Where do you guys purchase your supplies if you don't live near a hobby shop?

[Tonioseven]

Scaledreams was my go-to place but those days are over I suppose; please discuss your preferences.

[Longbox55]

I suppose it would depend on what kind of supplies I was after. For primer and filler putty, I go to the local auto parts store, I also get most of my spray paint there as well. For hobby blades and rotary tool bits, I get those at the hardware store, though I did get my last rotary tool from the Snap-On dealer (air powered mini-die grinder, MUCH better than a Dremel). I also have a local computer store that also does table top RPGs, mainly Warhammer 40k. They carry the Citadel paint line from Games Workshop, and I've started using them with models. Other than that, when I do go to the hobby shop (45 miles to the nearest one), I tend to make the trip count, and make a list of anything hobby related I might need.

[Mrdarkmonkey96]

amazon and ebay, my friend

[slusher]

l buy some on ebay. I get most at Hobby Lobby. www.modelroundup.com has lots of tools and supplies. www.hobbylinc.com is a very good Tamiya paint source. l hope this helps...

[martinfan5]

Even with plenty of hobby shops, I buy pretty much everything online, from where, just depends on who has the best price. I do buy 99% of my paint at the LHS.

amazon and ebay, my friend

No more Amazon for me, since I am lucky enough to have one of their distribution centers in the same state, us AZ residents have to pay sales tax, I still buy stuff from Amazon, just not hobby related stuff

Edited June 8, 2013 by martinfan5

[Ridge Rider]

Ebay, I try to buy lots of items I,m interested in to offset shipping. When it comes to supply's, I try to think ahead and bulk buy needed or soon to be needed items from online stores like previously mentioned.

[rel14]

Here, there, and everywhere, on line, parts store, goodwill, swap shop, thrity stores, ebay, and swap meets,,, if i find a great

deal,, i get three,,,

[ScaleDale]

V8 Models.com and Westbury Motorsports.com for kits, Competition Resins for resin stuff.

Dale

[Jeff Johnston]

Wow...I just bought a bunch of stuff from Scale Dreams when they had the sale and I guess maybe I should have seen the writing on the wall. I buy most if not all of m,y photo etch and resin tidbits from him.

Mt LHS, the one right herein town, moved 45 miles away to the city. That's where I usually buy my paints and basic hobby supplies. I also drive to NYC for work and there is a huge hobby shop in CT that I tend to get a fair amount of supplies from.

[Gothic Kustomz]

Living in deep Southern Az, there's not much you can do, but get your hobby stuff online, I have too many places to list, but when I'm in town I go to places like Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Southerlands, and Lowe's, find allot of good things at walmart, rattle can paint from O'Riely's parts store, as I'm a big fan of Dupli-Color paint, and we here will have a Hobby Lobby by the years end, cant wait for that, Tuscon is 70 miles one way, so yea allot of online shopping, and searching....

[Eshaver]

Well, I'm mostly scratch built diorama buildings . That means a variety of places . Gee, There is a Doll house supplier well East of me . Meanwhile , there is a N A P A , an Advance Auto , a Kind of near by Michael's .Uh Ace hardware . As for kits ............. uh I do get stuff from some of the members here .

[Jantrix]

Try your local model train store. They have lot of the supplies we use every day.

[sjordan2]

Try your local model train store. They have lot of the supplies we use every day.

I don't know how that differs from the absence of a local hobby shop as described. Lots of local and online alternatives have been described, but there's also Hiroboy, Scale Details, Pro Tech and a million others. I think this would be a good subject to have a multitude of links pinned. Island collectibles has links identifying suppliers of products they carry, but not the complete inventories of the individual links:

http://www.islandcollectibles.net/products.htm

And, of course, the number one resource for anything you're seeking is Google.

[Tonioseven]

Thankjs for the input fellas, I appreciate it. I consider Rick to be a friend and I guess I kind of took it for granted that Scaledreams would always be there. I hope things get better for him. Again, I appreciate your responses. Perhaps this thread can be of help to more than a few people.

