guys, here is my email to SB and the response I got back a few minutes ago from Gordon Kwan. Greetings, My name is Gil Gregg and I am writing on behalf of the modeling community at the Aircraft Resource Center website. Our members do quite a lot of business with your firm. We usually look to you first when ordering products online and we have been very pleased with the attention you have paid to the high end scale modeling community. Keep up the good work. Many of our members are confused about the lack of stateside availability of Tamiya finishing products, specifically paints, primers, putties, and glues. We are aware of the labeling issue that has supposedly been resolved, and we have seen some Tamiya products trickling back onto Local Hobby store shelves. However, not nearly enough seems to be getting through. Most local hobby shops say they can't yet get the products through their distributors. Yet if I look at tamiya-model.com, it is all there, ready for mail order from Japan, including the much sought after Tamiya extra thin liquid cement and spray surface primers. So, what gives? Are distributors just not paying attention and not ordering the stuff because they are of the mind set that it is not available? Has Tamiya not resumed large scale whole sale shipments? Is the labeling issue still going on? What is the hold-up on these fine quality products that are so clearly in demand by scale modelers? Sincerely, Gil Gregg Jacksonville, Florida "I wish I could tell you but we are not in the “know” like a lot of people think. We usually get the latest rumor via the internet as much as you do. Tamiya is especially tight-lipped – any info from them is treated like a state secret. All I know is based on my speculation and not based on any facts. Because of this I am not going to share my thoughts because it would just add to all the internet speculation out there that is not based on any factual information. I do not want to sound like the information Nazi, but there is already so much bad info out there that the last thing I want to do is add to it. A recent show on the Plastic Scale Modelling Hour on Warbird radio I know touched on this subject. I believe it was episode #2 (scroll to bottom) of their page: http://www.warbirdradio.com/shows/the-plastic-scale-modeling-hour/ The last rumor I saw was that the glue was expected back in the USA imminently (meaning within a week or two)." Edited December 30, 2011 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balls47 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 For thin cement, I started with Tenax-7R. I caught on pretty much right away, really liked the stuff, and haven't changed. I am sure that Tamiya's thin, extra thin, etc. cement is great stuff, but I never tried it. The big reason that I didn't try the Tamiya thin cement is that I was afraid I would "fall in love" with it and then find myself in the same situation that a lot of other modelers are in. I really like Tamiya products, and I use several of them. But, because of the supply/demand situation that this post is all about in the first place, I didn't want to have to worry about when and where I would get their products if a situation like this occurs. I also bought a quart of M.E.K. and use it all the time. Please understand that I AM NOT beating up on anyone. If there is a great product out there, by all means, get it and try it out. I hear nothing but great things about Tamiya products, and I have found that to be true from using their products. That's my 2 pennies worth. P.S. When using M.E.K., or anything like it, make sure that your work area is well ventilated. Wear an organic respirator, and remember that M.E.K. and a lot of our modeling "juices" love fire. They will make a big boom that is hard to get rid of when started. BE SAFE!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 Lucky Model it is! I'm ordering enough to last me a few years. Even with shipping they're still cheaper than the hobby shops. Not to mention I noticed you can buy Gunze Aqueos line there as well:) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marvin20 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Great Models got some in today. Here's the link to it: TAM87038 Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement -- $4.95 http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartcart/cgi/display.cgi?item_num=TAM87038 HTH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Mikester Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 No problems with availability here in Japan. :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flying Pancake Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 No problems with availability here in Japan. :D I was going to post that too but decided it was just mean lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F-16 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Here is today's reply to the question: Thank you for your continued support of Tamiya, we truly appreciate it! Please note the following Tamiya primers and Extra-Thin cement have been shipped to hobby distributors throughout the US in the past week. 87026 S. Primer/Plastic Metal 87044 Fine Surface Primer L (White) 87064 Fine Sur. Primer L(L.Gray) 87038 Extra-Thin Cement(40ml) Contact your local hobby retailer for more information on estimated arrival dates on these items from their distributors. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or need additional resources as our aim is to provide you, “First in Quality Around the Worldâ€. Sincerely, George Canare Senior Sales Representative Tamiya America, Inc. 36 Discovery Suite 200• Irvine, CA 92618 Ph: 800.582.6492 ext.3421•Fax: 949-362-2250•Email: GCanare@tamiya.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 That's good news! Although I took the gamble and placed an order for four of them through Great Models last night. Should be here by Tuesday..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spejic Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 With Tamiya Extra-Thin, there is a little more working time, plus it comes in a square low CG bottle which is not likely to tip over. The bottles are great. I use empty ones for decal solvent and Future - decalling became so much easier with those. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 I know some have had issues with Great Models, but my stuff came today from them. No complaints! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shake zula the mic rula Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Spruebrothers says they have some in stock. I placed an order for a bottle, along with some other things last night. They said in the blurb about it, that if they run out there will be another shipment in sometime next week. Hopefully they will get the primer and some paints in stock soon. I just hope the drought is nearing an end. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dbsmith88 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I found mine yesterday morning at Roll Models. Regards B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skirts Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 My LHS got a shipment in last night, and sold out in 10mins, not including the 3 bottles I snagged for myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Also I have been able to snag it on Amazon from time to time when the usual places are dry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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