Calling all scratchbuilders...(Randy, Chris, Lee, et al)

[sparky]

What catalogs do you deem "must haves"?  I'm thinking of places like Clover House, Republic Locomotive Works, and similar suppliers.

[wm3798]

I usually just haunt the Evergreen and Plastruct racks at the LHS.  I also have a collection of junque that has accumulated over the course of three decades.

For specific parts, I like Grandt Line windows, Period Miniatures for odds and ends, and items from other realms that can be squashed and squished into things N scale.

Lee

[3rdrail]

Since the nearest hobby shop is 125 miles each way from me, I rely on the Walthers N and Z Scale Catalog for its parts and scratchbuilding supply section, as well as the Clover House catalog, since Russ Clover still has not put a catalog on the internet.

I also receive catalogs from Micro Mark and Scenic Express, the former is great for tools and the like and Scenic Express has a very wide supply of scenery items not found readily elsewhere.

[engineshop]

You might want to download the Plastruct pdf cataloge.
I also search e-bay for detail parts in other scales including airplane and ship building and found some manufactures not know to use but with great products like GPM and Eduard (brass parts) that I used for my scratchbuilding project.

[sparky]

Thanks for the responses so far.  I do have catalogs from some of the places you guys mentioned: Walthers, Scenic Express, Micro Mark, and also the print version of the Plastruct catalog (I paid $5 for it because I didn't know you could download it!).  I'm looking for more suggestions like Lee's regarding Period Miniatures- the less well known or less advertised stuff.  I'm a real catalog junkie.  I like to look at catalogs when I go to bed- they help me fall asleep faster, and I can plan projects in my head.  I've been meaning to get Clover House and RLW catalogs for years... I'll have to actually make a point to send for them this time!

[Chris333]

Like Lee said stock up on all those styrene strips and shapes, even if you don't need them now. Also get different sized brass and steel wire. At the local craft store I bought a big bag of K&N metal shapes. It is a bunch of left over ends, but in many different sizes. I dip into this stash all the time for tubing and such.

I don't have many catalogs, I like to have everything on hand before I start. This is why I buy up all sorts of things before I even know I need them 

[randgust]

You've got all mine covered here. 

I'm a big fan of RLW, the web page works fine EXCEPT for the lack of photos, which is made up for low prices.   When in doubt, buy one of each....