HOBBY LOBBY

That's why, if I ever do decide to go that route, I'll buy an old kit.

For those who don't follow such things - Cleveland for many years had the reputation of producing scale flying models that were better than anybody else's. There's a display case devoted to the company at the Museum of the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton. I've never laid eyes on a Cleveland kit (except the one in that exhibit); they're something of a legend, and the surviving ones aren't cheap.

When I was working in a hobby shop in Columbus (mid-late seventies), my boss said Cleveland was still operating on a very small scale. He said the company would "still be on top if it had gone to die-cutting (like Comet, Guillos, and Sterling did, starting in the fifties). Apparently Ed Packer, the owner, had a firm conviction that a modeler ought to cut out his own parts.

I tried to build a Comet Spitfire when I was ten or twelve years old. Cutting all those notches for stringers in the fuselage bulkheads really discouraged me. 

jtilley

 

It doesn't deal strictly with plastic kits. The wood ship and boat section shows some interesting kits from as far back as the twenties. And one of these days I just may cave in and order one of those famous stick-and-tissue kits from Cleveland Models.

 

Cleveland was sold many years ago, and the new owners only offer the plans now- no more kits.  There are many companies selling balsa/tissue kits now, however, including several that make them with laser cut sheetwood to eliminate having to cut out all those ribs and formers!

Dr. T-  I was in HL last night and grabbed one of the Round 2 repops of the AMT Avanti in 1/32-  Not much for detail, real basic kit with styene wheels and tires, but a little cutie anyway.  Have a bud that has 2 of them, one is his with blowers and the other is his wifes.

Dr. Tilley I had no idea they sell wooden kits. Going there now.

I generally use oldmodelkits as a second or third reference when I'm answering a question about the origin of a kit. For the same reason I look at scalemates.

I've only ever bought one kit there. To me it's a collector site.

Not to be a jerk, but comparing Hobby Lobby to Michaels or Joann's is kind of like comparing In-N-Out to MacDonalds or Burger King.

I think they've pretty much put a stake in the heart of the few remaining LHS around, but that's been coming for a while. I find everything I could ever need online.

I've been checking that site at least once a day for years. I've only bought one kit there, but the site is always a ticket for a nice nostalgia trip.

It doesn't deal strictly with plastic kits. The wood ship and boat section shows some interesting kits from as far back as the twenties. And one of these days I just may cave in and order one of those famous stick-and-tissue kits from Cleveland Models.

oldmodelkits website is nothing new to some of us.

Hunter

I like going into Hobby Lobby...yeah it does have a slightly low availability of kits and paints. But with what you can find, and the 40% discount on a $40.00 kit is pretty nice. Plus it allows me to look over all the Model Master paints to really see how they look. Also, they have all the items needed to do a water diorama there. For the most part it is a great place to look and shop.

On a side note: Yes, seeing a squirrel playing a harmonica and tapping his foot made my day 

 

I guess that it depends on your demographic - here there aren't kits that I'd find interesting, but they DO have a fair amount of military, sci-fi, and civilian vehicles available in the modeling section. As far as modeling tools go their selection is far greater than Joann Fabrics, or Micheals. I find all kinds of things useful for modeling - you just have to be creative! You can use jewlers' pliers to keep from leaving dents, or mishapening parts since they have a smooth finish edge for grabbing. There are also other tools, and supplies that you can use - not just what Testors, and a few other model tool companies suggest. Maybe this will help?

www.oldmodelkits.com

This is a website that I found quite some time ago. I was hoping to post it in another memebers' thread, but I couldn't remember the name. I just found it again tonight. Here you can find a lot of oldies, and goodies! I know that the price isn't great on some of these kits, but other than evilbay you can go here to find something that you've either had back in the day, and wished you still had, or could have now. Most of these are original, and complete, and some are reissues from the nineteen nineties.  Keep in mind that these are mostly VERY RARE kits from the day when they were first made, and offered to the public. Take a look around - you'll see what I mean. Enjoy!

~ Cobra Chris

I stopped in the Hobby Lobby in Wilson (40 miles from home) the other day. The kit selection hadn't changed much from the last time I was there (several months ago), but it did have a few of the Round 2 Models reissues of old Lindberg kits. I picked up the ex-Lindberg, ex-Inpact Avro Biplane. Really nice kit. And it comes with a jigsaw puzzle inside the box. I don't know whether that will drive up sales, but maybe my grandsons will like it.

As for paint, that particular store has Testor's Modelmaster enamels and a limited selection of Valejo. No Modelmaster acrylics. But a wonderful selection of brushes (in the art supplies section). I suspect the amount of merchandise varies from Hobby Lobby to Hobby Lobby - but I don't know that for a fact.

Cobra 427

 

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Meh.... Hobby Lobby doesn't have the best selections in kits, paints and supplies. It's always the same things every time I stop in. Sure, I'll pick up some supplies and rarely an occassional kit with a 40% coupon. Other than that, it's nothing to write home about.

