New Model Manufacturer

[Harrison90]

Thanks again for all the responses. Much appreciated.

 

My father and I have decided to back away from the forums for a bit until we can get our stuff in order behind the scenes and to try and keep everybody's hopes down.

 

I have said before I DO NOT want to fail at this. However this process will be long and argues so don't expect anything to major from us anytime soon.

 

Sorry to be Cpt. Bring Down here but I'm trying to keep everyone in mind of just how small we are and how little resources we have.

 

So don't get your hopes up to high but forget about us completely.

 

Thanks again.

 

Cheers

Harrison

[Royboy]

I think a very wise move indeed on your part Harrison.

The experience of people on this forum who have produced kits and a/m parts is VERY extensive and should be seriously noted.

Everyone giving advice here desperately wants you and your father to keep your shirts!

Sometimes dreams should remain just that.....dreams. Nothing wrong with that.

One day.....who knows?

Best regards.

 

 

Thanks again for all the responses. Much appreciated.

 

My father and I have decided to back away from the forums for a bit until we can get our stuff in order behind the scenes and to try and keep everybody's hopes down.

 

I have said before I DO NOT want to fail at this. However this process will be long and argues so don't expect anything to major from us anytime soon.

 

Sorry to be Cpt. Bring Down here but I'm trying to keep everyone in mind of just how small we are and how little resources we have.

 

So don't get your hopes up to high but forget about us completely.

 

Thanks again.

 

Cheers

Harrison

[thierry laurent]

If I had the same idea:

 

1. I would focus on a niche segment not yet explored by other manufacturers

2. I would start with small planes

3. I would start with planes for which data and existing warbirds and/or hangar queens are easily accessible

 

Accordingly, topics like the Cessna O-1, O-2, T/A-37 or the Rockwell OV-10 are probably interesting ones.

 

My 2 cents.

[Out2gtcha]

Id vote the Bronco out of those not only because I love the airframe, but its basically slab sided, with a rectangle for wings. The booms and canopy would be the harder part.

 

There are also quite a few 1:1 examples around to check out, as well as the aircraft not being that big, and no other manufacturers having put a 32nd version out.

[Youngtiger1]

Harrison, I think I will sure be interested in few sets of USAF, USN, and US Army aviation helmets and other flight suite stuff that can be displayed in aircrafts, fixed wings & rotors. Oh, in both scales 1/32 and 1/35.

 

In fact, you can go with Russians stuff as well since many countries are using their stuff.

[ericg]

Hi Harrison,

 

I have follwed this thread with interest and can state that I have done the same thing although I did start out small and didn't seek out others opinions on what would sell. I got into the aftermarket business because I wanted to make a copy of the Matra R530 missile that I scratchbuilt for my Mirage in order for me to use it on a different project. The fact that I was asked if I would sell a few took me by surprise, and soon enough I was asked if I was doing anything more for the Mirage. The rest is history as now I have my product in 21 different countries and many of the guys that buy my stuff are repeat customers. I was lucky enough to have accidently stumbled across a kit that hadn't really been touched before in the way of accessories. The moral of the story was that I did it for the love of my OWN hobby, not anybody elses, and selling the parts was a flow on from that process.

 

Using the profit that I made from the MIrage parts enabled me to purchase a 3D printer, and I used it to make parts that I wanted to use for my own kits. Once again I was asked if I was doing copies of them and that opened up a new area for me in the way of the Kinetic Hawk accessories that I produce. I also wanted to have a 1/32 V-1 Flying bomb in my collection, so this fairly simple airframe lent itself well to the very complicated task of designing it with CAD, something that I hadn't done before.

 

Looking at the process of Manufacturing your own kits, there is obviously far more than just making the parts. You will need to be proficient in basic to advanced scratchbuilding using the traditional techniques (and stuff that you haven't even thought of before). You will then need to be able to use CAD to design parts that may take fierce determination to design on a computer if you didn't previously have the skills (that is if you go down the 3D route). Next you will need to know how to duplicate the parts that you make in resin (unless you blow a large amount of money getting it made in injection moulded plastic). There are lots of guys (myself included) that can help you learn how to mould and cast parts and what equipment is needed. There is then packaging, postage, emails, quotes etc etc. I am lucky enough that my job allows me to sit around at home for most of the week on a fairly high pay and come up with stuff to do modelling wise. Silicone is very expensive so the initial outlay just to be able to replicate the part once is quite high. To do a full kit you could be looking at a couple of hundred dollars just in silicone.

 

My advise is simple mate. Look through your stash and think of something that you would like to see in resin on your own kit that hasn't been done before. It could be a missile, a different nosecone, a figure, anything really. Build it, mould it, cast it and then put it out there for the world to see. a WIP thread on LSP is a great way to get a bit of coverage, and if it is good then you will sell a few or you could sell lots. This will give you confidence and will also instill a bit of goodwill amongst your potential buyers for the next project. Forget about trying to make kits that a few people want to see as you could be the one up `**** creek without a paddle'. Stick to what you want and the rest will come easily.

 

Eric.

[wunwinglow]

Perfect advice Eric. You need the passion for the subject to carry you through the ups and downs. It worked for me too!!

 

Tim

[Harrison90]

Hey everybody, quick update for all of you. We have hit a few roadblocks with the 3D printing and the fact that I have become recently unemployed so, we have decided to not go with a 100% 3D printed models. We do still want to put out some products but they will be the more classic resin casts and what not.

 

We plan to still utilize 3D printing for making our masters and then creating our molds off of it. My father hopes to bring some large scale figures and I hope to eventually do a full aircraft kit but plan to start with accessories for aircraft.

 

I hope this hasn't put too much of a downer on this subject for you guys.

 

Thanks for the encouragement and help!

 

Cheers!

 

and hope to have good news for you all in the near future.

[GuildAero]

Eric's story is so familiar, but it has never happened to me! Make something, others like it, sell copies, roll, roll, roll, end up successful (whatever you conceive that to be).

I can only say well done. Luck smiled upon you. To make enough profit from a simple accessory to buy a 3D printer is remarkable.

All this, as the discussion on the slot car forums is all about how the small producer is about to die out because people won't pay a decent price for anything. I know people with a large range of superb models who are on the knife edge all the time.

Significantly this model aircraft business is oft quoted as a comparator, where aftermarket stuff sells for good money and in sufficient volume to sustain a cottage manufacturer until they become a mainstream manufacturer.

That NEVER happens in the slot car world and many are considering their positions, which leaves a pattern maker like me a bit worried. All the talk of CAD and 3D printing doesn't help those of us without that knowledge either.

 

I wish you good luck as a disappearance in the niche markets is in nobody's interests.

 

Martin

[Harrison90]

Hello everybody. I'm sure we have all seen the news about HK Models 1/32 Do335. That has brought me massive pleasure knowing we will all finally have one in the proper scale.

 

However there may be some progress on the horizon for me and my father. I myself may have a solid job that pays more than comfortably well. This means that we can finally start to make some progress with some newly achieved cash flow.

 

Now we may not start with the most popular or the biggest thing, but we will keep you all on the in.

 

Thanks again for the support. This project will, eventually, turn out some sort of product for all of you.

 

Cheers!