Instead of Emory boards, I use the double sided nail files. Yes they cost a little more, but they last for a very long time. They also come in a variety of grits from coarse all the way down to super fine for polishing out a scratch in nail polish, heaven forbid. My wife actually gave me my first set. They are also a little easier to since I have fat fingers.
Another cost saving ..... buy CA in the [finger]nail section. Generally, it's the same stuff and the cost is significantly less. Also, keep the additional bottle(s) in the freezer. I have a couple that I KNOW are at least 5 years old and the CA works very well for most of my needs. (yeah, sometimes, I need thicker or thinner CA, but still those are "more affordable" because I have saved a lot by buying fingernail CA for ½ or less the hobby shop, craft store or home depot..
Trying to be frugal I purchased $1.50-$4.00 GARDEN LIGHTS which should now be coming into spring stock at the $Stores. I got single and two light versions. A little careful wrecking and the LED light , circuitry , rechargable battery and solar cell can be liberated from their cases. These units will charge the batteries using bright indoor household lighting. if you cover the solar cell (or turn OFF the room light) the LEDs will light and remain lit for several hours. I have about six businesses to light in my GRANGE shelf layout. Careful soldering can extend the wires and allow rooftop solar cells to light your buildings without external power supplies and attacxhed batteries and circuitry can be housed under roofs or in dumpsters or roof top solar arrays. Or a large solar array installation might power traffic lights or even signals. Good Luck
Hi Joe - I saw you mention you use wax paper. Is this to help keep the parts from sticking to the workbench when the CA oozes out of joined parts? These are all great items to get from the dollar store. Thank you for the suggestions! Cheers - Brian
Black paint pen. Paint the wheel faces, gives the craft paint something to stick to. Multi-grit files/sponges. Parchment paper for making grass tufts. Acetone/nail polish remover. Purple power for striping paint. Just a few more things from the dollhair store. Keep your head on a swivel, stuff can be found almost anywhere. That dirt tray could be cut up and used for roofing, fencing, or siding after it's use is done.
I like to use the lids from dairy containers. Like you would find on containers of chip dip or sour cream. You don’t get the “bleed through “ that you do with paper and with glues like wood glue or tacky glue you just let it and then flex the lid and the dried glue falls off and it’s ready to use again. For CA I use aluminum foil which can be recycled after it covered your dinner in the oven
Just found your videos and they are very helpful on my projects. I have been using Dollar store items for a variety of modeling situations and they work well. The closest LHS is now an hour away post Covid so Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Big Lots have been a go to for many items. Thanks for the info vids
Dear Joe, the aluminum oven pans are also a great source for making metal details. I use the flat surface to cut out prototypical sheets to make corrugated siding or roofing panels. I lay the aluminum over a piece of plastic corrugated material and just scribe or emboss the corrugation into the aluminum. Really makes it stand out. Also, I use the aluminum sheets to make air ducts, vents, exhausts and even little utility panels or cabinets. Great idea to use the sticky notes as a placeholder for CA glue. What about tule fabric for fences? Or glass beads for all kinds of detail work?
You don’t find the pan material too thick for the corrugating? I’ve seen it done with the much thinner foil, for sure though. I’m have to give it a try for metal details. I’ve never had great luck with tulle for fencing. But that may have to do with my CA aversion. 🙂
@@ThePixelDepotLLC nope, works very nice with the thicker aluminum. It’s much easier than metal from soda or beer cans. That’s too thick for embossing on the styrene. For tin can metal I made a jig out of small steel wire as rods soldered on piece of 0,8mm zinc. That’s a tedious job though. But also works great for corrugating acetate as see through sheets.
Great ideas im always on the look out for new ideas to use or reuse items on the layout.the black poster board is cheaper at the dollar store but the middle of it is white and needs to be colored with a black marker to create roads.
Aloha Joe, Just found you on RUclips Being on Maui HI I'm probably 2000 miles from the nearest real thrift/dollar store. I have discovered that the next best is the Community "garage" sales given by the Churches, youth groups, other organizations. These are normally on a sort of fixed schedule and the prices are rock bottom because all of the stock is donated and they really do want to clear it out in the three or four hours of the event. The key here is to bring your "repurpose hat" with you Pillows create "ground foam and puff " ground effects at $.01 of regular prices, Craft supplies and leftover school stuff as well as office stuff is cheap, odd tools do show up. Art paints and supplies go cheap. Pots and pans as well as "tupperware" are common, Most of the time you can dicker if you have a lot of stuff you are buying Just remember that your $$$ go to a local charity so do some fair pricing. If you visit on a regular basis the staff will recognize you and give you good prices. As with any sale of this type always have a ballpark amount for larger items and if they ask less or close go with their price.
Welcome, Peter! Great tips here. And applicable to everyone, really since you can usually find these types of sales everywhere. Here in the northeast they call them “the rift shops” and many of the churches have them. And, while you may be 2000 miles from the closest dollar store, you live on Maui, so I feel like that’s a fair trade! So, so beautiful.
