A cunning plan?

[DGE-Railroad]

I'm not sure if this is a cunning one or not. Sometimes these seem inspired, sometimes they're not.

I was looking everywhere for a decent G scale US loco crew for the steam era and pretty quickly discovered choices fall in the tiny to non-existant category. My favourite was this character who is no longer available


Having seen the ModelU / Claudia Everett offerings, I was lusting for something of this level. There's nothing!
Given most G scale is either US steam or diesel and that steam offers by far the most scope for putting in a crew, it seems there's a big gap in the market. I tried Shapeways but couldn't find anything suitable there.

Then I wondered... What if some UK members who could get to the ModelU offices in Shrewsbury would be interested in dressing the part and getting scanned?
I don't know if ModelU would offer a discounted rate for the scan, given the session has the potential to open up a large and lucrative market to them, but I've posed the question to them. Otherwise it's £30 for the scan. I don't know if you own the rights to the scan afterwards in that case..

I'd be up for it (although I'm not sure I would really fit the accepted look )

 

[Paul M]

I'm surprised Modelu haven't a stock of generic figures that would suit

 

[DGE-Railroad]

I'm surprised Modelu haven't a stock of generic figures that would suit

There are a few generic ones that might do at a push Paul, but they are dressed such that they'd struggle to be convincing I think. I'm yet to find the stereotypical dungarees

Given the end product isn't the cheapest, I think it needs to look pretty right.

 

[maxi-model]

US crew - Woodland Scenics. Look good in anything around 1:20.3 & 1:22.5 (one of "G"'s alias's). Lots of options. I think Preiser might do some US figures too. Max

 

[DGE-Railroad]

US crew - Woodland Scenics. Look good in anything around 1:20.3 & 1:22.5 (one of "G"'s alias's). Lots of options. I think Preiser might do some US figures too. Max

Thanks Max. I'd looked at Woodland Scenics. The Earl & Eddie combo, as well as Ernie - I just didn't feel the faces were that great.
Presier definitely seem the nicest and most realistic. It's annoying that their engine driver seems to be in a walking pose, rather than a driving one! I mulled over getting one and chopping/repositioning limbs but I'm not sure I want to go down that route.

I may stick with a generic Modelu one and accept I need to forego the 'Casey Jones' look

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks Max. I'd looked at Woodland Scenics. The Earl & Eddie combo, as well as Ernie - I just didn't feel the faces were that great.
Presier definitely seem the nicest and most realistic. It's annoying that their engine driver seems to be in a walking pose, rather than a driving one! I mulled over getting one and chopping/repositioning limbs but I'm not sure I want to go down that route.

I may stick with a generic Modelu one and accept I need to forego the 'Casey Jones' look

If you can get a figure cheep enough chopping limbs, building up with filler can make a big difference. One of the better ways to get what you want. It really is difficult to screw up completely, paint job will make the resulting figure. Those cheepo chineese figures that appear on ebay give a good starting point.

 

[John Le Forestier]

I'm not sure if this is a cunning one or not. Sometimes these seem inspired, sometimes they're not.

I was looking everywhere for a decent G scale US loco crew for the steam era and pretty quickly discovered choices fall in the tiny to non-existant category. My favourite was this character who is no longer available
View attachment 261663View attachment 261663

Having seen the ModelU / Claudia Everett offerings, I was lusting for something of this level. There's nothing!
Given most G scale is either US steam or diesel and that steam offers by far the most scope for putting in a crew, it seems there's a big gap in the market. I tried Shapeways but couldn't find anything suitable there.

Then I wondered... What if some UK members who could get to the ModelU offices in Shrewsbury would be interested in dressing the part and getting scanned?
I don't know if ModelU would offer a discounted rate for the scan, given the session has the potential to open up a large and lucrative market to them, but I've posed the question to them. Otherwise it's £30 for the scan. I don't know if you own the rights to the scan afterwards in that case..

I'd be up for it (although I'm not sure I would really fit the accepted look )

I'm not sure if this is a cunning one or not. Sometimes these seem inspired, sometimes they're not.

I was looking everywhere for a decent G scale US loco crew for the steam era and pretty quickly discovered choices fall in the tiny to non-existant category. My favourite was this character who is no longer available
View attachment 261663View attachment 261663

Having seen the ModelU / Claudia Everett offerings, I was lusting for something of this level. There's nothing!
Given most G scale is either US steam or diesel and that steam offers by far the most scope for putting in a crew, it seems there's a big gap in the market. I tried Shapeways but couldn't find anything suitable there.

