GET IT OFF LINE!

[LARRY RICE]

          There use to be a hobby store in every neighborhood....You know the one, where you could look at the models, touch them, talk to someone who knew what he was talking about. A trip to the local store was fun and in most stores you could sit and build you model right there. Don't ask what happened to all of those stores.....you will not like the answer. We need to keep the stores that are left, they are important to this hobby. OK! so you go on line and order a $150.00 kit, when it comes you drive to the local hobby store and buy that $5.00 bottle of CA. Well you did your part. Some of you do not have a local mom and pop hobby store anymore so you have to go to the big discount chain stores. I feel sorry for you. They treat you like S#^# because you are not spending enough money; and for heavens sake do not ask them a question unless you can not read the box for yourself. But for the rest of you who expect that local store to be there when you need a nickle item; shut off the computer, get into the car, and go to the store the next time you want a model kit. They need your support too. 

[Dennis Adamisin]

AMEN Larry!

I have taken to ordering Brodak stuff THROUGH my LHS.  As a result of what I order, they are starting to stock a few Brodak items too, for the few CL'ers that come in.

Last visit they asked me about the B.40, one of their other customers had asked them about it.  I recommended it.  THEN I volunteered this: I told them to order one B.40 and one B.25 and stock them, if they do not sell in 90 days I would buy them myself.  Actually I'll try to talk my wife into buying them for me for Christmas...!   

OH Joyous Noel!   

[Bill Little]

AMEN Larry!

I have taken to ordering Brodak stuff THROUGH my LHS.  As a result of what I order, they are starting to stock a few Brodak items too, for the few CL'ers that come in.

Last visit they asked me about the B.40, one of their other customers had asked them about it.  I recommended it.  THEN I volunteered this: I told them to order one B.40 and one B.25 and stock them, if they do not sell in 90 days I would buy them myself.  Actually I'll try to talk my wife into buying them for me for Christmas...!   

OH Joyous Noel!   

Ok, Dennis, I got an even BETTER idea!  Your wife can buy ME the B-25 for Christmas!



(well, I tried! )
Bill <><

[Shultzie]

 OK! so you go on line and order a $150.00 kit, when it comes you drive to the local hobby store and buy that $5.00 bottle of CA. Well you did your part.

 Some of you do not have a local mom and pop hobby store anymore so you have to go to the big discount chain stores. I feel sorry for you. They treat you like S#^# because you are not spending enough money; and for heavens sake do not ask them a question unless you can not read the box for yourself. But for the rest of you who expect that local store to be there when you need a nickle item; shut off the computer, get into the car, and go to the store the next time you want a model kit. They need your support too. 
[/quote]

A hobby shop near bye is sadly a thing of the past.....Let's see??? At todays prices for gas...bridge toll fees....and with the traffic lately....ONLY TAKES ABOUT 3 GALS. OF GAS...$1.75 TOLL FEE.....ABOUT TWO HOURS....to and from the nearest store?

Humm?  I guess...ACE IS THE PLACE?

[Randy Powell]

I've got a semi-local hobby shop (about 20 miles from my office, 50 from my home). I try to buy stuff there regularly (fuel, hardware, the occasional engine, etc.). He primarly serves the RC, I want it now community, stocking a million RC ARFS and really no kits. RC kit's don't sell. He keeps some control line stuff in stock for me and some others. I can occasionally get lines and such from him and lately he's taken to stocking a couple of kits, mostly Sig, since those are selling.

[Jim Thomerson]

Many years ago, I had three or four, more or less local, fair to excellent hobby shops. This was about the time the mail order discounters were well established.  I compared prices and my hobby shops were about 50% higher than the discounters.  I decided to spend $300/year at my local hobby shops, basically a contribution of $100, and the rest to the mail order folks.  In the Austin area, there are four hobby shops I know of.  There is a Hobbytown about 20 miles away.  I stop in there occasionally, and buy glue, bolts, etc. These days I do most of my shopping when I go up to Dallas for contests.  In the last ten years, seven (edit, forgot one. Make that eight.) hobby shops have gone out of business in the Austin area, and two new ones have appeared.   

[Bob Zambelli]

Good news - there is a hobby shop about 5 minutes from my office.   

Bad news - they do not have a clue about C/L.      :'In the many times I've been there, I have NEVER seen a C/L item.   

More good news - there is a hobby shop about 10 minutes from my house. 

Some REALLY good news - it's a genuine Ma & Pa operation and they have an extensive inventory of C/L kits, engines and accessories.   

Bob Z.

[Tom Luciano]

There's a small mom & pop hobby shop about an hour drive from my house. They have a nice selection of control line stuff and a lot of it is new old stock. When it comes to control line I will always support them. I even found parts for my old HO cars that my sons now play with.

