Is Money the most important tool in hobby building?

money is close to the top. first kit i made i wanted to paint so i used old house paint and a brush made of my own cut hair a pencil and tape/elastic its sad i know but that was a long time ago it worked decently

to go along with rsaddlemire's response that imagination is the most important tool: don't forget imagination's 2 evil henchmen, ingenuity and cunning. to give you an example : a craft store in my town was selling academy's m12 for $18.00(normally something over $30) but with an instore coupon the final price was about $9.00. however, don't forget the old saying: money talks,b.s. walks.

I only got back into modeling about 2 years ago and I have to say having the means to buy the various nice to have tools, air brush, compressor, etc along with the higher quality kits and model building books / magazines has helped my modeling ability more than just the age difference would suggest, even though I have most all the tools I would like, I have found that I probably rely on an $8 pair of sprue cutters, a $3 razor knife (like a little carpet cutter), sanding sticks and paint brushes for 80-90% of my modeling.

I also agree with the imagination comment, not just for building but for making tools, when I started scratchbuilding I saw a $60 cutting table for cutting styrene, I went to Home depot, bought a small piece of laminated wood, and a couple of squares, I made a table I think is better than the commercial one and I did it for about $15.

Money is important but I wouldn't say it is most important, now I would rate the internet very close to the top, I have learned so much just by coming to sites like this and asking "how do I...." it is amazing how helpful having hundreds of modelers available is particularly when you consider there is usually a lag of less than 24 hours before some good info has been provided.

It sure doesn't hurt!!

Ted

hahhaha as the song goes "Money, money isn't everything...."

After being out of the loop for about the last 12 yrs, getting back into modelling has been a little different for me. One, there's half the kits out that there used to be.. (or maybe that is my perception) Two, everything costs twice as much now as it did then...

Ingenuity and creativity have been my friends... (I had to go back and pick them up on the way, I missed them dearly the first couple of kits since I have been back) Going to the LHS and seeing a set of sprue cutters for 16 dollars then realizing when I was in Wal Mart later, that the (manicure) cuticle removers were the same @#$ tool for 11 dollars less helped me get a grip on it...

Money is important for the normal hobby builder, but with a little work someone who invested 50 can produce the same result as someone who invested 700. I was talking with my dad the other day and getting some modelling tips. I asked him how he masked his canopies on the models he built for me when I was a kid. he asked me why would I mask my canopies. A 1 dollar magnifying glass on a pedestal and a detail brush from Woolco's were all he used. (a very humbling conversation to say the least)

I'm slowly overcoming my urge to buy... and think instead.

(P.S. I still mask my canopies...)

Hmmm....

Its not the most important but it sure is good to have for it though.

Even the cheapest, most basic kit is a passport to modelling enjoyment.

My current project cost me £3.65, or $6.57. It's a dead basic kit which I'm, updating with bits from the spares box.

I'm enjoying this as much as a £40 Tamigawa kit, not because the kit is state of the art, if anything it's the opposite, but because it presents a challenge, and an opportunity to excercise my imagination, and develop new or existing skills.

All that for £3.65? Bargain!

Karl

money can buy you materials but skill, technique, and imagination are the best tools.