I did my taxes and found out that I was get $1600.00 for my taxes this year and thinking about spending aleast 1/2 on models.

Question
is what would you get if you had $800.00 to spend on models.

I am not sure what to get to keep me busy for a couple of months, and I like any time frame starting from ww2 on. Any type of armour, helo's, trucks etc.

I would like to get some ideas from my fellow modelers so I can plan ahead so mybe my local hobby shop could give me a brake on the prices.

Happy Modeling

well if i was geting back all that money i would take a trip.
or a crusie. why would u spend all that money on kits.
or u can take that 800 bucks and invset it buy some cds or some money market things.
but waste it it on models thats so dumb.
if u want take like 200 bucks and get a few kits.
btu understand what iam saying spend your money wisely

It depends on how you look at it. I have seen a lot of models that once they go out of production, the price goes through the roof. CDs only pay a couple percent a year.

Just my 2 cents

As far as what to get, thats a hard question for anyone to answer for you. I would start out by looking through some of the online model sites and find models that interest you. After that take a look at the reviews. You should be able to get yourself a ton of good models with that kind of money!

Don

I agree with Tazz - to a point.

I know all too well what it's like to have $ burning a hole in the pocket. If you really must spend it, think it through first. Once it's gone, it's gone.
A couple kits is nice, but do you have a descent digi camera for taking pics to share with all of us? Do you have a good tool supply? Airbrush/compressor? Reference material for those kits? A magazine subscription? - lots to choose from!

Perhaps you could save some for a trip to AMPS 2004!

One other thought is pick up a few and hold the rest in reserve. There are a lot of cool releases coming up this year!



Don

Kenc's points are dead-on! Besides....you asked for some kits to keep you busy for
"a couple of months"? That would equate to one or two kits....max! Unless of course you're retired and build only models everyday, allday!
Seriously, it's nice you're getting the money back, but.....listen to Kenc' for part of it. Other than that...hang on to at least half of it for other things. CD's?....useless. Money Market?...not enough ROI. You want to invest $1600.? Invest it in your family for some warm and fuzzy things,...take her out for a nice long weekend jaunt! Or buy her that silly little article of whatever that doesn't make a bloody bit of sense to you, but makes her stop for a moment to look at it. Believe me, it'll pay bigger dividend's than any Bank will ever pay! :-) :-)

...just my Farthing's worth.

Tread.

This may be sort of but if you are getting 1600 dollars back on your taxes and you didn't have a major change in your tax status last year you might want to think about changing your withholding. I am not an accountant but when you get that much money back all it means is that you loaned the government 1600 bucks for 12 months interest free.

That said, I would go buy about 2 models I had my eye on for a while and bank the rest for a rainy day.

Shaun

I have become disabled for the rest of my lfe so I build new kit every week, I make alittle money here and there but for the most part I build models all day.

My wife is a nurse so what ever I make is for play and saving etc.
I bought and air compressor and a good air brush late last year so it is pretty new still, we have lots of CDs, 401 k's etc through her job . I know it's hard to ask someone to pick for me but I should have reworded the question to say if you had that much what type of models would you buy if it didn't matter about money or just what would you keep in your closet or modeling room.

I have got some good advice Kencelot about mag. and reviews I never would have thought of that . I was thinking about spreading the money out through the whole year because I see that some good kits are coning out this year.

Happy Modeling

Tom, I understand.

Okay, have you ever delved into PE? Are you capable with your handicap to work with little pieces? If so, and you have never tried using photo-etch on a model, go for it. Get a kit of a subject you like. Get all the PE sets for it, (some will have two or more sets available - interior/exterior ) be sure to have something like the Hold n Fold or the Etch Mate, and watch how that kit per week slows to kit per month.

Based on your latest comments I'd personally buy every British AFV I could find, and some P.E kits for them. I'd also go for some more ships, I'm really getting more and more interested in floaty things. That's just me though. If you can afford it, and the wife doesn't have a problem with it, buy whatever suits YOU.

Howdy tom,

My apologies sir, for my shortsightedness in applying my suggestions limited to a 'standard' set of parameters.....my failure I'm sure.
Your 'unique' set of circumstance's would justifiably require a different vision.

A simple suggestion:

Build towards diorama's. Instead of building one-off kits, instead, build 'stories'! One of our good members KFMagee has recently introduced diorama buildings and settings that are exquisite pieces of museum-quality sculpted dio accessories that would be wonderful additions to one of your armoured vehicles for example, and you could add additional vehicles, figs, etc. to fill out the 'scene'!
With a rather important, and historical anniversary coming up in June of this year (60th anniversary of D-Day). I think time spent perfecting a D-Day diorama in respect and homage, to the many veterans who gave their all that 'day of days', would be a worthwhile investmant of a modeler's time.......
Just a thought.

Tread.

If it were me with all that money to spend, I'd invest it in something that would give you a good return on your money. Maybe take a gamble on the stock market, put it in a mutual fund, buy some collectibles (collectible kits??) or even use it to start or fund a business with your wife or a friend. That way, you'd earn some "model money" of your own to spend on something new to build every month!

