Global Scale Modeller

While I am familiar with various model kits and the ranges of prices, I have to say I'm shocked at the price for paints. I know that hobbies are generally a premium market but wow.

As I kid I only used Testor's enamel and crappy brushes. I knew nothing about the craft in terms of priming, painting, weathering and so on. These are the skills I would like to learn now, as building models is not a problem.

Talk about sticker shock, though. This is why I wonder if I shouldn't forget about it and find something else to do! I do have a family to support, after all!

I understand where you're coming from as the washes and pigments etc can be pricey. That said one pot of those products should last you a long time plus alternative methods such as making your own washes from cheaper paints can be just as effective. Also shop around, sometimes excess stock goes cheap on ebay.

It would be a great shame for you to not return to this great hobby on the price of paints alone

Can anyone name a hobby that doesn't cost money in some way or another?

Bang for buck - you get a lot from this hobby. To buy a good 1/48 aircraft model and the 6 or so paints it'll take to paint it and a wash, you're talking about £30 tops (bearing in mind the paints will last you for several models). If you only get an hour a night in, that model will last you at least a month, more like two! Tell me a hobby where £30 will last you two months....lol

Hang in there moose and give a whirl before you give up on it, it's very addictive

Hey Moose, I make all of my own pigments and washes and it might cost me $20-30 Canadian every year or so. I buy half decent oil paints and mix them for the pigments and I use artist pastels for the pigments.
I also stick to the cheaper easier to find paints and depending on the genre that you want to work in you only need a few colours.
Buying a few basic sets when they go on sale every once in a while will help to fill out your supply.
Only recently have I started to try some of the new products, mostly out of curiosity than anything else.

In the end though it's all about how much you want to get out of your hobby.
If you love it enough you'll find a way to make it work.

Lee wrote:Bang for buck - you get a lot from this hobby. To buy a good 1/48 aircraft model and the 6 or so paints it'll take to paint it and a wash, you're talking about £30 tops (bearing in mind the paints will last you for several models). If you only get an hour a night in, that model will last you at least a month, more like two! Tell me a hobby where £30 will last you two months....lol

Hang in there moose and give a whirl before you give up on it, it's very addictive

Exactly my point

I think the most expensive hobby ive had was clay pigeon shooting, i used to go through 250 cartridges and 250 clays costing me over £130 and i would be on the traps for no more than an hour, i used to that twice a week sometimes. That doesnt even factor in the cost of the shotgun itself and all the associated gear.

This is a very cheap hobby, even with everything ive spent so far on this hobby (and its a lot) i spent more on guns over 3 years and i find this hobby alot more enjoyable.

Stick with it

Don't give up dude...
I agree, I am in the same boat, I have next to no paint stock because I too have family and cashflow problems.
Some of the paints are pricey but shop around, check for old or discontinuing stock or liquidation stock.
Some of the guys on here have cleared out their local Modelzone stores as they sold off stock at sometime less than half price.
You can sometimes find ebayers selling part used or unused paints cheap. Even our very own ISM Co-founder Paul has an ebay page selling off old stock or unused paint.
Some starter kits, ( Airfix mainly ) come with the required colour pots, small quantities I know but with a cheap £1 store primer and either a £1 store clear lacquer or some future floor polish from your local supermarket your on your way.
Over the past couple of weeks some of us, me included have managed to grab some 1/72 scale Airfix plane starter kits from Wilkinsons store for as little as £4. These include brush, paint and glue along with a new tooling kit. Bargain..
Of course everything I have just said is only valid if you live in the UK, well except for the ebay part..
As for weathering, try grinding your own pastel powders from a cheap, (£2.99 from The Works) artists pastel chalks.
A cheap £1 shop oil paint set and acrylic set will also come in useful when needing washes or little paint-ups, you will find turps, PVA glue, Superglue, Cotton buds and cocktail sticks while in there too.
That's my input mate, shop around and improvise, its you that makes the model great...... not the products or money you have to spend to get there....
Good luck my friend in whatever hobby you choose..

Great comments and suggestions, everyone. Thanks for taking the time to encourage me! I guess I'm just getting either grumpy or cheap in my old age! LMAO!

I'm both grumpy and cheap... so I'll not hold it against ya. hahaha.

I have limited finacial resources, what with supporting four people on an average wage but I put aside £5 (about $8) a month and if that wont buy what I need I wait a few months. A lot of my actual kits have been birthday presents or gifts so the money goes on paints.

I like coen also make my own weathering powders/washes.

