Dear Friends,
I have always been open and honest with you, and that will never change. So, in the spirit of staying true to you and myself, I am coming to you for your help.
When I announced that I was closing TMD last year, I had every intention of selling TMD (and still hope to). However, as of this point, I have not had any serious inquiries seeking to buy the company and it is starting to concern me. I have enjoyed my time away from daily operations, and I would be happy if the company sold. However, I do not wish to see TMD put into long-term storage. If that happens, the company will be lost forever. I’m not sure I can let that happen.
I sincerely wish to avoid the areas of stress from running TMD that made me want to sell it, and the thought of returning to that is a major roadblock. That said, I have invested a great deal of myself in this company, and in the modeling community itself. I’m pretty sure, as much as I would hate the hassles of returning, that I would hate to lose TMD even more. So, BB and I have been talking this over, I have been speaking to my most trusted advisers and, above all, I have been praying for guidance on this matter. It seems the #1 concern is YOU! The customer!
So, I am going to put this decision on all of you. Would you support my efforts to resurrect TMD for a 3rd time, or would you just see it as some sort of stunt to generate sales? If I do not get sufficient feedback on this question to help me make this decision, then the decision is already made: barring a last-minute buyer, TMD would be gone for good.
The ball is in your court, ladies and gentlemen. What say you?
Joe
I’ll be more in depth in a better thought out reply but my initial response is keep TMD alive. It’s in your blood, and having it die out would be a waste all around.
I wholeheartedly would support you and TMD! There are a few things I would like to get and kinda hope for new original ideas.
Semper Fidelis Marine!
Bill Edwards
USMC RET.
I don’t think it would be seen as a stunt. A serious “culling” of the line maybe needed to make sure your not at a disadvantage vis a vi 3D printing offerings that are coming out of the woodwork. Better pictures on your website may be needed too.
If you’re going to try to sell, you may need to “advertise “ how many molds you have or sku’s what’s needed to get started and a list price up front and weather or not price is negotiable.
Maybe instead of full time operations only sell for extra income when you need it.
Good luck with whatever you decide. I’m sure everyone wishes you the best as I do. — Christopher.
Chris,
Thanks for the feedback. I understand everyone’s concern with 3D printing, and — yes — it will eventually push resin out of the industry. But they STILL make horse whips in a horseless carriage age, and so, there will always be room for us throw-backs. Besides, many guys came back to my old stand-byes when they realized the problems with the 3D printing (at this time) about which I already knew. Still, this may be a count for “Let it go.” 🙂
Well you know me, Joe, I buy tons of stuff from you and most I have not used yet. But I see holes in where I should have bought but now, unless you reopen, I am having to make do with other parts from other companies. For instance, Im working on a super detailed inside and out Tamiya Israeli M4 super Sherman 76 backdated to a WW2 version with lights in the interior. Big job. But I needed more detailed bogies and what do you know, I never bought a bogie from you. So I had to go other routes. I guess I depend too much on TMD and thought you would be around for ever. I have had a bit of success ordering from a M&M models, but they have only had one thing I needed.
So I guess I am no help to you. Why not open only to large resellers?
Cliff,
If I re-open (issue still seriously in doubt), there is NO WAY I am going to sell to re-sellers. I have to work at wholesale that way. Same amount of work for half the money. Not worth the effort.
Joe,
I am a long time customer whom never appears on the website or comments on products. For right or wrong. What I will say now is that your material is excellent, easy to use, and meticulously researched.
I’ve been out of WW2 armor for a while working on a plank on frame ship model, and I was saddened to see you were closing down. I was starting a KV 1 project and couldn’t find the parts I had from you due to a move. That’s when I caught up to your blog and read about your closing.
Your upgrade kits are second to none. I will certainly continue to use your products as long as they are available
Ed Mamone
.
You dont know me but you do what you want to do. I would your message is genuine and those in the hobby are better off with you and TMD than without.
(I am one who would be curious about buying. If you have info you could email me on it?)
David,
Need an email address to send those details. Mine is info@tigermodeldesigns.com.
No, Joe…if you reopen TMD I wouldn’t see it as a sales gimmick. I don’t know you much at all and yet that concern doesn’t have the ring of truth about it because money grubbers have more than one trick that they play and I haven’t seen you do any of them.
I would be shickled titless if you reopen. Yeah, 3D printing will (and probably is) taking a hefty bite out of old-school fabricators, but as you stated, though 3D printing is good for some things, that whole field has limitations. Maybe slim down your product line…I dunno. Scale back in some way? Whatever you’d need to do *for you* to keep from getting toasted
Clearly you would need to work differently to keep those who got under your skin from being able to again. Work at it part time, perhaps?
I eagerly await your decision!
Hi Joe,
Definitely not a stunt, at least not in my eyes. I would continue to purchase from you if you remained in business.
If you are finding it stressful to keep up with the orders, how about trying this idea?
Establish your production on a quarterly basis, every 3 months. Every 3 months do a massive pouring of resin and producing of product. Show the number of items available for sale on the website. For example, a conversion kit may have 10 available, as they are sold. That number ticks down to zero. Include the date of the next planned pouring of resin on the website.
When a particular item is sold out, it is simply not available until the next production run. Make that point very very clear on the website. And then stick to it, I have come to notice that you will probably run yourself into the ground before you would run your business into the ground.
