The Frugal Modeler's Page

03/05/2026

Tired of trying to stretch plastic sprue to make vehicle and aircraft straight antennas? Pick up these steel guitar strings. The B-string works on 1/35/-1/32 and the E-string works on 1/48- 1/72. DON'T use your expensive plastic nippers to cut these or you will ruin them. The strings are steel! Us an inexpensive pair of wire cutters. No worries about them curling, snapping off or breaking off the model. Drill a 1/4 inch hole in the antenna location and use super glue to attach them. They take paint well which I do before I attach them to the model. The larger strings are wire bound and not much use so don't buy a set of all strings. You get 5 strings of the same size per order on Amazon for $5. Close to a lifetime supply. Don't try used guitar strings, they won't be straight!! These also work great for unclogging the glue bottles like Revell or Faller with the needle sized applicators.

02/18/2026

My recommendations for inexpensive sprue cutters from Amazon. I have used both. One for small stuff and one for large stuff. Do not use them on steel wire.
For small sprue connectors. Don’t use on “chunky” connectors or the sprues themselves. The image is the more sturdy one.

https://www.amazon.com/stedi-Ultra-thin-Single-edge-Repairing-Fixing%EF%BC%8CBlue/dp/B0BVB1ZSJ6/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2JYJ8IQGWSR9I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MDLxtK1cF6EQyeBcgkerfdKDLW_jndiGlRe8tElhg5PrlumgK5N7mk7UluKmGI75OhzMfYaw-BRfnRapgd2rfmwC5VZK9ddTiDAjP9dm1fXwzbNg9ZcORQ-9VMQmUzLA30Z-eGUnq7oAJmhY-s-ueayNRnIzmRMHWJENp_Pyzy7N6r3GulK3uqz9LY_0b8U6S0Y8BHax8GOOWXbH8bBpcEJdjJCox35yqYdgZIXjASnw01ixsvyamXslRe6O7tdvHDoH54zFl0J4O5dc2Yb2Z1BMPmsDHnYu9skCUaPG-GY.v8VORJ9by9j1zEwp4wMuNn_YxVtiTaVg3HolFrolw5M&dib_tag=se&keywords=model%2Bnippers&qid=1771431599&sprefix=Model%2Bni%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-7&th=1

For large sprue cuts or thick connectors.
https://www.amazon.com/Precison-Cutters-Cutting-Electronics-Aluminum/dp/B07VGK8GBL/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2JYJ8IQGWSR9I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MDLxtK1cF6EQyeBcgkerfdKDLW_jndiGlRe8tElhg5PrlumgK5N7mk7UluKmGI75OhzMfYaw-BRfnRapgd2rfmwC5VZK9ddTiDAjP9dm1fXwzbNg9ZcORQ-9VMQmUzLA30Z-eGUnq7oAJmhY-s-ueayNRnIzmRMHWJENp_Pyzy7N6r3GulK3uqz9LY_0b8U6S0Y8BHax8GOOWXbH8bBpcEJdjJCox35yqYdgZIXjASnw01ixsvyamXslRe6O7tdvHDoH54zFl0J4O5dc2Yb2Z1BMPmsDHnYu9skCUaPG-GY.v8VORJ9by9j1zEwp4wMuNn_YxVtiTaVg3HolFrolw5M&dib_tag=se&keywords=model%2Bnippers&qid=1771431599&sprefix=Model%2Bni%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-9&th=1The

Size: 5 Inch Material: 65 # Manganese steel+PVC Handle Hardness (RHC) :56 Maximum Cut:16 AWG Micro Cutter, Flush Cut, 2.5mm High Manganese Steel Construction, 21-Degree Angled Jaw, 9mm Jaw Length, 16 Gauge Maximum Cutting Capacity. The KATA micro soft-wire cutter has an 10mm long jaw set at a 21-d...

02/16/2026

02/16/2026

I was intrigued by the looks of the Gaahleri Premiu Series GHPM-Mobius .3mm airbrush. I assume it is pronounced Gallery. It had good reviews and was available from several sources. With a price between $60 and $71, I thought I'd give it a try. Came in Sunday (I ordered off of Amazon on Saturday) and got to play with it a little this morning. This is a Chinese made brush and has some similarities with other brushes made in China like my Chinese Timbertech. The paint cups on each fit the other along with the screw on air caps that protect the end of the needle. Here's my out of the box impression and some pictures including my first attempt to spray with it.

Build quality reminds me of my Harder & Steenbeck but just a few notices below. I guess the same way a Buick kind of reminds you of a BMW. But that is pretty good. Nice chrome finish, even the cup is chrome plated on the inside, gold tone accents, trigger feels good with no wobble, nice balance. What attracted me was the easy access to the area where the needle enters the front of the airbrush, the unique nozzle design and its "good" looks. Too soon to tell, but so far in a practice run, the .3mm needle produces some really nice lines. I used Vallejo OD primer mixed one to one with thinner. After a month or so of use, I'll update this review.

02/11/2026

Here's Two for the Price of One Modeling tips which won't cost you much and may save some time or money.

These are the teeth cleaning brushes, about $6 for 20. If you have a small paint cup, you can use these to clean out the channels in your airbrush in between colors or on bigger paint cup brushes when you are doing a full clean. They come in various sizes. This is a "wide" which is still pretty small. They come with protective caps.

If you use the small carbide drill bits, you know how fragile they are. They will snap rather easily. When not in use, I place one of the brush caps on the drill bit as you don't need it on the brush after you use it. If it drops or you bump it on something hard, the drill bit has very good chance to survive. You may have to widen the cap to expand the diameter to fit the fl**ge on the caribe bit.

10/20/2025

If you need a large sheet of styrene plastic for a model project, consider sign material from Lowes. Here is a great deal on a LARGE sheet. $3.99 for a sheet.

Shop Hillman Blank 15-in x 19-in Plastic Blank Sign in the Signs department at Lowe's.com. Create the perfect sign for your even or business with this fully customizable sign. Made of durable plastic, this blank sign won't fade in high temperatures

05/02/2024

For those who use brushes, these watercolor brushes are great for model painting. The smaller size are good for figure painting and detail work.The Merri Artist seems to be a mom and pop who take care in filling and shipping your order. I have been pleased when I order from them. Stock varies and items with great prices go fast. Check the Snap line by Princeton for good deals, too.

04/13/2024

Not all modeling supplies have to come from a hobby store. Check these Amazon finds which come in handy in my model building.