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I use some GF9 stuff.

I have what I refer to as 'duty brushes' that do destructive tasks that I wouldn't used a good brush for, these are cheep-o nylon art brushes that can inexpensively be replaced.

I collect the GW Eldar, have some Greenstuff too. I try not to buy anything other then that from GW though. These days, with other business's popping up GW are turning out to be high price\low quality.

Brush's are Kolinski Sable (learn to wash your brushes!!) http://www.kolinskyartbrushes.com/home.php?cat=252
Paints from Vallejo. http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/
Also don't mind the Reaper products. Mini's are great and paints pretty good. Not fan of the new pro paints though: http://www.reapermini.com/

Once my Eldar are finished I doubt Ill ever go back to GW again. Warmachine or some other similar games look so good these days.

GF9 Tac template, it's a thing of beauty.
Kolinsky sable brushes for detail work
I've modified a B&D reciprocating saw to use as a paint pot shaker (I'm lazy)
Battlefoam case. I have 2 ancient GW cases, but they're relegated to mini cold storage.
Countless organizers and storage cases for bits.

Wow! Does anyone actually use GW hobby products?

I got into the hobby through friends that were into model railway as well as wargaming. As a result, I knew where I could get the stuff I needed without needing to use GWs stuff - and the fact that there were NO GW stores in this country at the time, meant I had years to solidify this knowledge.

Boss 'eadbreaka wrote:Wow! Does anyone actually use GW hobby products?

Considering you can get glue, clippers, brushes etc. elsewhere for 1/3rd the cost (or less), I'd be more surprised to find somebody that actually uses GW hobby supplies.

What Sort of Non-GW stuff do you use?

- Testor's Model Masters plastic cement
- Elmer's Glue instead of GW PVA
- Super Glue
- Kneadatite ('green stuff") in the tube rather than the repackaged pieces of ribbon sold at GW stores. Much more economical that way.
- Tape measure
- Some non-GW paint (e.g., Vallejo) to supplement my Citadel paint selection, though most of my paints are Citadel
- X-acto Hobby saw
- Excel modeling knife
- Stanley 19" tool box to transport all my paint and tools too and from the hobby store.

In what I believe was the intended spirit of the original question I've only listed key items for which GW sells their own version, but for which I use an alternative. Obviously there are many other items I use that are non-GW simply because GW doesn't sell that item at all.

I wouldn´t buy GW hobby stuff (other than a few paints and the washes) even if it was discounted. I can get a better variety at a local hobby stuff chain store and when they started stocking Vallejo I went to Nirvana!

M.

i use the glue thats for air fix models its good stuff. The bigger brushes I use from range because they are much cheaper and bigger. I am considering using battle foam for cases , because something always seems to break when I use gw cases.

I only use GW paint for my models.
Everything else I have been able to find at the local shops in my town!

For the most part I stick to GW stuff for minatures, paint, brushes and terrain buldings. I am sure there is better stuff out there, but I am lazy and prefer to stick with what I know.

I have used different miniature companies for conversion bits like Maxmini and Black Scorpion

The main thing I would advise people on is to get their sand (for basing) from a hardware shop, for the same price GW do a small tub for, you can get yourself a huge bag which will do entire battle fields and armies with plenty to spare.

As far as hobby materials, I have used GW's putty and some of their paint, otherwise I use whatever by whomever to get the job done.

Most of my painting is done with Reaper Master Series paints.

I use Krylon Primer and Matte Finish, most of the time.

I use a modeling super glue I got at Hobby Lobby (can't recall name, but it's thick and dries very fast).

I now use a modeling platic glue that dries faster and flows better than the GM plastic Glue (again, can't recall name).

Hobby store paint brushes.

Kitty Litter for basing.


GW stuff I do use:
Static Grass Flocking. Excellent stuff.
GW Washes. VERY excellent stuff.
GW foundation paint. I just picked up 4 pots of these to try them out. I am very pleased with the coverage from the red.
GW hobby drill. Very good drill. Easy to use and swap out new drill bits. Perfect size.

I never use GW hobby stuff except for stuff like flocking grass.

My army transport isn't GW

My most used Leman Russ tanks aren't from GW (Mort's "Mortian" tank...www.heavy-support.com)

None of my Cadian heads are GW (pig iron Kolony militia)

Pretty much the only things I use that are GW are the majority of the models, flocking grass, and the army books. I paid $0.17 for PVA glue that has lasted me for 3 years, why on earth would I pay $8.00 from GW?

Glue: Testors Plastic and Locktite Gel super glue.
Paint: combo of GW but mainly Americana and Delta Ceramcoat Acrylics (cheap!)

I use Tamiaya tanks for my ork battle wagons.

I use non-GW whenever possible.

I have toolshop Pin Vices, a toolshop Hobby Vice, Random Hobby Shop hobby saw, and art shop scalpel and blades;
Railroad weathering powders, homemade or alternative scatter/basing supplies; Barrule and Pegasus terrain;
Poundland superglue, Revell plastic glue, art shop PVA glue, Araldite;
W&N or Rosemary & Co. Brushes, Coat d'Arms paints, Plasti-Kote or Krylon primer, Johnson's Klear varnish, Testor's Dullcote;
As well a bunch of Pig Iron parts, Trumpeter 1/35 tank kits, Incursion models and a few other aftermarket bits and bobs to boot.

Not that I hate GW products, it's just they're too much and don't actually do enough for the money I pay. Alternative products are almost invariable cheaper AND better.

