What is the maximum That You Will Spend on Building a Model And Has This Ever Gone Past Your Limit?

[Jairus]

If you have to total up the cost.... I humbly suggest you find another hobby.

Since I take each task one day at a time and only purchase before the need, I rarely consider the total cost for my hobby including time spent because that is not a hobby. It's a business.

[Darin Bastedo]

There is no limit for me, a lot of it depends on how much I want to build a particular subject, and what my available funds are. If I really want something, I'll save up for it.

[BKcustoms]

I have a couple of builds that ended up costing around $100 by the time they were done due to photo etch pieces and using automotive paint but most of the time the cost of the kit and maybe a set of wheels is pretty much all I'll spend since I've got a decent sized collection of paints and spare parts. I also try to scratchbuild everything I can before buying aftermarket since sheet styrene is a lot cheaper than resin.

[Scale-Master]

I agree with what Pete J. said in both of his posts. I do the same basic assessment to benchmark the value of my time and monetary investment.

I think the most I ever spent on a kit was $302.00, including shipping. One guess as to what kind of kit that was... Built it out of the box and got my money's worth in enjoyment. (And apparently a small addiction.)

Recently I bought $50.00 worth of brass stock and $300.00 worth of molding/casting materials. All of that is going into a model that has no kit parts in it. (Well, maybe not all the casting stuff.) For the amount of time I will spend on the project, it works out to a fair investment in return for enjoyment of the hobby.

As for a direct answer to the topic question:

There is no set limit, but I have spent more than I should have on some models, and amazingly little (to me) for the outcome on others.

[Ramfins59]

Like what has already been stated previously, I actually have never added up what the "costs" are on a particular build. I've spent $125 for a resin kit, and I've spent $5.00 for a glue bomb. I've been back in this hobby for 21 years and have accumulated lots of stuff over the years as has everyone else. I must have well over $1,000 worth of PE and aftermarket parts that I've bought over time. Paints, primers, paint stands, glues, tools, brushes, sheet plastic, tubing of all types, that also have been bought, replaced or replenished over time. I never actually put a limit on what I'll spend on a particular build... it costs whatever it costs to finish it up the way I want it to look.

[Jantrix]

I just don't worry about it frankly. Compared to other hobbies, this hobby is incredibly cheap. My wife realizes this so I spend what I want, but having said that, almost none of my builds has more than $50-60 invested. I've learned to use cheaper materials that keep my aftermarkets costs way down. Also any model that I do spend more money on is totally offset by the model I build for next to nothing from the parts bins and parted out kits.

[slusher]

l build box stock so a kit, paint foil and glue. l very seldom buy after market items....

[Jon Cole]

Never give up. Never quit. All those started kits I have? As far as I am concerned, they are still being worked on.

Eventually.

Not.... necessarily by me, mind you, but... some day, by someone, they will get done.

[johnbuzzed]

"I am just wondering what you guys think is the limit to spend when building a model car or light truck? For guys that build big rigs, I ask the same, but please specify what type of model you are referring to. And dioramas - that's a whole different kind of build but let's look at those as well. I know that a diorama can be years in completing and I am not so sure that there is never room for improvement or that one more detail just to add realism."

There's no need to separate cars, light trucks, big rigs or dioramas- you can spend as much or as little time and cash as you want to on any type of model. It's kind of like "How fast do you want to go? Well, how much money do you want to spend?" It all depends on the reason for which you are building the model and the depth of your financial resources.

[Green Duster]

I've had a couple that were around $100. when I got done. Resin kit, a plastic doner kit, paint and supplies.

But most of the time, the cost of the kit. Got enough parts kits to fab up everything else.

I'm a piker when it comes to building. Secondary hobby here. Just for the fun of it.

I don't got out for contest builds. I''m not impressing anybody but me.

[skysoldier46]

I spent almost 2 years building my well drilling rig from scratch. the only aftermarket part I used was a Cat engine in the rear. Cost? Don't care I do it for the enjoyment and I'm also single so no wife to gripe at me. LOL

[sjordan2]

Since I build vintage sports cars and classics, most of my money goes toward reference material for individual cars, such as original owner's manuals, shop manuals, books, real parts, built versions of my kits from eBay, etc. That amounts to several times the cost of each kit. Actually, I've become more of a collector of of things like that than an active model builder (so far). Lord knows how much time I've spent on online research.

Edited March 4, 2013 by sjordan2

[Chas SCR]

Seems you are asking a question that to each person has a different limit or sight on. You build for your self even if you are building a car for some one else and try to keep it in your budget of your own. Each person on here has a different way of doing things and how much they drop for clear coat, paint or even go after buying a lathe or mill. Some of use do drop change like its falling from a sky compare to others but it's what makes us happy and us work better.

[ZTony8]

I don't usually set a budget since mostly what I build is box stock so for me it's just the cost of the kit (at less than retail) plus any paint I may not have in my stock or foil if I'm running low on that.Occasionally I'll splurge and buy some photoetch or aftermarket decals but not for every kit.The cost of the paint,glue,and foil is amortized over several kits.

[Dave Ambrose]

I don't think I've ever spent more than $40 for a kit. But that will probably change some day. I have in my bucket list, a Lunar Models version of the Nautilus from the Disney movie. That's likely to run three figures. Then there will be the expense of installing a fire place because something like that totally deserves a mantle.

[gtx6970]

  On 3/4/2013 at 8:30 PM, mr68gts said:

I dont count how much I spend on any given model because you can't put a price on the relaxation and pleasure it gives me to spend time on them. That to me is invaluable. But the most I've spent thus far (mostly because the wife counted it lol) on a model was around 1300.00 and counting. That also includes the paint however as I bought it for this model.

do I dare ask what kit ?

[tubbs]

the max ........ as little as posible !! i hate dropping $20 on a kit, let alone another $100 or more on aftermarket stuff. no offense to all the after market guys and to the people who do spend the cash. thier products and builds are head and shoulders above what i build. love looking at them all and scouring the resin stuff. this is a hobby i have to pretty much get by on what i have in my stash.

[MAGNUM4342]

I think for me it depends on the kit itself. While I might have a little fun slamming together the average kit just for fun. I do tend to go overboard with something that really trips my trigger. Like the 1/16th Petty Charger or the Batmobile to name a couple. I don't think i've ever dropped more than a $100 on any one model though.

[Tonioseven]

I don't keep track. I just build them the way I like them.