Start Scale Modelling for CHEAP! Get these things on a budget!

[@diecastrescue3597]

The real cost speedbump comes when people decide they want to get an airbrush...

[@ModelMinutes]

Yeah, that is effectively a £200 investment for a moderate system

[@chris41952]

Amazon has the Master G233 for $40. It's a surprisingly good airbrush for a Chinese made cheapie. I've been using one for quite a while now and I'm always amazed at the performance for the price.

[@diecastrescue3597]

@@ModelMinutes I suspect there could be a whole potential series of videos on getting started with an airbrush and its maintenance etc its an entire rabbit hole.

[@ModelMinutes]

@@diecastrescue3597 yup 😂 there is a lot to explore

[@commandermodels]

Ive used one since I started building kits, now I’ve switched to brushes since it’s just much more relaxing and fun (for me personally)

[@johnorlitta]

Rubber bands are an inexpensive way to hold two large halves of anything together (like aircraft fuselage halves or wing halves). Same goes for small plastic clamps, usually found at discount stores.

[@ModelMinutes]

Excellent idea!

[@Blizz_EC]

Haha I remember using clothes pegs, they actually worked pretty well for 1/72 scale and smaller models

[@Adam_Boots]

Two things I started using are cocktail sticks and magic eraser. The cocktail sticks are ideal for combining with blutac to hold small pieces. The magic eraser has a similar feel to the foam they use in flower displays but doesn't fall apart at the slightest touch. It's perfect for sticking cocktail sticks in with painted pieces attached to hold them steady while the paint dries. It can be used over and over again as well.

[@ModelMinutes]

Great ideas!

[@Jacky_man542]

I would say scale modelling is expensive to start off with,but as you amass more tools paint’s etc over time the only thing you end buying is the actual model that you want to build at the given time.TBH I really do agree though that you can get started on a budget and videos like this just show that it can be done.Great video.

[@ModelMinutes]

Well said! I find that paints can last for years so quite often when I buy a kit I don't always need to get more stuff

[@bk109]

Good initial kit suggestion, though I'd swap/add a couple of bits to it to allow a first-time builder as frustration-free an experience as possible. 1. Swap out the masking tape for a Liquid mask - it's nearly as cheap, but it's quicker (and easier) to apply and remove (and less likely to have seepage especially when brush painting), with the added bonus that it makes painting camo patterns easier 2. I'd add to (or even replace) the emery sticks with a couple of sanding sponges from the nearest hardware store - they're like a quid each (I'm personally using a Bosch Fine and Superfine ones) and last forever. 3. Something to fill the inevitable gaps like the Tamiya or Gunze disolved putties. Again, they're easy to use, cheap and are effective enough to fix a lot of issues that are common in first builds. Ah, and 4 - pure alcohol to help with any acryllic painting mishaps :) Edit: To fit ^ under the 30 quid limit, getting an A3 or even A4 mat is plenty for a newbie ;)

[@ModelMinutes]

Excellent ideas!

[@jeremyalam480]

Good video. From experience, a cutting mat and a reasonable quality pair of hobby nippers are the two essentials a beginner should get. The nippers will help extend the life of hobby knives which otherwise will have to be used for the heavy duty task of cutting parts from sprues. Everything you've mentioned I also endorse. Beyond those, a manicure set is a good source of basic tools, and I'd throw in a cheap set of jeweller's files as well-infintely useful for dealing with irregularities and creating and shaping holes. All of these can usually be picked up in craft shops and markets.

[@ewmhop]

WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD MODELS TODAY IS A LOT MORE IN COST THEN WHEN I GOT MY FIRST MODEL BACK IN 1957. MY DAD TOOK ME TO THE DRUG STORE TO GET A AURORA CUSTISS JENNY AND 6 TESTORS PAINT AND GLUE.COST WAS UNDER TWO DOLLARS.NEWSPAPER AND FINGERNAIL CLIPPERS AND SCHOOL SCISSORS WAS THE REST OF SETUP. GOOD VIDEO SIR,THIS SHOULD HELP A BEGINNER IN THIS HOBBY IN TODAY WORLD.

[@ModelMinutes]

That's interesting - I just did an inflation calculator using $2 in 1957 and apparently it has the same purchasing power as $30 today . . . So realistically I still kinda managed to get the same value as you did back then :D

[@ewmhop]

GROWING UP IN MY ERA ,MODEL KITS WERE EVERYWHERE YOU SHOPPED.EVEN GAS STATIONS,TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING. GOD BLESS AND TAKE CARE.@@ModelMinutes

[@ModelMinutes]

@@ewmhop thanks, you too 😊

[@petermerz2704]

Great video. Ditch the glue though and get Tamiya extra thin! Thanks for sharing Matt. 😎🇨🇦

[@ModelMinutes]

Sadly that would have pushed me over the £30 budget at the time, but it is definitely a beginner should look at swapping out for in the future! Thanks for watching :D

[@bk109]

Or even better than the Extra Thin (so long as you have at least one empty bottle from it) - Tamiya' Airbrush Cleaner. Same formula as ET, but 8 Euros for 250ml :D

[@portland-182]

A visit to Hobbycraft for some 'washi tape' is often quite cheap. It's a low tack 'decorative tape' Handy for masking, ignore the often hideous patterns... Poundland have some nice Daler Rowney detail brushes from time to time, they have acrylic and water colour brushes, -go for the acrylic ones.

