Failcast true value
- Thread starter Sand Rat
- Start date
Ebonbuddha
Active member
I have always heard that resin was a cheaper material. I really like Fenryll miniatures. they are cheaper ad much better sculpts. I have never had a bad Fenryll cast.
Nope it means GW are charging $8 in the box. As a separate piece no doubt it'll be priced according to some marketing executives wet dream.
Resin is cheaper, but you pay according to the quality you want to be able to manufacture.
Difference between metal and resin prices at the moment is that resin costs are staying stable (very little fluctuation) against metals higher variation.
Having said that resins unit price is still far cheaper, even when you add the mould replacement factor in.
As I've said before Gw's ability to negotiate bulk purchase of raw materials means that their unit price will be far far below the boutique manufacturers costs. Which is why I'm happier buying items from the likes of Automaton, Lono and the McVeys, whose prices may be on a par with GW but the quality outstrips GW by a quantum leap.
So basically I've voted with my wallet and I'm only buying figures I really like or have a major jones to paint.
Last edited:
Dain Q Gore
New member
The new-ish plastic lord/hero sprues run about 14.75 USD according to the GW site
Sand Rat
New member
Same here - also things like getting a resin rather than plastic Veermyn lord from Mantic as a freebie, or extras from Defiance when the order was placed -
terroroy
Member
you don't live in australia do you? that's what we are fortunate enough to pay over here!
AndyG
Active member
The true worth of a finecast well I judge them so,
1. Does it have enough bubbles in it to make it behave if you so wished as a good cheese grater? If so+1.
2. Are it's features so hideously lumpen from poor moulding to put the willies up The Lord Nurgle himself? If so +1
3. Are sufficient limbs/ weapons etc missing so you require several sets to make one complete figure so you have the joy of using it as a 3D puzzle? If so +1
4. Does it have all the structural strength of a soap bubble? If so +1
5. Is it mass for mass more expensive than gold to give mummy and daddy a reason to take a short term 1800% loan from your friendly local loan shark to satisfy their teen sons GW cravings? If so +1
6. Is it despite the vastly cheaper production and air freight shipping cost ( its that light you could just blow it there) sold at nearly double the retail cost to everyone fortunate to be in the southern hemisphere? If so +1
I would be very glad to hear of other peoples measuring techniques.
1. Does it have enough bubbles in it to make it behave if you so wished as a good cheese grater? If so+1.
2. Are it's features so hideously lumpen from poor moulding to put the willies up The Lord Nurgle himself? If so +1
3. Are sufficient limbs/ weapons etc missing so you require several sets to make one complete figure so you have the joy of using it as a 3D puzzle? If so +1
4. Does it have all the structural strength of a soap bubble? If so +1
5. Is it mass for mass more expensive than gold to give mummy and daddy a reason to take a short term 1800% loan from your friendly local loan shark to satisfy their teen sons GW cravings? If so +1
6. Is it despite the vastly cheaper production and air freight shipping cost ( its that light you could just blow it there) sold at nearly double the retail cost to everyone fortunate to be in the southern hemisphere? If so +1
I would be very glad to hear of other peoples measuring techniques.
MAXXxxx
Well-known member
That's why I asked.
In the starter box there is no failcast mini, only plastic ones, so I don't see the relation between the 2 of them.
$8 vs $28: probably to boost the limited sales, and because the starters are usually a pretty good deal. I mean the content even without the extra chaplain is priced... almost right
same here. This year all I bought from GW was the daemon chariot. While I'm pretty sure I spent more than I really wanted to / need on everything else (like old Conf figures, CMON Kickstarters, KD, etc)
RuneBrush
New member
I'd heard that the chaplain was finecast too, I think it was just an assumption that GW hadn't done a limited run single plastic before and somewhere it got put onto a rumour site. The limited ed box set is actually quite good value for money if you're planning to get a boxed set as the mini is nicely sculpted.
boubi
New member
Plastic kit is much better but development cost much higher! To develop such tools cost money as injection tooling, not casting tooling. By using injection molding process, no more bubbles, nice details, really really cheap plastic. I believe that they will tend to change all their cast range by plastic.
I think the major problem of GW is that they tried to find resin which is quite cheap and can be cast in their old metal molds. Imagine all these molds to throw away by changing your material and process... The resin might be a bit thicker but with less shrinkage for a good price, but might result with air bubbles, whatever our main customers are players who don't really care about high end casting results. DONE.
