It's very simple. If somebody is asking more for a product than you think it is worth, don't buy it. If you do buy it, you are saying it is worth what you are paying for it.
If you want the thread to be about designing and creating 3D models, you should keep your comments on that subject. When you start to complain about what other people are charging for their work, you invite rebuttals.
NorthsideChi Just trying to be diplomatic here, but this debate flared up over the original statement that you "didn't think it was fair to charge premium prices for those that don't have equipment." Maybe you didn't mean to say it like that.
Just trying to be diplomatic here, but this debate flared up over the original statement that you "didn't think it was fair to charge premium prices for those that don't have equipment." Maybe you didn't mean to say it like that.
I meant to say it exactly like that, but unfortunately there seems to be a difficulty with certain posts in response to mine understanding the difference between "premium prices" and "prices."
I feel like a broken record here. Posters, PLEASE read my posts on this thread before submitting a contribution, in agreement or otherwise. As I've already stated multiple times, I'm not opposed to people charging for their work. I'm opposed to the extremely high pricing people demand for something that I seem to be failing to prove (even if I post my own work) is not worth as much as being charged (I've already posted shapeways links as examples, and I very much am tired of repeating myself).
This thread is based of my perspective/ premise that the selling of these 3d models nowadays isn't the issue. Its the price of the 3d prints. File cost itself is something different and those prices ought to be much higher for a decent model as unpermitted resale is an issue, but on this thread I've been talking about the cost of the models, not the files.
Again, if you are not interested in exploring the possibilites of doing your own model design and printing to circumvent commercial 3d printed model services, or discussing possibilites for printing the model I am giving to you guys completely free, I would strongly advise you pursue and participate in threads that more align with your opinions, unless you are able to post in a manner that does not divert and hijack the intention of the origional post. And please please stop trying to get one more post in to continue the arguement or have the last word. I will not name names, but you know who you are...
This thread is in danger of being locked. This was supposed to invite collaboration for those who would like to consider doing something similar to what I am.
Lets get back to that please, for those of you who posted that you are interested in that possibilty.
I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.
xboxtravis7992That thing they made look easy represents hundreds of hours of hard work that you don't see in learning to master that subject.
Well said, 100%.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
NorthsideChi Just trying to be diplomatic here, but this debate flared up over the original statement that you "didn't think it was fair to charge premium prices for those that don't have equipment." Maybe you didn't mean to say it like that. I commended you for being gracious to create and share models with the community. That's a really nice thing to do. But don't preface it with spite towards those looking to make some money. I've personally never sold anything, but I've been taken advantage of. To have you stuff downloaded, modified, reposted and resold is hurtful. The way people combat this is high prices. Someone is less likely to take advantage of you on $50 download vs a $10 one. That issue aside it's often justified by the risk and time it takes to get everything going. Once you gain momentum, improve work efficiency, become savy with copyrights and licenses and your work is free errors, many choose to drop the prices. I encourage people to try and learn something new. Printers are coming down in price Learning 3D software is great for the mind, and the possibilities are endless. I'm not at home right now, but the printer is running off a couple building models for a friend's layout and I'm not there...what a time to be in the hobby! Fortunately that friend is appreciative and covering my NHL game ticket tonight. Everyone benefits.
I commended you for being gracious to create and share models with the community. That's a really nice thing to do. But don't preface it with spite towards those looking to make some money. I've personally never sold anything, but I've been taken advantage of. To have you stuff downloaded, modified, reposted and resold is hurtful. The way people combat this is high prices. Someone is less likely to take advantage of you on $50 download vs a $10 one. That issue aside it's often justified by the risk and time it takes to get everything going. Once you gain momentum, improve work efficiency, become savy with copyrights and licenses and your work is free errors, many choose to drop the prices.
I encourage people to try and learn something new. Printers are coming down in price Learning 3D software is great for the mind, and the possibilities are endless. I'm not at home right now, but the printer is running off a couple building models for a friend's layout and I'm not there...what a time to be in the hobby! Fortunately that friend is appreciative and covering my NHL game ticket tonight. Everyone benefits.
There's no need for you to defend your desire to make money from your hard work. What you have created is yours to do with as you please, including charging others who want to benefit from your work.