[gtx6970]

I have a Hobby Lobby and a Michaels, at neither of which do I buy model kits unless it's an impulse buy . But I do use them for various supplies, such as Exacto blades, some paints, misc detail supplies such as crimp beads and braided wire for added detail when I get the itch to go beyond box stock

I also have a local mom+pop hobby shop I hit from time to time if I'm in the area, and I have bought kits and paint supplies there from time to time but his selection is not the greatest . But then again I probably haven't bought more than maybe 4 or 5 new kits in the past year and half

To be honest most of my kit purchases the past year or so have been out of production stuff and 90% of it came from ebay

Edited June 10, 2013 by gtx6970

[Chris White]

Much respect to those living in the United States, but here in Canada, Hobbies stores are not very popular. Any comments, from my fellow Canadians.........e-bay is ok, but it seems to be getting more and more expensive as of late

[metalhead]

Spruebrothers, Megahobby, and Amazon.com for most of the models. I tend to use Megahobby for ordering my supplies like paint and other stuff along with the models. I also use Hobby Lobby when I just need one or two bottles of the basic color paints. But I find that HL has the same basic models every time, no variety.

RYAN.

[Jantrix]

I don't know how that differs from the absence of a local hobby shop as described.

I've lived all over this country while in the service, lived in lil towns and big ones. It seems to me that although some didn't have a "hobby" store, a model train store was nearly always around somewhere.

[Deathgoblin]

I generally go to Hobby Lobby or Michaels if it's something that I need right now and they normally carry. I've been buying Duplicolor paint and primer from the auto parts store. But we have several hobby shops around Columbus, so I kinda feel lucky if I need BMF or something that no one else carries.

[Tom Geiger]

I'm fortunate to be in an area with model car shows, and I know some of the discount dealers, so that's where I buy my new kits. I do buy older kits both at shows, at my local club meetings and on eBay. For supplies, I do regularly travel between PA and NJ so there are a few hobby shops where I can get things like putty, Evergreen, basswood and BMF. I buy my Zap-A-Gap glue at Michaels, usually with a 50% off coupon making it a $2.00 purchase. I only bought my first kit at Michaels today, the 2010 Mustang convertible kit, for less than $10 with that 50% off coupon. Paints... I use mostly Duplicolor, so I buy those at Pep Boys. I did buy 25 cans at $1 each 2 years ago at Ollies. I'll buy Testors and Tamiya paints at a hobby shop, but the basic colors... flat black, dullcote etc at Michaels with that same coupon.

[Jim Whalen]

Hi,

I recently bought direct from the Model Car Garage using their website and it worked quite well.

Some of the places people have suggested certainly look worth checking out.

[Skydime]

I get various items at the Dollar Tree and Walmart. Of coarse, though hobby stores are over an hour from me, I am lucky enough to have two Walmarts and a Magic Mart that sell kits. The Dollar Tree is a good place to buy degreaser and plastic shoe boxes...among other doo dads for models. Although I am pretty upset my closest Dollar Tree quit carrying the large non-spray bottle of LAs Totally Awesome degreaser.

[Rockie]

i use to buy from Amazon but I notice for the prize of 1 car i gotten 3 on ebay. you be suprised. some are used but with everything in it, just a open box. i bought aot for under 11.00. ebay is the best way to go..

[Big Daddy]

Much respect to those living in the United States, but here in Canada, Hobbies stores are not very popular. Any comments, from my fellow Canadians.........e-bay is ok, but it seems to be getting more and more expensive as of late

chris you live in toronto you got wheels n wings on danforth ave which is pretty good and down the road in dundas there is Dundas Valley Hobby which is where i go they have a good selection of everthing and if you need something they don't have they will get it for you ,great place

[Matt T.]

Scale Hobbyist dot com

Can't recommend them enough! Great company, nice prices & superb service.