Ok, so there’s no trade or classified section on here… Where can I buy model kits for cheap? I’ve tried craigslist and ebay. Nothing on craigslist… Ebay is WAY too expensive. I think there was a site called oldmodelkits.com or something but it’s mostly collectors stuff that’s way too much money. I want kits I can build! Don’t want to spend ridiculous amounts of cash on a model kit or I’ll feel to guilty to build it. What I’m looking for are some WWII bombers mostly Revell kits. Not to hard to find. Anyone know a good place to buy or trade? Here’s what I’m after:
There is no “Holy Grail” that we all seek, at least not any that I have found. It takes time and patience on a number of fronts. The internet has been helpful, but one has to get lucky sometimes. Unfortunately, the internet is a double-edge sword as it has (IMHO) helped to increase the interest in our hobby, but also the demand. Older kits on ebay that I snagged for steals years ago, have increased in price. But I still get most of my deals on ebay, but it took a lot of patience. I also have used 40% off coupons at Hobby Lobby and Michaels. I’ve stumbled on deals at shows and Local Hobby Stores, but that is few and far between. Good luck, my friend…
Michaels and Hobby Lobby both offer 40% off coupons, but their selection of kits isn’t the best. However the Hobby Lobby and Michales near me both have the B-17. If you can find a local IPMS chapter, they will have contests/model shows were vendors sell things. I got most of my stash by attending one of those shows.
You can get great deals on Ebay, but you need to be patient. It can take a year or more to get a kit you want at the right price. I have also bought a few kits on Craig’s List, but you have to keep checking back constantly.
The big online retailers also sometimes have great sales, but you again have to be patient and wait for the right sale to come along.
If you want to deal directly with China and wait 2-4 weeks, there are quite a few deep discount vendors there that end up still being cheaper than US vendors after shipping. Though if you get a bad vendor, there is little recourse as there is here in the US.
As someone else said in this thread, there is no magic formula.
If you live in the western US as I do, there are no Hobby Lobbys. I think the nearest one is about 1000 miles from here. The local Michael’s also have very paltry selections.
I have searches set up on Ebay for some kits I’m looking for. Some have been on the list a long time, but I have scored some deals and gotten kits at the price I was willing to pay. Occasionally I’ve even managed to get things for less than I was willing to pay. Ebay can fluctuate wildly throughout the year. October and November are bad times to buy because people are seeking out things to give for Christmas. I’ve found that this time of year is usually the best time to be a buyer. Many things still get bid out of my budget, but I’ve scored more bargains in June and July than any other time of the year.
The nearest Hobby Lobby and Michales stores are about 50 miles from here… When they do get the B-17 in, it’s usually 1/72 and not 1/48. There is also a HobbyTown USA in the same city.
One problem I have with the internet is, yeah you can find what you want, but shipping makes it not a deal at all. I’ve seen 1/48 B-17s going for $30-$40 plus $30 shipping to my zip code. I live in WA state and not really a rural area either. But there’s no way I’m going to pay $60-$70 for a Revell/Monogram 1/48 B-17 kit!
As mentioned, there is no holy grail, god deals can be had on ebay and hobby lobby has the B-17G (not the B-17F though) and with the 40% coupon goes for about $20. I shop around for my kits, all the online retailers, local hobby stores, garage sales and buy/sell sections of all the other forums.
Tamiya has 1/48th jeep in the infantry at rest figure set. I got lucky and happen to get 3 of those sets on sale, got em just for the jeep.
I’m in WA State too. There is a Hobby Lobby in this state? Last time I looked the nearest store was in Nebraska or something like that.
There are some people who rip you off for shipping. On Ebay you have to always factor the shipping into the bid. Most online retailers give you a break or have free shipping if you order over a certain level. For Squadron, free shipping is only $100. That’s only a few kits these days.
I used to sell on Ebay (my consulting business picked up so I don’t anymore). I always charged exact shipping. What the post office charged me was what the customer paid. I have run into other vendors on Ebay that do the same thing.
The shipping weight of a Revell 1/48 B-17 should be under 3 pounds. The kit itself comes in right around 2 pounds (can you tell I’ve shipped a few?). From a seller in the Western US, that should only cost you under $10. From the East Coast, it will probably be $12-$13. I’m not up on the current post office prices. I had the price charts memorized at one time.
Ebay can be good, but I find that the best place to buy models is at the local shows. They always have a bunch of vendors and you can usually bargain with them. I just came back from the show at Warner Robins Air Force Base today. Got a bunch of great deals. Go to ipmsusa.org to see if there are any shows in your area. Even if it’s a drive it will be well worth it, especially if you’ve never been to a show before. You will see all kinds of models on display, vendors, and usually a great bunch of people who are willing to share their knowledge and techniques.
