Tamiya Paint

We're all in the same boat, if you use Tamiya acrylics.  You can find some on eBay.  You may want to try looking there.

I call my local HobbyTown store every Saturday morning to see if they've received a shipment with some XF-60 (Dark Yellow) and XF-57 (Buff).  So far...no luck...  They're supposed to be coming in "any day now..."

My M2A2 Bradley is more or less in a holding pattern until I get some more Dark Yellow!

What's up with Tamiya paints? Some law restricting their shipment? This is the first I've heard of anything affecting Tamiya paints. 

Earthquake & Tsunami, DD... At least that's what I got told...

My LHS guy can't get any more, but he's kinda looking out for me personally too (since I'm "about the only guy in town that still buys paint from him instead of on-line"- his words... Pays to have a "Mom & Pop" LHS still around where you can hang out like it's Floyd's Barber Shop in Mayberry)  'Course, he locked up unexplainably for about 6 months last year.. Scared me, lol.. Then one day, the "OPEN" neon-sign was on, and all was right with the world again...

Frankly, Falcon, I can't help ya... Tamiya paints that I use are only as special colors, as I'm a 80% enamel, 10% acrylic, 10% (laquer, tempera, oil, & other) paint guy. For Tamiya paints, it's a seller's market for Tamiya...   I stocked up on my chosen colors the day after the Tsunami in anticipation... Oddly enough, the Tami-kits at Hobby Lobby are dropping in price around here, with the ones here all going on the clearance racks... Nabbed the 1/48 Beaufighter, Mossie, He 219, A6M2/A6M5 Zekes, and Swordfish, all for 55% off... (Actually was only 40% off, but I have a tenant that works at HL, so he gets me an additional15% off with his employee discount...

Their Field Grey is a dead-on match for WW2 German Heer uniforms, and the Khaki, Buff, Olive Drab,  Olive Green, Sky, IJN Green, IJA Army Green, IJN Grey, take care of US, RAF, and Japanese figure, armor and A/C colors, while  Light Blue, Field Blue, Black Green, and Dark Green take care of the Luftwaffe colors, along with Yellow, Flat Black & Flat White for shade-mixing...

But I'm slowly (and grudgingly) switching over to MM and Vallejo acrylics for a number of colors (although I ain't budging on Field Grey...) Meanwhile, the acrylics in the Arts and Crafts section still find their way into that shopping basket (at .99 to 1.29 for 3 ozs of craft paint, why not, eh?)

Also, for airbrushing gloss, flat, and transparent colors of certain shades like black, red, yellow, and blue, don't discount Createx airbrush paints (available at Hobby Lobby) and thinner...

I'm more worried about the Model Master line of enamels disappearing...  They've already whacked rattle-cans of MM Non-Specular Sea Blue.  All that's left is the bottles, and I don't know, with the rise of MM Acrylics, it's really starting to bother me...   Regardless of what one thinks of odor, enamels are still far and away the best model paints, IMNSHO... 

That said, if one still can get gloss finishes in Tamiya, go for it... All it takes is a shot of MM DullCoat to change the finish to flat..  In fact, I use a number of Krylon-types that only come in gloss, but once covered in clear flat are just fine.. At the same time, if you finish your model in gloss paints in the first place, you don't need that cockmamee Future or any other kind of clear gloss to do pin-washes or decaling... Paint, decal, wash, then shoot a clear flat, and you're ready for drybrushing and pastels...

Hans von Hammer

I'm more worried about the Model Master line of enamels disappearing...  They've already whacked rattle-cans of MM Non-Specular Sea Blue.  All that's left is the bottles, and I don't know, with the rise of MM Acrylics, it's really starting to bother me...   Regardless of what one thinks of odor, enamels are still far and away the best model paints, IMNSHO... 

That would make me rather sad. This summer, when Texas decided to reset the average temperature +10 degrees (we set the record for hottest summer in the United States EVER this summer), MM enamels were among the ONLY paints I could airbrush without horrendous dusting issues,

I'm actually trying to limit my exposure to Tamiya paints, I think. Love the way they airbrush with lacquer thinner, but between supply issues and the dusting issues I've had with them, I think I'm veering more toward Model Master/Vallejo/Gunze going forward.

Tamyia told us that we would have our order at the end of the month but it would only be about 25 colors of their line.

Thad

DoogsATX

I'm actually trying to limit my exposure to Tamiya paints, I think. Love the way they airbrush with lacquer thinner, but between supply issues and the dusting issues I've had with them, I think I'm veering more toward Model Master/Vallejo/Gunze going forward.

I started out about 15 years ago using only MM enamels.  I switched over to Tamiya acrylics because of their reduced toxicity.  I do still use a couple MM colors; but very little these days.

I've never used Vallejo's products; but I've read some good stuff about 'em from you guys here so I might have to give them a go.

Hopefully the HobbyTown I frequent in Arlington will get their Tamiya products this week so I can pick them up Saturday morning and sniff paint while the Little Woman is down in Houston!  WooHoo!!  A weekend without adult supervision!!! 