The free market is a wonderful way of determing a fair price for any commodity. What you have is worth whatever others are willing to pay for it. Your work is very impressive and you have every right to make money from it.
xboxtravis7992 Its like the Little Red Hen says, if you want the bread you have to put in the work for it... and those guys did and unless you want to master the process of drafting and making a model then testing how it works on a printer to prove you can do it better than them; you aren't really in a place to complain about their prices or negotiate for cheaper prices.
Its like the Little Red Hen says, if you want the bread you have to put in the work for it... and those guys did and unless you want to master the process of drafting and making a model then testing how it works on a printer to prove you can do it better than them; you aren't really in a place to complain about their prices or negotiate for cheaper prices.
I will recieve your comment as an ignorant statement (intentional or otherwise I do not know), knowing that is is quite clear that you have not made any effort to look at the wellcar model I designed (linked in my post higher up this page).
Seriously if you are going to tell people things about them that are blatantly untrue without even looking at their months of work on a single project they are offering to forum members for FREE, than your accusation of my not being in a place to make statements about others' prices holds absolutely no ground.
I designed that model from scratch, I actively tested it (I have a picture of my successful prints in that wellcar folder if you would even just look) and I spent a long time on actual model design and then further time on ironing out print failures.
I've done my work. I'm no different in design ability than these other sellers.
'Nuff said.
maxman BNSF UP and others modeler I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model. Really? Fair to whom? The person who did all the work? Or the person who wants it for free?
BNSF UP and others modeler I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model.
Really?
Fair to whom? The person who did all the work? Or the person who wants it for free?
I think I will express something I have learned...If somebody makes a job look easy, a painter doing a piece, an engineer calculating a solution to a problem, a musician picking up a guitar and banging out a tune, that thing they made look easy represents hundreds of hours of hard work that you don't see in learning to master that subject.The minority who has the time, equipment, and skills; became such through countless silent hours of banging their head against the wall, hashing out how to render files, doing test prints to see if their idea worked in the real world and what had to be tweaked, making measurements off a prototype to transfer it into model form, etc... assuming that the prices they charge for file access is overdone is unfair to the people who put in the work.Its like the Little Red Hen says, if you want the bread you have to put in the work for it... and those guys did and unless you want to master the process of drafting and making a model then testing how it works on a printer to prove you can do it better than them; you aren't really in a place to complain about their prices or negotiate for cheaper prices.
Bayfield Transfer Railway...
BNSF UP and others modeler Admittedly the topic and stance of this thread isn't for everyone. The purpose of this thread was to talk about the advantages of personal 3d printing and the ability to save money via its utilization in the scale modeling usecase. If you do not care about saving money or designing/sharing/printing your own models with other like minded modelers, this thread probably isn't for you.
Admittedly the topic and stance of this thread isn't for everyone. The purpose of this thread was to talk about the advantages of personal 3d printing and the ability to save money via its utilization in the scale modeling usecase. If you do not care about saving money or designing/sharing/printing your own models with other like minded modelers, this thread probably isn't for you.
Speaking of just peachy
This discussion reminds me uncomfortably of my mainframe programmer days."Programming isn't difficult! It's just words."Furthermore, I have no desire to learn a new software system and start a new hobby. If I want something that's 3D printed I'll pay for it.The creator has the right to ask whatever price they want. I have the right to decide to pay that price or not.Isn't that peachy?
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Ok managed to get all the links up. Have a looksee, maybe you can find something usable.
maxman I'm all about saving money, but don't have the technical savvy to do the d/s/p part. However, I do have a suggestion. Why don't you gather all the designs you've made and are willing to share at some location and post a link to them? I would be more than willing to copy any information that I might find useful and take it to someplace with the proper printing equipment (I understand that some public library now have that capability) and get what I need made.
I'm all about saving money, but don't have the technical savvy to do the d/s/p part.
However, I do have a suggestion. Why don't you gather all the designs you've made and are willing to share at some location and post a link to them? I would be more than willing to copy any information that I might find useful and take it to someplace with the proper printing equipment (I understand that some public library now have that capability) and get what I need made.
Sure thing. I'll post the links to my wellcar body + detial parts + wheels folder, the folder with models of shipping containers I've found online, and a folder with models of aircraft I've found online (I've been collecting for future use).
