What are your personal collecting rules/habits if any?

STUKA · Post by **STUKA** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:54 pm

What are your personal rules for collecting toys..and do you keep them?

For example...
A few years ago I said to myself..."self...your spending too much on starwars these days...(this was before XD BTW)..."
So I decided the new rule would be to only buy one starwars figure at a time. This forced me to be thatguy standing in the aisle for 10 plus minutes figuring out which one to buy.

Last week I checked for new XD and found nothing but the german BOBII and japanese (pegwarmers here) and nothing so I checked starwars and crapped my pants - a new wave!! I had to pick between the endor rebel soldier variant or endor Luke. I picked the variant. Next day the whole lot was gone - but it makes the hunt all the more exciting and keeps money in my pocket.

My rule for XD is no more than 1 at a time unless Germans. Then limit to 3. For vehicles - one at a time - plus I use the lay away.

Plus with children now - I'm also checking the thomas the train stuff - a whole different world.

So - what are your rules/ habits if any?

KWR190 · Post by **KWR190** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:01 pm

Mine goes as German Figs or German armor buy it all for German planes if I have leave it.
Kurt

Moth · Post by **Moth** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:30 pm

I find, I buy, simple

I dont collect figures, so amount is never a problem

immeww2 · Post by **immeww2** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:35 pm

When new items start hitting the shelves, it's hard to limit your purchases especially when the items will be diffcult to find in the future and you want more than one of the new items. Prime example would be the recent release of the new German halftracks, the quad 50 US halftrack and the pak-40. If you limit yourself to just one or two items you risk losing the opportunity of getting them at a later date given WM's sporadic distribution. It would be great if one could limit purchases. but given the way XD products are distributed and sold, its' almost impossible to do so. So in my case, I purchase those items I'm looking for and can find on the spot and don't really put much emphasis on how much is being spent or when.

KAMIKAZE · Post by **KAMIKAZE** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:45 pm

I'm with immeww2 on this one. With Wallyworld krack distribution system, I either have to buy heavy while they have what I am looking for or risk not getting them at all later on. This is especially true with figures for those of us who customize our stuff. I also have plenty to trade later on. You guys who bought the original release troops at half price from Toys used to be us know what I mean.

Mark

Threetoughtrucks · Post by **Threetoughtrucks** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:55 pm

I have no rules except to limit my new purchases to the available space I have. It's easy for me to make room by selling or trading a 1/6 boxed piece....one boxed Kubel 1/6 out...plenty of room for four or five new 1/18 pieces.

TTT

pokeyjtc · Post by **pokeyjtc** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:03 pm

My rules are fairly simple and sometimes flexible. For aircraft, I wait for it to show up at WM or TRU if it is supposed to and buy it when I see it. I only buy online if it is never going to show up at WM or TRU, Admiral toys planes or Bad Cat exclusives are examples of these. This helps to spread out my spending a bit. I buy what I like as far as repaints and have no hard rule on quantity, but I generally won't buy two identical repaints on planes.
As for figures and ground vehicles, I buy one of each release for the vehicles and usually 2 sets of each release of figures (one to open and one to keep on card). After that, I occasionally will pick up extra figures or vehicles as needed or when on clearance.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:05 pm

Just be smart. If you see it, buy it - because you will either waste how much gas trying to find it again or never get it. My big problem now is trying to stop buying for army building. I don't need every stinking army in XD, SW, etc. This one has been really hard.

chunks · Post by **chunks** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:33 pm

No real rules, I can't build 72nd anymore, so collecting 18th is it. I have recently started on 16th due to lack of additional 18th stuff to fill the space I have available. Some good stuff and not that far from 18th as long as it's on a differant wall from the rest.

sgriffith · Post by **sgriffith** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:51 pm

My problem is that I have too many hobbies, whether its SW clonetroopers, 1/72 plastic soldiers, GI Joe, or my new found interest in 1/18 XD. I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm going to streamline my various collections, sell what I'm not that interested in anymore and buy selectively; that is, know exactly what I want before I hit the stores and buy nothing more.

MG-42 · Post by **MG-42** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:05 am

My rules of engagement is this : Rule #1 : "One shot one kill". ... If you see something you want ,... buy it now ! .... Cause it won't be there the next time. It's just that simple. This has happened to me too many times in the past.

Quixote511 · Post by **Quixote511** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:39 am

Yeah, I try to go with the I see it I buy it as well. They may never show their face again. Or, you will have to wait several years for 21st to rerelease them. I was so upset when I passed on the original Putt-Putt and White-winter Stuka. Then, they went on eBay for scads of dough. That made me even angrier. Now, I have the rereleased versions of each and I am pleased as punch. Though, I am not willing to risk a situation like that again. I do my best to find the money if I really want something.

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 8:08 am

I buy what I will not build. But now I find I'm running out of room so I may have to put some models on ebay. In addition to 1/18th, I had to get a few 1/32nd to go along with that rule of buy what I won't build.

I build and collect mostly armor but aircraft had to be included. I mean, the Avenger was one of those "You better get it now while ya can."

