Re: FT without breaking a tiny piggy bank...

***
I've amassed a pretty nice start for a fleet on a tiny
budget, one of my favorite ploys is to rummage the
bits boxes of the local gaming/hobby stores.
***

Many toy guns off of action figure vehicles, often 'trash', can do
surprisingly well. Model airplane bombs are great starts, and just
gluing
on odd fiddly bits.

I know of one fellow (don't have the URL at the moment) that swears by
card
similar to cereal boxes (triangles and squares glued in layers to make
3d)
with things like lentels and split peas to make domes.

I think you can do smashing things with plastic cutlery; the tips of
tines
of forks for fighter craft, and the handles cut and shaped offer other
possibilities. Unfortunately, my idea is strictly theoretical. Many
pieces
start brilliantly, and just sit waiting for me to finish them.

However, the cruisers I started out of Dixie fork handles have lovely
curves for the fellow that was tired of 'ships that look like bricks'...

Lastly, Germ's excellent work on space stations proves you can do
amazing
things with printed paper, if you do the folds right.

The_Beast