[@ModelMinutes]

Great tips! Might have to give that tape a go

[@Kr4th]

I used this video along with some other similar ones to guide me back into this hobby. Great video! just finished a spitfire in 1/72 as part of a dogfight doubles set. I was thinking that a video comparing your "Starter set only" model to one made using all these budget tools plus maybe a couple more like extra thin cement would be interesting. Maybe like a "what does spending 10 bucks to get into the hobby look like versus 30 bucks vs 50 bucks?". feel free to play around with that idea.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for the idea!

[@Steelbackuk]

Great video there Matt, the jungle website has some good deals on as well , we got the little Human no4 a gundum starter set for about 8quid , had knife with blades, side cutters ,file 2 lot of tweezers and polishing stick. Best advice I can give to some starting out , is think out side the box where you get stuff from.

[@ModelMinutes]

Well said! I might have to look out for somet of those deals

[@claytonmcclain182]

You forgot the band-aids for the hobby knife. 😆 great video 👍

[@ModelMinutes]

Ah yes, a first aid kit is a good suggestion 😊

[@Al.Sulikas]

Great tutorial. for general brush supplies I always direct lads to the closest proper art supply store, since they carry the smallest brushes(10/0 and such) and are about up to 1 EU Disney Buck a piece, usually around the 0,59-0,79 mark. Instead of a dedicated cutting mat I use an old mousepad, not the biggest one, but it works. Also some tools come with some starter kits, for example in some Italeri starter kits, you get a free set of sidecutters.

[@ModelMinutes]

excellent tips!

[@lewispowell1681]

i used to go to art shops for brushes exclusively but I've learned a few things over the years, first is that a multi pack of cheap brushes has value in variety and often the larger ones tend to hold up well over time. second the brushes that you can pick out in art shops tend to be of equivalent quality to those in the cheap multi packs and are rarely worth their money. the final thing i learned is that a high quality size 0 or size 1 brush that is well looked after makes any smaller sizes utterly redundant, investing £5-12 in size 1 or 0, rosemary and co 33 or a WN series 7 and a £4 bar of brush soap will save you a huge amount of money in the long run. those brushes have points as fine as any size 00000 etc with the added benefit of a body to hold enough paint that it doesnt dry in the brush and enough length that you dont risk clogging the ferrule and killing the brush.

[@DavidLee-df888]

Good choices. Although it is worth trying to get some side cutters if possible, a flat blade could cause damage to small parts on removal from the sprues.

[@ModelMinutes]

Good point, I think I mention side cutters near the end - couldn't find any during my search though

[@DavidLee-df888]

@@ModelMinutes Wilko and Poundstretcher do, at least they used to, a three pack of mini plier/cutters. A regular plier, a pointy nosed plier and a side cutting plier, all for a fiver!

[@paulellam6926]

Great upload Matt, I think this will help those who are considering starting/having a go, for less than 30 quid and it might inspire folk to take up the hobby. i get a lot of my hobby clobber from the bargain stores, the works etc rather than the hobby shops, saves me money and the items do the same job.

[@ModelMinutes]

Well said! I hope it does help some people get an idea of what they might need 😊

[@kungpowdan9632]

I don't know how you knew I was looking into this at the moment, but I thank you.

[@ModelMinutes]

I hope it helped :D

[@chrispacer4231]

Here in the USA 🇺🇸 ( OHIO ) we have TOY and HOBBY SHOWS… That’s where I find most of my kits I still like building the old stuff… I’ve bought many tools and supplies from MICRO MARK, we have a store called HOBBY LOBBY, I get plenty of tools and supplies from them also… WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH TOOLS… always enjoy your episodes… CHRIS from OHIO 🇺🇸

[@ModelMinutes]

Haha very true! I'm always accumulating more of them

[@Slycockney]

Cotton buds for the decals are invaluable

[@ModelMinutes]

Good idea

[@kiwifruitpoo]

Ditch the tube glue asap and get some Tamiya Extra Thin glue.

[@ModelMinutes]

Yes, good suggestion

[@modelrestorations]

Great video and channel. I agree. I mostly buy used old models. Harder to find but much cheaper.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for watching! Yes, I like second hand models too :D

[@Emdee5632]

Indeed, getting started with modelling might be a bit expensive because you have to buy all the extras: glue, paint, cutting equipment etc. But it will also be used for all the next models you are going to build.