Jeff

ARMY GROUP 1 · Post by **ARMY GROUP 1** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:05 pm

HAS TO BE 1/18 & EXISTED BEFORE MAY 3RD 1945.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:31 pm

If it holds my interest and is decently priced, then it is fair game

Unofrtunantly (for my pocket book, that is) this sort of philosophy leaves alot out there thats avaliable for me to get! I usually discipline myself by getting one (or in some cases no more than two) types of a particular vehicle or aircraft and try to get a representative collection in multiple scales. However, display & storage space concerns are becoming the new masters and after the BBI Hellcat I'm going to have to call it quits on the 1:18 aircraft as I'll have no more space

catman · Post by **catman** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:04 pm

Never buy it for more than you can sell it for.

immeww2 · Post by **immeww2** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:09 pm

If you are fortunate enough to find the items at WM I don't think you will have that problem.

STUKA · Post by **STUKA** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:52 pm

I checked out a different WM tonight and picked up one Endor Luke - only figure from the New wave there - sitting in front of that little display box.

Vehicles tend to sit here but then again there are about 10 different WM within 50 miles of my house or work and probably only 4-5 real XD fanatics.

I picked up a Pak-40 last week and will check tonight and get another if it is still there - I may get the other stuff!

Now I do break my rules from time t time - like when the BOB II wave hit I picked up six of them.

But in the long run - the one figure at a time helps me as I always have the $5.00 cash in my pocket for the next one I see.

DocTodd · Post by **DocTodd** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:04 pm

Buy Everything!!!!! No just kidding. That's my inner child talking. I stick mostly to planes in 1:18, 1/32 and 1/72scale. Occasional 1:32 scale armor.
Todd

steelbonnet · Post by **steelbonnet** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 2:46 am

That`s a good question.

I Only do 1/18th though i do have my own way of picking what`s the next purchase.

Well for me I tend to approach figures in several ways (sounds so wrong I know...LOL).

I look at Articulation,Customzing usage,Accessories.
I as you know am a big believer in Articulation,the more the better & with todays technology it`s possible to mate Detail & uber articulation together.

PERSONAL NOTE:- XD has come a long way since the S1 series though I think BBI & XD still need to think about ball joints at the thigh/crotch level,to give even more articulation & it won`t affect the detailingat all.

As long as the figure meets any of these needs,then they become fair game,though saying that I HAVE bought figures purely because I wanted the CAP,or that particular weapon/accessory piece too.

Now as for vehicles,It`s what takes my fancy first & foremost. That`ll explain why I haven`t gotten around to buying any Sherman tanks yet...LOL Went & got German one`s instead......LOL
Though I do need to think about getting some Shermans sometime.

The other issue with vehicles is the SHIPPING cost. As I`ve got to get the vehicles sent to Merry Olde Englad too (as no one over here sells Newer XD or BBI vehicles

).

Just awkward sometimes as well.as i do both Modern & WWII. Though alas Modern isn`t that blessed with hardware as WWII is (maybe that`s a god send)...LOL.

Ja
Steel Bonnet

der Vogelfänger · Post by **der Vogelfänger** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 3:03 am

boomboomjr wrote:i have no fricken rules. im a millionare, so i buy what i want and if the wife complains.well f her and her lawyer

The above is to cool......excellent!!!!!!!!!!

I purchase airplanes only, now, and have sold what few vehicles I did accumulate. Upon entry into 1/18-Land 1.5 years ago, I pretty much went "hog wild" in an effort to play catch-up. After those months, and upon looking around the den, I felt like Captain Kirk in the episode where the Tribbles were literally taking over every available space on the Enterprise....heck, Spock would have dived through a window just to escape.

My approach today is simple: go hog wild and purchase and live in harmony with my "Tribbles"

.

Oh, BTW, I very much appreciate my fellow board members who purchase my occasional "Tribble-for-sale" pleas....it proves to meine Frau that I can, in fact, loosen my tight clutch from the "Tribbles"

dV

GAU-8 · Post by **GAU-8** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 4:31 am

i buy only the aircraft in 1/18 (but the little coin sized ones are purdy cool. none yet though

my rule is a limit on the minimum, to no less than 3 different paint schemes , for each available aircraft.

newwavepop · Post by **newwavepop** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 7:04 am

well my rule i made several years ago was to start collecting only 1 scale and get rid of anything i had not in that scale.
my true love is the 3 3/4 figure and 1:18 is the same range.

im a figure collector and a playset collector, i very seldomly mess with vehicles because of cost and space and there are alot more vehicles than playsets.

i only buy what i want or like, i am not a completist.
i also dont army build.
i do not like figures that look exactly alike, even if its a stormtrooper or a cobra trooper it still has to somehow look different.
which is why i like the series one figures more than these new ones.

i also open everything, i do not collect packaging.

flpickupman · Post by **flpickupman** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 7:31 am

I try like hell to limit myself to vehicles/aircraft/figures that apply to the North African Theater(or can be easily customized to fit). It is not unusual, however, for me to stray from that. The PaK 40 and Panzerwagen are 2 good examples of this. I also expect to buy the PaK 40 Hanomag when it is released. Some items have too much of a 'cool factor' to pass up. The Avenger is another good example. Lately, I've been on a little bit of a modern Marine Corps kick. It started with the Cobra. Next thing i know, I have the BBi LAV and FSV(dune buggy). I'll be improving the LAV, and will be gathering a Scout Team to ride in the back. I hope that scratches that particular itch, since I don't have the room or the budget to accomodate an extensive modern collection.

As for limting the number of items I purchase at any given time? That's dictated by what's on the shelf, and in my wallet.