Michael's selection getting bigger

I havn't been in a while. I need to, though. a 40%off cupon is burning a hole in my pocket, and I really want to get that model of the T-6 Texan.

[if what you say is also true for my Michaels, I'm going to jump up and down for joy, since I go to Michaels for a lot of my hobby needs]

Same here. I go there for a lot of modeling stuff, (with that 40% off). I sometimes wonder why they only carry Revell and Testors model kits instead of a variation like Academy, Tamiya, Italeri, etc.

that's kind of the funny thing with me. I don't really care what kit I get, as long as it's cheep (with or without a cupon) but I do have some whish-list items I want Michaels to carry, like a 1/32 scale B-52 bomber (acually, I just want one to be made period.)

Now that I think of it, I would like Michaels to start carrying that Trumpeter 1/25 scale fire engine. I've been wanting to get one, and it would be an added bonus if it came 40%off. Other than that, I'm happy with getting those cars they have in stock. they all make excelent starting points for junkyard builds.

Local store has same number of kits.

With HL  downsizing kit selection,  an increase by Michaels would be very welcome.

Can't speak to that, but if they would just do a better job on the paint selection I'd be happy.

Railfan 233

 1/32 scale B-52 bomber

 

I thought Hans Von Hammer was crazy because he wanted a 1/48 B-52.

You sir reached the top.

It would be cool to see some armor kits in there to.

Haven't noticed any change at the local Michaels.

Regards,  Rick

jetmodeler

Railfan 233:

 1/32 scale B-52 bomber

 

 

I thought Hans Von Hammer was crazy because he wanted a 1/48 B-52.

You sir reached the top.

It would be cool to see some armor kits in there to.

that's not the crazyest thing I want. How about a 1/6 scale B-52 (or 10X scale, where it's 10-times larger than the real thing)

Compared to what I hear HL generally carries, Michaels sucks, and most likely always will.

Well, HL has more to choose from, but they mark theyre kit prices up (For example: the Trumpeter 1/25 scale fire engine: suggested retail $80.00, my LHS price:$75.00, HL's price: $100.00)

If your a teen-ager with not a whole lot of money (like me) then Michaels would be your best bet, since they send off more cupons.

I still have to go to the hobby shop for those armor kits, model railroad ktis, and for other stuff, but I'm content with building cars and aircraft from Michaels, otherwise

The Michael's here has an ok selection that has grown a little. It's a great place to buy inexpensive kits and brushes though, and with every purchase (at least here) you get a 50% off coupon for the next week, it's a cheap way to get some decent 1/48's at really low prices. In fact, I'm thinking of swinging by tomorrow to grab 1/48 Revell Tomcat. Not the best kit, but for $8, I'll bite every time. The week after next I'll grab the FA-18 for the same price.

Again, it's a great place for brushes though. I really wish they carried Tamiya masking tape though, it's save me an hour trip, in traffic, to Hobbytown on the other side of town. I really just need to order $50 worth online, but I'm impatient...

Railfan 233

jetmodeler:

Railfan 233:

 1/32 scale B-52 bomber

 

 

I thought Hans Von Hammer was crazy because he wanted a 1/48 B-52.

You sir reached the top.

It would be cool to see some armor kits in there to.

 

that's not the crazyest thing I want. How about a 1/6 scale B-52 (or 10X scale, where it's 10-times larger than the real thing)

Tigerman~ Yeah, I've heard HL's selection makes Michael's look bad before.

Hun Hunter~ $8 for a kit. Is that with the 40% off? The normal prices (without a coupon) is about $17 for the F-18 and F-14.

Railfan 223~ A 1/6 B-52 and a 10x B-52. I think you just rated above number 1 on the crazy list.

(Is that even possible)

jetmodeler

Railfan 223~ A 1/6 B-52 and a 10x B-52. I think you just rated above number 1 on the crazy list.

(Is that even possible)

Yes, it's possible. I always have some crazy idea or something (like building my own golf-cart with a HEMI for golf)

I don't think my Michael's has expanded its selection, although its selection isn't too bad to begin with. Though its all aircraft and autos, and all Revell kits, its a fairly wide selection. Nothing really exciting though, mostly all American aircraft from WWII and modern. But they are inexpensive, especially with the coupons.

I was in AC Moore the other day and found two kits I usually don't see. Again, both Revell, but they were the Mig-21 and F-84, which are not available at the local Michael's.

Usually, Michael's is my last resort or if I'm really jonesing for a quick build.

I just got back from my local Michaels, and they have expanded a little. Here are the ones I noticed  (all Revell) USS Missouri ; USS Arizona ; T-6 Texan (trainer) SBD Dauntless, 1960 Chevy Impala, 1/48 scale AH-64, and a few more jets in stock (normally there would be 2 or 3, now there's 3 adverage for all jets)

I would have gotten the USS Missouri, but my budget is taped-out for the rest of the month.

I got my F-14A and F-18E at Michael's. I usually don't go to Michael's for stuff but I couldn't pass up those. I hate the face that Hobby Lobby scaled down. Oh well, that's what the LHS is for.

