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Post by c0d3monk33 on Mar 21, 2005 13:50:36 GMT 12
Phil, don't take this the wrong way but I'm kinda underwhealmed by the metal crates and barrels you're offering at PitYak. They seem a little lacking in detail and texture. I really feel you could do better...honest! Did you sculpt them yourself or are you re-selling from another supplier? Why metal can I ask? Wouldn't a resin product be better? And more detailed? Out of curiosity I've sculpted and resin/plaster cast a barrel set myself in the past, it's online here: www.tabletop-terrain.com/stu/website/city/barrels.htm. This was a couple of evening's work but I need to re-work it due to problems with the halves not fitting together well. I'm also considering sculpting up a simple crate master... My 2c. |
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Post by PitYak Studios on Mar 21, 2005 14:22:44 GMT 12
You haven't seen them in the flesh though have you? Both those molds have worn out due to the number of repeat orders I've had for them, so they can't be too bad.
The bare metal pics don't really do them justice. Have you seen the painted pics?
Metal is far superior for a job of this nature to resin. These are both cast in push molds to avoid mold lines, but resin does not have the density to adequately fill such a mold, whereas a stream of molten lead pretty much goes anywhere it wants. I could vent the mold to allow better flow of resin, but that would defeat the purpose of the push mold in the first place.
The second major factor is cost. These were never meant to be works of art, but affordable battlefield accessories. Casting in metal is vastly cheaper than resin, both in terms of material and labour costs. Doing the same items in resin I would not realistically be able to sell them as cheaply.
Thirdly, failure rate of lead casts is exactly 0%.
And finally, but most importantly, nothing feels nicer than a big hunk of lead. Resin casts, whether figures or accessories, just don't have the tactile appeal of lead. There is also still a pervading attitude of "metal = quality" whether that's accurate or not.
My first minis (when I eventually get around to casting them) will most likely be in metal. Despite any advantages resin may have, I believe metal figures (in 28mm at least) will always be more popular.
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Post by c0d3monk33 on Mar 21, 2005 14:29:00 GMT 12
Heh, no I haven't seen them in the flesh...I have to admit I haven't been tempted to purchase any because of the above comment...that was kinda my point I guess. I figured I'd just spend a week and sculpt my own...give me a chance to use the tools I've picked up from PitYak. Out of curiosity have you tried casting terrain stuff like this with some of the hard plaster products around? Like Hydrostone or Ultracal 30? They give the garage caster (like myself) a nice mix of durability and weight. Although the failure rate is higher than 0%  My 2c. |
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Post by PitYak Studios on Mar 21, 2005 14:42:28 GMT 12
I've not used either of those, the one i use i completey forget the name of, something like "resin plaster", made by a french company i believe. I don't mind plaster casting, I just always end up with piles of casts lying everywhere drying. I don't like sending any out until i think they are completely dry, which can take a fair while. At least resin is rock hard overnight.
That's the thing with casting, no ideal material.
metal; cheap, easy, low fail rate, recyclable (which is useful when you've got boxes of one product, and someone wants the other one!)
resin; tricky to mix, tricky to cast, higher fail rate, expensive, but generally better detail
plaster; cheap again, pretty good casts, but no snob appeal - people go "ugh! plaster? I want resin or metal"
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Post by PitYak Studios on Mar 21, 2005 14:53:28 GMT 12
Come to think of it, it's a pity you didn't join up sooner, I sent out a few resin barrels as free gifts.
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Post by c0d3monk33 on Mar 21, 2005 15:05:46 GMT 12
Damn! Ah well. Serves me right for being based in Auckland (although I have an Aunt that owns a store in Petone) and not discovering PitYak until recently... I'm curious to see your first miniature too btw...I'm considering embarking on a little bit of figure sculpting myself as soon as I find the free time. I peeked at the PitYak web-site during lunch but couldn't see any 'greens' or previews  ...did I miss something? |
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Post by PitYak Studios on Mar 21, 2005 15:52:42 GMT 12
No you didn't miss anything; any wip pics i tend to post here rather than on the site, but i haven't shown anything of my minis.
What store is your aunt's?
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Post by c0d3monk33 on Mar 21, 2005 15:57:51 GMT 12
Ah well, I shall keep an eye out on these forums then.
Regarding materials I hear what you're saying. I guess things are a bit different when trying to get people to part with their hard earned cash. I use a lot of resin (TopMark's Ultracast) for various bits and bobs...but now I think about it, I wouldn't like to try mass producing anything with it.
Speaking of resin does anybody know what product Battlefront is using for their FOW WWII line? I sure stinks like some kind of bog or fibreglass resin.
My Aunt owns 'Little People's on Jackson St...a children's store that's been there for at least 20 years.
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...did I miss something?