You really need to start doing this.

It's certainly frustrating having your buying choices limited, but in your case it sounds as if you are limiting yourself!

You can buy gift credit cards from Visa and Mastercard that allow you to purchase online without fear of accumulating huge debt. 

Why don't you trust online shopping? I can understand not trusting people on eBay, but Kalmbach, Squadron, Sprue Brothers and many others are extremely trustworthy. I've been buying online for years and have never been burned. Their websites are secure, and there have been many cases of double swiping and identity theft while shopping in person. In fact, it happens more when someone physically holds your credit card!

I'm not sure about distributing internationally, but you can order Kalmbach publications from Squadron and Sprue Brothers, just to name two. My LHS occasionally has titles in stock and will happily order it in for me, if I provide the sales code and title.

Cheers, Brigg!

When I said not trusting online shopping, I was suggesting that Kalmbach distribute globally so people in general who stubbornly don't trust online shopping don't have to worry about it. Just including other people's needs as well.

Also, I'm only 16. I can't shop online with my money at all unless it's money order. Don't get me into it, I'm computer illiterate, let alone finance illiterate.

I will check with 'Hobby Habit' to see if they can order some books in for me. Where can I find the sales codes? On the FSM books websites?

Cheers!

Well, if you can post on here, you can buy online. The challenge is having a means to pay for it. Check with your bank about buying gift credit cards. If you have the money to buy the book, you can get one. You may need your parent's permission. You pay the bank, and order online with the card. Easy as pie.

As for finding the sales codes, that's a bit tougher to find. What Kalmbach needs to do is make it easier to find their products on their own websites! This took a bit of drilling through multiple pages before I hit the right one!

General books on scale modeling: 

http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/scale-modeling-books-general.html

Military books:

http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/scale-modeling-books-military.html 

The code for the books are the five digit numbers to the left of the price. For instance: Shep Paine's "How to Build Dioramas" is 12136 for $24.95 + S&H. Take that to your LHS and see what they can do for you. You will likely end up paying more than if you figured out a way of doing it online.

As for distributing their books worldwide, that's up to Kalmbach to answer, but I would imagine that the costs of distribution would drive the price of the books higher than they are worth. Very hard to justify a $40 price for a book you can order online for $20.

Matt,

Thanks for asking the question. The answer is our books are available from places other than our own Web site and we definitely distribute around the world. As for Australia, I can answer with a degree of certainty that they are available from hobby shops there (having grown up in Brisbane and bought a few, including the first edition of Shep's book, at Gabba Hobbies). I did a little bit of a search online and located at least one Adelaide store that indicates it carries Kalmbach titles including the Shep's book:

SA HOBBY CENTRE
234 Pultney Street, SA, 5000
PH +61 8 232 0080   FAX +61 8 8232 4405

If they don't have it in stock, I'm sure they can order it for you. There are also a couple of other Australian store who might be able to work with you for check or money order purchases:

http://www.hobbyco.com.au/product_groups/show_items.php?grp=488&sid=

http://www.hobbycentre.com.au/KALPUB08.html

http://www.frontlinehobbies.com.au/shop/productList.aspx?categoryID=390&parentID=366&catName=HOW%20TO%20BOOKS

I hope this helps.

Cheers,

Thanks Aaron. I had no idea. I have been into SA hobby centre on many occasion and never saw it. I shall order one.

You grew up in Brissy? Wow! (Refer to me signature) 

Cheers!

No worries. I hope you find what you're looking for. Is SA Hobby Centre a pretty nice store? 

Folks, just as a matter of interest Gabba Hobbies is now known as Hobby One and they are situated at Mt Gravatt. Somenewguy, I know they have a few Kalmbach books in stock but are not sure which ones. If you don't have any luck with your store in Adelaide, let me know and I will see if they have it. Aaron, whereabouts form Brissy are you from?

 

Cheers

Modpsych

Aaron Skinner wrote:

No worries. I hope you find what you're looking for. Is SA Hobby Centre a pretty nice store?