Hopefully the trend will catch on up north, last time I was at a Michael's in Canada there was no section for models.

Been getting the girlfriends sisters kids & their friends into the hobby, doing what I can to stoke up the local comic book stores model selection. At first Riley wanted to order from Squadron but I convinced him to get a kit down town instead. Besides what kid wants to wait for a mail order? I have hard enough time with that, his Tamiya Kublewagen we got today is all ready 1/2 assembled & I think I have him hooked!

SuppressionFire

 

Been getting the girlfriends sisters kids & their friends into the hobby, doing what I can to stoke up the local comic book stores model selection. At first Riley wanted to order from Squadron but I convinced him to get a kit down town instead. Besides what kid wants to wait for a mail order? I have hard enough time with that, his Tamiya Kublewagen we got today is all ready 1/2 assembled & I think I have him hooked!

How old are the kids? (Man, if you are getting your girlfriend's sister's kids and their friends in the hobby, that may keep you realitively safe from a break-up)

Well, If the kit is a good one (or one I've been searching the ends of the Earth for) I will get it via mail-order, but the wait still kills me (I'm waiting for an AMT/Eartl fire engine and a Revell F-15 Eagle to come)

So, you are helping to bring in a few more youngsters. Just give them a subscription to the Fine Scale Modeler, and then they will be set.

Jetmodeler: Like I said, you get a 50% coupon for the next week with every purchase, at least here. Last I looked the F-14 and F-18 were listed at $15 here, they might have gone up. So $8-9, not bad for a 1/48 to throw in my growing pile.

Hun Hunter

Jetmodeler: Like I said, you get a 50% coupon for the next week with every purchase, at least here. Last I looked the F-14 and F-18 were listed at $15 here, they might have gone up. So $8-9, not bad for a 1/48 to throw in my growing pile.

Thats true. $8-9 is definately not bad for a 1/48 kit. Especially when the newer releases of jet cost around $40 to almost $80.

I have a rather interesting situation where I live, a Michael's and a Hobby Lobby almost within a stone's throw of each other. The Michael's has been there for year's and the Hobby Lobby just opened, so I have been watching the modeling section in each go through weird expansions and contractions ... and about 2 miles away is an A.C. Moore, but mine does not stock any modeling stuff.

Michael's here seems to be downsizing their models to extinction.  When I asked the one of two people that work there, she said an 80 yr old man and myself are the only purchasers.  :[

~mfsob~ There is an A.C. Moore the next block down from the Michael's here. The A.C. Moore has some model kits but nothing really interesting.

~Ripcord~ So only the two of you shop in that section of the store.

I can say for a fact that the Michaels locations here in Austin are not expanding.

Just getting back into modeling after many years away, and when I was in the process of gathering supplies, Michaels was the first place I went. Back when I built models as a kid (early-ish 90s), Michaels was the go-to place for the basics. Solid selection of Model Master paints, a whole aisle of kits, airbrush supplies...

When I went into the one here, it took me fifteen minutes to even find the model "section", which consisted of maybe a dozen car kits, six rather sad looking Revell kits, and a little display rack of the square Testors enamels. And that was it.

Fortunately, there are a Hobby Lobby and Hobbytown (which...when did they go like 90% R/C?) for the basics, and a pretty solid LHS across town. Still...online has been my godsend. 

So Michaels use to be like Hobby Lobby when it came to scale models?

In my experience. Though I was around 10-13 when I was going there regularly, and far less jaded than I am these days, so maybe I'm remembering it being a bit more grand than it was. 

But...I specifically remember them stocking an entire case full of airbrushes and their various accessories, and I remember them stocking Metalizer when it launched.

O.K., now I see.

 I'm fairly happy with my Michaels as-is right now. I do whish, though, that they would at least carry 1/72 scale armor (I've been wanting to get into that part of the hobby for a while) as well as more vehicles that could possibly become emergency vehicles (like the Monogram 1/25 scale Ford F-250 Superduty) or, better yet, stock fire engine kits (other than the Revell snap-tite MACK pumper kit)

I will also admit, I would like to seem more paint, or atleast some way to remind me to get paint in the first place I don't know about metalizer, though.

Ripcord

Michael's here seems to be downsizing their models to extinction.  When I asked the one of two people that work there, she said an 80 yr old man and myself are the only purchasers.  :[

I've been in the local Michael for various reasons during the last two weeks.

I don't recall seeing any change in the number of kits -excepting my own purchase.

Perhaps the store stock restriction of only Revell kits doesn't have enough appeal?

And Michaels has been giving me 40 pct off coupons with every purchase.

Hobby Lobby kits do appear to sell as blank areas appear on the shelves from time to time when model stock is not replenished.

The Michaels near me has nothing in the way of improved inventory for the model builder, save for a slight increase in the NASCAR  stuff, which is of less than zero interest to me.

I see Hobby Lobby has greatly reduced the number of military kits, but kept the overflowing shelves of car model kits, alas.

As I've lamented previously, mail order and I are permanently wed.