http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html
How much would you consider a reasonable budget for a small terrain project?
I am going to work up an article on basic terrain making and I need some general information. There is a currency calculator in the above link so you can take the poll in US Dollars.
Please make suggestions and comments after you take the poll.

I am going to need some idea of what kind of tools beginners already have for a base line.Not sure how to make that a poll.
tool article below
kb.php?a=1

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

firstly you need to let us know what you are thinking of creating and how you would like to make it there are a million ways things can be done also depends on the finish and size etc need more detail to be able to give an accurate answer

I was more concerned with what the readers can afford for a project. I could make a table with folding legs for $50.00 or a tree for $1.00 but if more people can spend $10.00 than $50.00. I will concentrate on projects that cost $10.00 or less.
I need to say something about tools. I don't want to go on about a power drill if most people don't have one.The same with hand tools. I won't suggest any thing that requires a spoke shave.
This is a good guide for tools kb.php?a=1


Hills, mountains,caves, waterfalls , forest, rivers, lakes swamps, basic beginner terrain.
I only have two votes so far. I think how to make a forest for $10.00 might be a start.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I voted $20. Seems reasonable for decent sized piece of terrain. Of course, many things can be made for much cheaper!

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Respectfully,
Jonathan

Do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly

Battle Companies

I don't really have a budget but I try to do everything as free as possible. The only thing I can reasonably budget for is glue and paint.
Basically everytime you do a project you are going to accumulate this stuff. This is my basic Mats on Hand From the Hardware Store (Since I work there)
Stuff I bought at the Hardware Store
- Fine Files (Round,triangle and straight)
- Exacto-Knife and a pack of blades (Heavy duty)
- Mitre box with saw
- Tin Snips
- Vice Grips
- Drywall Knife
- Utility Knife with Precision Blades
- Square
- Locking Pliers
- Clamps
- 5 sheets of Sandpaper 120 grit and some sanding blocks

- Wood Glue (Full Strength)
- Wood Glue (1/2 diluted)
- Wood Glue (1/4 diluted)
- Wood Glue (1/8 diluted)
- Crazy Glue (all-purpose)
- Plumbers Glue (plastic glue)
- Green Stuff (Marine Epoxy)
- Wood Filler
- Drywall Filler
- Various brushes, sponge brushes
- Glue gun and Glue sticks

- Gallon of Acrylic paint (rejects and returns only), Dark Brown for dirt and Grey for rocks.
- Playsand
- Plumbers Putty (for weighing down my bases)
- Fender Washers (as big and thin as possible)
- Roll of Tie Wire

Stuff I get for free at the HW store
- 1/2" MDF coverboards
- 1/8" MDF coverboards
- 1/8" Hardboard coverboards
- 1" to 3" broken styrofoam. They come with Sytrofoam dunnage... very handy for Moria Pillars or walls
- 1/2" Corrogated Cardboard from packaging
- 1"x1" Nailing Strips (broken/curvy)
- Vinyl flooring ends
- 1/16" Lathe (in between lifts of dimensional lumber lathe is placed to keep the loads secure, and its all over the place)

Stuff I get from the Dollar Store
- Cheap Acrylic Paint (for terrain)
- Toys
- Sword toothpicks
- BBQ scewers
- Scouring pads
Things I found on the Curb
Artificial Christmas Tree
Foam, bedding (for making your storage trays)
Styrofoam
Cardboard
Stuff I have thats nice to borrow aswell
Table Saw
Mitre Saw
Router
Drill Press
Electric Drill
Vice Clamp

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http://drinkingwotr.blogspot.com/ - Links to my CrAzY House Rules, Games and 'poor man's' terrain.

I try to use as much scrap as I can. I find all kinds of things free.I use a lot of saw dust.
Good tool list too.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I was thinking saw dust too but it seemed like such a pain. I live in a town house and my shop is on the patio deck so mixing paint with sawdust and sifting it... bah... I'm buying the woodland Scenics. Its actually not that expensive. I use the big pack saw so I do have access to lots of sawdust. So fun bucking lifts in half.

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http://drinkingwotr.blogspot.com/ - Links to my CrAzY House Rules, Games and 'poor man's' terrain.

It's really impossible for me to answer to this. But I'm going to, anyway.

When I started the hobby, all terrain building was quite expensive for me because I didn't have anything but scissors and card. Even the smallest project had a big start-up cost but I can't really consider that cost only for the particular project because the tools and most of the materials can be used again for many projects. I still have some of my first balsa wood and plasticard purchases left and of course all the tools are still usable. I bought a $35 silicon mould from Hirst Arts to make a small bridge but I've used the mould for many other projects and when I purchased it, I knew it would be useful for the rest of my days, so I did not consider it a 35-dollar-bridge.

I've even used my tools for non-terrain purposes, for example my long steel ruler, sharp knives, fillers etc. were very useful when I helped my brother wallpaper his apartment. To me it's impossible to set a cost of a tool or material to a single project unless it is used solely for that project.

-- Pasi

My list:

Foamboard-4 dollars
PVA-4 dollars
Hobby Knife -2 dollars

unless you want to include stuff like paints...

Not many new people have posted yet.

I think you are right about that. I think most people will have the most basic tools. But I am not sure what counts as basic.

I like it better than sand but not every one can get it free.

I was thing materials and paint. You would not want to waste GW paint on bark.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Since £30 is apparently $48.something, I've put more on, but there's not much more that I havee to say except find lots of bargains.

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"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.

I will try to do that!

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I've never made any terrain to date so I voted for the maximum - I have a lot of tools anyway so wouldn't have to buy them but I would want to spend whatever was necessary on materials to make a detailed as possible piece. I suppose what is "reasonable" depends on the individuals circumstances.

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Commission Availability : BOOKED SOLID (again lol)

More of my work at

www.ShadowandFlame.co.uk

Very true.

The poll is trending higher than I believed it might. I will give it some time.
Tools don't seem to be much of a problem.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Well i have built two basic boards out of simple materials (cardboard, paper mache etc) but i spent £25 on the citadel scenery painting pack alone, so i voted for a little more.
On the plus side i have used very little of the paint and grass for two 1 foot by 2 foot boards so it should serve me well for a while yet.

I am going to go shopping for current prices and I should have a better idea by next week.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

A 10mm WWI gamer suggested a stretchable fabric glue. I am testing it VS school glue. I pinhed down the fabric and attached some flocking. I should have waited between layers. It is not usually necessary. Cloth soaks up the glue so the second layer did not stick like I am use to.I will wait to see how it turns out before I try static grass,

I am not sure how to cost some of the materials. The floor Matt was $10 but it will make a lot of crop fields. The normal felt is about $.30 ea. The textured felt is $.99 ea.The bark is free. May be I should cost glue and flocking for start up.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I removed the pins from the felt this morning. The fabric glue is a lot better. The school glue made the felt as stiff as card. That is really not a problem in it self. The flexible stretchable fabric glue leaves the felt like cloth. This could be very desirable.I will try a larger piece with static grass.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Yay I cant wait!! Unfortunately I dont have any input... oh well

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Backlog reduction Oath Participant

I think (as an educated beginner) that it would help to address the basics: What are they? What tools will I be able to use for other projects (which clearly will bring the per-project cost down but be more of an initial investment)? When you say "small", do you mean under a foot square or larger? my workspace is limited, as is my drying-time for glue or paint. I also like to use re-purposed items like the sawdust, sand and tree bark you reference.
I appreciate any advice you can offer as an experienced designer/artisan.
Thanks.