But if I had to use it for the hobby, I'd get... well... a lot. Academy's M-163, Zelda and (please let the rumors be true!) upcoming Sheridan, AFV Club's Scimitar and LVPT-5, DML's BRDM-2, MRLS and their latest M1A1, Tamiya's T-72, upcoming Leopard 2A6 and many, many of their US Modern Accessories, and Trumpeter's Challenger 2 Op-Telic to name a few! Or maybe a trip to some far-off tank museum, for some reference pics, or get some reference books to read in the bathroom and/or improve your work. It's really up to you....

Tread - wow, thanks for the endorsement... remind me to send you your monthly commission check! (or serisoulsy, IM me you address, and I'll ship you a nice diorama kit to experiment with.... and you do a review! Deal?)

See guys... it DOES pay to play nice!

I see many people have so good ideas..just another little one....
what about joining the A-guards to support ARMORAMA? This website deserves more than a model kit but you can support it with a model kit price.

I would suggest buy some special ones that you won't think about normally. I got something like $400 tax refund (because I am earning much less than before), and I spent all in AA engineering vehicles.

Like TRead said, Why don't you seriously think about dioramas? First do a research, buy books about the period of choice ( I prefer WW2 ), choose what you like, and get your hand dirt!! Really it's fun, and gives you a lot of experience in scratchbuilding...

Personally I wouldn't spend all that money in models, or at least I would wait for the upcoming models of this year's releases and see if something was worth to be bought!

See yaaa

i would definatley go for some good afv armor kits and the hole seof Academy 1/35 Helicopter Uh-1c , Blackhawk.etc , The rest i d save and spread them equally in the year so i wouldnt spend my other income on modelling

Such a hard question!. First I would give 10% to a charity of your choice. Then I would get the one kit or tool or book that I really wanted but just did not want to spend the money for. The rest I would put in the bank to be used as a source of cash for whatever came up during the year for modelling needs. I have found that having my own 'slush' fund helps keep peace in the family!
capnjock

I'd visit the AA website. There's so many goodies there that I'll never afford. Just beautifully sculpted models of the best hardware.

Try it

www.accurate-armour.com

I would buy a Dragon Wagon, A FAMO, A 1/32 tamiya Zero,The 1/16 Tamiya Kubelwagen,and lots of figures !!

Take your wife on a great trip (if travel is not uncomfortable for you)

invest, invest, invest! then, if you have anything left over, buy the kit(s) of your dreams

on the other hand, you should do what makes you happy!

lucky guy!

I was looking around the net when I stumbled across this site that had a lot of Italeri models for sale. Now they are holding a bunch for me to when I get enough money, but with a fixed income from being disabled myself, I can only afford so many at a time, but their prices are unbelievable. They got them from a going out of business hobby store, but now they took them back off the net, cause they are planning to sell to another hobby store, which will make the prices go back to normal, but would anybody be interested in buying them, if so I'll try to get him to list them back on the net, he says he doesn't sell model stuff, but to what I found there is a gold mine for modelers on his site. A sample of prices are $13.83 for a M109 SPG, or $10.50 for a 998 Hummer and they got about 20 other models. If there is enough interested he just might sell them himself to you, rather then sell the whole lot for less to another hobby store. Let me know and I'll try to get him to list them again, and tell you where to look. This way both of you makes out. Thank You Straightedge

I'll chime in a bit late, but go get a VLS membership. For $75 you get 28%off, free shipping, color catalogs, and monthly updates. Then at the holidays they have a 40%off sale, with the free shipping as well. A gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As for kits, you didn't say what you were building for, yourself, to have the complete collection of ALL shermans or M113's, or to compete in contests.

I'd second a trip to AMPS in April, the weather is better than up here in VT and the vendor room is AMAZING! If it's not there, you don't need it.


The new Tamiya kits are pretty sweet, Type 90 w mineroller, the Trumpeter modern armor would make lots of good ootb kits to keep your hands busy.

Tools and references would be high on my list too.

You wanna give me half?

Mike

My, my, my...........what to say. Thank you very much Keith! I am both honoured and flattered by your generous offer. I will indeed PM you an addy, and I will most definitely be awaiting your dio kit with healthy impatience.
I have been dying to check out your stuff since you first annouced your initial smaller pieces some months back, and now through your kindness I can do just that!
Thx again.

Warm regards,

Tread.

Oh, BTW....have I told you how 'slim & ruggedly handsome' you've been looking lately??
#:-) #:-) #:-)

...just pullin' yer whiskers Keith!

I am going to say a couple Dragon Wagons, the ones with the trailer. They are huge and take lots of time, but are extrememly accurate, especially with the eduard updates. There are plenty of options for them, Royal Models has an engine set and there are plenty of loads to carry with them. They are really fun to build.

Rob




And definitely buy many many of KFMagees fine products! :-) :-)