Stay with it, and if you are really struggling to get things together maybe friends can help out.

Maybe ask for paints for a birthday/christmas/fathers day/saint UKscalemodellers day gift.

Paul wrote:Can anyone name a hobby that doesn't cost money in some way or another?

A valid point - but it's because of ISM members that I've rekindled interest in the hobby! :^)
I just watched your 1:48 Bf 109 E video series and bought that kit but I have nothing else yet - no glue, brushes, paints etc. LOL.

Cheers!

Hi I know I'm new to this and I truly understand where you are coming from.

I come from a still developing country where, for most parts people only earn about $4.00 a day . I have a niece to support as well and a retired dad (no pension). I earn about $300 a month which is OKAY here but definitely not enough.

With regards to modeling, I still get by what I just get a kit every month if its $30 if its above then its once every 2 months. I do my best to finish it within 2 months or more just in time for me to have money again to start on a second project. In a nutshell don't rush on a project take your time doing it in turn you'll probably get a better looking one, it will also save money since you'll be picking up a 2 kit once every month or 2 months

With regards to paint and pigments. With careful use you can mix up colors, a bottle of acrylics with good management will last a long time. Also there are cheap oil and acrylic tubes that you can substitute. Pigments, get a cheap chalk pastel set and shave it, it may not look great as the expensive stuff but it does the job fairly close.

Its not about getting the best finish or getting the best aftermarket parts. If your happy with what you made or even exceeded your expectations considering the limited resources you have that is already an achievement .

Remember its a hobby you should have fun doing it, and that's the most important thing.

Sorry took so long

NuclearMoose wrote:

Paul wrote:Can anyone name a hobby that doesn't cost money in some way or another?

A valid point - but it's because of ISM members that I've rekindled interest in the hobby! :^)
I just watched your 1:48 Bf 109 E video series and bought that kit but I have nothing else yet - no glue, brushes, paints etc. LOL.

Cheers!

It will all come in time just buy the bits you need for your current build. You soon acquire plenty of supplies as you go

That's a great kit btw. I hope you enjoy building it

There's never a hurry with the hobby. It's supposed to take time. I always thought that was kinda the point.
It takes time to build as much as it takes time to acquire the tools. Patience is the first and last tool on my bench. haha.


I just realised that you're a Canadian Moose. Good on ya bye.
We need more Canucks.
I'm on the other coast of the Great big empty in NS.

NuclearMoose wrote:

Paul wrote:Can anyone name a hobby that doesn't cost money in some way or another?

A valid point - but it's because of ISM members that I've rekindled interest in the hobby! :^)
I just watched your 1:48 Bf 109 E video series and bought that kit but I have nothing else yet - no glue, brushes, paints etc. LOL.

Cheers!

Hi Moose.

Everything that has been in this post is so true. I've been at this hobby now for over five years and I'm still picking up tools/washes when I can afford it. It does take time and time has a lot to do with this hobby. Take it and enjoy it. In a few weeks/months/years your Arsenal will grow and grow and you will be your own master at this hobby.

When it comes down to tools etc one of the cheapest places to go will be the ladies department at your local store have a look around the make up part. You can pick up a decent pair of sissors or nail clippers for taking parts off the sprue. Look for different grades of nail files and buffers which work in the exactly the same way as any other sanding stick. Also you can pick up a decent pack of tweezers as well. Glues can be cheap as well. Look on ebay and you might be able to pick up some Revell glue (which is decent enough) for only a couple of dollars or look at other modelling websites.

Paint? Just buy what you need for the kit your doing.

As for kits. They can be as expensive or as cheap as you like. It's just a case of shop, shop and shop around again to get some really good deals. Not sure what you will have in Canada but there is Sprue Bothers and Squadron in the states that always have deals on.

Stick with it brother and don't be disheartened by it all. I've been in the past and I'm glad I stuck with it. These guys on ISM are some of the best I've ever known and will always point you in the right direction.

Lenny

Stick with it Moose - there's a reason why we all love this hobby, but there will be times we all need to remind ourselves exactly why we do it.

Can't remember who wrote it, but I read once that adversity makes men and prosperity makes monsters. Don't get me wrong, I live in the real world and understand that we all need money to get by, but we also need our escape from that real world from time to time in order for us to deal with the next adversity that comes along.

Plus, you're part of a great community here and from my experience these guys will help out wherever and whenever they can. Most times it is just encouragement and advice that we're looking for, but other times I have seen people give away spare airbrushes, or a kit form their stash.

