Saving money

[John Stambaugh]

Hello modelers, 

 I just want to throw out there a few things that are saving time and money for me. Consider how many #11 blades are tossed when it is so easy to sharpen them using a ceramic sharpener rod. Other types of sharpeners such as wet stones, steels or diamond flats are too coarse. If you are not adept at knife sharpening I can help you with the technique. Honestly, once you get the hang of it you will be amazed at how quick and easy it is.

 Kabuki tape is great but expensive. 3M sells a low tack Washi tape marketed for house trim painting. It is easy to find in any hardware store. Don't get the standard blue painter's tape as it is too thick and too strong. You want the violet colored Washi tape. It is very similar to Tamiya but at a small fraction of the cost. 

 One other tip is to use aerosol carburetor cleaner for your airbrush. I just remove the needle and using the long flexible nozzle supplied I go in thru the color cup and blast away. The solvent is amazing. Even dried on paint disappears instantly. It will not hurt your airbrush chrome nor have I had any deterioration of the O rings. I get mine at Walmart's automotive department. 3 dollars for a big can.

 Another money saver is the mini tubes of CA glue, again at Walmart. A 3 pack of thin or gell is less than $2.

  Money saved means more kits in the stash I say. 

[D Bellis]

13 hours ago, John Stambaugh said:

Consider how many #11 blades are tossed when it is so easy to sharpen them using a ceramic sharpener rod.

Have fun with that. This solution doesn't waste my time:

https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/11-blades-100/TOWR1000.html

 

D

[ade rowlands]

I've snapped the tip of my #11 Blade looooooong before the rest of what remains gets dull.

Tamiya tape I buy in bulk once a year from somewhere like HLJ when ordering a Hasegawa kit or the like. Buy the refills at a fraction of the cost and use a generic tape holder to keep them on at the desk. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by ade rowlands

[DeanKB]

When buying kits, I tend to use EBay. Some sellers frequently have good discounts when buying more than one item, and they are already cheap to begin with - I end up spending less than I could possibly get the kit elsewhere.

 

EBay also has "offers" from sellers, where they give you 20% off for 24 hours from certain sellers. These sellers frequently include model kit and AM suppliers, so I never end up paying anywhere near normal price. You can even combine their normal "bulk" offers (but two, get 10% off), with the 20%, enabling 30% off already competitive prices.

 

Also, when using EBay - research prices from other sellers AND other websites. Sometimes the prices are just too damned expensive.

 

Like Ade, I also buy generic masking tape, like this thing, which cost less than £10. Works just as well as Tamiya tape.

 

 

 

I also find it saves money by letting Ade buy a kit, wait a few months for him to change scales, or genres, or just get bored, and then buy them off him at a fraction of the price! I also return the favour to him occasionally - I'm sure I have kits that I've sold him & subsequently bought back off him.

 

Finally, cohabiting is a great money saver, since bills are suddenly halved! However, the next step many people fall into -  marriage - is the point at which your money starts to shrink, as before long kids turn up. And if there is one thing guaranteed to eat your savings up, it's kids. 

 

[DeanKB]

Oh - and find a manufacturer who makes very high quality kits at reasonable prices that include free delivery from New Zealand. Buy away, especially before Royal Mail cotton on to the fact that they haven't charged VAT, saving 20%, and keep buying until you have pretty much got at least one of each boxing.

 

Then, wait for the company to mysteriously go out of business, sit back and watch EBay as kit prices easily double or treble, as FOMO drives prices to crazy levels compared to what you paid.

 

Then, sell some kits - for instance, a Gotha G.IV for £700 - then invest the money in very well priced Revell kits. £700 buys around 28 single seaters in 1/32, which is enough to keep you busy for some time. Considering you paid $149 for the Gotha, you are effectively paying $5 a kit.

 

You're welcome.

[John Stambaugh]

21 hours ago, D Bellis said:

Have fun with that. This solution doesn't waste my time:

https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/11-blades-100/TOWR1000.html

 

D

Glad that you liked the post.

[ade rowlands]

On 1/4/2021 at 2:27 PM, DeanKB said:

I also find it saves money by letting Ade buy a kit, wait a few months for him to change scales, or genres, or just get bored, and then buy them off him at a fraction of the price! I also return the favour to him occasionally - I'm sure I have kits that I've sold him & subsequently bought back off him.

 

 

This is very true, but now if you could behave and be quiet and go price up your kits specifically the Hasegawa 190D-9 and sell it to me I’d be greatful. I had my eye on one or two others but I’m getting old and I forget which ones now.

[DeanKB]

1 hour ago, ade rowlands said:

 

This is very true, but now if you could behave and be quiet and go price up your kits specifically the Hasegawa 190D-9 and sell it to me I’d be greatful. I had my eye on one or two others but I’m getting old and I forget which ones now.

And, because you will be paying in Welsh pounds, you will get the appropriate discount.

 

I could do wonders for the Welsh language here, if I offered all buyers a discount for anybody who converses the entire transaction in Welsh!

 

Beth yw eich barn chi?

[thierry laurent]

Pam ddim? Gallai hyn fod yn syniad doniol!

[DeanKB]

3 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

Pam ddim? Gallai hyn fod yn syniad doniol!

Bonus discount for anybody recording themselves successfully pronouncing the little north Wales village of:

 

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

 

(Not Ade though, he already gets the Welshman discount - some people are just born lucky!)