[@ModelMinutes]

very true

[@masonharper4220]

This video was great and I think I realize that while there are nesacery pieces and tools for building I find that people build very differently like for example in the video blue tac was mentioned. I use medicine cups and I really like using toothpicks to stir around some paint. Great video as always 👍

[@ModelMinutes]

Very true! Good suggestions on extra tools :D

[@ironbird72]

apart from the cutting mat and the masking tape, amazon has nice starter tool bundles that include sprue cutters, blade, sanding sticks, tweezers for 9 quid. Also blue tack leaves oil on whatever it touches and common masking tape is generally a no-go for modelling. Also loads of kitchen paper and a pallet to mix and thin colours.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ironbird72]

@@ModelMinutes and it is not just a stereotype that scale modelliing can be expensive, it is expensive once you dig deeply into it

[@ModelMinutes]

@@ironbird72 the same for any hobby really, once you get deeply invested in it

[@valborchardt3596]

Thank you Matt, some really helpful tips for what to get….take care as always

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for watching! 😊

[@stevieb6173]

telll you what would be good once a year maybe this time of year , go back to your roots and do another model build with all these simple items , it would be great to see , especially for those who are coming to christmas and getting kits for the first time , I know you've done this before but , it always spurs me on if I see a video build that's recent , keep up the good work , great channel , I' ve got loads of model kits but never seem to get around to building them , or I'm just fearful of them being rubbish when I've done them

[@ModelMinutes]

It's funny you should mention that - I've just been working on a PM Model Sea Fury which has been painted with enamels and no other fancy techniques - a real "back to basics" build

[@nikbarr1721]

my cutting mat is the base for mine and my wifes wedding cake lol its stood me in good stead for a lot of years well 7up to now and still going well its hardboard by the way

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ozmagoo7724]

Haven't made a model for ages, but used to find a pair of folding nail clippers very handy, instead of using a knife.

[@ModelMinutes]

I used nail clippers in the past, but found they weren't always the best at cutting things from the sprue

[@ninjawithfishontheback]

cant wait for the next build

[@ModelMinutes]

Coming this weekend 😊

[@brianfpp540]

Im still on a "budget" and i have been modelling since aged 11, thats 47 yrs ago and i still struggle to buy decent kits, makes it more of a thrill when i get one though.. : )

[@ModelMinutes]

indeed!

[@andygorman858]

Great vid and a perfect choice of tools for starting out. Blu tac is awesome and can also be used as a masking type for camo schemes…..but you knew that 😉 looking forward to the next vid in this series!

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks Andy! Any suggestions on what else you'd like to see? (I have some ideas . . . but a second opinion is always good)

[@andygorman858]

@@ModelMinutes possibly next would be the actual building phase….what glues would be best etc. the hardest one will be the brush painting stage and getting the idea of thinning paint for brushing. The starter pots are just that, starter pots…but they can be thinned slightly to give better coverage and make the finish good, and that will hopefully keep the new builder inspired enough to get another kit. Decals will be fun…..when I built my first ever kit by myself (Matchbox 1/72nd FW190 a8), I didn’t know you were supposed to put the decals in water to release them from the backing, I just cut them out and glued them on! This was back in the 80’s before the internet was even a thing (like about 10 years before here in New Zealand !)

[@ModelMinutes]

@@andygorman858 great ideas! I’ll take a note 😊

[@modelkitboi3925]

There is a ‘The Works’ shop near me, and I managed to pick up a 1/350 HMS Bounty for only £10! I haven’t even touched it yet; people say it has tons of flash because it’s an older kit.

[@ModelMinutes]

That’s interesting! I haven’t seen models in the works for a while now

[@davidrobinson4118]

I bought the Revell Bounty from The Works too, it's 1/110 scale, not 1/350. And yep, those people were right, it does have tons of flash. There must be something wrong with me though as I find cleaning up flash strangely therapeutic! I've nearly finished it, doing rigging at the moment. It's a nice little ship with an incredible story attached to it. I picked up the Revell 1/570 (bit of a weird scale) Scharnhorst at the same time. Happy modelling my friend.

[@modelkitboi3925]

@@davidrobinson4118 I double checked the box and yes, it is 1/110 scale. But let's all just agree that 1/570 is a strange scale choice. Happy modelling to you as well! 😀

[@neilhaas]

The A-7 Corsair 2 or F-86 Sabre jet model kits.

[@ModelMinutes]

Good suggestions!

[@ifeyecouldpaint]

You forgot to mention that the works do brilliant pigments by which I mean they do pastel blocks for about £3 in different colours and when ground up they make brilliant weathering powders

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for the info!

