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Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 4:07 AM   
combatman


 

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Status: offline 		Anyone else notice the price jump in Great Planes, Dynaflite, and Top Flite kits at Tower Hobbies? Wow!


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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 5:20 AM   
DamonTX


 

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Status: offline 		Holy crap! I bought my TF Cessna 182 for $149 a few years ago. Then I think it went up to $199. Now it's $269. The TF giant scale kits have all gone up $50 since I last looked at them a few weeks ago. What's up with that?

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 12:37 PM   
VIRGINIA MODEL BUILDERS


 

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Status: offline 		Perhaps that is a question that is best answered by Tower.Lets find out why the increases have taken place.


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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 1:13 PM   
smithcreek



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Status: offline 		Definitely not their usual up and down $20 depending on the day you look. The .60 size P-40 has been $179 for a while, now it's $239.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 1:35 PM   
ma_mulcahy


 

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Status: offline 		Looks like some prices are unchanged and some have been raised. Maybe it's based on new kits costing more to manufacture????

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 2:30 PM   
karolh


 

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Status: offline 		Maybe it's time for us to stop buying them at these new high prices and start getting back to scratch building and send them a very clear message. I like kits but I don't HAVE to buy kits.

Karol

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 2:56 PM   
carrellh



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quote:

ORIGINAL: VIRGINIA MODEL BUILDERS
Perhaps that is a question that is best answered by Tower.Lets find out why the increases have taken place.

Let us know what they tell you.

======
quote:

Maybe it's time for us to stop buying them at these new high prices and start getting back to scratch building and send them a very clear message. I like kits but I don't HAVE to buy kits.

This would not likely change the pricing model. It probably would cause the Hobbico conglomerate to stop producing kits.

======

According to info in the 'bring back the Ultra Sport' thread a production run is something like 300 units. If the ones that went up are a new production run it does not surprise me at all that the price is higher.

I guess it would surprise me a little if they did a new run considering the truly low demand for kits.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 3:32 PM   
acdii


 

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Status: offline 		From what I understand, Balsa prices have gone up drastically thanks to wind towers.  I guess the blades are made of balsa.  Going to look into that in a bit, as it seems odd.


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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 3:51 PM   
carrellh



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Status: offline 		I think it was an episode of "How It's Made" that showed the building of windmill blades. They are skinned with balsa and fiberglassed.

All of us seem to be very good at speculating about this stuff. I include myself in the speculator group. I am just curious if VMB actually plans to contact Tower and "find out why the increases have taken place."

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 4:03 PM   
LargeScale88



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Status: offline 		Top Flite has their P-40E kit that was $179 or $169 and now its $239!! I don't see how they could go up that much. Materials sure haven't gone up that much. I know when I visited the Sig factory they said that the balsa shortage was due to the windmill blades, but places like balsa usa seem to be able to get balsa just fine?

Also I'm thinking as more and more people go to ARFs they don't make as much on kits so they have to raise the price?

I'll stick to building from plans.

Jason

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 4:05 PM   
DamonTX


 

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Status: offline 		If there are any of these kits you may have been planning on getting, you can still get them from Omni (Tower) through Ebay. They still have them at the old prices with free shipping but I'll bet the prices will go up when those listings expire.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 6:09 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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Status: offline 		Other then auctions and swap meets I gave up buying kits years and years ago. Wood has gone up a little but not enough to increase the kit prices that much. With die cutting, once the machine is bought that is the end of the big expense, new dies don't cost much. I used to operate die cutters so I know about this part of the trade. Laser cutting?? I don't have a clue but once the machine is paid for I don't know what would increase the kit prices?
Look down a few threads, I just posted about a big sale of plans from Air Age/ M.A.N. plans. As a builder I haven't needed anything other then a good set of plans to build what I wanted, No need to worry about Where Have All The Kits Gone either. I have a huge selection of planes to choose from and I use several different plans services. I also have several different places to buy my wood from too.
Why bother buying kits, they are a little easier because they have been cut and packaged for you but they just aren't worth the money they want for them these days,
Cut Your Own!!!

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 6:19 PM   
goirish



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Status: offline 		GB, I've heard you say that you cut your own balsa sheets.  how are you cutting them. Where do you buy most of your wood from.  I have a couple of orders with Lonestar balsa but they are slow to deliver.


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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 6:44 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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Status: offline 		I will go over to the wood shop today and take a few photos of the recut saw, OOPS!!! The 4th, it is probably closed? I buy blanks of balsa in 2X4Xas long as I can get it then go to my wood working club. A recut saw is just a BIG band saw but it is set up very accurate so I can make very thin cuts. For 1/16 I just rip it a bit over size then take it to the small over head micro sander and run it through until I get the exact size I want.
I'm really lucky to have a wood shop with all the tools required. We have two of the best table saws I have ever used. I buy 3/4 X 2X as long as I want of Poplar and rip all my hard wood stringers. I can't locate any bass wood or I would use that.
Anyway, I will try to get some shop photos for you this week.
I used to buy my wood from Lone Star, I have been using National Balsa the last year and I'm very happy with there wood. I need to place an order for more balsa 2X4s or what ever I can get for my own ripping. Doing it myself also requires less storage room and blocks don't warp like sheets.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 7:15 PM   
pmerritt


 

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Status: offline 		Welcome to 2012 people!   What hasn't been going up and up and up?   Not buying from them will make you the one without a kit.  If you want a piece of their pie, you'd better get your wallet out.  You're paying $40.00 a tank more for gas today  than you were 2 years ago.  You fill up one tank a week and that's $2,000.00 a year.  I guess you can stop buying gas too?   Maybe walking to work instead of driving a couple of weeks a year will offset their increased prices and you can have all the kits you want that way? 

