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What's something that a modeller should only buy new and never buy used?


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  • RMweb Gold

Baseboards...... yes and no. If they are well built, and of the right size for your project, then go ahead. But, I can't recommend using old baseboards, and then adding extra extensions or bits of wood, just to get an extra track in or another couple of inches in length. Don't ask me how I know this.......

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On 24/10/2023 at 15:29, BachelorBoy said:

Presumably if you bought a loco from Hornby that had been used on a demo layout at the Hornby Visitor Centre, it would be used but not second-hand. 

 

 

I would call this "ex-demo" and treat with reserve....

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On 24/10/2023 at 09:43, Jol Wilkinson said:

Etched kits. Well, with a caveat.

 

If still in the box and "untouched" then it is a reasonable risk. But those that have been "started"may be missing bits and pieces, while some parts may be difficult to identify if removed from the fret. Of course, if you are unscrupulous you can contact the kit producer and claim that they were missing from your kit, which you had bought some years ago and just got around to starting.

 

I tend to agree, especially if the kit is still available. Cut out the middleman unless you are getting it for a real bargain price. Unfortunately many kits are no longer available so you might need to take a punt and hope for the best.

 

Never really had a problem with etched kits, I find them very rarely started. Occasionally parts such as boilers are rolled and some parts such as tenders are folded,  so I assume that was done by the producer.

 

I did see a Finney GWR Aberdare kit a few weeks ago on eBay that seemed all there and started to what looked a very high standard, but decided not to take the risk. Sold for about £60 so maybe someone got a bargain. That included a tender which is about that price on it's own.

 

 

But what the hell do people do with the instructions? 

 

Fine on something like a K's or GEM kit as you can work out a few basic parts. But when you've got half a dozen etches with no means of working out all those tiny parts and in what order you are supposed to attach them, then I'm very wary of parting with money.

 

HINT: If there is a possibility that a kit might be moved on before you finish it, keep the instructions with it!

 

 

Jason

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On 23/10/2023 at 18:02, OnTheBranchline said:

This is meant as a serious advice thread. 

 

Seriously?

New toilet paper, with PVA glue, can be a very useful landscape-covering technique.

I'm not sure the same applies to used toilet paper, but it might save on one of the base paint coats.

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8 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Track cutters 

You wouldn't know if they had any fatal flaws - i had a set throw a blade at my face 

I had exactly the same happen to me too. But I think I was trying to use them to cut some brass that was a bit too strong for them. So another lesson, use the correct tool for the job.

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