Off the top of my head I can think off a number of items that I have bought and will probably never use (including some Revell glue), mainly because I tried them and decided they're not for me. Let me know what you need and if I have any of it, I'm more than happy to send it to you.

I know exactly how you feel. We are on a very tight budget. That was not always the case so I was fortunate to get alot of my kits a few years ago. There are alot of ways to save money, or "work arounds" though. If there are any contests or shows in your area go, the vendors are great places to get kits at very reasonable prices. I usually only go to one a year, but save up beforehand and can get a years supply of kits. Example, same show, a year apart got a Fisher 1/32nd scale Cougar, and Twogar for $50.00 each, yeah a decent chunk of change, but considering retail price for these is $195.00, a pretty good deal, Hase 1/48 F-4U5N, $5.00 etc. You can find some really good deals on kits. Other secrets

Glue...Check local DIY store (Home Depot, Lowes, Etc.) MEK about $7.00 a quart, this is the principle ingredient in many liquid model cements. Decant a small mount into a small glass jar and get a cheap fine paint bruch to apply.


Walmart....Sells packs of paint brushes for about $6.00, has an assortment or round, flat, chisel, brushes. They work fine for general modeling, and once well used, you dont have feel bad about tossing them. Also while there pick up a bottle of 92% Iso Alchaol, works great an acrylic paint thiner, cleaner.
Pigments....Check out Earth Pigment Co. These are piments for making antique type paint. They are/were the pigments one company repacked for modeling use. You can get a lifetime supply for the price of a couple of kits.

Washes and Filters..... Get a bottle or Turponoid (clear, not Natural which is not clear) use enamel paint thinned with the Turponoid (I use Model Master) to make washes and filters.....What do you think the washes and filters are that you spend a few bucks a bottle on from MIG or AK. They have just done the work of picking the colors for you, its not that hard.

Art Store..... Get a bottle of acrylic flow enhancer..add a couple of drops to some acrylic paint to improve its brushability, same with airbrushing, works great. Also look for Liquitex acrylic gloss and flat varnish, about $10.00 a bottle but lasts along time, plus has a built in UV inhibitor which will help prevent aging of the paint finish via UV rays, should help keep the finished model looking good longer

Off the top of my head this is just some of the stuff I use / do to make my $$ go a bit further. Bottom line though is simply this, enjoy the hobby, get better with each kit, alot of guys before us have done alot with a little. It dosen't matter if you have top of the line stuff if you don't develop the skills to use it, conversely, if you learn to use what you have, and the basics, you can get just as good results as anyone else.

Many thanks everyone for your support and advice! I have a kit on order and I'll just start at the beginning and go from there!
Cheers to all!

NuclearMoose wrote:Many thanks everyone for your support and advice! I have a kit on order and I'll just start at the beginning and go from there!
Cheers to all!

Is there any other way?

Another thing that you may want to consider is to be a bit mercenary... if, for example an arts and craft store is in difficulty you may find some good bargains. For example I picked up an A5 cutting mat for a little less than £1 in a closing down sale, and some slightly damaged (damaged packaging) tools at about half their normal cost. If a store is closing down, they may haggle to get rid of stock.

Best of luck mate, and don't forget some of the thrill is in the hunt

+1 about everything mentioned so far.

For sure you can pick up some essential tools very cheaply if you shop around, here in UK we have a shop called Poundland and I bought some modelling knives and blades for exactly a pound, OK they may not be state of art, but they are still useful, Aldi's and Lidl are German i think? have stores in UK that from time to time have cheap modelling goodies from tools to even pretty decent display cases that can be used for models, i have both their sites bookmarked and check regularly or just wander into the store if i can ... it all soon builds up ... I'm sure every country has similar stores.

In time you will likely want to use more specialist tools or paints (and I'm still building up mine) but so long as you enjoy what you build, it does not matter, one trap I fell into coming back to the hobby a few years ago was focus on really skilled modellers work and thought i should take up knitting or something, but ever so slowly i've found my own equilibrium in modelling and now like learning from the masters as i go whilst seeing improvements in each build i do, and that for me is all part of the fun.

I guess like you mate I suffer from having many other hobbys I'm deeply interested in too, but you soon learn to balance that to keep each hobby fresh and in my case at least find you go back to each one refreshed and even more enthusiastic after a little absence.

Enjoy, there is no pressure to build here, just go at your own pace.

Paul wrote:Can anyone name a hobby that doesn't cost money in some way or another?