SA hobby centre is nice but their range isn't great. However, Hobby Habit at Melrose park is a REALLY nice store. It's one of two outlets, the first being over 20 years old and in the original building, but this one is only a few years old, immaculate inside and out, has two RC racing tracks, four slot car tracks, huge range of paints and accessories, and haven't joined the rest of the world with the price hikes yet.

I'm fairly aggitated with some of the staff, though, because they keep on taking advantage of me and my wallet and "accidentally" forgetting to tell me everything I need to know about what I'm buying. And in the last six or so months I've spent over 2500 bucks on rc stuff and modeling accessories that is still troubleshooting. Their distributors are lazy as well. Tomorrow I'm taking back a compressor that claims to go upto 55 PSI but shuts off at 30 and drops down to a maximum of ten while running the airbrush. ING HELL!

modpsych wrote:

Folks, just as a matter of interest Gabba Hobbies is now known as Hobby One and they are situated at Mt Gravatt. Somenewguy, I know they have a few Kalmbach books in stock but are not sure which ones. If you don't have any luck with your store in Adelaide, let me know and I will see if they have it. Aaron, whereabouts form Brissy are you from?   Cheers Modpsych

I knew about Hobby One. Went out to the store a couple of times on a trip home a couple of years ago and was a little disappointed: It's not the store I remember as a kid. Not bad, just not the same. I usually make a point of getting out to Hobbyrama in Annerley when I'm in town. It's an evil place that has a deflating effect on my wallet!

We moved to Brisbane in 1974 and moved around a little when I was young. But for 5-12 grade and Uni I lived in Taringa. Went to Indooroopilly High and UQ. Are you from Brisbane?

Cheers, 

Hi Aaron, I am a born and bred Brisbane boy. I grew up in Balmoral and stayed there until my mid-thirties. I moved to Albion/ Windsor when I met my then girlfriend. Just before we were married we moved to Yeerongpilly where we still are today. It takes 10 - 15 minutes to get to Taringa. My wife went to UQ and studied psychology.  I know what you mean about HobbyOne and Hobbyrama. HobbyOne is closer to home and I go there every now and then but I would rather go to Hobbyrama. They have a much bigger range of model kits and I also find the staff there a lot nicer. The only downside is they don't do laybys wereas HobbyOne does. Maybe one day I will win lottery and I can buy everymodel I have ever wanted!!!!!  

Cheers

Gary 

 

Gary,

Yeah, I know Yerongpilly pretty well. A girlfriend and I lost a kite over there once after the string broke at the park in Long Pocket. Flew across the river. And a lot of my friends lived in Graceville, Tennyson, etc. Still call Brissie home, love to get there every chance I get.

Cheers,

Glad you found what you were looking for. Enjoy the book. It's still one of the best resources around.

Cheers,

I'm late here as well.  I too just picked up a copy of how to build diorama's but mine was online order with a gift card from borders.  Used copy as it is from amazon half the time, paid like 4 bucks for it.  Anyway, the two local hobby shops around here that are not large chains(one is a couple of cities away so not that local), but anyhow both of them stock a range of Kalmbach books.  The closer one, which also sells through mail order( Bridgetown Hobbies and Games in Portland Oregon), has nearly every Kalmbach book available in their shop.  As well as one of the largest selections of reference material and modeling books I have ever seen in one place.  The newest ones have their own special spot so everyone can see them, along with a board listing what the newest books are, and their prices, as well as the books that are going to be coming out.  Same thing with the newest kits.  They will accept any form of payment, if you actually call them up and place your order over the phone.  Good bunch of guys.  They even have a couple of my builds in their display case.  Including the one I did for the Italeri group build here.  So there are many sources to get Kalmbach books.  If you have any bookstores around that sell FMS such as Borders or Barnes and Noble, you can actually walk up to the desk and request they order in a Kalmbach book of your choice.

Although at the moment I'm trying to find a post by Aaron Skinner so I can pm him, or e-mail him.  I have a question I need to ask him about one of his builds before I proceed with one of mine.  Driving me bonkers.