[Gordon Tarbell]

MY local hobby store for the longest time refused to stock any Cl stuff. Said there was no intrest. After being brow beaten for several years by Bruce Malm (the guy that just got master air screw to start producing threeblade props in a slightly lower pitch range for CL use) Brian Moore, Dave Shirley jr. , and my self they stock a growing amount of CL stuff at competitive prices. I even order through them instead of mail order. Some stuff I still have to get via. the mail order , but it better than nothing.

[dave shirley jr]

WHAT Gordon said!
and since they gave us gift certificates and supplied two brodak kits for our contest this last weekend i dont feel one bit embarassed for saying the shops name.
                   R/C Country hobbies in sacramento California
please say thank you when you stop by and buy something
Dave jr.

[Clint Ormosen]

Well, that must be a recent change at R/C Country. Last time I went in, they ZERO control line stuff. Not even a 1/2A kit. When I asked about it, all I got was a snooty "Naw, that crap doesn't sell".

[Louis Rankin]

Don't forget Sam' Stuff and Virginia Hobby Sports (there are many other online also).  They are online Mom and Pop hobby shops that cater exclusively to our C/L needs.  The LHS in my area sucks big time!!!!!  So, I take my business to those who want and care about me.  I would encourage everyone to support the online Mom and Pops who really do care about C/L.

[bruce malm]

A lot of the on-line stores are small operations. SS Hobbies. Bil Mandakis, Scott Reise, Eric Rule, and all the others. I usually get better pricing from them than direct from Brodak. All seem to give some type of discount. Brodak even drop ships for them. Thanks to all the local Sacto people we have convinced RC Country to start stocking some CL.

Fred at master Airscrew was unaware of the amount of CL Stunt that was going on until I finally cornered him.
I'm sorry it took so long to get the 10x5 3 blades made, but I think they will be worth it. I bought an extra 12 and Brian got an extra 5 and they all sold at the Woodland contest.

I sold Brian a P-40 ARF the week before and he and Heman Lee used one of the new 3 blades on Saturday with a B40 engine and they seemed to like it. Brian left the P-40 for Heman to use in profile on Saturday and he won 1st place.
I hope everybody is happy with the new prop. I have some smaller boxes coming from USPS to cut down on the shipping costs. I hope they arrive today so I can ship them tomorrow. Thanks to my lovely wife Teena spending a couple hours on the computer, I have a nice spread sheet to keep track of everything and all the shipping labels are ready to go.

Total order was 190 props, to 41 destinations. I hope it was all worth it and they sell well enough that I can get Fred to make some other sizes. $7.95 list price for a 10"  3 blade seems to me to be a good price that most can afford.

[Bill Little]

I have patronized, and supported my "local" Hobby Shop for over 40 years.  It is now an hour away (the Base at Ft. Bragg is closed, have to go around!) but I get there as often as possible.

Alan Hayes is a member here.  Him, and his Dad, Gentry (and Mom!) are great people who support EVERY ASPECT of the Hobby world.   After over 40 years, it is always great to walk in and see them all in the shop, and they are so helpful it is unbelievable.  I hope Hayes Hobby House stays around until well after my Grandson is flying! LOL!!

[Phil Coopy]

I prefer to patronize the local hobby shop too....clostest good one here is Grave's in Orlando...great shop..a real experience to visit.....but being a mostly scratch builder, even a large shop like that lacks a lot of the building supplies we used to be able to get at the mom and pop shops..  So I have to go online looking for them. I just order stuff in bulk whan I can get it and hope I'll use it.

Phil
 

[EddyR]

Bill what gate were you using to cut through Ft Bragg. I was there this spring and had no trouble. I did have business there but the visitors section was open to the public. Just tell them you are there to take your SF qualifying jump. One look at you and they will give you a escort over to the plane saying "I want to see this" HA HA just kidding.
Ed

[Bill Little]

Bill what gate were you using to cut through Ft Bragg. I was there this spring and had no trouble. I did have business there but the visitors section was open to the public. Just tell them you are there to take your SF qualifying jump. One look at you and they will give you a escort over to the plane saying "I want to see this" HA HA just kidding.
Ed

Going through the reservation is almost impossible now, Ed.  It's 20-25 miles of drop zones, impact areas, gunnery ranges, etc....  You CAN get through the gates if someone is there!  We use to be able to get on Manchester Rd. at Ranger station #2, then Chicken Rd. or Plank Rd. and be at the back gate of Pope AFB is about 20 min. (or less!)  Now we have to get off at one of the locked chain link gates (usually at Puppy Creek), and go over to 401, etc., to get into Fayettenam.  It's pretty much easier to go to Raeford and up 401 to start with, now, althoug some people actuall go to Cameron and out 87.  Either way, it turned a 30 min or so trip into closer to an hour.

Going on post is not a problem, as long as the car doesn't have much junk in it!  We even had to disembark from the activity bus to get on base to play in a HS golf match!

As to the qualifying jump, I think you are correct! LOL!!

[Bob Kruger]

Going on post is not a problem, as long as the car doesn't have much junk in it!  We even had to disembark from the activity bus to get on base to play in a HS golf match!