I say bring it back out. Maybe do limited runs every few months to keep your time balanced.
It is always a difficult decision to end something that was so much part of your life, that being said you must take care of yourself and family first. If you were I would suggest doing limited runs and stockpile then take a break and go again. Some of the best companies we have had in the hobby started put as a passion to improve or fill a gap in the market. I would be excited to see your stuff back but also deeply respect your retirement decision. It may not exactly be what you want but it is sincere. I have seen a couple operations like yours call it a day for similar reasons… as it saddens me I don’t know the otherside and how taxing it can be when your hobby and passion become a business then a headache mostly from Monday morning quarterbacks…. wish you only the best.
I hear what your saying but in all honesty if you started tmd up again of course i would support you. But I think you need to do whats best for you and BB . Which ever you decide Im sure that your customers will support you either way.
Yes of course that would be great if you restart. I’d certainly buy. Good luck with whatever you choose to do
I have enjoyed your products over the years, and I would not see returning to the fold as a gimmick. Sometimes one has to step away to gain a healthy perspective on the issues at hand.
Having read the comments thus far, the one that I saw mentioned a fair bit, and I share the thought. It is pairing down the line up. Just a thought.
At the end of the day you need to do what is right and good for you and BB.
Cheers
Dave
I would support your return to running TMD. I believe you offer valuable products and would continue to purchase from TMD in the future. Don’t bring it back if it’s not going to be healthy for you. Good luck, will support you either way.
Resurrect if it is the right thing for you personally. TMD has provided a lot of value and enjoyment to me over the years.
As long as it doesn’t run you down… keep it alive.
I’d look at it a guy still trying to make a living, a profit, and top quality products. Gook luck, and do what’s best for you and your family.
I have purchased many of your parts and was shocked that you were going to close !!!! I hope you reopen !!! I have never had a complaint about what I had received from you !!! All parts were in excellent condition !!! You can believe me when I say I will be purchasing more of your products and new releases !!!
I’m a big fan of your products and I would love to see them back. That said you have to do what is best for you. I don’t think anyone would think it’s a gimmick for sales. There are much easier ways to do that.
The world is a better place with TMD in the game. I would like another crack at some your items I missed out on the last go-around.
BTW, I think Greg Neufeldt’s idea is a great one.
A good compromise between keeping TMD alive and not dying of stress.
Needless to say, I think you know where I stand. I would love to be able to get your kits and parts again. But it should be on your terms.. The previous replies have many good suggestions for you. You have my support whatever you decide.
I support this fully, I understand the struggles you have being an one person business and the amount of stress involved.. But for me TMD is one of the gamechangers in the aftermarket industry, I am using your products on all my builds and the range and quality is unrivaled.
I fully support you in whatever decision you make. I for one miss the opportunity to purchase your products. They are the highest quality and unique. I hope you’ll continue but will pray for your guidance. I’d love the opportunity to purchase again tho!
TJ Misiolek
Joe – I read your past comments on TMD with great interest and concern as things were drawing down. First thing is to take care of yourself. If you were to re-boot TMD, you should set limits for yourself and maybe retire some of the product line, which is really extensive. I’ve enjoyed the fruits of your labors for some time and was sad to see TMD close. I would welcome a TMD redux as I’ve got projects for my retirement in a year or two. But again, weigh our interest and support against the pressures it might put on you. Maybe there can be a happy medium struck. Armor modelers would be happy but in the end, YOU have to be happy. Best of luck with your inner deliberations!
I have thought about it for a while and I keep thinking that while 3d printed parts are arriving with some pretty good stuff, they do not have the team of Joe and Karl who can put together something like the complete Tamiya M10 and make it affordable. Go for it, Joe! Plus I hate how much time it takes to get 3D printed off the gate without damaging it. Of course there are videos from at least one of those companies showing how easy it is and how fast it is but heck, those guys can work with that stuff all they want and get it right from practice but I don’t have that luxury. Ive ruined some things, especially super fine details and Ive gotten some with bad, warped parts that don’t stick tougher with CA glue like they claim and warped parts crack and get brittle if you try to fix them like you can with resin.
One last thing, Joe, you spend too much time being informative with your customers and you just need to cut that out! I bet that causes you more anxiety than actually producing and mailing the parts. No one else does this, Joe, no one expects you to.
Do what your heart says as I think you will have plenty of customer support, including me.
I don’t see a reopen as a gimmick. My purchases are few and far between, but I always looked at least once a month at what you offered. I am into KVs so really enjoy your KV product line and purchased items as neede. I also like and purchase you Gefman interior bits. As many have said, your quality of work is great, customer service is beyond reproach, and I would support your company if you came back best I could
I wholeheartedly would support you and TMD. 🙂
Joe, I loaded up on everything I thought I might need for future projects when you were closing – I am a slow builder but your items add so much to my projects. While I now have a lot of your items in my ‘inventory’, it would be wonderful to have TMD products available in case I need something more. You certainly can’t build a business case on what I would be buying in the future, but I would not worry one second about how the modeling community might feel about you changing your mind and continuing TMD. In my opinion, the return of TMD and your wonderful products would be most welcome!!!
yes please Joe. Just ensure you work out a way of conducting the business that considers your ‘wellbeing’ first. Perhaps extended delivery times is the way forward