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A friend recently called me out on being a cheapskate. While I honestly can't say that anyone in the hobby is "cheap" I have to say I somewhat agreed with him in his opinion. The reason he called me this? While I generally like GW paints, I hate paying $5 for half an ounce of paint. So I go to Walmart, buy the same shade of paint in their craft isle (88 cents for 2 ounces) and then I mix it in with the GW paint. Basically the mixture is about 85 to 90 percent GW paint, I just cut the cost a bit by adding generic craft paint with no noticeable difference in coverage.


Does anyone else have any cost cutting techniques they use to get the most of their money?

I buy as few hobby supplies as possible from GW. Everything is far too expensive for the quality they deliver. I use Vallejo paints (cheaper, better quality imo) and only a few from GW, metallics mainly. Brushes are from DaVinci or China; knife, clippers, molding tools from Ebay or Amazon. Generally, everything is cheaper or has better quality for the same price. So outside of the models, I see no reason to buy much from GW. And even the models I go cheap, use Ebay where I can or buy with 15-20% off from retailers.

Your paint thinning is absolutely fine, as are all other options to cut costs on an extremly expensive hobby. You're not entitled to anything if you buy everything from GW, but it sounds like your friend thinks he is

Clearly you fall in the poor peasant category, that should play peasant games and not the rich peoples game

I am coming from the model kit scene, and i found GW paints always over priced, used to use Revel, Humbrol and after the eco changes to pain, i switched to Tamiya and now in Japan also Dr. color and Valejo

A fool and their money are soon parted.

The only GW paints I ever used dried up a long time ago, and they were just metallics. I use craft store paint (Delta Ceramicote, Americana, Aileen's, Color Traditions) for everything. I won some Reaper master Series paints in a contest once, also some Model Power paint. They are good paints but not worth the hobby tax added to their price.
I was a Golden Demon finalist, got an honorable mention, so I know what I'm talking about.

There does seem to be some folks who insist on using only certain brands of paint. Good for them! But when they deride others for not using their perceived "superior" paints, they are only showing us how big of an ass they really are.
To their credit, there are some cheap brands of craft paint that give the better ones a bad reputation.

I've been a gaming cheapskate for decades.

If you don't need it NOW! you can save money by waiting a couple of months and then hitting the 2nd hand markets.
Especially if the new "army" replaced any older units with newer plastic models. The older metals (and plastics) often go for a song.

Saved hundreds on my High Elf army for WHFB that way. Picked up old White lion (unit) models, Swordmasters, spearmen and archers, for less than a quarter of their retail price - all because they were older metal models.

My eldar army at one stage had 9 war walkers (only one in plastic). 2 were bought when they were about $15-20 each in a blister, decades ago - the rest (metals) were bought at BSS tables at cons for around $10 each. Weapons got collected along the way also.

Theres a difference between being cheap and being sensible. Should I buy GW branded PVA or go down the DIY shop and get three times the amount for the same money?

Poor PPL shouldn't be playing 40K anyway. Its a premium lifestyle choice you know.

I like to build terrain from cheap stuff and junk rather than spend a lot of cash on ready made stuff. Especially the GW terrain pieces that while nice are very expensive.

For examle here's my gallery of building Tau structures from things like Japanese soup bowls and shampoo bottles.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-299-4981_Tau%20Scenery%20Speed%20Build.html

I recall in the old RT book when making units from scratch and cheap materials was considered a sign of being an advanced hobbyist. Times change.

By the way, I built two armored companies and a couple super heavies from cardstock.

 cuda1179 wrote:
A friend recently called me out on being a cheapskate. While I honestly can't say that anyone in the hobby is "cheap" I have to say I somewhat agreed with him in his opinion. The reason he called me this? While I generally like GW paints, I hate paying $5 for half an ounce of paint. So I go to Walmart, buy the same shade of paint in their craft isle (88 cents for 2 ounces) and then I mix it in with the GW paint. Basically the mixture is about 85 to 90 percent GW paint, I just cut the cost a bit by adding generic craft paint with no noticeable difference in coverage.


Does anyone else have any cost cutting techniques they use to get the most of their money?

Just buy hobby paint (like the Walmart brand you mentioned) and use that.

I guess I am the only one here whos doesnt mind GW paint lol. Its not the only one I use, I also have Badger Minitaire, Vallejo game Air, Scale 75, and a few colors from Army Painter.

People seem to think GW paint is expensive, which compared to a lot of other paint companies I guess there are. However I find that they last a long time. Its pretty concentrated so one paint pot will last a while.