Some disclaimers: the only models I own are those in the 48' wellcar folder. Those are completely my work, they took several months to create, they are already HO scale, and they are print ready, the wellcar OBJ files even being pre supported for immediate printing. 95% of the parts for this car have been created, the only things missing are the tiny metal brackets that stick out from the corners of the wellcar, one brake assembly piece, and a couple body frame details. Now, for those on this forum or any online viewer who happens to come across this thread: these may be printed for personal use ONLY. You may make modifications to the files for personal use as you see fit, but please share them so the rest of us can benefit. If you want the origional .skp files, you will need to PM me. I've only provided the OBJ and STL files. You may NOT take credit for these models as your own or sell them, files OR the prints. The coupler pockets will take standard kadee #5 coupler boxes. You will need to drill your own mounting holes for the trucks. This model comes with no promises or "warranty". I'm not responsible for print failures or similar model frustration. There are images of some of the prints I've made in the folder as well. These have not been layout tested, nor have I completely assembled one of my own kits yet. Follow prototype photos and the general assembly of the intermountain model this is based on if you happen to have one on hand. Should be pretty self explanatory. Good luck.
Ok phew. Now, as for the rest of the models (in the aircraft and shipping container folders) those are not mine. You can do whatever you want with them sans take credit for them or sell them or their prints. They are mostly not scaled to HO or otherwise, and some are in STEP, STP, or other 3d formats. I highly recommend importing those into FreeCad, which can handle all of them and easily convert them to STL or OBJ.
To answer your last question Maxman, I don't really have the time to create any models at present, so I'm afraid I can't do much with your offer to provide ideas. All my recent printing has been of models I've gotten online or already made. I'm also not planning on selling my work at present. Additionally, I would caution you if you do decide to print my models that you do so on a resin 3d printer, not the one at your library. They were designed for resin 3d printing and as such, will be very unforgiving to the less precise tradtional filament printers that most libraries utilize. You could get away with printing the main body with this kind of printer, but nothing else would work.
Wellcar:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ajs2Zeeqc6EMiCisy-2lZcOlbByl?e=AHTkaC
Aircraft:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ajs2Zeeqc6EMiD20Cg7fEQcwU_le?e=zO5Y42
Shipping containers:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ajs2Zeeqc6EMiE8BGGBRTHoXxqvH?e=RZx3Np
Let me know if you guys have trouble with the links not working as well...
BNSF UP and others modelerAdmittedly the topic and stance of this thread isn't for everyone.
Yes, I guess so.
BNSF UP and others modelerThe purpose of this thread was to talk about the advantages of personal 3d printing and the ability to save money via its utilization in the scale modeling
Yes, I can see there are advantages. However, for us mere mortals there is, I presume, a learning curve along with the necessity to purchase the necessary equipment, along with the learning curve associated with whatever CAD program we would need to purchase.
BNSF UP and others modeler If you do not care about saving money or designing/sharing/printing your own models with other like minded modelers,
I might even be willing to provide you with some ideas for simple things that I personally would like to see be made inexpensively.
BNSF UP and others modeler John-NYBW You seem to have a feeling of entitlement. If you think a seller's asking price is ridiculously high, just don't buy what he's selling. Not entitlement, but say/know how in what I'm talking about... Again, I design these models myself, as I've noted. I do the same things as many of these sellers 3d design wise, and I still hold that they are ripping people off. Taking advantage of people who want a certian model under the guise of "well if you don't like the price, you can go elsewhere" while charging silly high prices is a very poor attitude to maintain with fellow modelers especially when your model is the only one of its kind available. With many 3d models, there simply IS no where else to get this model. The key here isn't freebies, its economical pricing. Have you taken a look at shapeways pricing on your own? You might be surprised to see just how much is being charged for some stuff.
John-NYBW You seem to have a feeling of entitlement. If you think a seller's asking price is ridiculously high, just don't buy what he's selling.
You seem to have a feeling of entitlement. If you think a seller's asking price is ridiculously high, just don't buy what he's selling.
Not entitlement, but say/know how in what I'm talking about...
Again, I design these models myself, as I've noted. I do the same things as many of these sellers 3d design wise, and I still hold that they are ripping people off.
Taking advantage of people who want a certian model under the guise of "well if you don't like the price, you can go elsewhere" while charging silly high prices is a very poor attitude to maintain with fellow modelers especially when your model is the only one of its kind available. With many 3d models, there simply IS no where else to get this model. The key here isn't freebies, its economical pricing.
