Tamiya should be ashamed of themselves

[JimD]

Ahhh. The thread title that got me banned...can you figure out why? Lol

Now seriously though, this is still something I think needs discussing. Tamiya continues to put out leading industry kits in each genre and scale. I've built two of the 1/32 super kits and they are superb, but the decals are awful they are thick and refuse to settle into surface detail...especially the fine detail on kits like the Mustang. I'm a little miffed that while a lot of manufactures outsource their decal production, Tamiya continues to push out beautiful kits with the worst decals in the business. I feel like for the price these kits fetch decals shouldn't be an afterthought.

[Deleted]

Jim,I wholeheartedly agree that on some sites,you may well get lynched for that remark!!! BUT,surely,that is the whole reason AM guys can make their money.If ANY manufacturer uses (allegedly) inferior gear,or doesn't do their homework,the AM guys will jump in and make money!!
Free market economy,and all that!!
IF there is a manufacturer out there,that has produced a 100% accurate build of ANYTHING....can someone let us know???
In mitigation,I have to say that the new 1/32 Tammy kits are superb....I just haven't got to the stage of using the decs....YET!!!!

[Deleted]

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!!!!"

[deafpanzer]

I built Challenger II recently and I have to agree about their decals. They were terrible and difficult to use. If it wasn't for Dicky coming to my rescue with his leftover AM decals I would have been one unhappy camper. Like CeeBee said there's always AM and I will be ordering for all of future Tamiya builds. I usually don't buy Tamiya armor kits anyway because they are either old or overpriced...

[Deleted]

Dicky.....good job I remembered to ferkin swallow!!!!!! My screen woulda been covered in donut!!!!

[dupes]

Feb 20, 2014 18:36:43 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

I usually don't buy Tamiya armor kits anyway because they are either old or overpriced...

Just buy them at shows! You can find them suuuuuper cheap.

And I agree about their decals - unless there absolutely is no other option, I immediately swap them out for something else.

[JimD]

I wouldn't even mind paying a little more for the kits for some better decals. It seems obvious that Tamiya prides themselves on quality (I can't speak for their new armor...)...it would seem that they'd want the best decals available...why not outsource them to Cartograph?

[dupes]

Because DML does!

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2014 18:53:15 GMT -5 JimD said:

I wouldn't even mind paying a little more for the kits for some better decals. It seems obvious that Tamiya prides themselves on quality (I can't speak for their new armor...)...it would seem that they'd want the best decals available...why not outsource them to Cartograph?

It does make sense! Airfix outsource their decs from Cartograf on all their new tools,and re releases,as far as I know,and although the kits are getting a bit more costly,they ARE generally good kits,especially the new tooled kits!(The older kits,look like the moulds have been remastered/cleaned,if that's possible??),

[JimD]

I believe Academy pretty much goes Cartograph in current boxings...and aren't Eduard's decals Cartograph printed as well?

One of the arguments I've heard goes back to Japanese culture and the desire to be independent and not using outside sources. I guess I can see that to some extent...but I still feel like they could do a better job in house. Why do their proprietary decals HAVE to be horrible? That's all I'm asking.

[doogsatx/]

They do outsource some of their decals to Cartograf - the limited edition boxing like their 1/48 P-51B Blue Nose and P-51D 9th Air Force.

Which makes their terrible decals in a beautiful kit like the new Corsair that much more frustrating.

[TomN.]

I don't have that many Tamiya kits and (1) one airplane kit, the 1/48 F4U-1/2 Corsair that I bought at a show.

The decals say Tamiya, but also Scale Master decals, printed by VITACHROME...?

They look pretty good from what I can tell.

Tom

[tigrazor]

Uh... oh... Just got a Golf Mk.I Group 2 kit (see "Stash thread"). The kit itself is from 1978, thats printed on the decal sheet as well. Makes me a bit nervous.

[dupes]

It should!

[deafpanzer]

Feb 20, 2014 18:47:45 GMT -5 dupes said:

Feb 20, 2014 18:36:43 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

I usually don't buy Tamiya armor kits anyway because they are either old or overpriced...

Just buy them at shows! You can find them suuuuuper cheap.

And I agree about their decals - unless there absolutely is no other option, I immediately swap them out for something else.

I usually buy kits on sale at hobby shop or at the show of course. It is my preference to have high parts kits like Dragon. But lately I am starting to like Trumpeter now because you get best deal when it comes with aluminum barrel, workable tracks and nice kit!

[MOOSE.]