Guys,

Tamiya paints are starting to return, albeit slower than we or Tamiya would like. The reason for their disappearance was relabeling to conform to federal consumer product safety regulations. It is something which all paint manufacturers have to conform to. I have been able to pick up several cans of Tamiya Fine White Surface Primer from local hobby stores in the last couple of weeks. The biggest issue with the slow return seems to be a large number of back orders that need to be filled.

I use Tamiya paints a lot (as well as Model Master enamels and acrylics, Vallejo — they handbrush beautifully, and even Humbrol), but I'm more disappointed by the loss of the Polly Scale military line and the continued lack of availability of Gunze Sangyo acrylics.

Cheers, Aaron

Yeah, I knew that was the reason.  I'm just impatient!  :)  I'm generally pretty brand loyal.  I like MM enamels strictly for their "Army / Marine Gulf Armor Sand" and Tamiya for their NATO Green, Black & Brown and their Dark Yellow though I do like MM's a little better.

I hate mixing paints to try to get the right shade so when I find one ready to use that I like, I try to stick with it.

RESlusher

 

DoogsATX:

I'm actually trying to limit my exposure to Tamiya paints, I think. Love the way they airbrush with lacquer thinner, but between supply issues and the dusting issues I've had with them, I think I'm veering more toward Model Master/Vallejo/Gunze going forward.

 

 

 

I started out about 15 years ago using only MM enamels.  I switched over to Tamiya acrylics because of their reduced toxicity.  I do still use a couple MM colors; but very little these days.

I've never used Vallejo's products; but I've read some good stuff about 'em from you guys here so I might have to give them a go.

Hopefully the HobbyTown I frequent in Arlington will get their Tamiya products this week so I can pick them up Saturday morning and sniff paint while the Little Woman is down in Houston!  WooHoo!!  A weekend without adult supervision!!! 

I've got one of those weekends coming over Thanksgiving (tradition - with four dogs, I usually stay home to watch them while the wife and kids go to her parents. I come in for T-day and drive back that evening...). Hoping to use it to get the bench back up and running.

re: toxicity...I've found I'm only happy spraying Tamiya with lacquer thinners, so probably not a lot less toxic than MM enamels.

I'd switch to Vallejo entirely, but it doesn't spray quite as nice at finer settings as Tamiya and Model Master. 

I work part time at my LHS and last week we got a letter from one of our distributors listing Tamiya colors that are on the way. They listed about 15 to 20  numbers and they also said there are additional numbers that will arrive sometime in Nov.

DoogsATX

 

re: toxicity...I've found I'm only happy spraying Tamiya with lacquer thinners, so probably not a lot less toxic than MM enamels.

 

Actually that would make the Tamiya more toxic if thinned with lacquer than the enamels thinned with mineral spirits.

Last time I was at my hobby shop they guy told me that Tamiya started releasing their paints again, I guess they're reformulating it. They started with the thinner and the primer, and will be releasing 5 colors at a time. I do not know the time span inbetween releases but I hear they have started to ship them.

My LHS just got a large shipments of primers , thinners and some colors  in spray cans.  No jars yet.  But the stuff is starting to trickle in so hopefully not too much longer.

I miss Tamyia paints too I was in the process of replaceing some of my Model Master colors with Tamyia colors due to the fact tamyia paints are 100% better than Model Master. They brush better and spray better, level out better as they dry. And as Aron said the biggest probluem has been relableing.                              ON BENCH  TRUMPTER DICKER MAX  1/35  IVa                       ACESES5

ACESES5

I miss Tamyia paints too I was in the process of replaceing some of my Model Master colors with Tamyia colors due to the fact tamyia paints are 100% better than Model Master. They brush better and spray better, level out better as they dry. And as Aron said the biggest probluem has been relableing.                              ON BENCH  TRUMPTER DICKER MAX  1/35  IVa                       ACESES5

I am confused by this.

Every single time I've attempted to brush Tamiya, it's been a mess. It picks itself up. Coverage is terrible. 

They do airbrush very well, but only within a certain environmental range, working distance, etc. Venture outside of those and it can be very unforgiving. I've never seen Tamiya level out (if anything, it's the most dusting-prone paint in my arsenal) - but maybe that's because I never spray on enough paint to require leveling in the first place.

I love Tamiya paints when I've got them dialed in and the temperature and humidity are cooperating. But they are not 100% better than Model Master (unless maybe you're talking Acryl). In my experience, MM enamels are by far the more forgiving paint to work with.

DoogsATX

 

They do airbrush very well, but only within a certain environmental range, working distance, etc. Venture outside of those and it can be very unforgiving. I've never seen Tamiya level out (if anything, it's the most dusting-prone paint in my arsenal) - but maybe that's because I never spray on enough paint to require leveling in the first place.

What are you thinning it with? Maybe you need some retarder?

I think I remember you saying you are a garage builder. I am a kitchen table builder and I have great luck with brushing Tamiya paints. It might be a humidity issue.

I was just about moved over to Tamiya for everything, but I have now almost moved completely back to MM, but not by choice.

I find when I airbrush in the cool of the morning the Tamiya (thinned with Tamiya thinner) airbrushes better than MM enamels.