Sunday, April 28, 2013

Something really stinks...



Here is something from a while back that has gotten lost in all the frenzy of the last 9-12 months.


This particular FW item had an interesting quality to it, or lack thereof.  I had to resculpt at least 30% of this... from scratch.  The 'tail' section was gone... non existent.  Knowing that other instances led to either getting the wrong replacement part, or the same of something that I didn't need (you will hear more on that this week), I just went ahead and sculpted the part that was missing.


The trend in FW has grown more and more disturbing.  I don't know if demand is stretching them even thinner, which might be the case, but they won't get any more demand from me.  I heard many similar horror stories at Adepticon.


When it takes me less time to make something from scratch than it does to assemble the actual kit, that might be a signal that something is amiss in the production process.  We already have a Finecast ban in place.  That is why we have been moving further and further away from GW stuff in general.


I am sorry that this post is a somewhat petulant affair, but this morning's FW extravaganza has me wanting to toss that poo all over the room...

By the way, it was also much easier to paint the section that I sculpted.  These views show that back 30% quite well.  It starts from the rotors backwards.



15 comments:

  1. I agree completely. In general I have been lucky with my FW purchases, but based on what I have seen those days are over. I am pretty much done with all GW except for the occasional plastic or old metal. I just don't feel I am a good enough sculptor to do FW or Finecast minis, and frankly for those prices I shouldn't have to be. Good luck, Jim.

    ~Chad

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    1. Those things are all part of our rationale as well. It would also be different if other companies (who don't have anywhere near the same resources)did not have those issues!

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    2. Yeah, I just don't get it. And I doubt it is a mass production issue, as most of the Reaper Bones seem pretty decent. I think it is just GW seeing what the public will tolerate.

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  2. Sucks about the missing part but your scratch built part blends in perfectly. I love the colors! Could you share what colors you used for the greens?

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    1. I don't think it was very elaborate. I mixed what looked like a Catachan green with yellow, tan, and even sky blue, changing the mixture as I worked my way around the miniature. This meant that no two areas of skin or armor were exactly the same...

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  3. Quite an amazing piece. Best, Dean

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  4. Your painting and sculpting repair work are fantastic on this (like we'd expect anything less from you! =op ), but you have my total sympathy.

    Almost nothing I've *ever* bought from FW has been 100% correct, and I'm sick of having to phone them to complain about virtually every order. The amount of prep work their stuff requires is also a hilarious time-sink that could easily be better spent on a nicer paintjob, a fancier base, themed terrain... Anything really.

    As for Finecast (wow, weird to type that properly and not in my usual spelling!), it is something that just breaks my heart. Models that I'd normally like to buy, are now so expensive that they make your eyes water just thinking about them, and all at a quality that is good enough only for the bin. I'm sorry, but I refuse to spend a single penny on FC, and doubly-so as there appears to be absolutely no sign at all of any improvement whatsoever.

    My purchasing trend has seen me moving away from GW stuff generally, and the more other companies put out nicer stuff in a better quality and for less cost, the more of my money they get. What's really surprised me as well, is that I now also enjoy the feeling of helping a "little company" out by purchasing from them too.

    I just don't think GW care about their customers any longer.

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    1. I thank everyone for sharing their stories with me here. I started to think that I was either an idiot or very unlucky. However, this is just about standard when you ask folks what sort of issues they may have had with these products. It is such a shame, as it does not have to be this way.

      I had thought that the ability to get large funding for the small miniature companies via KS might have lit a fire under GW to change this attitude, but alas...

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  5. I have purchased exactly one Forgeworld item a Pre-Heresy apothecary and it was a thing of beauty but I do understand this is quite rare!

    Yes as much as I may deride Mantic for their terrible mould lines at least I never have to re sculpt ENTIRE portions of the model! Great work BTW I take it designed to compliment the Decimator from earlier this year?

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    1. Yes, this guy goes with the decimator and the other two plague Koptas. :-)

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  6. I feel your pain. I had to manufacture pieces of FW vehicles after they left major pieces out of my last order, and I've spent way too much time trying to resculpt Finecast minis to go down that road again. On the other hand, GW plastic kits keep getting better. So, I'll stick with the plastics and just make do without resin.

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    1. Yes indeed. I have told buyers that they would be better off getting me plastic kits to convert, since it would be more unique, stronger, and not drive me insane!

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  7. Even I kind of forgot once it was primed!

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