Hobby Lobby

Try Hobby Lobby

Thanks

I will there is one right by my house

Hobby Lobby

Be sure to print out the weekly 40% off coupon. 

Randy

Wish we had a Hobby Lobby

In downtown Toronto, there are NO Railroad supply shops, nor any Hobby shops. Its very disappointing living here. If I want over priced thrift clothes or a Starbucks coffee we're sorted!  There is a Curry's art store around the corner I can get art supplies but that's it! George's Trains used to have a location uptown but every other shop is in the suburbs or outlying areas. And... the Toronto Model Railroad Club used to be right down the street. They moved out by the development of yet another condo (and i'm guilty of living in one).

In The Hague, Holland where I lived for awhile, there was a lovely Marklin shop down the road downtown and in Brussels a Gentleman had a great model ship building shop.

So we are in desperate need of a Hobby Lobby!! 

Another place is the guys at

Be specific

What supplies exactly are you looking for? The craft section of your Walmart or the local craft store will have a lot you can use. So will the hardware store. Radio shack (if it's still open by you) has reasonable priced 2-56 screws. 

Sometimes you have to keep your eyes open to what something looks like or can be made to look like and ignore the Walther's catalog for a moment. Not to bash any manufacturer. But a lot of things can be had on a budget. Some scale really well, some are only sort of ok but can work until you want to go a step further. BTW, all of these I have used:

1. Tissue paper for tarps, awnings etc

2. Wood coffee stirrers, match sticks and toothpicks for scale lumber

3. Plastic coffee stirrer for highway guardrail 

4. Pieces of pens, markers and highlighters to make rooftop vents

5. Aluminum foil as roof flashing (combine 2 and 5 to make exterior ductwork)

6. Sifted dirt from your yard for dirt

7. Ground up leaves for forest ground cover

8. A lump of real coal and a hammer to make scale coal

9. Artist chalks or pastels for weathering

10. Paper or masking tape for window shades inside buildings

11. DO NOT THROW AWAY ANYTHING from a kit. Keep all the extra parts and even all the sprues. I made an automobile gas tank filler neck from a piece of sprue once.

It's hard to get around the expenses of track, couplers etc. So focus your money on them and focus your modeling skills on what you can do with what you can find. 

Think outside of the "Model Railroad" box

Hi Trainmaster247, 

The craft store has artificial flower materials that work for scenery.

The discount/closeout store has toys and plastic items that can be kitbashed.

The fabric store has buttons that can be used as signs for your local businesses.

The party center has novelty and paper items that can be useful.

Business cards can be cut and used for signage on the layout.

The building supply store will sell you a paint sample(sky blue, dirt, etc.) for a few dollars.

As Bruce Says

For cheap supplies don't think hobby shop.

Lots of guys use real dirt, sifted, baked in an oven to kill organics and checked with a magnet to remove ferrous metals and graded into different sizes and grades of courseness.

Mike Confalone uses real dried leaves for ground cover.

Poly fiber is cheaper at Walmart, etc.

A lot of long time modelers get so that they look at everything from a 'how can I use that on the layout' perspective.

Regards,