The only paints i would stay away from in the GW line is, there black, base coat and layer white paints. For some reason these dry up super fast.

I've found Badger Miniature paints a great bang for your buck. The bottle is big and they have a wide variety of colors. The only problem with them is, they don't have as many vibrant colors as Vallejo.

I use and enjoy GW Paints and washes, Reaper Master Series paints, and craft paints (for terrain and display boards).

In the past, I did use the craft paints for my miniatures, but they just don't do as good of a job.

I love GW technical paints and washes. Both are great. I just got their mud basing paint and it's great. I'll be using it on all my stuff. Even when I stopped buying most GW stuff, I still preferred their paints. I've tried the Walmart stuff and reaper stuff, and didn't like them.

You don’t hear many complaints about GW’s stuff being bad, just overpriced for small amounts. Except the glue. Don’t think I’ve heard anyone say anything nice about that. But most of the tools and the like are fine. But you can get the same stuff elsewhere, for half the price.

If you can save some money, go for it.

Yeah for paint that is a really silly thing to say. I mean it's paint, get whatever one works best for you and if it happens to be cheaper that's just a Win/Win in my book.

Ehhhhhh, I recommend getting miniature paints.
Their made for miniature paints, art paints are too thick and dont dilute well
That said, there are great ways to save money. Wait for them to go on discount, buy damaged models, Buy from 20% off retailers.

 cuda1179 wrote:
Basically the mixture is about 85 to 90 percent GW paint, I just cut the cost a bit by adding generic craft paint with no noticeable difference in coverage.

You could probably drop the percentage of GW paint even further.

TBh, go get vallejo paints, they last longer, do not dry out and are cheaper

Instead of buying 10 drop pods for a list I wanted to try out, I found some templates and made a bunch out of paper. I did the same for Rhinos in a Gladius formation.

It led to many jokes about the "paper-thin" armor on rhinos

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ehhhhhh, I recommend getting miniature paints.
Their made for miniature paints, art paints are too thick and dont dilute well
That said, there are great ways to save money. Wait for them to go on discount, buy damaged models, Buy from 20% off retailers.

I definitely agree. I've been in the hardware industry for a long time and seen people use the paint for the wrong application all the time.. then they complain the paint starts to flake off....

Only time I use art paints is terrain. When drybrushing, thickness doesnt matter.

I scaled down from 28mm to 15mm and going lower.
Cheaper and makes for better scenes.

I tend to use Vallejo for metallics, but I do use big box cheap paints for colors that cover well-blacks, blues, purples.

As always on these types of discussions, I'll mention that I've never bought modelling sand for years - I just go down to the beach and fill up a tub!

Same with gravel, rocks, bark, and cork - it's everywhere, and it's free.

The world is your hobby supply shop.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
As always on these types of discussions, I'll mention that I've never bought modelling sand for years - I just go down to the beach and fill up a tub!

Same with gravel, rocks, bark, and cork - it's everywhere, and it's free.

The world is your hobby supply shop.

I bought 1 bagof sand for 5$ 6 years ago. I still have it.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
As always on these types of discussions, I'll mention that I've never bought modelling sand for years - I just go down to the beach and fill up a tub!

Same with gravel, rocks, bark, and cork - it's everywhere, and it's free.

The world is your hobby supply shop.

I bought 1 bagof sand for 5$ 6 years ago. I still have it.

If I was going to buy sand, and it's a big if, I would head to a DIY store and buy a bag of builders sand for peanuts, so I salute your money saving approach

Anybody who spends £10 on a small tub of GW sand, well, there's a bridge I want to sell you

I have had cats for most of my life. I have always had access to a bag of kitty litter, which makes excellent basing material for large and small projects.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
As always on these types of discussions, I'll mention that I've never bought modelling sand for years - I just go down to the beach and fill up a tub!

Same with gravel, rocks, bark, and cork - it's everywhere, and it's free.

The world is your hobby supply shop.

I bought 1 bagof sand for 5$ 6 years ago. I still have it.

If I was going to buy sand, and it's a big if, I would head to a DIY store and buy a bag of builders sand for peanuts, so I salute your money saving approach

Anybody who spends £10 on a small tub of GW sand, well, there's a bridge I want to sell you

Hobby Lobby is a godsend for me. cheap Paint, cheap flock, cheap everything. I was hesitant at first cause I was politically against them, but I like money more than my values.

 cuda1179 wrote:
. While I honestly can't say that anyone in the hobby is "cheap"

Sure you can. I'm cheap. I give you permission to call me "cheap" anytime!

