Khurasan previews the end of the world.

[Sinewgrab]

The size and design would certainly lend itself to LED additions, especially if it is hollow cast.

[No Such Agency]

ZOMG.  That is huge.  But when you're going for "giant war machine", I guess it really is go big or go home.  Fantastic design too, reminiscent of many things but not derivative.

Good thing for humanity they will likely have slacked off on replacing their micro-organic particle filters, or can be hacked with an iPad, or are allergic to water, or something

[FramFramson]

Am I a bad man for pondering the feasibility of a three-strong squadron of these?  

Depends on who you inflict it on. 

[Khurasan Miniatures]

The size and design would certainly lend itself to LED additions, especially if it is hollow cast.

The upper body is, yes.  In fact if you need to occasionally get access to the inside of it, the kit is ideally laid out for that.  You could probably make the upper carapace removable with little effort.  The upper body is four pieces -- the face, two body sides, and the upper carapace.

By the way, we have built recesses into the sockets where the legs attach to the hip unit in case you want to magnetise the attachment point.  Being able to take the legs off could make transport easier.  One thing I hadn't thought of though is the leg socket is round so the legs may swivel around in the socket when held on by the magnets.  Rare earth magnets are incredibly powerful but the attachment may not prevent rotation within the socket.  Wish I had thought of it before!  But it's probably easily correctable by adding an anchor plug to the side of the magnet recess.

I've ordered a few from the caster.  My experience is that big models like this attract a lot of comments on the forums but don't sell that often (like the Mekanoid Dictator mech -- haven't sold one in months, and I think it's been a year or so since I sold a DPLS, essentially a dead product).  So it will be special order.  I'll have to figure out how much the shipping will be for one kit and tack that onto the price to the extent it exceeds my preset shipping charges.  So availability will depend on when I get those castings.  When I can sell this kit I will release the alien invaders as well.  If it's too close to the holidays it might have to wait until next year.

[maroonldr]

Is anyone else just getting a red x?

[Khurasan Miniatures]

It's on photobucket -- your place of business may have it blocked?

[Brummie]

The upper body is, yes.  In fact if you need to occasionally get access to the inside of it, the kit is ideally laid out for that.  You could probably make the upper carapace removable with little effort.  The upper body is four pieces -- the face, two body sides, and the upper carapace.

By the way, we have built recesses into the sockets where the legs attach to the hip unit in case you want to magnetise the attachment point.  Being able to take the legs off could make transport easier.  One thing I hadn't thought of though is the leg socket is round so the legs may swivel around in the socket when held on by the magnets.  Rare earth magnets are incredibly powerful but the attachment may not prevent rotation within the socket.  Wish I had thought of it before!  But it's probably easily correctable by adding an anchor plug to the side of the magnet recess.

I've ordered a few from the caster.  My experience is that big models like this attract a lot of comments on the forums but don't sell that often (like the Mekanoid Dictator mech -- haven't sold one in months, and I think it's been a year or so since I sold a DPLS, essentially a dead product).  So it will be special order.  I'll have to figure out how much the shipping will be for one kit and tack that onto the price to the extent it exceeds my preset shipping charges.  So availability will depend on when I get those castings.  When I can sell this kit I will release the alien invaders as well.  If it's too close to the holidays it might have to wait until next year.

Interesting you mention you haven't sold a DPLS or Mekanoid in awhile, I'am interesting in getting them, but currently neither fit into ongoing 15mm sci fi projects. I'll be sure to pick up the DPLS come the new year....

[maroonldr]

Hmmmm, that could be it. I'll have to check tomorrow. No problems at home though.

That thing is beast!

[Knightofspades]

Forget getting a new table, I need a new house to store that thing .

Great looking model!

[Etranger]

I could do with another DPLS......

[Khurasan Miniatures]

I don't want sympathy orders!  :-)  I do all this craziness to provide models people want and will paint and game with. If they do, great.  If not it was my misunderstanding of the market.

Thing is, there's a whole breed of people who propose that models be made, it actually seems to be their primary involvement in the hobby.  It's hard to filter them out when trying to decide what is lacking in the market.  They create a lot of noise but it's not proportionate to what interest really is.  The irony is that they often ask and ask and ask but when you finally make it they don't buy it!  

I reckon crowdfunding is the best way to let people put their money where their mouth is. Issue there is, people want to see what you're proposing to make, so you've already gone ahead and put in a substantial investment in the project.  I assume people will not pledge based on a written description, or a sketch on a cocktail napkin.  :-D

Also I've heard from several manufacturers that crowdfunding is a great way to pay for the production of a model, but only just.  You have to factor in the haircut of the fees and so on, and pad it a little to protect yourself in case some costs come in that were unexpected.  But then, there's a real risk that the crowdfunding will satisfy virtually all demand in the product and once the rewards ship there are no future sales.  So you put in all the effort to ... break even.

[Brummie]

I don't want sympathy orders!  :-)  I do all this craziness to provide models people want and will paint and game with. If they do, great.  If not it was my misunderstanding of the market.

Thing is, there's a whole breed of people who propose that models be made, it actually seems to be their primary involvement in the hobby.  It's hard to filter them out when trying to decide what is lacking in the market.  They create a lot of noise but it's not proportionate to what interest really is.  The irony is that they often ask and ask and ask but when you finally make it they don't buy it!  

I reckon crowdfunding is the best way to let people put their money where their mouth is. Issue there is, people want to see what you're proposing to make, so you've already gone ahead and put in a substantial investment in the project.  I assume people will not pledge based on a written description, or a sketch on a cocktail napkin.  :-D

Also I've heard from several manufacturers that crowdfunding is a great way to pay for the production of a model, but only just.  You have to factor in the haircut of the fees and so on, and pad it a little to protect yourself in case some costs come in that were unexpected.  But then, there's a real risk that the crowdfunding will satisfy virtually all demand in the product and once the rewards ship there are no future sales.  So you put in all the effort to ... break even.

We do have a similar problem here when it comes to quite a range of products, not just models, but books etc. We often get demands that we should stock a specific item, and as soon as it comes in; no one buys it.

There is a bit of a suspicion that there is an element of 'consumers' being more interested in seeing new stuff then actually purchasing it. There is a constant rush to see new products, but the actual buyers is much, much less.

I still want the DPLS though, I just have to wait....

[Khurasan Miniatures]

It's odd but true -- there are people who get satisfaction just knowing something is available without actually purchasing it.  That's fine, but of course it leaves the manufacturer in a precarious position.  You invested hundreds of dollars just to create a fleeting sense of happiness in a complete stranger.  :-D

I guess it's a sense of accomplishment?  "I got that made."  That could be it I imagine.

Anyway, I'm not sure how I got on to talking about this.    I hope to have a casting of the Element in a few weeks and will put it up for sale as soon as I do, but it will have to be cast to order.

[Legion1963]

Indeed. This a massive undertaking by any stretch of anyone's imagination. ;-)

[Etranger]

...
I guess it's a sense of accomplishment?  "I got that made."  That could be it I imagine.

Having helped get a few items into production via Eureka's (now defunct) 300 Club there is an element of that. I did however buy quite a lot of those once produced.

There's also the sad fact that income varies from time to time & discretioanry spending sometimes has to take a back seat.