How can you model on a small budget?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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Welcome to the forum.

Don’t look for items just in your LHS or the modeling section of WalMart, Hobby Lobby etc. Check out the crafts section of those stores or visit a crafts store. You can find a lot of things (razor knifes, paint brushes) that cost a lot less. I buy my body putty and enamel reducer at the local auto supply store. Initial price is high but they last a long time (body putty costs about 12 bucks a tube but last about 5 years and a gallon of reducer costs 14 bucks but will last 2 to three years).
Now that spring is here, check out the yard sales and flea markets that start about this time of year. You’ll be amazed at the amount of models, accessories, tools and supplies that you can find for pennies on the dollar. Check out Ebay (although the prices there are rising - think that there a lot of LHS owners who have discovered they can make more money there than they can in their shop)
When you buy kits, look for older kits. There are still lot of old Revell, Heller, Airfix, Monogram, Italrei and Hasegawa kits out there for about 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the current item. Granted they may not be as nice as the newest release but are just a satisfiying when completed. You just have to put a little more effort into them. Besides which none of the current top manufacturers have seen fit to release a J2F6, a BV 141, an FW 200, a BF 108, a Do 217E or many others in 1/72 scale (although some of the Eastern European mfgs seem to be taking up the slack here - for a price)

Just “think outside the box” and you’ll be able to do ok

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also don’t forget the paint thinners, acetone, sandpaper and Easy Off Oven Cleaner at Wally World for dirt cheap too, you could get a gallon of paint thinner for about $3.50 as with acetone for brush cleaning (it cleans brushes better then paint thinner, I use Laquer Thinner for enamal paint thinning for shooting through the airbrush), also airbrushes are fairly inexpensive too you could get a Aztec (Testors) for about $40.00 and a Badger 200 for about the same price, but I’d reffer you to go with the Badger 155 series, they are easier to tear down and clean then most others but it’s cost is kind of high they run from $70.00 to $160.00 depending which supplier and model 155 you buy + the needle & tips are about $12.00 to replace alot cheaper then the 200’s at $25.00 a set,

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build little planes?

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One other thing…Don’t be afraid to check trash for “scratch” materials - it’s habit I got into and continually surprise myself at what can be found - telephone wire, speaker wire, circut boards, plastic sheets, glass and all sorts of odds an ends that can be had for FREE - “One man’s trash is another’s gold mine”

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Man, talk about good advice!
There isn’t much anyone can add to this list but, I have used those wierd looking butterfly paper clips for holding things together. Things like trailing edges of wings and they are reusable for many times. [2c]
Also, you probably have your heart set on building a special kit. Maybe an airplane that you’ve always liked and you can’t wait til you get started. If thats the case, don’t even buy it until you have a chance to establish some of your skills. Practice on some of those less expensive kits of models that you may not like as much and try out your ideas on them. You don’t want to get turned off so early on as a modeler.
Finally, understand that you have limits, put it down and walk away from your project when you feel that you are having no luck at doing what you wanted. It will be easier when you go back to it! [banghead]
Good luck
jim

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Academy makes a really good line of 1/72nd scale aircrafts. You can build pretty good models without painting them. In a few years, when you start working you can take them back from the shelf and do the painting. The important thing is to do clean and nice construction. The minimum tools you will need are a hobby knife, and glue. That’s it! Use the knife to cut the pieces off and shave any plastic off from the attachment to the sprue when you cut it. Then just glue them together.

You can get cheap acrylic craft paints to do some painting. They won’t be authentic colors, but once again when you get into painting you can strip the paint and do the right scheme.

It’ll be a blink of an eye when you are out of college. I have tons of almost finished kits unpainted. That’s because I have lots of kits and there is no time to finish all of them. I’ve started a production line, and looking at them, a well built kit that hasn’t been painted doesn’t look too bad.

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Thank you all very much. In response to you question I like US Navy and WWII models. Again, thank yoy.

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Build 1/144 scale!!! $3.00 per fighter, $7.00 per bomber on average!!!

