Scalemates web site

I think your right as I can't understand it either!

It is a member-provided-content site. It provides information about models.

Bill

It's not an online store. It a modeling database. It lists just about any kit ever made including many with instructions. It also lists whatever accessories are available for each kit. When you pull up a kit it will give you a list of online shops where you can get the model, along with prices and whether it's in stock, available, or out of stock. Click the "in stock" button and it takes you directly to the sellers website.

If you click on an individual item and scroll down, there is a "marketplace" section. If that item is currently available at a shop, or a member is selling that item, it often is linked in that section.

It's definitely not the easiest site to navigate.

But one for the most useful for a scale modeller! I'm a registered member on scalemates.com and I love it! I think you should register and contribute there, too!

I reference the history often. If your model doesn't have instructions and they are not listed for it on scalemates, often one of the repops or reboxes shown in the history has them linked,

There are often reviews as well.

Bill

I think the site is invaluable for maintaining your stash.  I added my entire stash and track orders, completed etc.  Not to mention kit history, instructions and available after market stuff.  Spend the time to get familiar and you'll find it's a great tool.

John3M

I don't understand this website. It has lots of good qualities but if it's a site to purchase items  i don't see where to click. Is it just for information about models? 

 

There is also the ability to add items you are willing to sell in the marketplace as well as regular retail links to buy some kits.

The site doesn't sell kits, although if you see a kit you've been looking for and a member has listed it in their stash, you can contact that person to see if they would be willing to part with the kit.

There's also the ability to correct errors. For instance, someone had posted that the Gunze Sangyo M60A1 RISE/Passive kit with ERA was a rebox of the old Academy clone of the Tamiya kit. It was, however, the Esci M60A1 kit with some white metal and resin upgrades.

It's a goldmine of information. You can see the history of any kit, including reboxings. You can see accessories for any given kit such as decals, PE or resin. You can download the instruction manuals for most models. There's almost a quarter million kits catalogued. 

You can find specific kits by sorting through a range of filters such as manufacturer, scale, type, year released, topic, event, which military you name it. A great way to see which manufacturers ever made a kit for a specific subject. 

It does provide pricing from a few vendors but nobody I use. Good to get an idea of current pricing though. 

Its a fantastic stash manager, not just for kits but accessories and tools and paints. 

I like the reviews, too if one is there.  Wish there were more.

lets you know if that new kit you are eyeballing at the hobby shop is new tool or if it molds were cut in 1962 

missileman2000

I like the reviews, too if one is there.  Wish there were more.

The reviews are often linked from various sources online. And if there isn't a review of a kit you have, you can do your own review and upload it.

John3M

I don't understand this website. It has lots of good qualities but if it's a site to purchase items  i don't see where to click. Is it just for information about models? 

Because it's collaborative, it's confusing.  If a person mistypes a scale as 1/76, that's how it's listed, even if it's actually 1/72.

This can be very confusing for "box scale" kits, where the scale may be disputed.

It can be confusing, too, in that a person might list a kist as "Peerless" but is actually a Peerles Max" (or, more confusing still, is actually a "LifeLike" kit).

There's not an elegant way to ask for edits, either.

It's still better than the alternative.

If you create an account, you can make edits yourself, upload photos of instructions, sprue shots, etc.

CapnMac82

Because it's collaborative, it's confusing.  If a person mistypes a scale as 1/76, that's how it's listed, even if it's actually 1/72.

This can be very confusing for "box scale" kits, where the scale may be disputed.

It can be confusing, too, in that a person might list a kist as "Peerless" but is actually a Peerles Max" (or, more confusing still, is actually a "LifeLike" kit).

There's not an elegant way to ask for edits, either.

It's still better than the alternative.

 

Its easy to do edits if you're a member. I've added and/or edited multiple items during my time as a member on Scalemates.

CapnMac82

Because it's collaborative, it's confusing.  If a person mistypes a scale as 1/76, that's how it's listed, even if it's actually 1/72.

This can be very confusing for "box scale" kits, where the scale may be disputed.

It can be confusing, too, in that a person might list a kist as "Peerless" but is actually a Peerles Max" (or, more confusing still, is actually a "LifeLike" kit).

There's not an elegant way to ask for edits, either.

It's still better than the alternative.

 

Considering it's free, and basically a one man show coding it, I think it's a fantastic resource. 

I refer to ScaleMates web site often.  As a beginner years ago I found it to be a helpful free resource.  

I am on Scalemates almost daily.  It has tons of good information.