SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Online Hobby Shops?

9218 views
23 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2006
Online Hobby Shops?
Posted by rdmeyersr on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 9:29 PM

Does anyone have a list of favorite reputable online shops they prefer? Since Squadron shut down, I need a place that sells all the necessities. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 9:32 PM

Spruebrothers is a good one.  For cars/bikes I like upscalehobbies.

And always check hobbylobby and hobbylinc for kits first - really good prices, maybe not as much selection.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 9:58 PM

Scalehobbiest in addition to what keav mentioned.  Had no issues with any of them.

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Cave City, KY
Posted by Watchmann on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 10:11 PM

Not Internet Hobbies.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • From: Northeast WA State
Posted by armornut on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 10:14 PM

   Andys hobby headquarters, andyshhq.com is a good site. Prices are fair, excellent service. Good selection of kits and supplies. He does lean to military and Tamiya products but still an easy site to navigate. Andy also updates his web site with information about kit releases and any inventory/ shipping issues that might arise.

we're modelers it's what we do

  • Member since
    April 2015
Posted by Mopar Madness on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 11:48 PM

Scalehobbyist is my go to for paint.

Charliesplasticmodels and Spruebrothers are my preferred kit suppliers.

Jefvcornerstore.com is new and promising.  Great prices too.

 

Chad

God, Family, Models...

At the plate: 1/48 Airfix Bf109 & 1/35 Tamiya Famo

On deck: Who knows!

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Thursday, March 4, 2021 3:55 AM

It's amazing how many times this is asked.

Scalehobbyist

Spruebrothers 

And I still use ebay to look for bargains on especially out of production kits

Spraygunner for paints

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Thursday, March 4, 2021 5:43 AM

Ordered some paint from Megahobby and got it shipped super fast. I also use Sprue Brothers and Scale Hobbyist. 

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    July 2014
Posted by modelcrazy on Thursday, March 4, 2021 7:31 AM

Hobbylink

Hobbylink Japan

BNA Hobbyworld

Hanants

Freetime Hobbies

A lot depends on what you're looking for. I use some sites of one thing or a diffrent site for another thing.

Steve

Building a kit from your stash is like cutting a head off a Hydra, two more take it's place.

 

 

http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Thursday, March 4, 2021 8:28 AM

Hi;

 Although I know many who shop online a lot. I don't. I go to the Websites of reputable sellers I have made contact with through train Shows. Many carry everything I need. For those who don't I have found I can trust their referrals. Talking to a seller over the phone is much better than just looking at a photo or listing on line to me. 

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by Eaglecash867 on Thursday, March 4, 2021 9:01 AM

Sprue Brothers for almost everything

HobbyWorld USA for their selection of MRP paint

Also like Victory Models, Discount Hobbies in Greece for books (FAST SHIPPING!  Had my order 2 days after ordering it via DHL...which only cost 3 Euro more), BNA Model World in Australia has been great also for hard-to-find items (especially F-111 related stuff).

DMold in Russia for a lot of different resin upgrade kits (F-111 intakes of both types).  The quality and fit is top notch, and shipping takes about 2 weeks from start to finish.

Tried Scalehobbyist recently for AK Interactive stuff.  Good selection, but their speed at getting my order out the door (a week to even ship it) didn't impress me.

 

"You can have my illegal fireworks when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers...which are...over there somewhere."

  • Member since
    November 2020
  • From: Brunswick, Ohio
Posted by Buckeye2 on Thursday, March 4, 2021 9:04 AM

Have always used Spruebrothers and just placed my first order with Megahobby and was very pleased with them too.

Mike

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Thursday, March 4, 2021 11:06 AM

Sprue Brothers, Cult TVman for sci-fi, Freetime Hobbies, there are many based on what your modeling preferences are. Hobby Link Japan if you like to get Japanese market kits at low prices.

Dragon USA often has awesome clearance prices: http://www.dragonusaonline.com/

This is one of those questions that benefit from more information from you when you ask the question. Like what genre you prefer to build. Might be a different answer whether you build cars, trucks, tanks, planes, etc.

  • Member since
    February 2017
Posted by Leopard1 on Sunday, March 14, 2021 7:43 PM
Sprue Brothers, wow, amazing store, jaw dropping. Anything similar in Canada? because the shipping is prohibitive.
  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: Edmonton Alberta CANADA
Posted by Rookie104 on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 12:44 PM

I live in Canada and deal some with Hannants in England. They have a very good stock and delivery is pretty fast.

  • Member since
    July 2019
  • From: Vancouver, British Columbia
Posted by Bobstamp on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 5:29 PM

I've bought several items from Sunward Hobbies in Toronto. Very fast service, good selection, and the ability to tell them you'd like to be notified when items come in. Tell 'em Bob sent you! Wink

Bob

On the bench: A diorama to illustrate the crash of a Beech T-34B Mentor which I survived in 1962 (I'm using Minicraft's 1/48 model of the Mentor), and a Pegasus model of the submarine Nautilus of 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas fame. 

  • Member since
    February 2017
Posted by Leopard1 on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 5:44 PM

Sunward Hobbies,

yep, that's where i buy my tools and models :)

but they don't have the selection of sprue brothers, not even close!

 

Hannants, thanks, i'm gonna check them out! (and the shipping fees)

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 5:48 PM

Leopard1

Sunward Hobbies,

yep, that's where i buy my tools and models :)

but they don't have the selection of sprue brothers, not even close!

 

Hannants, thanks, i'm gonna check them out! (and the shipping fees)

 

Maybe so, but the specialty ones are good to know about.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Nashotah, WI
Posted by Glamdring on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 6:52 PM

I can echo the Sprue Bothers recommendation.  I have also had good experiences with Jef V's Corner Store.  He broke off from Squadron and started his own webstore last year I think. 3 orders since, all arrived extremely quickly.

Lately Ebay has been my go to for hobby needs.  AM, paints, kits, odds are it is there and sold by some local shop somewhere in the country.

Robert 

"I can't get ahead no matter how hard I try, I'm gettin' really good at barely gettin' by"

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, March 18, 2021 9:47 AM

I'll second Sprue Brothers and Freetime Hobbies.  I also buy from HobbyLink Japan, too, for new Maschinen Krieger kits.

I used to use RollModels, too, but haven't ordered from them since they were bought or merged into KitLinx.

I also buy direct from manufacturers' online shops, like CMK or Eduard.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Thursday, March 18, 2021 10:02 AM

Glamdring

 

Lately Ebay has been my go to for hobby needs.  AM, paints, kits, odds are it is there and sold by some local shop somewhere in the country.

 

Yes !!! I said it before too,you can find a lot of great stuff on ebay,especially supplies,also recently picked up a Zoukei Mura Phantom that no one had and it was cheaper then Spruebrothers price,and a decent price on a out of production Hasegawa F-16 that I wanted 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Thursday, March 18, 2021 10:06 AM

Yeah, I do buy a lot on eBay, too.  Old kits, and figures.  I don't buy much in the way of supplies on eBay, because we have a couple of local hobby shops and craft stores where I can get most supplies.  For things like tools, I'll buy from the manufacturer if possible.  If I can't find it retail, in person or online, then I'll look to eBay.

And it's not an option right now, but it will be again, eventually:  buying at shows.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Thursday, March 18, 2021 11:09 AM

Shows are great for buying,it's good to get some hands on stuff that your LHS doesn't stock

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Friday, March 19, 2021 5:02 PM

Tojo72

Shows are great for buying,it's good to get some hands on stuff that your LHS doesn't stock

 

fantastic prices can be found and even negotiated at these shows.

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.