I have to say I somewhat agreed with him in his opinion. The reason he called me this? While I generally like GW paints, I hate paying $5 for half an ounce of paint. So I go to Walmart, buy the same shade of paint in their craft isle (88 cents for 2 ounces) and then I mix it in with the GW paint. Basically the mixture is about 85 to 90 percent GW paint, I just cut the cost a bit by adding generic craft paint with no noticeable difference in coverage.

Grashopper, you're barely scratching the surface of cheap. I'm a cheapskate when it comes to gaming and here's just a few to get you going.

1- That paint thing is kind of laughable. Just buy and use craft paint. I recommend being slightly less cheap and buying the "Delta Ceramcoat" brand that is carried at craft stores. I think it's the best of the craft paints. It's coverage and application is almost as good as model-brand paints and it's available in a HUGE variety of colors. It's bout $1.20 for a 2 oz bottle, but that's still around 8 times cheaper than GW's $5 for 0.5oz

2- Buy used minis painted crappily for pennies on the dollar. Bathe them in Purple Power for a week. Scrub. Rinse, Repeat as necessary. Elbow Grease means saved dollars.

3- Build your own terrain from junk toys and other crap. Go to Necromundicon at Ironhands.com to see the bible for this kind of terrain. Or just search for my threads here.

4- Buy all your hobby supplies from the craft/hobby store (paint, PVA, razor saw, knives, Superglue, etc) or Hardware store or Harbor Freight (superglue, Files, Flush cutters, table vise etc). You'll spend about 30% of what GW would charge you.

5-Buy a 50 pound bag of "Sand Mix" concrete at your DIY store for $5. I know it's $5 more expensive than free beach sand, but you can sift it into at least 3 different kinds of gravel as well as sand and concrete filler. All of which are useful in hobbying. Also, as-is it's a nice chunky rocky soil basing for terrain.

6- For spray Priming, look at hardware store spray paints. Usually they will have a store brand flat white or black for a buck. Test first to make sure it comes out right. You can also get big cans of Grey, dark grey and red primer an cans of very flat camo colors (from rustoleum or Krylon) for about half as much as model brand paints in cans that are about twice as big.

7- Try artists Gesso in black or white (I like the liquitex brand) for priming and Winsor Newton Galeria Acrylic Matte Varnish for easy brush-on varnishing.

One more thing about paints. Alot of folks will tell you you need miniature paints. They unfortunately don't know what they're talking about. You may have to learn how to use a bit of Matte Medium and other supplies to thin or smooth out the paints (though with Delta it really isn't usually necessary) but craft paints can be surprisingly good.

One of my buddies uses artists acrylicas exclusively. One the best painters I know uses almost nothing but Americana brand craft paints and you can see his work here:
http://mdarrow.blogspot.com
Take a look at that and tell me you honestly need miniature-brand paints.

Alright, I'll dive in:

1) Wrote my own rules

2) Use 20mm scale minis

3) Build vehicles from cardstock templates - there are plenty of free ones online, for 40k and many other scifi franchises as well as conventional military vehicles.

4) Scenery from junk, a la the old RT book.

I loved 40k as a kid but it priced me out, and when I gradually drifted back into the hobby I was determined to use as much of a cheapy DIY approach as possible. I get great satisfaction from looking at my DIY board with my DIY army playing our DIY game with friends having spent no more than £20 on the whole thing.

Does it require more time? Yes. But so what, I enjoy doing this, as far as I'm concerned the ingenuity aspect of junk/cheap modelling is a huge part of the hobby.

Anyway. Just my £0.02, and I'm sure given my handle my views will have surprised nobody... OP, when I get called a cheapskate, I consider it a compliment!

kronk wrote:I use and enjoy GW Paints and washes, Reaper Master Series paints, and craft paints (for terrain and display boards).

In the past, I did use the craft paints for my miniatures, but they just don't do as good of a job.

When I was a poor student, I loved craft paints, or even low end artists acrylics, for being cheap and pretty good. I still use them, especially for basing and terrain, but I grown to enjoy collecting paints too much to only use the craft stuff.

Gordon Shumway wrote:I tend to use Vallejo for metallics, but I do use big box cheap paints for colors that cover well-blacks, blues, purples.

Also this. It was tough to find reds, yellows, or metallic that covered worth a damn.