This is my personal opinion and mileage may vary. Compared to other kits like Tamiya or Hasegawa for example, those kits you mention are basically cheap. What makes them a little more expensive is the shipping, have in mind that those in particular come in big boxes which will require a bigger box to ship them in. Scale Hobbyist for example has the Revell B-1 1/48 for $48.64 + 9.95 S&H. For that huge box, $10 bucks for shipping is more than fair and it almost equals the price you would get locally. I remember the ole days when Priority Mail started at $2.95 and then went up to $3.35. Those days are gone plus consider that S&H is not only postage. You can check eBay but as another poster pointed out, one has to be patient and know when to quit bidding. I have found great deals on eBay.
Being new to the airplane modeling world, i’ve been trying to locate some kits at a bargain as well. I got lucky today and found a Eduard1/32nd BF109 at a yard sale for 10 bucks. It took a couple of weekends of hitting a bunch of garbage sales but you never know. Also a buddy of mine checks Estate sales regularly and mentioned that know and then he will find a house with a bunch of model building stuff for sale. Tools. paint, finished and unfinished kits. He’s going to call me next time he see’s one. Might be next weekend or next year, you just have to keep looking. Also flea markets might be an option…
Ives ( MowerMech )
Edit - I also found a Rand McNally Aircraft Encyclopedia, 1914 - 1980 for 5 bucks. What an awesome book. A little bit of everything…
I think there are two Hobby Lobby location up here in WA; Spokane and TriCities.
I would pay $10-$15 for shipping on a 1/48 scale B-17 but not the $30 some ebay sellers are asking for shipping. Gas prices are not just killing the everyday driver but it really hurts industries like USPS and UPS. Everything they do uses fuel. So I understand the rise in shipping costs, but $30 for shipping alone just doesn’t seem like a deal at all.
I have no complaints with either Tamiya or Hasegawa. The do make fine kits. But I don’t believe they make B-17s, B-29s, and B-24s in 1/48. I’ve never seen anyone do a plastic kit for those aircraft in 1/48 or larger scales other then Revell. There is a very nice looking resin B-17G coming out soon but it’s a lot of $$. So whether they are nice or crappy kits, they are the only 1/48 scale kits I know of are probably the lowest price if there are any others. Can’t be too picky in that case I guess.
Hands down model shows for me. You can make a killing, especially if the seller is desperate. You save on the ridiculous postage charges as well, which means you can pay a little more if need be and walk right home with the kit.
At one show, I got 4 1/48 birds, all Hasegawa, 2 were sealed, for under $50. That’s better then 50% off with again, no shipping costs.
tigerman gave the best response so far, but two other sources are calling up the people wanting to sell or buy collections in FSM’s want ads, this definitely has worked for me. Yes, those wanting to buy collections are in the business to sell. The other source is joining the local IPMS. Other club members often have what you are looking for and are willing to trade or sell what you want. I did forget the third option. Invent a time machine and go back to the early 70s where your kits on your list were $10 bucks apiece.
I forgot one more source. The only hobby shop in our area is a 'Hobby Town USA. Like fast food places, each one is privately or family owned. Get to know the owner and he/she will give you discounts. Since ours is the only one in town, we have our IPMS meetings once a month there. The store owner supports our club by having a huge storewide sale on the same day.
I found my best deals at models shows and airshows.
Secondly kits sometimes pop up at yard sales, discount stores and trift stores. Also during the holliday season toy stores can have kits on discount. But these are all unreliable sources.
A third but unhappy way I have bought some discount kits is when a LHS or toystore stops selling kits…
Like I said, compared to Tamiya or Hasegawa modern kits, those Revell kits are cheap. Those kits still hold very good but they are not (IMO) up the standards of today. I can buy 2 of those Revell kits (maybe 3) for the price of my next Hasegawa 1/48 F-18 Hornet. I bought my B-24 -which I dressed as Strawberry Beach- at Hobby Town for almost what I would have paid on-line. I can’t comment in general, but I least the Michaels in my area don’t carry those kits so I can’t take advantage of their 40% coupon.
Just experienced an excellent example of patience. I just scored a 1:32 Cyber Hobby Bf109E-4. I’ve been waiting to find a deal for quite some time as my threshold was under $40. Most sites sell it for way over that and then one has to include shipping. Well, I just found it on Amazon for $38.89 and shipping was free!!! I am a happy camper.
Model contest & hobby show vendor tables. By far the best source of older kits at good prices.
LHS, not the chain stores mentioned in previous replies but the owner / operator types we all like(d) and reminisce about.
Find the kit(s) you want. Make a offer for a few or ask for a discount. Be prepared to walk away if they are unwilling to budge. A sale with a lower profit margin is better than no sale at all. Also a savvy owner will realize a repeat customer is better than turning one away.
Be patient Grasshopper! Had the Airfix 1/24 scale Mosquito in my sights for over a year before purchasing one at a LHS. Asked for the discount & received 20% off retail.
If bought through mail order with freight & duty tax at the border it was a better deal. Its satisfying to walk out of the store with the kit, no risk of damage during shipping also.