Tools and Tips: The TRW Swap Meet for Hobbyists

You want to be in L.A. county on the last saturday of every month from 7-1130 am as this place is in full swing!

More stuff than you can shake a stick at, the only thing for the modeler this place doesn't have is kits! -and maybe putty and a few other highly specialized items. But what it lacks on that front, it makes up for in spades on other fronts such as sculpting tools, drill bits, tools and utilities of all sorts, and most of all, every kind of electronic component you can name!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• TRW swap meet
• scale models
• hobbyist
• resources
• hobby tools
• drill bits

[AlfonsoTheTraitor]

I never thought of going to swap meets for hobby tools . Thanks for the heads up !

[ModelManTom]

@AlfonsoTheTraitor On my way down to this one yesterday, I got a flat tire and missed it til next month! I am sure different swap meets will have different vendors, but they can be great places for all sorts of supplies.

[TheRocketSilo]

it's like a harbor freight exploded.

[Quatermass313]

Great video and editing, and excellent coverage of the swap meety; it felt like being there! Great intro, great closeups, great subtitle comments!

[froymot]

its the place to go for all of your ion lazer needs :)

[mokanaman]

Find me a usb to dmx and I will love you for ever...

[ModelManTom]

On the more practical side, there's usually some form of musical equipment that would be nice to have, I could use a new stereo amp in the living room, and most importantly, there are computer vendors selling the latest gear below market value Example: 2tb, western digital hard drive for $150! I could use several of those right now but they'll be a little cheaper in the summer!

Yeah, I could spend a $2k there if I had it. $1k on those hard drives alone... All for want of cash. :(

[ModelManTom]

I had to conserve. Just heat shrink and some other elec stuff from that vendor at the end. But who doesn't need a pulsed ion laser for $95? The thing was probably tens of thousands back when it was created. That's a deal! :D

[svinehunden]

kool... it looks like a place you could spend a fortune... ;)

[ModelManTom]

This thing started, and is still primarily billed as, a swap meet for ham radio enthusiasts. Over the years, they branched into electronics generally (thus the computer side of the influence) and now you can mostly sell anything semi-related. The 'junk' here can get quite bizarre..