As to the qualifying jump, I think you are correct! LOL!!

Bill;

I take it that the gate not to far from Holland DZ that I used to zip through on my way to Southern Pines is closed now and they don't have an MP checkpoint there.  Bummer.  It IS a long way around if you can't cut by the DZs.

Glad to see Hayes is still is business.  Nice place.

V/r

Bob

[Bill Little]

Bill;

I take it that the gate not to far from Holland DZ that I used to zip through on my way to Southern Pines is closed now and they don't have an MP checkpoint there.  Bummer.  It IS a long way around if you can't cut by the DZs.

Glad to see Hayes is still is business.  Nice place.

V/r

Bob

You got it, Bob!  Last time I went through, the BIG SIGN said "Closed Ahead".   And if you go on down the road, you have to turn around and go back quite a ways to turn off towards 401!

Alan Hayes (Gentry's son, and a board member) is in the shop all the time now.  Still see Mom and Pop there everytime I go.   Gentry must have been 18 when he opened the store!

Not nearly as many "troops" that come to town (Southern Pines) now as there was in the mid-late '60s.  Things *have changed*.  I guees closing jump school there at Bragg had something to do with that!

[Steve Helmick]

I'd like to patronize a decent local hobby shop. If there was one. I've been to some when I needed a bottle of CA and a piece of plywood, and went away empty handed, because they had neither. I've heard tell that a new-ish shop that's not too far from me was going to get this 'n that for CL...fuel, kits, hardware. Haven't seen any of it show up. I don't care if they survive or not. Some of the RC car stuff is useful, tho.

Another shop started out good, and I was frequently picking up a half dozen gallons of fuel for others, 2b delivered at contests. Last summer, I couldn't get any 10-22GMA from them, and I asked and asked, and asked. One of the regular clerks there told me that they got it in all the time, and I was just always too late. This was a complete LIE. They didn't ever get any, because the owner ordered it from another distributor...and (while the owner's mom was sick, and he cut back his hours) the hired hands didn't bother. I'll put up with a lot, but I won't put up with being lied to.  I wish I could say the guy got fired, but he's still there. I got the situation fixed to my satisfaction (mostly) with an email to somebody who knew the owner...I'm that kind of guy. My people will fix your people!  Steve

[Gordon Tarbell]

Ref.Phil Coopy, When I was young I used to ride (bicycle) to the Local hobby shop "Colonial Photo and Hobby" it was next to a Publix market and later took over the whole building. I used to spend all my lawn mowing money there. Is it still there?  "I was so much older then, I am younger than that now".

[Bill Heher]

Colonial Photo and Hobby is still there just off Colonial Dr on Mills Ave. They have a few Cl kits and some accessories, the guys behind the hobby counter are always pleasant and easy to talk to- but know little about C/L. They will order stuff or you if one of their suppliers carry it. There are even a few C/L models still hanging from the ceiling, along with some F/F planes. Last time there they even had some Sigment in stock, but no Ambroid!

[Vincent Judd]

I have three hobby shops that are within 45 minutes of my house.  Hobby shop #1 is a true old Mom and Pop operation.  Still stocks a lot of C/L stuff.  Also sells a lot of train stuff.  The one guy that works there when I usually show up is a major PITA.  He's surly, not friendly at all, and virtually ignores me to continue talking to his train buddies while I'm patiently standing there at the counter, ready to be rung up.  Throws my change on the counter.........all the crap that I hate.  Please tell me why I should shop there?

Hobby shop #2 is owned and run by a bunch of youngsters who are into R/C cars.  The place is loaded with that kind of stuff.  Awesome, awesome cars and trucks, but I don't think they've ever heard of C/L.  I can get some supplies for my R/C planes in there, but not very much.

Hobby shop #3 is again, a train oriented store with a little bit of R/C stuff mixed in.  Very nice guys, very helpful, extremely friendly, but very little in the way of the stuff we need.  His balsa would make good cabinets.

So, I shop on line.  I can sit in the comfort of my home, order from Tower, or whomever, and in two or three days the big brown truck is at my door with my goodies.  No fuss, no muss, no having to drive all around searching for something.  Brodak, and all the other wonderful C/L vendors that we have are the same way.  When you factor in the cost of gas, wear and tear on my car, and my time, it's a no brainer to me. 

I hate to see the demise of the local Mom and Pop hobby shops.  I spent countless hours in many of them as a kid.  But I won't go out of my way to patronize them today when they don't seem to care about me at all.  Just my .02 worth.

[Glen Wearden]

There's a shop about 5 minutes from where my daughter and her family live in Houston.  Went there, asked about getting some CL stuff.  Answer: "Nobody flies control line anymore."  Outta there!!  Went to another one about 15 minutes away.  "Leather fillets; what are leather fillets?"  About 4 clerks in the store, and none of them had the foggiest.   Outta there!!  It's Tower, SS Hobbies, and Virginia Hobbysport for me!  Glen