Seriously Aaron? With all due respect but how does the OP's posting about his findings at Hobby Lobby warrants a religious/political thread to be closed? Not one person mentioned anything about religion or politiics in their responses. Just saying... 

 

Then the store that I go to in my town must be the mega-store of Hobby Lobby - it's HUGE! It has over 100,000 + feet of space with everything you can possibly name including candy, magazines, everything for the home to make it look like home! I know that the assortment of model kits isn't great, and it isn't going to be since everyone is into video games these days. 

We have a Hobby Lobby that size too that caters to a wide variety of crafters. Floral arrangement, candy making, quilters, crochet/knitting/sewing, jewlery making, artists, science related toys, small unfinished furniture, doll house builders, etc... As I said, nothing I get excited over nor it has the greatest selection in models and supplies-wise. All HL are pretty much the same.

I like going into Hobby Lobby...yeah it does have a slightly low availability of kits and paints. But with what you can find, and the 40% discount on a $40.00 kit is pretty nice. Plus it allows me to look over all the Model Master paints to really see how they look. Also, they have all the items needed to do a water diorama there. For the most part it is a great place to look and shop.

On a side note: Yes, seeing a squirrel playing a harmonica and tapping his foot made my day 

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Meh.... Hobby Lobby doesn't have the best selections in kits, paints and supplies. It's always the same things every time I stop in. Sure, I'll pick up some supplies and rarely an occassional kit with a 40% coupon. Other than that, it's nothing to write home about.

Seriously Aaron? With all due respect but how does the OP's posting about his findings at Hobby Lobby warrants a religious/political thread to be closed? Not one person mentioned anything about religion or politiics in their responses. Just saying...

 

 

jtilley

I'm probably the one who - quite inadvertently - shifted the thread in the wrong direction. I apologize; Aaron was quite right to pull the plug. 

 

~ Cobra Chris

I'm probably the one who - quite inadvertently - shifted the thread in the wrong direction. I apologize; Aaron was quite right to pull the plug. 

That explains why I didn't see any religion/political posts.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Meh.... Hobby Lobby doesn't have the best selections in kits, paints and supplies. It's always the same things every time I stop in. Sure, I'll pick up some supplies and rarely an occassional kit with a 40% coupon. Other than that, it's nothing to write home about.

Seriously Aaron? With all due respect but how does the OP's posting about his findings at Hobby Lobby warrants a religious/political thread to be closed? Not one person mentioned anything about religion or politiics in their responses. Just saying... 

As Stik said, I cleaned up the thread in the interests of trying to keep the OP's conversation on track.

Regards, Aaron

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Meh.... Hobby Lobby doesn't have the best selections in kits, paints and supplies. It's always the same things every time I stop in. Sure, I'll pick up some supplies and rarely an occassional kit with a 40% coupon. Other than that, it's nothing to write home about.

Seriously Aaron? With all due respect but how does the OP's posting about his findings at Hobby Lobby warrants a religious/political thread to be closed? Not one person mentioned anything about religion or politiics in their responses. Just saying...

 

 

Those posts were deleted. A few folks ventured into the forbidden zones of religion and politics.

Meh.... Hobby Lobby doesn't have the best selections in kits, paints and supplies. It's always the same things every time I stop in. Sure, I'll pick up some supplies and rarely an occassional kit with a 40% coupon. Other than that, it's nothing to write home about.

Seriously Aaron? With all due respect but how does the OP's posting about his findings at Hobby Lobby warrants a religious/political thread to be closed? Not one person mentioned anything about religion or politiics in their responses. Just saying...

Every time I go into their store I head right to the discontinue items section.  They always have some model or modeling supplies deeply discounted.

I am so so on Hobby Lobby. Their kit selection is quite limited, although I have gotten a handfull of good deals at 40% off. And they have a reasonable selction of items like paint brushes, oil paints, etc. that you do not find at your tradtional model hobby shops so that I can expand my horizons in those directions. What I really like them for is when you think outside the box and get stuff from other hobby areas to apply here in this hobby.

As of now, the closest Hobby Lobby is a 40-minute drive away, in Wilson. But  a new shopping center, with a BIG Hobby Lobby in it, is under construction about five blocks from our house. Yow.

Hobby Lobby will never replace the old-fashioned local hobby shop - but it's a lot better than nothing.

Couldn't agree more!  Hobby Lobby is a very dangerous place to be.  It's like going to a hardware store.  You're surrounded by things that you're not sure if you need them but you're pretty darned sure you could INVENT a need for them.  Lots of good stuff from especially for diorama ideas.  As a rule, I don't even build dioramas but I have created a couple thanks in no small part to the items I've found at Hobby Lobby.

So many things...never enough 40% coupons!

By the way, my local Michael's craft store has the very same effect on me.

Eric