Hello Joe! I am also a fan of Dollar Tree. I buy my CA there. With the high cost of weathering powders, I use make-up compacts in earth tone colors. I also use foam core in white or black colors. I use small plastic bottles for acetone, 70% or 90 % alcohol, window cleaner, etc. Jim K.
At my dollar store I get the White Rain hair spray I use it in my scenery work. It is a small pump sprayer and when I use up the contents I use the sprayer for other things that need a close spread on the spray. works well for a 1.50
Do you find that it supplies a fine enough mist to not blow everything away? That’s always my concern with spray bottles is that the stream is too heavy and it just moves the material.
Sally’s Beauty Supply is also a great place for emery boards. Not as cheap as Dollar Store but if you need a specific grit this is a great source. Also most of their boards are washable so yo can washout the gunk that is stuck in the grit. Let them dry out and you’re good to go again! Also good source for orange sticks small sticks that are flat on both ends but are available in huge quantities. Plus check out their clippers, i.e. cuticle clippers, very fine nail clippers, etc.
Seems like white glue is pretty much white glue. As modelers, we usually dilute it anyway, so if it's not quite as thick as Elmer's, it probably makes little difference.
We have Dollar General stores, and I had never been in one for years, and was always under the impression everything was a dollar. My girlfriend took me to one recently, and found it amusing, that I was so confused, when everything was basically just regularly priced generic stuff, with a discounted price tag
You are not the only one that has been confused by that. I grew up with Dollar General so I knew the “secret” but my wife was unaware, and like you, thought it was a “regular” dollar store. She probably has that same confused look you did! 😆
For mixing paint, check out the plastic "organizer trays" that stores put on their shelves for things like lip balm or similar. I just take the goods out of the tray, placing them back on the shelf and pocket the try, I have no guilt over this because the trays would just end up in the store's trash. Recycle/reuse.
Sheets of foam board are the best deal - build buildings, bridges, tunnel entrances,
Lots of options!
I use sticky notes to make window shades
Great use for them!
Instead of Emory boards, I use the double sided nail files. Yes they cost a little more, but they last for a very long time. They also come in a variety of grits from coarse all the way down to super fine for polishing out a scratch in nail polish, heaven forbid. My wife actually gave me my first set. They are also a little easier to since I have fat fingers.
Do you ever find that the larger size of those makes it difficult to work in certain small areas?
Another cost saving ..... buy CA in the [finger]nail section. Generally, it's the same stuff and the cost is significantly less. Also, keep the additional bottle(s) in the freezer. I have a couple that I KNOW are at least 5 years old and the CA works very well for most of my needs. (yeah, sometimes, I need thicker or thinner CA, but still those are "more affordable" because I have saved a lot by buying fingernail CA for ½ or less the hobby shop, craft store or home depot..
I keep all my CA in the freezer. It’ll last for years.
Thanks for More great ideas. One item I have used often is black sand. It’s perfect for coal loads.
Do you just use it loose?
Trying to be frugal I purchased $1.50-$4.00 GARDEN LIGHTS which should now be coming into spring stock at the $Stores. I got single and two light versions. A little careful wrecking and the LED light , circuitry , rechargable battery and solar cell can be liberated from their cases. These units will charge the batteries using bright indoor household lighting. if you cover the solar cell (or turn OFF the room light) the LEDs will light and remain lit for several hours. I have about six businesses to light in my GRANGE shelf layout. Careful soldering can extend the wires and allow rooftop solar cells to light your buildings without external power supplies and attacxhed batteries and circuitry can be housed under roofs or in dumpsters or roof top solar arrays. Or a large solar array installation might power traffic lights or even signals. Good Luck
And yet another great video!
Thank you! Too kind.
Hi Joe - I saw you mention you use wax paper. Is this to help keep the parts from sticking to the workbench when the CA oozes out of joined parts? These are all great items to get from the dollar store. Thank you for the suggestions! Cheers - Brian
Exactly right.
Black paint pen. Paint the wheel faces, gives the craft paint something to stick to.
Multi-grit files/sponges.
Parchment paper for making grass tufts.
Acetone/nail polish remover.
Purple power for striping paint.
Just a few more things from the dollhair store. Keep your head on a swivel, stuff can be found almost anywhere.
That dirt tray could be cut up and used for roofing, fencing, or siding after it's use is done.
I like to use the lids from dairy containers. Like you would find on containers of chip dip or sour cream.
You don’t get the “bleed through “ that you do with paper and with glues like wood glue or tacky glue you just let it and then flex the lid and the dried glue falls off and it’s ready to use again.
For CA I use aluminum foil which can be recycled after it covered your dinner in the oven
These are great suggestions. Never thought of using the lids like that!
Just found your videos and they are very helpful on my projects. I have been using Dollar store items for a variety of modeling situations and they work well. The closest LHS is now an hour away post Covid so Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Big Lots have been a go to for many items. Thanks for the info vids
Glad you like them! And welcome aboard!