LOL well i've probs got two of the most expensive hobbies and i'm skint haha don't know how that one works

Scale modelling and Photography

Hmmmmm

BrummieModeller wrote:

Paul wrote:Can anyone name a hobby that doesn't cost money in some way or another?

LOL well i've probs got two of the most expensive hobbies and i'm skint haha don't know how that one works

Scale modelling and Photography

Hmmmmm

I'm just getting back into photography and hoped after the initial outlay it would be cheap, especially with digital cameras, but i too see lots of goodies in this hobby I now need that i never knew existed before.

Its all true though. I dont do golf (as an example) but imagine good individual golf clubs dont come cheap, not to mention annual club fee's, in my case my most recent graphic card for my semi hard core PC Flight Simming/gaming passion cost me about £600 delivered and its only the second best one just now, the best go for about £1000.

We are artists starving for our passion ... probably not But I've done beans on toast a few time to get what i wanted and that's the truth!

Lol nothing comes cheap these days
i haven't really been doing much photography lately as all the lighting equipment i need its just stupid prices so its kinder taking a back seat at the moment but still doing it now and then

Mountain biking can be cheap. After the initial outlay of even a lower end mountain bike you can then go off to your hearts content for free. Like everything though as you improve you reach the limits of your equipment and invariably want various upgrade parts which don't come cheap.

Hey Nuclear Moose,
Everyone who has contributed to this topic has done a great job expressing their views and advice on this subject. I concur with all of you. It would be a great shame for anyone to abandon the hobby (any hobby) because of cost, etc. There are great people here at ISM, and they have some great advice.

Stick with the hobby and model on!

Russell.

Thanks, everyone, for your excellent comments and suggestions. By way of an update, I just received two Airfix 1:48 Me Bf109E kits and now I'm starting the process of acquiring all the paint and supplies I need! Slow and steady wins the race!

Cheers!

NuclearMoose wrote:Thanks, everyone, for your excellent comments and suggestions. By way of an update, I just received two Airfix 1:48 Me Bf109E kits and now I'm starting the process of acquiring all the paint and supplies I need! Slow and steady wins the race!

Cheers!

That's the way look forward to seeing your 109's come together

Right on Craig!!!
You won't regret it.

Hi Craig,
I see you live in Dawson Creek, I lived in Grande Prairie for 10 years and now I am in Prince George. Anyway I have a suggestion for buying modeling tools really cheap, Im not sure if you have a Princess Auto in Dawson Creek or If you do any shopping in Grande Prairie, my suggestion is have a look in the surplus section in Princess Auto, they have a good selection of hobby knifes and blades and also very good quality tweezers of all shapes and sizes. I found a 10 pack of #11 hobby knife blades in there for .99 cents, also I found good quality tweezers made in Pakistan for around $2 each. I bought a nice set of cutters in there also for very cheap, I use those for cutting parts off the sprues. They also sell packs of hobby paint brushes and lots of other cheap tools which are perfect for building models. I even found a tiny drill bit kit with the hand drill for a very reasonable price.

Shopping around certainly pays

Good Luck with the 109's



Mark

I get clamps, files, tiny hammers, screwdrivers, gorilla glue, rubber gloves... and probably ten other things that I can't remember from Princess Auto.
Freaking love that place!!!

Hello, I am rather new around here and wanted to share this bit of info. Now on youtube there is a builder who goes by the name classicplastic101 and he uses craft paints sorry I can not remember the additive he uses to toughen the paint. Frankie Day on youtube uses enamels purchased in small cans in the hardware store and has them mixed to his specifications. I guess that's my two cents since we are talking about saving a little cash.

Craig....

Boy do I understand your "Sticker shock!" When I got back into the hobby a few months back after 20 something years away, I couldn't believe how much they were charging for paint etc. And....don't get me started on the actual kits! Grrrrr...Here's an example: Looked on Ebay for a Tydirium Shuttle. I originally paid..and yes..I still have the original box..1$4.00 US for it. When I saw what they were asking for that darn kit I about crapped!

But.....

I love the hobby so all I can say is this.....I don't have "Premium Kits." I can't afford them but I do find deals on other kits and I dress them up the best I can. I enjoy doing it and I usually end up with a half way decent build in the end.

I save a few bucks here and there when I can to save for a "Premium Kit." This allows me to purchase a"Top of the line " kit in between. So.... I build what I can and I love it!

The fun is still there for me even though I don't have all the goodies, I have a great kit in the end.

Don't get discouraged brother. Shop around brother. There are deals out there to be had. Just have to go out and find them and by all means.....KEEP BUILDING THOSE MODELS brother....Keep building!