Then I wondered... What if some UK members who could get to the ModelU offices in Shrewsbury would be interested in dressing the part and getting scanned?
I don't know if ModelU would offer a discounted rate for the scan, given the session has the potential to open up a large and lucrative market to them, but I've posed the question to them. Otherwise it's £30 for the scan. I don't know if you own the rights to the scan afterwards in that case..

I'd be up for it (although I'm not sure I would really fit the accepted look )

Member Fred Mills in Ottawa sent me a link to this thread, so tonight I signed on to this site to reply. I make figures in all scales, 'tho not commercially. I have made hundreds in my day. I just began molding and casting them because I have been giving them away to friends and now I've decided that i wish I had been casting them instead of giving away what were effectively one-off masters.
Well, now I know better.
That's a good engineer, 'tho he looks a bit adenoidal to me!
What scale do you want - that is, what height of figure? Nowadays most of the figures I make for myself are 1:24, so I call 'em 3" which is a 6' man. (I'm tall.) What would you be willing to pay for a resin figure, painted, unpainted, assuming you liked him?
If you send me a pic I'll consider making one, or I could copy the one you've shown here but that would be expensive as I would make it a one-off and wouldn't commercialize my copy, though. Alternatively I'd consider making someone unique if you let me know just what you want.

 

[Paul M]

Nice long figures. If you're making them to spec, you will have a lot of interest.

 

[Shunter46]

Member Fred Mills in Ottawa sent me a link to this thread, so tonight I signed on to this site to reply. I make figures in all scales, 'tho not commercially. I have made hundreds in my day. I just began molding and casting them because I have been giving them away to friends and now I've decided that i wish I had been casting them instead of giving away what were effectively one-off masters.
Well, now I know better.
That's a good engineer, 'tho he looks a bit adenoidal to me!
What scale do you want - that is, what height of figure? Nowadays most of the figures I make for myself are 1:24, so I call 'em 3" which is a 6' man. (I'm tall.) What would you be willing to pay for a resin figure, painted, unpainted, assuming you liked him?
If you send me a pic I'll consider making one, or I could copy the one you've shown here but that would be expensive as I would make it a one-off and wouldn't commercialize my copy, though. Alternatively I'd consider making someone unique if you let me know just what you want.

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Hi I am having similar problems finding individual decent 1;24 scale figures other than the usual offerings. if the price was reasonable I would be interested in buying any/all of the above figures if avalible. If you are planning a “production“ run please add me to the list.Thank you.

 

[Bill Barnwell]

found some on EBay not sure they are available there but excellent detail and a very reasonable price made a grubby engineer out of 1 American Diorama

 

[John Le Forestier]

That's very encouraging, Shunter.

As I move forward with this project I shall keep you updated.

At the moment I have about a dozen successful casts, but I'm not yet ready to do much more than show a few samples. I have just about ironed out the many, many wrinkles and every day I further my casting techniques. I also begin brand new sculptures almost daily.

I now understand why Large Scale figures can be so expensive.

What kind of prices would work well for you chaps? I'm not at all sure that the majority would be willing to pay the real costs, so do get back to me with your honest views on prices.

Let's see where this leads. Hopefully we can talk this through to a point where everybody's happy with the outcome. Let's see where this leads.

Here is our little hobo, painted up. I borrowed his colour scheme, though not his body type, from a TV character named Greengrass, btw.
Cheers!

 

[Fred Mills]

Ahh yes, John..
Heart Beat's Claud Greengrass, a likable old fart...
Good to see you joining me here on this friendly Web Page.
You do nice work, my friend.

 

[Paul M]

That's very encouraging, Shunter.

As I move forward with this project I shall keep you updated.

At the moment I have about a dozen successful casts, but I'm not yet ready to do much more than show a few samples. I have just about ironed out the many, many wrinkles and every day I further my casting techniques. I also begin brand new sculptures almost daily.

I now understand why Large Scale figures can be so expensive.

What kind of prices would work well for you chaps? I'm not at all sure that the majority would be willing to pay the real costs, so do get back to me with your honest views on prices.

Let's see where this leads. Hopefully we can talk this through to a point where everybody's happy with the outcome. Let's see where this leads.

Here is our little hobo, painted up. I borrowed his colour scheme, though not his body type, from a TV character named Greengrass, btw.
Cheers!

View attachment 261756

If that's just a preproduction sample, you're obviously going in the right direction. It looks a lot neater than some of the offerings around.

 

[Shunter46]

That's very encouraging, Shunter.

As I move forward with this project I shall keep you updated.