Have you taken a look at shapeways pricing on your own? You might be surprised to see just how much is being charged for some stuff.
I've never done any 3D programming but I was a mainframe computer programmer and I know what a tedious process any kind of programming can be. There is a lot of trial and error. Someone who does the work to create elaborate structures owns the result of that work. It's called intellectual property. That person has every right to charge whatever he pleases for that property and you are not entitled to the fruits of another person's labor just because you want it. If you want it, you must either pay the asking price or negotiate a lower price but the seller is under no obligation to meet your desired price.
When you create 3D files, they are yours to do with as you please. If you choose to make them available as shareware, that is your right to do so. It's your property. That doesn't obligate somebody else to do likewise.
I've seen samples of this person's work and I am very impressed by it. It's obvious a great deal of time and effort went into creating them. He has apparently created something a significant value and he has a right to ask whatever price he wants for it. Either pay the price or do the work to create your own 3D files.
I have bought a few small items from Shapeways and I intend to buy more. What they offered was worth it to me to pay their price. If I thought it was too high, I wouldn't have bought it. It's that simple. Pay the price or go without.
I'd like to have a new Ferrari but I can't find anyone who will sell me one at a price I can afford. I guess I'll just have to make do with my Chevy Spark.
BNSF UP and others modelerTaking advantage of people who want a certian model under the guise of "well if you don't like the price, you can go elsewhere" while charging silly high prices is a very poor attitude to maintain with fellow modelers especially when your model is the only one of its kind available.
On the other hand, the arguement that these 3D prints are going to be everywhere and anybody can design one, means if they are the only one selling one, just make your own.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
BNSF UP and others modeler NorthsideChi I was more reacting to your comment below. "I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model." I don't mean to sound greedy. To anyone who has the free time and space to share and help grow the community, you are to be commended for it. But please don't be critical of people looking to make a business out of it . Sometimes there really is another side of a business not well understood by many. Software is getting expensive and a lot of capable free products (like sketchup) are no longer free and cost money for commercial use. Plus as I mentioned before, posting items for free or at a substantial reduced cost has a risk of being reposted or sold illegally. No I totally understand. My gripe lies with the mindset of not willing to share anything at all and charging extremely high prices for one's work. I don't condemn making money off of one's 3d models, rather wanting to charge for every single model you make (down to a tiny satellite dish for example) and wanting to charge ridiculous prices for their models. 3d prints are not the Louis Vuitton of the scale modeling market, but I feel like many designers of these specialized models are taking advantage of people who don't know what the model is actually worth or have no skills to design these models themselves...
NorthsideChi I was more reacting to your comment below. "I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model." I don't mean to sound greedy. To anyone who has the free time and space to share and help grow the community, you are to be commended for it. But please don't be critical of people looking to make a business out of it . Sometimes there really is another side of a business not well understood by many. Software is getting expensive and a lot of capable free products (like sketchup) are no longer free and cost money for commercial use. Plus as I mentioned before, posting items for free or at a substantial reduced cost has a risk of being reposted or sold illegally.
I was more reacting to your comment below.
"I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model."
I don't mean to sound greedy. To anyone who has the free time and space to share and help grow the community, you are to be commended for it.
But please don't be critical of people looking to make a business out of it . Sometimes there really is another side of a business not well understood by many. Software is getting expensive and a lot of capable free products (like sketchup) are no longer free and cost money for commercial use. Plus as I mentioned before, posting items for free or at a substantial reduced cost has a risk of being reposted or sold illegally.
No I totally understand. My gripe lies with the mindset of not willing to share anything at all and charging extremely high prices for one's work. I don't condemn making money off of one's 3d models, rather wanting to charge for every single model you make (down to a tiny satellite dish for example) and wanting to charge ridiculous prices for their models. 3d prints are not the Louis Vuitton of the scale modeling market, but I feel like many designers of these specialized models are taking advantage of people who don't know what the model is actually worth or have no skills to design these models themselves...
BATMANMy chief people painter is all grown up.
Figure painting daughters are the best.
At Games Workshop "Games-Day" in Atlanta, I think it was 2002, my middle daughter and I both entered figures in the Golden Daemon competition. Neither of us won, but hers went further in the selection process than mine did.