I am, by no mean, a casting expert, but I believe that GW would make this kind of "business choices" to get rid of their highly fluctuating material.
I think the major problem of GW is that they tried to find resin which is quite cheap and can be cast in their old metal molds. Imagine all these molds to throw away by changing your material and process... The resin might be a bit thicker but with less shrinkage for a good price, but might result with air bubbles, whatever our main customers are players who don't really care about high end casting results. DONE.
I am, by no mean, a casting expert, but I believe that GW would make this kind of "business choices" to get rid of their highly fluctuating material.
RuneBrush
New member
The original rumour was that GW was implementing finecast as a stopgap until they could produce everything in plastic. With the quality of this special character it looks like they're beginning to go down this route. I think I'm right in saying that this is the first "single sprue named character" they've done? Everything else I believe has been generic characters.
boubi
New member
A GW employee told me that they might start producing more plastic kit with custom base for 40K (did already for Fantasy, Orc Shaman, Nurgle Chaos Lord, ...).
Another advantages to plastic kit is the number of small options you can add beside, different heads, different weapons, etc... for almost the same price (mold and material) but greater value for their customer. Because I believe that they care about them, but their target is gamers, not painters! A gamer will throw more money in shorter time than a painter (especially 40h/mini painter), this is a rational business choice...
Another advantages to plastic kit is the number of small options you can add beside, different heads, different weapons, etc... for almost the same price (mold and material) but greater value for their customer. Because I believe that they care about them, but their target is gamers, not painters! A gamer will throw more money in shorter time than a painter (especially 40h/mini painter), this is a rational business choice...
Avelorn
Sven Jonsson
While I agree that level of quality (using quality in the proper way) Finecast is subpar I cannot believe that some people claim that metals or plastics yields better detaillevel or any such.
First. If I were strictly a gamer I'd prefer plastics but for painting the plastics still carry so many flaws due to how it is cast. It is getting better but still the majority of minis it is not on par with metal or finecast when you start looking closely. The metal moulds still seem to be limiting what you do and there are only a few plastic kits that fits the bill for me. The rest needs resculpting. If not for pathetic looking fur then for the no-detailed surfaces resulting for the inability to do undercuts.
When it comes to details the finecast is like regular resin just less of a pain to work with. It's almost like painting a green in that everything is sharper, more detailed and how it was intended. Now when I do GW characters of course I buy Finecast. I just have to do the old miniature-puzzle which means sometimes breaking and putting together several minis to get one that works. But when you get a good finecast it is the best material I have worked with. It's just that it still carry batches that have unacceptable amount of errors which is a hassle.
But... I don't buy the bad batches and I don't care that much if they suck. From 1994-1995 when I started this hobby I've heard the same thing about GW loosing it, raising prices and going commercial, betraying old customers blabla, I guess I never expected that much from them and that's why I dont mind as much as some do. It's like the flip of a coin for some, either you love the company or you don't. And when you start disliking parts of it the entire thing falls apart. It's never been like that for me. Or perhaps I am too tolerant of the people and companies I like...
First. If I were strictly a gamer I'd prefer plastics but for painting the plastics still carry so many flaws due to how it is cast. It is getting better but still the majority of minis it is not on par with metal or finecast when you start looking closely. The metal moulds still seem to be limiting what you do and there are only a few plastic kits that fits the bill for me. The rest needs resculpting. If not for pathetic looking fur then for the no-detailed surfaces resulting for the inability to do undercuts.
When it comes to details the finecast is like regular resin just less of a pain to work with. It's almost like painting a green in that everything is sharper, more detailed and how it was intended. Now when I do GW characters of course I buy Finecast. I just have to do the old miniature-puzzle which means sometimes breaking and putting together several minis to get one that works.
But when you get a good finecast it is the best material I have worked with. It's just that it still carry batches that have unacceptable amount of errors which is a hassle. But... I don't buy the bad batches and I don't care that much if they suck. From 1994-1995 when I started this hobby I've heard the same thing about GW loosing it, raising prices and going commercial, betraying old customers blabla, I guess I never expected that much from them and that's why I dont mind as much as some do. It's like the flip of a coin for some, either you love the company or you don't. And when you start disliking parts of it the entire thing falls apart. It's never been like that for me. Or perhaps I am too tolerant of the people and companies I like...