Me personally... They are thick but I feel they settle great with more work. I think Cartograph makes the best decals... Period. I wouldn't say that Tamiya has terrible but they involve a lot more effort.
On the p51 I'm doing now I'll set them with a solution... Let them get tacky... Wipe gently with water and super soft brush... Then soak with MicroSol... After 5 minutes wipe again then dabble with a fresh Q-tip (gently), wipe with water again... Let dry then brush on Future.
I know... Seems like a lot but it really does, imo, work really well. There are better decals but I don't think they're too bad

Before Future treatment

[MOOSE.]

After future

[JimD]

Moose, those are Tamiya decals? Wow. Seems to have worked well. I just can't get them to settle like that...and that's with Solvaset. Some people have said using heat from a hair dryer will make them settle. May try that next time I have to use some. I much prefer just springing for paint mask on big builds now anyway.

[MOOSE.]

Yeah Jimmy... Everything is the decals. Like I said... They aren't very friendly but they are workable. I'm not great with most decals because I have big paws and a slight hand shake... I prefer thicker most of the time for that reason. Little extra time spent but they do look like paint. I have torn my share of decals. I think they're too thick for like the 1/24 cars, 1/48 planes but I like em in the 1/32 and 1/35 Tammy

[JimD]

I too am hard on decals and have trouble with really delicate ones. That's a big reason I've tried using masks as much as I can on builds for pricey kits...that and it just looks better overall. Unfortunately, I had to use stencils from my Tamiya mustang and spitfire. Those caused problems...but I didn't try heat. You may consider that next time you use them.

[sturmbird]

yes if you had said that on HS, you'd have been hung by your thumbs by the shills over there. Actually ARC can be just as bad at times too. I don't buy many Tamiya kits anymore, as I feel the rest have passed them by. Plus I refuse to pay the Tamiya tax. Now they seem to come out with interesting subjects that just rot on the shelves, but they are not the only ones. Their latest Corsair is not selling like the Spitfire did. Even the Mustang just sets there begging for some one to buy them. When it hit the market, the shops around here were listing them for $140 while ZM was selling theirs for $80 (just as good, and in a few ways better and more accurate). Still Tamiya knows you'll buy it because his name is on the box. I won't! As the poster said, you pay thru the nose, and get a sub standard decal sheet!! But alas that seems to be the norm for most Japanese based companies. Not a big deal breaker for me, but others will think otherwise. Armor wise, Tamiya is back there with the also rans. Dragon, AFV, and Trumpeter have taken their lunch and ate it. Tasca and Bronco always did, but now there are five groups ahead of them. I look for Zvezda to be next.
gary

[doogsatx/]

The big Tamiya kits probably sit on store shelves because most people in the market for them are getting them $40 cheaper online.

[ceresvesta.]

Don't even get me started on the vinyl tracks supplyed in the tam kits!
But I can't help it....the parts fits soooo damn well, you could build a tam kit jumping from an airplane.  Except from the crappy tracks that I use only to slap the cats butt when he lurks around the bench

[JimD]

Yeah, I have to agree with DoogsATX. The Tamiya kits you are seeing on the shelves aren't selling because they can be had for $40-$50 or more cheaper online. The fact that LHS are able to stay in business at all surprises me. Look around the forums and you're going to see plenty of the Tamiya 1/32 kits being built. They are selling. Have no doubt about it. And they are worth the price too. I've built the Tamiya Mustang and I've had my hands on the ZM and I just don't see how anyone thinks the ZM compares. All the extra parts on the inside don't equate to "better" to me and I know that kit doesn't just fall together like the Tamiya.

Again, I'm not ripping them becaus they are "overpriced." I don't believe they are...I just think its kind if silly to not put better decals in superior kits.

[deafpanzer]

Applied decals on my DUKW two night ago... it was Italeri and decals were AWESOME and easy! Kudos to Italeri...

[dupes]

I've had very positive results with Italeri's kit decals as well. They don't SAY printed by Cartograph, but they are done in Italy - maybe the same print press?

[MOOSE.]

I haven't had the opportunity to do Italeri's as of yet, though I am eyeing the 1/48 AC-130

[dupes]

Oh yeah? Have you got one already, Moose?

[Mence]

In Mr Ts defence, their modern Auto and a Bike kits have some of the nicest decals I have ever used, register is 100%, colours are accurate and the carrier film is incredibly delicate.

So, build more Civilian!

[pantherf..-Email Not Valid]

Banned?  From where?




Jeff