Cheap basing supplies!

[karpouzian]

Maybe I've been in the dark, but I was in Jo-Ann Fabrics, and randomly went to the floral section... They sell talus in different 'sizes' for about 5 times the product for 1/2 the price...

They also had some moss that would be good for basing, small pieces of shells (for a different texture), and other great basing materials for super cheap.

On the other hand, I just went to my son's sandbox, and grabbed a tupperware container full (and MAN, there were a tons of pebbles in there after being used all season...

I went to Wal Mart, and the same thing!

Anyone have any thrifty suggestions like the above?

 

[QuietiManes]

Well, anytime you go to GW or Army Painter or GF9 or a similar place that just repackages someone else's products, you're going to pay a whole lot more than if you bought from someone selling the product under its original packaging. Most terrain stuff is made by companies like Woodland Scenics, which you can get at most model railroad, R/C and similar hobby shops. If you live in an area with a decent population (and therefore, lots of stores to choose from), it's a really good idea to visit them all, take in the arts, crafts, floral and even the automotive and fencing sections. Keeping in mind, lots of stuff in the "dollar" stores is repackaged or resized and is actually much more expensive than the regular price at the arts & crafts shop, when you consider the amount you get...OR especially when you consider what always goes on sale, like craft paint. Of course, online tends to have the best prices, as with just about anything else.

 

[karpouzian]

Well, fortunately except for the things I've gotten for free, the rest I've gotten at Hobby Lobby or online...

Well, anytime you go to GW or Army Painter or GF9 or a similar place that just repackages someone else's products, you're going to pay a whole lot more than if you bought from someone selling the product under its original packaging. Most terrain stuff is made by companies like Woodland Scenics, which you can get at most model railroad, R/C and similar hobby shops. If you live in an area with a decent population (and therefore, lots of stores to choose from), it's a really good idea to visit them all, take in the arts, crafts, floral and even the automotive and fencing sections. Keeping in mind, lots of stuff in the "dollar" stores is repackaged or resized and is actually much more expensive than the regular price at the arts & crafts shop, when you consider the amount you get...OR especially when you consider what always goes on sale, like craft paint. Of course, online tends to have the best prices, as with just about anything else.

 

[PegaZus]

<snip>Keeping in mind, lots of stuff in the "dollar" stores is repackaged or resized and is actually much more expensive than the regular price at the arts & crafts shop, when you consider the amount you get...OR especially when you consider what always goes on sale, like craft paint. </snip>

And sometimes it actually IS more expensive to start with. Watched a man at 99 Cents Only with a full cart of 9 Lives cat food. Was shocked because Target a block away had them for 79 cents, and not even a sale price. Mind you, this was some time ago, but still, he was wasting about $20 by shopping at the "discount" store.

That said, some other places to get terrain stuff is to reuse other things that aren't anywhere near the arts and craft areas. Pre-made floral decorations are an excellent place to find things, the spice rack is always good (especially if you're using up either old stuff of your own, or if you find the clearance area of the grocery stores where they're heavily discounted). I think my favorite free piece of terrain that I've seen other people use is the roots of plants. They're spindly and random, and make excellent scale dead trees and such.

 

[freakinacage]

Go to the beach with a tub. Free! And you get loads of random stuff, like old drift wood, metal and condoms

 

[karpouzian]

I have a sandbox that 4 or 5 children on my block share, and the season is over... I'll fill a container or 2, and have enough for time immemorial... Besides, condoms make AWFUL basing material!

 

[RuneBrush]

When I set up my small fish tank, I went for a small black gravel (it's technically a quartz) in the bottom. I washed this using a sieve and everything that fell through the sieve got dried out and is now a main staple in my basing box. The waste from 1 small fish tank should give me enough to base two or three armies if I felt like it, plus a new bag is remarkably cheap for the quantity you get.

Obviously you don't get added extras, like twigs and condoms though.

 

[karpouzian]

You know, I was at a thrift store the other day and thought about the fish rocks... Do you think, for someone interested in basing, that the majority of those rocks would be too big? I know they'd be dirt cheap for a huge amount of material, but I wonder how much would be usable unaltered. (ie smashed)

 

[airhead]

If you really want to go cheap, get some carpet samples and your beard clippers.

Free flock "static grass" in your choice of colors.