[@plasticalchemist]

Spitfire 🤩🤩

[@ModelMinutes]

So many spitfires lol

[@plasticalchemist]

@@ModelMinutes never to many spitfires

[@ModelMinutes]

@@plasticalchemist I'm sure Sully would disagree lol

[@plasticalchemist]

@@ModelMinutes nah he will agree with us if we weather them heavily :)

[@ModelMinutes]

@@plasticalchemist lol!

[@philkitching4152]

Very helpful thank you

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bobsmodels123]

Nice Video, but in my opinion if you have a bigger budget then try and get all the stuff you need so everything would be cheaper in the cheaper (you don't hafta Buy more tools), Nice Selection!

[@ModelMinutes]

yes, i do recommend that people get the best products they can afford for their budget

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

good vid mat keep up the good vid thanks lee

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

[@sara01havefun]

I got some Tamiya extra thin cement quick setting it dries fast

[@ModelMinutes]

nice!

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Thanks for the video. Also congratulations on England making it out of the group phase.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks :D

[@diggilad781]

yo Matt, good tutorial needed this since recently got back into modelling, tho im doin well with my recent ones and probably going to do a review video of my two hurricanes i've build

[@ModelMinutes]

awesome! Sounds like you've been enjoying them :D

[@diggilad781]

@@ModelMinutes yea, recently got back into modelling with the Hawker Hurricane which i built a month ago

[@ModelMinutes]

@@diggilad781 very cool! Hurricane is a good choice

[@diggilad781]

@@ModelMinutes yea, it's the underrated but mighty aircraft that helped us win the battle of britain

[@ModelMinutes]

@@diggilad781 and was also my first kit 😂

[@AussieGunzel]

If you think this is the correct hobby as a beginner I'd suggest looking for 2 kit gift sets as your second kit.

[@ModelMinutes]

great idea!

[@danielbritton8588]

Hard to budget with kit prices like they are.

[@ModelMinutes]

For larger kits, yes, it can be hard. But for getting started cheaply, it is possible...

[@jonnynguyen276]

Thanks I could use tips for a budget

[@ModelMinutes]

did you check out my latest video?

[@martijn9568]

I think it is safe to assume that we can cut down a bit on what's actually required here. Some here are more nice to haves if you'd ask me.😅

[@ModelMinutes]

As with my starter set challenge video - it is competely possible to build the kit with just the starter set and a knife. But for a little extra (and better quality/easier) building I find that these are my go-to tools

[@BobMuir100]

That was a very good piece of work, nice one matey 😊 Bob England

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks Bob!

[@gabrielnguyen5580]

i don't know why i havent used blu tack or poster putty before lol i just sort of leave it on a paper plate and kinda ruin the paintjob lol

[@ModelMinutes]

yeah, cocktail sticks can be handy too for holding wheels and things whilst painting

[@TheBattleRabbit860]

Great video, I'm going to show this to all my friends who say they want to try it but don't have the money. I have a question though, what do you recommend for matte spray? I don't have an airbrush, and I recently found out you can't brush paint a matte coat.

[@ModelMinutes]

Who says you can't brush paint a matt varnish? I have done many times - check out some of my build videos for more information on that. An alternative is a matt spray can varnish - various companies make them

[@TheBattleRabbit860]

@@ModelMinutes I have been wrongly informed then, thank you! I have a bottle of Vallejo matt varnish that came with the model color case I got, the gloss I can get to go on just fine. So now I am off to check out some of your build videos, thanks!

[@ModelMinutes]

@@TheBattleRabbit860 my suggestion would be to thin the Matt varnish with hot water for applying to the model (not so hot that it will melt anything on the model, but hot enough to dissolve the Matt pigments). It can help avoiding the white “chalky” effect that Matt varnishes can leave. Alternatively mixing in a tiny amount of gloss can also help

[@spikeriches8821]

Cheap rattle can

[@pawelpw1161]

You should mention acrylic primer spray can. Acrylic paints work way better on primed surface.

[@ModelMinutes]

good point

[@Billbuccaneer]

Please make another spitfire

[@ModelMinutes]

I'm sure I will in the future

[@Maxtherocketguy]

they sell models in supermarkets in the uk?

[@ModelMinutes]

Sometimes

[@ashleybevis9769]

I saved even more money than that… I would tell you but the mrs is shouting in the background asking where her tweezers are 😊

[@ModelMinutes]

haha yes! My first tools back in the day were mostly borrowed from other people . . .

[@AinKrab]

Sweeeeeeeeet

[@ModelMinutes]

:D

[@harrymarwick2529]

Mos favourite (pegs)

[@ModelMinutes]

Haha! Yes, need some of those :P

[@veikkakarvonen831]

First comment, I guess

[@ModelMinutes]

Congrats!

[@Magmapeeper]

Yo

[@ModelMinutes]

yoyo

[@Magmapeeper]

Yoyoyo

[@Magmapeeper]

yoyoyo