This was my Golden Daemon entry:
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
This was hers:
At that same convention, we both entered the speed painting contest and made it to the final round. The final round was to paint a 28mm zombie figure in 20 minutes using only a #3 (huge) brush and four different colours of paint. She came in second. I think I came in 5th.
Both of those zombies were touched-up, and "live" on in my regiment. Note the Zombie Kitty on the left in the front rank. That is everyone's favorite figure in this fully-converted regiment.
This was the group that travelled up there together. I am the tall guy not wearing Terminator Armour.
-Photograph by Andy's wife
Steve, on the far left, did win a Golden Daemon at that convention. I would win a Golden Griffon shortly later, but I still do not have a Golden Daemon, or a Golden Sophie. Still, all good times.
She also helped paint the old Ford truck, but that was against her will.
BATMANMy chief people painter is all grown up now and well on her way to being a Doctor, I need a replacement
Hi Brent,
As a doctor your daughter will need to maintain her fine motor skills! Do her and yourself a favour and send her a couple hundred figures to paint, and tell her I said she needs the practise!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
SeeYou190 BATMAN Paying $20.00 for five people is one thing that rubs me the wrong way. Paying for people does not bother me at all, as long as they are quality sculpts, which are near to impossible to find in HO scale. Anyway... check out this week's Weekend Photo Fun. -Kevin
BATMAN Paying $20.00 for five people is one thing that rubs me the wrong way.
Paying for people does not bother me at all, as long as they are quality sculpts, which are near to impossible to find in HO scale.
Anyway... check out this week's Weekend Photo Fun.
The other thing was cows, I needed a lot of them. Then one day at a train show, in the boxes under the table I found a ziplock full of cows for $35.00 I was ready to throw my 35 at the guy and offered 15. He took it and I ended up with 297 cows of various brands, most good quality with half being metal.
Those KnuckleDusters look nice.
My chief people painter is all grown up now and well on her way to being a Doctor, I need a replacement.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
BATMANPaying $20.00 for five people is one thing that rubs me the wrong way.
Sorry, but I still think that
https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/f9eff045-ae08-4033-a4f8-539e9606f0f3
BNSF UP and others modeler I also agree with the comments on file availability. I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model. Shapeways is a classic example of charging much more than the product would cost to ship and print with profit. I personally plan to share all my small and medium HO models for free to anyone interested as I get them finished and printer ready. The 48" well car I've been talking about for a long time is at that point minus a couple minor parts and the trucks. I even have a file for the wheels that I designed at this point. Let me clarify that this took months of work to create and many failed prints, but I'm willing to give out stuff like this because I believe in quality models that don't cost fortunes. If anyone is interested I can upload those files to my cloud service and provide links...
I also agree with the comments on file availability. I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model. Shapeways is a classic example of charging much more than the product would cost to ship and print with profit. I personally plan to share all my small and medium HO models for free to anyone interested as I get them finished and printer ready. The 48" well car I've been talking about for a long time is at that point minus a couple minor parts and the trucks. I even have a file for the wheels that I designed at this point. Let me clarify that this took months of work to create and many failed prints, but I'm willing to give out stuff like this because I believe in quality models that don't cost fortunes. If anyone is interested I can upload those files to my cloud service and provide links...
I could not disagree more. Someone who has put the sweat equity into creating complex structures has every right to charge whatever they please for their work. You have every right to decline to pay what that person is asking if you think the asking price is more than what it's worth to you. That person has no moral obligation to give you their product for what you deem to be a fair price. For there to be a transaction, both buyer and seller must agree upon a price.
A fair price is whatever the market dictates through the law of supply and demand. If the seller asks too much, no one will buy what he is selling. If the seller asks too little, he will minimize his profits. There is an optimal price point that will produce the greatest profit for the seller and that is what any seller strives to determine.
I was more reacting to your comment below. I don't mean to sound greedy. To anyone who has the free time and space to share and help grow the community, you are to be commended for it. But please don't be critical of people looking to make a business out of it . Sometimes there really is another side of a business not well understood by many. 3d printing can technically be unsafe in a residential settings depending on level of operation and feedstock, so someone who makes stuff commercially available even in a small setting, is going to pay a lot to have a proper room and ventillation. They may rent a space or retrofit a basement. And then there's the cost of insurance and licensing to sell stuff.
