Eolith Minis - Resin versus metal...

[SJB]

Here at Eolith, I'm looking for your thoughts once more...

I've been singing the praises of resin over the last year or so, and it's still my favourite casting medium but, I'm wondering if I should be going the more economical road of metal. Right now, margins are very tight. The price rise I did wasn't so much to make them more financially viable as to offset my caster VAT registering and my cats suddenly being 17.5% more expensive (with the potential for more if VAT rises further). So, I have been looking back at the metal option.

So, what are your thoughts.: resin or metal? Resin is a higher quality product but I could survive much better on the margins of metal (and should have lower prices depending on how those margins are these days).

 

[War Griffon]

I guess at the end of the day it would depend on your sales figures, i.e. if you are selling more of the 25/32mm stuff than the 54mm then cast the figures in metal and save the resin casts for the larger figures or special editions.

You could also go the same road as Sally and Kev when they released Barbarian Libby on the Tiger, make it a numbered release in resin then after that do them in metal.

Just a few thoughts Steve but either way you choose they are still a very good range )

Martyn

 

[ScottRadom]

I've heard all about the higher quality of resin, and it's something I agree with for sure.

I still like the heft of a metal mini. I vote metal!

 

[TAB Studio]

I vote metal for me also
as long as it is well cast

 

[Einion]

There have been a couple of discussions on resin v. metal on pF recently (can post links if you're interested) and there are a lot of interesting aspects to this on a technical/economic basis as well as re. customer expectation.

For me it mostly comes down to a question of surface finish. I like metal, it's what I started with when I got into figure modelling seriously, and I didn't take to resin at all when I first tried it. But resins are so often a better product - smoother with less chance of surface flaws, sharper detail, plus easier to work with in many ways.

Metal is still fine with me as long as the casting is top notch, which it has to be to directly compete with resin but this is rare IME.

Einion

 

[freakinacage]

as long as you get the quality, i'd rather go for the cheaper option.

 

[Joek]

Well Steve, as you know I've got the resin route because of the cost factor and low(ish) runs I intended. However, I've certainly been looking at the possibilities of metal casting when I get more in the way of a range - far too costly to do with only two or three figures in the mould .

At the end of the day, this is your livelihood and if that means going to metal making financial sense, then I certainly don't see any problems. At the end of the day, I've never had much of an issue with metal casting at all, and when it's painted the result is pretty much the same

 

[TreManor]

Steve, I would suggest metal, and more 28mm stuff. I love your work man, and I respect your artistic efforts, but I cannot help but think if you did more 28mm stuff you would have much better profit margins as the material is cheaper, there is less of it, you can sell it cheaper, ship it easier, etc.etc. I love your larger scale stuff, but I really miss seeing SJB 28mm fantasy

Please understand I mean no offense by this at all, nor do I mean to tell you how to do things. Just stating my opinion, which is not really worth squat as I am not a painter, and only the most casual of collectors.

 

[dave3555]

For me I would have to say for you to cast your figures in metal, and concentrate more 28mm minis.

I really love your sculpting style and your minis, but resin is a bit of a turn off for me as I do not really like it as a medium to work with too often.

A well cast metal miniature is my preference every time.

Dave K

 

[SJB]

One of the reasons I stopped Spyglass was because I just wasn't getting enough sales from 28mm fantasy. My style is quite simple so people tend to balk at paying out top dollar for them.

I can't imagine things have changed much. The 28mm fantasy market has surely got more competitive, not less.

And, Tre, no offense taken at all. And I think your opinion counts pretty well as someone who's actually doing the same thing as me.