At the moment I have about a dozen successful casts, but I'm not yet ready to do much more than show a few samples. I have just about ironed out the many, many wrinkles and every day I further my casting techniques. I also begin brand new sculptures almost daily.

I now understand why Large Scale figures can be so expensive.

What kind of prices would work well for you chaps? I'm not at all sure that the majority would be willing to pay the real costs, so do get back to me with your honest views on prices.

Let's see where this leads. Hopefully we can talk this through to a point where everybody's happy with the outcome. Let's see where this leads.

Here is our little hobo, painted up. I borrowed his colour scheme, though not his body type, from a TV character named Greengrass, btw.
Cheers!

View attachment 261756

Hi John
Nice work, very individual figures, just the sort I am looking for. If I may offer a few first thoughts. Price , it’s hard to say. It would help you keep your production time / costs down if you would consider selling the figures un-painted. This would allow prospective purchasers to paint their own for an even more unique individualistic look.
(This could be a good USP ) As a perspective customer my gut feeling would be around £15- £20 + postage each. This may not be realistic in view of your manufacturing costs. It’s the old problem of setting the price point to cover costs, make a decent profit but low enough to attract sufficient sales.These are my first thoughts.Hope this helps ? Please let me know what you think . And as you say let’s see where it goes.Please keep me in the loop.
Best
Don

 

[korm kormsen]

John le Forestier...
it's been a (too) long time, that i did not read anything from you.
the quality of your shown figures says, just demand, what you really need to charge for your efforts. don't try to compete pricewise with the massproducts on the market.

 

[John Le Forestier]

Korm: Yes it has been a long time, my very good old friend. I have been staying offline because I want to spend all time God sends me at my work benches, where my true interest lies.

However, I do participate in the operations get-togethers here in the northeast, so I see the usual suspects at these sessions 2-3 times a year.

It's a real hoot to hear from you and to see your little Snoopy again! Thanks for remembering me!

I am very grateful for your feedback on my figures, Shunter. At that kind of price I could make it work.

Fred called me today and reminded me of this truth - I'm happily retired and don't want to make a business of this.

But I generally care a more about things I've paid for with even a little of my own money.

If I'm able to share some of my figures with people who appreciate them and I manage to cover my costs in time and materials I'll be more than happy.

Korm, I wouldn't dream of trying to compete on price. I couldn't! I don't need or want a business out of this in any sense of the word! I also see the quality isn't there in the cheap figures.

A note to the chap who started all this with the US style engineer. How about telling us exactly what you want? I might well decide to make it anyway. I put engineers in all my locos, but let's get some input from you now, chum! vbg

Cheers to all three of you!

 

[PhilP]

That is a most excellent Engineer figure.. And, with that Fireman, I am sure express-speeds could be reached easily?

 

[Shunter46]

Korm: Yes it has been a long time, my very good old friend. I have been staying offline because I want to spend all time God sends me at my work benches, where my true interest lies.

However, I do participate in the operations get-togethers here in the northeast, so I see the usual suspects at these sessions 2-3 times a year.

It's a real hoot to hear from you and to see your little Snoopy again! Thanks for remembering me!

I am very grateful for your feedback on my figures, Shunter. At that kind of price I could make it work.

Fred called me today and reminded me of this truth - I'm happily retired and don't want to make a business of this.

But I generally care a more about things I've paid for with even a little of my own money.

If I'm able to share some of my figures with people who appreciate them and I manage to cover my costs in time and materials I'll be more than happy.

Korm, I wouldn't dream of trying to compete on price. I couldn't! I don't need or want a business out of this in any sense of the word! I also see the quality isn't there in the cheap figures.

A note to the chap who started all this with the US style engineer. How about telling us exactly what you want? I might well decide to make it anyway. I put engineers in all my locos, but let's get some input from you now, chum! vbg

Cheers to all three of you!

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Hi John
A few more thoughts if I may offer them ? Station and railway staff plus passengers are well catered for by the big boys.
You may want to consider the types of figures that they do not produce . This will give you a more exclusive niche to work in. I am thinking of other trades, carpenters, postmen, mechanics, tramps, lumberjacks, chimney sweeps, fishermen etc. etc. ( not forgetting the ladies to be politically correct)
Best
Shunter

 

[Fred Mills]

...and just plain OLD FARTS, found laying about in pubs, railway shows, bordellos, and wineries...!!!

 

[Shunter46]

...and just plain OLD FARTS, found laying about in pubs, railway shows, bordellos, and wineries...!!!

Now you are talking OLD FARTS are just what I need to finish of my bordello.!