Hi. I am a Toronto area modeller who has been into the hobby off and on for the past 15 years.

I am back into the hobby and was wondering if you had any store recommendations for kits and supplies in the greater Toronto area or online?

I generally like to build WW II era kits (mostly armour) but I would also build any kit which has been used by our Canadian Armed Forces .

Unfortunately my schedule is pretty hectic so I build when I can and as such can not join and local clubs.

Cheers, Reddog

Hi

What part of TO do you live??

http://www.globalserve.net/~treadhead/directory/

Mil Hobbies in Markham has a good selection and North Star Hobbies in Mississauga is great too.

Try the above link, that may help.

Tom

In the West End try North Star. Here is their website:
http://www.northstar-hobbies.com/oldsite/
Also Kieth's Hobby shop at 5205 Yonge St North of Sheppard.

And there's Hornet Hobbies at Vic Park and Eglinton. If you are in the East End, Dave Brown will see you right.

As for hectic schedules, if you are free the third Tuesday of any month, come on out to Brampton. Peel Scale Modelers is a general modelling club that is a lot of fun. It's the only club I know with beer and pizza, too. As one guy said, it's not so much a modelling club as a pub with a styrene problem...

Paul Roberts
President
Armor Modeling and Preservation Society

hobby shops

I cant add anything else other then make the hobby shop directory link active for you reddogfive

http://www.militaryhobbies.ca
military hobbies site is awsome..

Just recently visited Keiths hooby shop.. Nice selection of stuff there. http:www.keithshobbyshop.com

northstar is an awesome store as well..

Mojo

Thanks gents.


Cheers, Reddog

kieth's is the best shop around.if you want advice or a kit ,they will give it or get it.their hours are good and the the selection is great.if you want years of experience and not "hey i opened a hobby shop"this is the store you want.
yonge & shepperd
tom

Hey!

I actually ended up going to Keith's the day you posted this Email.

Prices were competitive with other local stores (I also checked out North Star Hobby).

Ended up buying a Tamiya Willys Jeep that I will be using in an upcoming diorama I am planning.

They had some resin stuff for sale including a CMK Marder III engine for the Tamiya kit (which I own).

Not knowing much about the specs for the engine I can't say whether this is a good "pick up" but I plan on building the Marder III and adding this engine to it ...

Cheers, Reddog

I don't know about you guys, but you if just take a turn towards the south of the boarder, and go into Buffalo N.Y. the hobbyshops there are pretty dirt cheap compared to the ones here in the GTA area... for TAMIYA models more specifically, paints are around the same cost, tools etc. Bargins are pretty easy to come by though, but I prefer the U.S. over Canadian hobby shops sometimes.... when I see the prices for 1/35 armor, it brakes my wallet open here in canada.

I've been in and out of TO and I always end of in Keith's and I've been pretty happy with them.

Cheers

Ray

Last time I was in the Toronto area I stumbled across a shop called Collector's lane Hobbies ..#1 1220 Markem Road (416)264-4941 ..They had a good selection of all sorts of kits ..references and a bit of Resin and P/E ..Just the size of the store was amazing.

give em a try
Rick

I might as well share where I get my models at my area just in case anyone of you gents travel northbound towards Barrie. Theres the CANEX at CFB Borden which has Tamiya and Dragon models that are actualy a few bucks cheaper than in most hobby shops, then theres the newly opened The Dragoon in Cookstown also having cheaper than normal prices (mostly aircraft and some tanks) , theres the Hobby Place in Barrie(specializing in HO trains). Oh and of course dont ever forget good ol Ebay too

Another benefit of going to Keith's is that, right across the street, behind the library building is a military cemetery featuring a M4A2 HVSS 76mm Sherman, a Bofors gun, a 25 pounder and a 17 pounder.

I'm partial to the Sentuary... i usually visit there every six weeks or so. that might not sound like much, but I live in london, so... they have a huge selection of figures and lots of armor.

Rei,

I never would have thought of checking the canex in Borden for model kits! I think I will have to take a drive down the road and check that out.

I have been to the Dragoon when he was in Barrie. Havn't been to his new location in Cookstown yet. He has some good stuff and not too bad prices. Seems like a really nice guy too so I don't mind throwing some business his way.

Ideal hobbies on Bryne DR. in Barrie also sells armour kits. Its mainly an RC shop but they have a pretty good selection of kits. Dave is a great guy to talk to and knows alot about the hobby.

Also if you are ever in Orillia check out Lahays (sp?) on the main street downtown. It so reminds me of what Leisure World used to be like. Really good selection of kits and the only place around here (that I know of) that sells MM acylic paints.

Anyways I know its a bit OT from the original post but thought others might like to know if they are ever up in this area.

Cheers

Went up to CFB Borden yesterday (Jun 18) went into the Canex and checked out the model selection, well stocked I may say with good quality kits with comparable prices. I lucked out and got an Academy M12 for 29.99.

Incidentally the kits included Academy, Hobbycraft, Italeri, Tamiya, and Zvezda in 35th plus a good selection of braille scale items too not to mention the flak bait! I think if they don't have it you may be able to order in due to the Tamiya catalog hanging in the model section, but don't quote me on that. The models are located at the back of the store level with the check out. HTH

Regards,
Gary Donaldson

Stopped in there the last time I was in the area.. They have closed up and moved shop. They can be found at Kingston Rd. and St. Clair.. not sure if they are up and running yet.. As for CFB Borden. Was planning on taking a trip to check out the museum(s) they have there.. Been a number of years since Ive been in them..Will have to check out the plastic..

Dave

Northstar's new website is www.northstarhobbies.com

And for all those gentlemen who are planning to drop by CFB Borden, please dont forget to check out the Kiowa helicopter on the front gate pedestal, I was the lucky one tasked to re-paint it with its original camo colors which was of course under orders from my bosses at 400 TAC HEL SQN I call it my 1/1 scale model
Good news about the CANEX models too is that they have decided to do regular re-stocking of their stuff cause more and more military students who are taking thier courses in the base have been asking for it

do any shops in Toronto carry Bison decals or Blast Model products? (i'm looking for the T55 set.) and does any one have the address for the Sentuary website?

thanks,
Mike.

Edit: found the Sentry page... apparently it was just a matter of me learning to spell.

If you ever go a little further to the Niagara Region, stop by The Hobby Shop on St. Paul Street. in St. Catharines. They have lots of stuff and not bad prices. I have also been to keiths (and dropped $100 there). It is a great store also.

Later

Brian