Dear Joe, the aluminum oven pans are also a great source for making metal details. I use the flat surface to cut out prototypical sheets to make corrugated siding or roofing panels. I lay the aluminum over a piece of plastic corrugated material and just scribe or emboss the corrugation into the aluminum. Really makes it stand out.
Also, I use the aluminum sheets to make air ducts, vents, exhausts and even little utility panels or cabinets.
Great idea to use the sticky notes as a placeholder for CA glue.
What about tule fabric for fences?
Or glass beads for all kinds of detail work?
You don’t find the pan material too thick for the corrugating? I’ve seen it done with the much thinner foil, for sure though. I’m have to give it a try for metal details.
I’ve never had great luck with tulle for fencing. But that may have to do with my CA aversion. 🙂
@@ThePixelDepotLLC nope, works very nice with the thicker aluminum. It’s much easier than metal from soda or beer cans. That’s too thick for embossing on the styrene. For tin can metal I made a jig out of small steel wire as rods soldered on piece of 0,8mm zinc. That’s a tedious job though. But also works great for corrugating acetate as see through sheets.
Great ideas im always on the look out for new ideas to use or reuse items on the layout.the black poster board is cheaper at the dollar store but the middle of it is white and needs to be colored with a black marker to create roads.
Aloha Joe, Just found you on RUclips Being on Maui HI I'm probably 2000 miles from the nearest real thrift/dollar store. I have discovered that the next best is the Community "garage" sales given by the Churches, youth groups, other organizations.
These are normally on a sort of fixed schedule and the prices are rock bottom because all of the stock is donated and they really do want to clear it out in the three or four hours of the event.
The key here is to bring your "repurpose hat" with you Pillows create "ground foam and puff " ground effects at $.01 of regular prices, Craft supplies and leftover school stuff as well as office stuff is cheap, odd tools do show up. Art paints and supplies go cheap. Pots and pans as well as "tupperware" are common,
Most of the time you can dicker if you have a lot of stuff you are buying Just remember that your $$$ go to a local charity so do some fair pricing. If you visit on a regular basis the staff will recognize you and give you good prices.
As with any sale of this type always have a ballpark amount for larger items and if they ask less or close go with their price.
Welcome, Peter! Great tips here. And applicable to everyone, really since you can usually find these types of sales everywhere. Here in the northeast they call them “the rift shops” and many of the churches have them.
And, while you may be 2000 miles from the closest dollar store, you live on Maui, so I feel like that’s a fair trade! So, so beautiful.
@@ThePixelDepotLLC I moved here 8 years ago from the Chicago area--Grew up next to the old South Works of US Steel in the 50's -60's.
Hello Joe!
I am also a fan of Dollar Tree. I buy my CA there. With the high cost of weathering powders, I use make-up compacts in earth tone colors. I also use foam core in white or black colors. I use small plastic bottles for acetone, 70% or 90 % alcohol, window cleaner, etc.
Jim K.
Do you find the the makeup sticks well? Does it smudge?
At my dollar store I get the White Rain hair spray I use it in my scenery work. It is a small pump sprayer and when I use up the contents I use the sprayer for other things that need a close spread on the spray. works well for a 1.50
Do you find that it supplies a fine enough mist to not blow everything away? That’s always my concern with spray bottles is that the stream is too heavy and it just moves the material.
An article I wrote for model railroader in this years January issue, I used it. It puts a very small and gentle pattern
@@wilzdart Ssh don’t tell anyone, I’m months behind on my magazine reading. 😳. But I will give it a look.
great finds as always
Too kind as always!
Sally’s Beauty Supply is also a great place for emery boards. Not as cheap as Dollar Store but if you need a specific grit this is a great source. Also most of their boards are washable so yo can washout the gunk that is stuck in the grit. Let them dry out and you’re good to go again! Also good source for orange sticks small sticks that are flat on both ends but are available in huge quantities. Plus check out their clippers, i.e. cuticle clippers, very fine nail clippers, etc.
I like the idea of washable boards. I’ll have to check that out.
I like their white glue. Don't know how it compares to Elmer's glue all but it works for me.
Seems like white glue is pretty much white glue. As modelers, we usually dilute it anyway, so if it's not quite as thick as Elmer's, it probably makes little difference.
Small cutting boards is one.
We have Dollar General stores, and I had never been in one for years, and was always under the impression everything was a dollar. My girlfriend took me to one recently, and found it amusing, that I was so confused, when everything was basically just regularly priced generic stuff, with a discounted price tag
You are not the only one that has been confused by that. I grew up with Dollar General so I knew the “secret” but my wife was unaware, and like you, thought it was a “regular” dollar store. She probably has that same confused look you did! 😆
I use waxed paper a LOT! WAY cheaper at a Dollar Store or a Buck or Two store.
For mixing paint, check out the plastic "organizer trays" that stores put on their shelves for things like lip balm or similar. I just take the goods out of the tray, placing them back on the shelf and pocket the try, I have no guilt over this because the trays would just end up in the store's trash. Recycle/reuse.