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 7:43 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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Status: offline 		The recut saw I use for ripping my own sheeting. Thesed servers still suck!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone has it set for 3/16, I can cut sliver thin sheets with it, it is that good.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 7:49 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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Status: offline 		One of two table saws we have. Phil is setting it up here for some very big angle cuts for some very small wood to do a sigmented bowl on the lathe. When I cut my long, up to 10 feet hardwood stringer stock I use one of these. The micro over head sander. It removes .001 per run through if you want. It's how I get such nice sheeting. I use the recut saw to make my balsa stringers, you loose too much stock using the table saw, the table saw looses about 1/8 inch per cut. The recut looses less then 1/16.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 7:56 PM   
Gray Beard


 

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Status: offline 		I took all kinds of photos today of a lot of our machines. I was surprised to find 4 or 5 guys in the shop but there were some shop projects going on. We build custom items for residents, that is how we can afford the equipment. When something new or better hits the market we will often buy it. We have run out of room though. From October to about June the shop is very busy, this time of year it is empty, all the heat birds have flown to cooler climates.
Any other equipment you want to know about I probably have photos of. Our shop has pretty much everything you need. I have my own scroll saw and sander, I cut my own kits with those two items for years until I moved here. They work fine but it takes me longer and I can't cut all my own wood.
Gene

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 8:28 PM   
eddieC



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Status: offline 		GB, is that a club or community organization that owns the wood shop? Pretty cool having such great equipment, and upgrading as necessary!

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 8:37 PM   
eddieC



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Status: offline 		As for kit prices in general, it's Capitalism. Charge what the market will bear, it has NO bearing on what an item costs to produce.

Back in the late 70's, Chevy Impalas were sold out in the US. GM had a choice of building a new plant to meet demand, or raise the price a few thousand. They didn't build the plant!   

Thank the same business-school experts for where we are now, including the lack of resonably-priced kits. I know kit-building is in the decline, but Tower and others don't have to take advantage with such huge price increases. Vote with your feet/wallet. I'm looking into kit cutters as an alternative.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 9:16 PM   
OliverJacob


 

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Status: offline 		I was looking at an 'Elder' Kit 2 days ago and got ready to order yesterday when the price went from $ 99 to $ 119.
Other prices went up drastically, too. I have not bought a lot on Tower lately due to their high prices.
The other retailers will be happy about Tower's politics.



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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 10:24 PM   
AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken



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Status: offline 		I can't imagine Tower making much money off thier kits. The offer 10 - 20% off purchases regularly plus free shipping. I recently shipped a 60 size kit that cost me $23. Considering the low volume plus the rising cost of balsa and shipping, we've been spoiled by low prices for a long time.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 10:27 PM   
flhyr


 

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Status: offline 		Holy moly!! $169 for a US60?? (used to be 125 I think) they must be crazy. I am getting really frustrated with GP's and Towers price increases, they seem opportunistic and downright greedy.

I would have bought a US60 AND a reactor within the last year if the prices weren't so high.

Their price increases have also put me off OS, and on to ASP.

I remember reading an interview with some big wig from Hobbico bragging that their company had never had a fiscal period where they did not make a profit.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 10:34 PM   
WhiteRook



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Status: offline 		thats why buying now is always better than later . Hoard while you can , and when you can.

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RE: Big jump in kit prices at Tower - 7/4/2012 10:42 PM   
DESERT RATT



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Status: offline 		What a great way to get it done.  This is one of those things that when I read I hit myself in the back of the head and say "Why didn't I think of that." I just bought a Tile saw and table to 4X1/2   it does cut the balsa very good and smooth, but I didn't think of 2X4 pieces and totally cut my own
quote:

ORIGINAL: Gray Beard

I will go over to the wood shop today and take a few photos of the recut saw, OOPS!!! The 4th, it is probably closed? I buy blanks of balsa in 2X4Xas long as I can get it then go to my wood working club. A recut saw is just a BIG band saw but it is set up very accurate so I can make very thin cuts. For 1/16 I just rip it a bit over size then take it to the small over head micro sander and run it through until I get the exact size I want.
I'm really lucky to have a wood shop with all the tools required. We have two of the best table saws I have ever used. I buy 3/4 X 2X as long as I want of Poplar and rip all my hard wood stringers. I can't locate any bass wood or I would use that.
Anyway, I will try to get some shop photos for you this week.
I used to buy my wood from Lone Star, I have been using National Balsa the last year and I'm very happy with there wood. I need to place an order for more balsa 2X4s or what ever I can get for my own ripping. Doing it myself also requires less storage room and blocks don't warp like sheets.



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