Commercially casting miniatures-thoughts.

[Eoin OCnaimhsi]

Greetings all.

If hypothetically speaking I found myself tomorrow with the moulds for a line of figures how viable would it be to produce them?

I understand the huge number of different variables such as how popular is the line, and therefore how likely to sell, the price of white metal is quite high, the cost of shipping, the skill required to use a centrefugal machine etc.

I suppose I want to know if in 2022 is small scale (shed out the back) metal miniature production still worth while commercially?

Thanks.

[fred]

Applying some more general business principles - rather than specific miniatures knowledge - and apologies if this is telling you stuff you already know.

You have two sets of costs. Fixed and variable.

For miniatures the main fixed costs would be (these are costs that are the same whether you make 1 or 1000 figures, though will increase in steps if volumes get very high)
Moulds - either cost to acquire or make
Spin casting and melting machinery
Premises (an existing  shed is pretty cheap!)

With these you need to think about how long (years) you want to pay off the cost of them - and how many figures that might be spread over. The more you can sell the lower these costs are per figure.

Then you have variable costs, that vary with the amount of figures you make and sell
Postage
Metal
Power
Labour

With these it’s about working out the likely cost per figure and hoping that is a reasonably low percentage of what you would want to sell the figures for. The overall amount of these costs will increase as you sell more - but the percentage of them per figure should remain fairly constant.


With fixed costs you have spent the money upfront - so how important recovering these are depends on where you got the money from. If its a loan, then you definitely need to be covering it in sales. If its money you have personally invested, then it depends how important it is for you to recover it.

With variable costs - you must be more than covering these with each sale - as you need to keep buying these items as you sell more.

[Dags]

There's an old joke; How do you make a million from Wargaming? Start with 2 million.....

Most of the 'cottage industry' gaming companies are getting by on tiny margins these days (hence international distribution being unviable). Costs have rocketed in the last 12 months; white metal has doubled as has the cost of mould blanks and power. And increases in postage and regulations have almost killed the international market.

With the right range of minis (and good condition moulds) it is still, just, possible imo to make a small profit but making a livable wage is another matter.

[black hat miniatures]

I disagree - if you are doing your own casting it is still possible to make a living from the wargames industry.  it is a business like any other and you need treat it as a business.

This means producing figures that sell, not the niche thing you want to produce, advertising, attending shows, etc.

I made a living for 17 years  from wargames figures and Toy Soldiers - not a huge income but enough to live on quite happily.

Mike

[has.been]

I agree with both Dags & Fred. To their comments I would add

Option 1) Choose a few basic figures, e.g. Napoleonic British & French line Infantry.
then cast masses of them. People can go elsewhere for Officers, drummers, cavalry etc.
Sell these in big packs.

Option 2) Choose a rarity, e.g. Mameluke Napoleonic Cavalry  that (almost) no-one else
covers. Sell those at a higher price. People won't buy hundreds of these.

[Eoin OCnaimhsi]

All very helpful replies. Thank you.

It is something I have just started to look at as a possible side career or even new career as my current career allows me time to pursue other endeavours.

I am not UK or U.S based though and this probably would be a huge disadvantage.