Jeff

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Another place to find stuff is a dollar store – I’ve found multi-grit emery boards, packets of needles (good for making glue applicators, etc.), hooby knife sets, etc., and cans of spray primer paint, and so on. Look carefully in every sort of store and you can see things that can be very useful for modeling for a fraction of the price charged by LHS and craft stores

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Hey there Modelboy…
Coming from a teacher and an avid modeler, I have one suggestion for you…if your school has an industrial arts wing, go snoop around in there.
I have found saw dust and scraps from the planer which I use for ground cover on dioramas, as well as iron filings from the metal shop, which I use for the same thing (so far). I go around there with empty coffee cans and collect whatever I can. You never know what might be useful in the future, and free is free. Science and Art teachers will also have lots of stuff which will end up in the garbage. If you talk to the maintenance people, they might be able to help you. I enjoy modelling 1/48 fighters, but have recently taken an interest in mounting on dioramas, so I have been snooping and scooping all over my school!!!
Have fun!!!

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Well I’ve managed to accumulate many tools over the years, quite a few of them pretty expensive, like a ‘Hold’n’fold’ for working with PE, and a Flexifile, an airbrush etc. But you know which tools I use all the time? An x-acto knife with No11 blades, a nail file, and a side cutter that I recently purchased to replace the old pair of nail clippers i’d been using for years.

For all the flash tools I hardly ever use, these few are the most usefull and the cheapest. As well as these, a sheet or two of meduim grade ‘wet and dry’ sand paper, a bottle of liquid poly glue like Tamiya and a tube of filler should see you through quite a few kits.

I do think investing a little more in good brushes is a good idea, learn how to clean them properly and if you look after them they will last a long time and give you a better finish than cheap nasty nylon brushes.

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Welcome to the hobby. You will find that it will greatly improve your creativity skills as well as your improvisation. As you go along, you will find that there is no such thing as a “finished” model as you will constantly find new things to add and modify your model with.

Start off with Revell-Monogram kits from Wal-Mart. They’re inexpensive and has good detail. Also check out your neighborhood hobby shop as they may have clearance stuff and built models that can be really cheap. Last week I came across a sale of broken pre-made WW2 aircraft at my preferred scale (1/48), I picked up 4 planes at about $3.00 each, and can use the part for my parts bin. As you go along, you will find a particular model type that you would want to stick with. It could be figures, 1/35 armor and personnel different scale aircraft and ships. Remember that this is a hobby that you will bring into your adult years. Over the years I accumulated tons of stuff and unbuilt models, and now I have a son to share the hobby with. Like you, I preferred 1/72 aircraft at first but have developed my collection around 1/48 scale particularly WW2 naval aviation.

Start with painting solid colors (like OD) with brushes and move to camouflage later on, You will find the right mixture you would be comfortable with. Colors that you will “always” need are flat black, silver, white and steel (aka metallic, gunmetal, etc…) and grays. Those Tamiya XF series in bigger bottles should last you a while. If you have friends or relatives who can give you hand-me-down stuff, don’t discard them. An old tackle box can be a great tool kit especially those with the swing out trays. Old craft brushes can be put back to life with a lacquer thinner bath. Just remember never to use the same brush on different kinds of paints, (color code enamel brushes from Acrylic brushes)

One thing to remember in making models is “never rush” Rushing only ruins your model and the final outcome may no be what you expected.

When you advance, you will find that an Airbrush and a Moto-Tool can be an integral part of your model-making. The advent of the internet and e-bay makes searching for reference easier and looking for much needed parts easy to come by so you cash outlay is not as big as getting brand-new stuff.

Semper Fidelis

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Half the battle is picking and choosing your subject. While higher cost can often mean better accuracy and detail, this is not always the case. Some very cheap kits can make excellent models OOB, and some very expensive ones are a waste of money. You will also find that hte quality of kits can vary even from a single manufacturer. If in doubt, ask is a good thing to keep in mind. If there’s a particular aircraft you wish to model, try asking in here specifically about the best kits for that for the money. After a while you will find through experience the kits which suit your modelling best, then after a while you will discover aftermarket detailing, and some time after that the men in the white coats have to come and take you away and sedate you…

[:P][banghead][:-,]