I have the old Armorcast resin Malofactor and Exocrine
almost all my paints and brushes and about a third of my figures are non GW

Aside from some minis (and they are being overwhelmed by non GW minis) I use everything but GW branded product.

Even my local hobbycraft store stocks GW stuff so its even more convenient to pick up the odd mini or codex from them if I am in the market for blades and brushes.

Boss 'eadbreaka wrote:Wow! Does anyone actually use GW hobby products?

Well, if I'm like most folks, I used them when I started out. As I got better at painting and starting doing more in terms of conversion work, I found things that I liked working with better and they happened to be made by folks other than GW.

I think there's two main factors at work. First, people tend to move to what they like using and there's all sorts of choice out there. GW is a miniatures company first and foremost. Some of their tools and supplies are descent, but even those tend to be outshone by the stuff from the actual hobby supply companies. Second, you do pay a bit of a premium for GW stuff. For things like paints, you don't notice it as much since their prices are in the same range as Reaper, P3 and Vallejo. For things like spray primer and PVA glue though, it starts to get silly. $10 for a tube of PVA glue. $18 bucks for a can of spray paint. I can hit Canadian Tire and pick that stuff up for $2 per or less. That's not necessarily the case for everything, but the point I'm trying to make is that folks tend to get smarter with their money as they put more time into the hobby.

Vallejo Paints and inks
Awesome paintjob pigments
Mig pigments
Army painter files and superglue
Kneadadite green stuff tubes
ProSculpt grey stuff
silicon clay shapers
Plastruct styrene rods, tubes and sheets
regular scalpels/xacto
regular canadian tire plyers
fine grit sand paper
distilled water
Liquitex matte medium and flow-aid
Fenris resin bases
Armorcast cinematic effects
assorted sponges
pinning wire
wire bending jig
cutting matt

on the GW end -

all mini's
paint brushes
some foundation paints
some older paints
old inks!
sculpting tool
plastic clippers
razor saw
flock
static grass
ballast
snow
liquid effects
basing kits
brass etched stuff

Tim the Biovore wrote:I use a weird glue that comes in a small blue container with a metal distributor.

wouldn't be Revell Contacta by any chance would it? that's what i use as it's dirt cheap from a hobby store nearby, from the description it sounds like it.

I use Locktite Glue and a variety of paints, tools and such from all over.

For Models, I use bits from Battle Tech Minis. They used to make a few accessory packs with guns, arms and such.

Thinking about it. On the rare occasions I have purchased GW branded product it has only been because I was desperate for something (hobby saw, spare files etc) and couldn't be bothered to look elsewhere.

I wonder how many people use GW products just for the convenience of having a one stop shop or because they don't know there were/are alternatives?

Like many of you I only have GW paint and minis. All my other stuff has been slowly found and bought at various craft and hardware stores.

i use things from all over

i do use GW paints still and i find the Washes and Foundation Paints to be really handy.
The GW pin vise is really nice as its the only one of the 3 i own that can hold a bit straight.
The GW clippers are also nice as they let you clip stuff flush without damaging the parts.

I do have some Reaper and Vallejo paints.
I use Rust-o-leum brand car primer, it works on metal, plastic and resin and is so much more forgiving than anything else.
all of my hobby tools are non GW
I did buy the new GW brushes and they are pretty nice.
I use Zap-a gap, GW glue and various epoxies.

as for mini's its either GW or FW with one exception. i have an Ultraforge Plague Daemon as my Nurgle Daemon Prince because making a flying daemon prince using the Nurgle DP kit sucks, i know i tried it.

Up until recently the only non-GW thing I didn't use was, really, plastic glue. However, since the middle of this week, I bought a bunch of Iron Brotherhood stuff from Micro-Art Studios.

Then, the next day, I bought some Henchmen from Scibor.

So now I have non-GW minis to use in GW games. That's quite a jump for me.

[EDIT]: Oh, and I've been using Wizard's D&D tiles and FFG's DOOM tiles for Dark Heresy, so there's another non-GW thing.

Only some brushes for mixing paint, and also for glossing up blood and stuff

Vaktathi wrote:I never use GW hobby stuff except for stuff like flocking grass.

My army transport isn't GW

My most used Leman Russ tanks aren't from GW (Mort's "Mortian" tank...www.heavy-support.com)

None of my Cadian heads are GW (pig iron Kolony militia)

Pretty much the only things I use that are GW are the majority of the models, flocking grass, and the army books. I paid $0.17 for PVA glue that has lasted me for 3 years, why on earth would I pay $8.00 from GW?

Holy crap $100 tank.

I use GW brushes, Foundations, Washes, Metallics and minis. Though minis are bought from maelstrom or ebay.

Glue - $1 store for superglue, hobby shops for plastic glue
Blades - xacto, other hobby, medical scalpels
Saws - better saws can be found at most other hobby shops for far less.
Green stuff - kneadatite
Sculpting tools - other hobby stores
Pliers - any hardware store
Files - hardware store or hobby shop
Pin Vice - GW's is quite good, but the same thing can be found for slightly cheaper at hardware stores.
Drill bits - hardware stores
Flock, static grass - Woodland scenics from model train stores, gale force nine
Scenery - make own with bits from hardware store
Carry case - tool box + foam

Only GW stuff I use is the paint and static grass.

GF9's hobby glue is my go to glue and tools/brushes/green stuff all comes from either craft stores or hardware stores.

BTW, if anybody needs a pair of flush clippers I highly recommend Wal-mart's crafts section, far cheaper than either GW or GF9.