Re: Various modeling issues, was Re: 3-D printers in the news
Kurt Laughlin <fleeta@...>
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Storzek
$19 - $20 per set of five parts, or $4 per part, for a set which is
enough to do one tank.
Prices of HO scale parts, for comparison:
Tichy AB Brake set, maybe 6 - 8 parts, enough to do one car - $2.50
Tichy K brake set, maybe 6 - 8 parts, enough to do one car - $2.50
Calscale brake sets, $3.50 - $4
Calscale coach steps, 4, enough to do one car - $8.20
----- Original Message -----
Those really aren't valid comparisions.
The armor item is expensive because it's a RP item. It's a RP item because it's really not practical to make any other way - there's an inherent cost premium. If you want to look at typical armor aftermarket, try these:
http://www.formationsmodels.com/226916.html
http://www.formationsmodels.com/268136.html
----- Original Message -----
There are a couple things evident here. Given that the HO scale
modeler can buy an entire brake equipment for one car for $2.50 - $4,
there might be some sales resistance to paying $20 for anything that's
just an add-on detail. Admittedly, the brake sets are injection
molded, so are inexpensive to produce, once the tooling is paid for,
and since both manufacturers OEM to resin kit manufacturers, they have
a reasonable volume.
----- Original Message -----
There are cheap IM detail and accessory sets available for tanks, too. People have just learned that you get what you pay for.
----- Original Message -----
At the prices that HO scale parts sets command, there is really not
much impetus to develop new ones.
----- Original Message -----
Well, direct replacements, probably not, but what about new items altogether (like Plano roofwalks) or better editions (like P2K trucks and wheels)?
----- Original Message -----
If the hobby wants to see a continuous stream of new parts, they
are going to have to get comfortable with the idea of paying 2, 3, or
more times what they pay now, or everything will be ready to run, and
there will be little if any separate parts available.
----- Original Message -----
That's kinda what I started out asking: Why haven't the RPMers or other detailers pushed the RR detail market by paying more for better? Alternatively, why haven't there been better kits made? At the armor convention last month one of the company reps was noting that sales of detail parts are down while kit sales are up - because the kits have gotten so much better that aftermarket isn't really necessary for most modelers. The detailers like me are more likely to scratchbuild the improvements rather than buy them because the basic kits are so good that making them better still takes work.
I guess I see a comparably sized market for RPMs/detailers as there is for advanced armor modelers (but less than aircraft modelers), yet much less product support for the train people. Apparently, this has been the case for decades, and it still puzzles me.
KL
From: Dennis Storzek
$19 - $20 per set of five parts, or $4 per part, for a set which is
enough to do one tank.
Prices of HO scale parts, for comparison:
Tichy AB Brake set, maybe 6 - 8 parts, enough to do one car - $2.50
Tichy K brake set, maybe 6 - 8 parts, enough to do one car - $2.50
Calscale brake sets, $3.50 - $4
Calscale coach steps, 4, enough to do one car - $8.20
----- Original Message -----
Those really aren't valid comparisions.
The armor item is expensive because it's a RP item. It's a RP item because it's really not practical to make any other way - there's an inherent cost premium. If you want to look at typical armor aftermarket, try these:
http://www.formationsmodels.com/226916.html
http://www.formationsmodels.com/268136.html
----- Original Message -----
There are a couple things evident here. Given that the HO scale
modeler can buy an entire brake equipment for one car for $2.50 - $4,
there might be some sales resistance to paying $20 for anything that's
just an add-on detail. Admittedly, the brake sets are injection
molded, so are inexpensive to produce, once the tooling is paid for,
and since both manufacturers OEM to resin kit manufacturers, they have
a reasonable volume.
----- Original Message -----
There are cheap IM detail and accessory sets available for tanks, too. People have just learned that you get what you pay for.
----- Original Message -----
At the prices that HO scale parts sets command, there is really not
much impetus to develop new ones.
----- Original Message -----
Well, direct replacements, probably not, but what about new items altogether (like Plano roofwalks) or better editions (like P2K trucks and wheels)?
----- Original Message -----
If the hobby wants to see a continuous stream of new parts, they
are going to have to get comfortable with the idea of paying 2, 3, or
more times what they pay now, or everything will be ready to run, and
there will be little if any separate parts available.
----- Original Message -----
That's kinda what I started out asking: Why haven't the RPMers or other detailers pushed the RR detail market by paying more for better? Alternatively, why haven't there been better kits made? At the armor convention last month one of the company reps was noting that sales of detail parts are down while kit sales are up - because the kits have gotten so much better that aftermarket isn't really necessary for most modelers. The detailers like me are more likely to scratchbuild the improvements rather than buy them because the basic kits are so good that making them better still takes work.
I guess I see a comparably sized market for RPMs/detailers as there is for advanced armor modelers (but less than aircraft modelers), yet much less product support for the train people. Apparently, this has been the case for decades, and it still puzzles me.
KL