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Wellcome, ww2modelboy,

My modeling budget is limited much more, than I wish it would be [V] Well, I’m trying to make use of everything I can, even if these things are not meant for modeling.
I use three types of glue - white PVA glue (mostly for paper models, but I’m also using it for masking canopies), Humbrol liquid poly and CA. Most of the paints I use are either Humbrol, or MM (both of them are not very expensive). If You have chosen specific subject, You’ll probably won’t need lots of different colors (in my case of WW2 british aircraft, there really aren’t THAT much of them).
Aftermarket stuf is rather expensive, but thank god for food industry - for my current projects (Airfix Blenheim Mk.IV and Italeri Su-27, both in 72nd) I’m doing a lot of scratchbuilding. And I’ve built entire interrior for Blenheim using polistyrene from margarine packages. I’m using CA, since liquid poly doesn’t seem to melt this kind of styrene. I also save aluminium cans from soda, foil from champagne bottles, wire from broken electronics - these things are great for scratchbuilding. I think, that scratchbuilding will help You gain modeling skills much faster, than using aftermarket stuff.
A good investment is a nail polishing file - they are cheap, last quite long and the finest of them can be used to fix minor flaws on clear parts.
Since airbrush and air supply are on the expensive side, You might find yourself painting models with brush for quite some time. But again, practice is more important, than most sophisticated tools.
You should consider purchasing a good hobby knife (or maybe give Your parents a hint, what would make You happy on next birthday/X-mas [;)] ). Don’t throw away blunted blades - You can make scribing tool of them or use for other purposes, where sharpness is not so important.
Toothpics, clothepins, paperclips, modeling clay, color pencils, adhesive tape - everything can be used without breaking Your budget, just be creative. And hey, You have FSM forums [#welcome]

Oops… I forgot to add my [2c] regarding kits. You can always go for Airfix, as these kits are realy cheap. But in many cases the quality will be dissapointing. On the other hand, Airfix has kits, that are overlooked by every other manufacturer (e.g. H.S. Gnat, or Short Stirling). Revell and Italeri kits are also quite inexpensive, but You should read reviews on them first, as quality of these producers greatly varies from kit to kit. Academy also has nice offerings, but again not without flaws. If You are just starting the hobby, You should choose simple kit with simple color scheme, so that in case of failure You won’t be dissapointed. And of course, You will notice, that most of the modelers have theyr subject (aircraft of specific airforce, or specific period, or conflict, or whatever else). This, of course, doesn’t mean, that You have to limit yourself STRICTLY by this subject.

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As a junior modeler (15), I would rather spend my money on kits and accessories than tools. However, here is a list of tools I consider indispensible:
-X-acto knife
-sandpaper
-glue
-paintbrushes and paint.
-putty

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Hey, I’m just recently out of college myself, and am still usually unable to purchase the more expensive kits due to a limited income. Despite this I have accumulated about 100 kits in 1 1/2 years. I’m a bit of a packrat. Every now and then I find a decent kit at the Surplus store, as well there is flea markets, maybe newspaper classifieds?, I know where I live I get the Pennysaver every weekend which is like a big for sale classified paper. Also, the one hobbyshop I frequented before it went out of business had a clearance section, I’ve gotten $20 models for $10 or less! But the best place get get models is Ebay. Seriously, www.ebay.com and go to browse, then Toys and Hobbies, then Models, Kits, then select your category (although there is an aircraft category, there as still many planes in the military catergory). You’ll find every kit you ever wanted and more, and some of them are a steal. Just make sure you check with the seller about how much the shipping cost is before you bid! You don’t even need a credit card! Get set up with Paypal at www.paypal.com, and use your debit card. Plus paypal is very secure so no worries when it comes time to make your purchase. Ebay also has supplies like paint, airbrushes, etc. Just watch yourself, cuz Ebay gets very addictive! Good hunting.

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Hi there![#welcome]

I would like to add that if you go to flea markets, you will find a wealth of decent tools that you can add to your collection with little cash.

I bought a file set that usually sells at the local LHS for $13 for only $5 and it was carbon steel and it will last me a lifetime.

Furthermore, tweezers, clamps, extra hands, razor scalpals, probes, etc. can all be obtained at the flea markets. Some of the more specific items like drill bit sets, etc. are not readily available at flea markets but if you shop around especailly on the internet or at your local craft store, you somtimes will find a good deal.

At the craft stores, you can buy sets of pliers, snips, tweezers in the craft beads section for much better prices than if you were to buy them individually or at the LHS.

But remeber, if you start buying on the internet, watch out for those shipping costs. Sometimes a good deal on the internet for one or two itmes is not a good deal once you have factored in the cost of shipping.

Anyway, those are my thoughts, but remember, have fun.

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Welcome, Jeremy moe!!

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ROTFLMAO!!![(-D]