BNSF UP and others modeler In response to a couple other commentsI also agree with the comments on file availability. I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model. Shapeways is a classic example of charging much more than the product would cost to ship and print with profit. I personally plan to share all my small and medium HO models for free to anyone interested as I get them finished and printer ready. The 48" well car I've been talking about for a long time is at that point minus a couple minor parts and the trucks. I even have a file for the wheels that I designed at this point. Let me clarify that this took months of work to create and many failed prints, but I'm willing to give out stuff like this because I believe in quality models that don't cost fortunes.
In response to a couple other commentsI also agree with the comments on file availability. I do not think it is fair for the minority who have the time, equipment, and skills to demand premium prices for their work, unless they had to invest several months and a lot of money into the model. Shapeways is a classic example of charging much more than the product would cost to ship and print with profit. I personally plan to share all my small and medium HO models for free to anyone interested as I get them finished and printer ready. The 48" well car I've been talking about for a long time is at that point minus a couple minor parts and the trucks. I even have a file for the wheels that I designed at this point. Let me clarify that this took months of work to create and many failed prints, but I'm willing to give out stuff like this because I believe in quality models that don't cost fortunes.
NorthsideChi We gave up on the idea after deciding we would have to sell a model 20 to 30 times the cost to make. Why is that? Because we need space, insurance, time away from friends and family on evenings or weekends since we have day jobs. Time is valuable and there needs to be an incentive to make stuff if it goes beyond fun. That's why a high price makes sense, and people will pay it
We gave up on the idea after deciding we would have to sell a model 20 to 30 times the cost to make. Why is that?
Because we need space, insurance, time away from friends and family on evenings or weekends since we have day jobs. Time is valuable and there needs to be an incentive to make stuff if it goes beyond fun. That's why a high price makes sense, and people will pay it
Oh jeez I wasn't planning on turning my work into an enterprise level operation.. I suspect most people trying to make money off 3d printed HO models aren't looking to do so as a full job or career...
I'm not sure if you've had it with people and sharing your .stl files, but as a fellow designer struggling to make files from online actually printable or designing my own for models I want, I would certianly be grateful if you had anything for modern RR equipment that you would still be willing to share. I also completely understand the issues with reselling and/theft if you choose to not to...
An unfortunate potential downside of being generous...
At this point I've phased out buying kits and just gone to printing everything. I agree that finding modern vehicles is really annoying, if not impossible.
A friend and I have shared our work and have amassed quite a collection of custom builds in each of our basements and have considered selling fully assembled kits that are detailed but easy to mass produce.
I've considered releasing the .stl files for free of all the past stuff I've built. But I've been there before. People want it warrantied, modified, they complain if there's slight errors. No one is ever satisfied for the efforts you put in, even if it's given away for free. Finally, there's the outright theft where people just repost your copyrighted files on other websites and charge for it.
The people designing the models and/or printing are taking advantage of those who have less technical experience. If people actually charged the prices that their small models are worth I doubt many would care to continue to selling and designing them. Remember, I've physically designed my own HO models from scratch. I was thinking of selling my 3d printed well cars (based as accurately as possible with the resources I had on BNSF's 48' well cars) as $15 - $20 undecorated kits complete with printed trucks and couplers on HO swap. I think this is a very fair price for time spent on the model design and actual cost of print + what you get.
This CHASSIS of a similar model, with 0 extra parts or any decent semblence to actual existing railcar prototype, is selling for a minimum of $32 on shapeways! And the pictures show its being printed with a standard 3d printer, not the much more precise resin kind that I print with.
https://www.shapeways.com/product/74PXRXLAG/ho-railroad-57-foot-simple-well-car
And this $10 HO TV satellite dish?!?! Thats a 15 minute sketchup project and is worth less than 10 cents of resin. Exactly the kind of thing I would personally offer to my fellow modelers as a file free of charge.
https://www.shapeways.com/product/R7DTVVG6L/tv-satellite-dish-ho-87-1-scale?optionId=57596557&li=marketplace
Hopefully this helps illustrate my point and where I'm coming from. I have the unique perspective of being on both the modeler/consumer side and the creator/printer side of 3d printed models. Not every 3d file/printed model needs to be free, but I think there needs to be at least some spirit of sharing and definitely fair pricing among models who can design and print these models and those who would like to buy them.
Those shapeways models are representative of a present market that certianly does not offer fair pricing, but is often the only place to get certian models a modeler wants.