DoughlessThe trade off is simple...more labor by me means less money for the producer.
We each have our own approach to the hobby, and none of them is "right" or "wrong."
But, in my case, if I buy a plastic kit for $20 I expect to spend a certain amount of time to paint and assemble it. But, if I spend $75 for a laser kit, I expect to spend even more time on it. Since I'm mostly a "Builder" who enjoys creating scenery, I look at the "play value" of a kit. If it takes me 20 hours to paint and assemble a simple,$20 kit, that's a dollar an hour for some engaging entertainment.
That, to me, is a far better value than $15 to see a 2-hour zombie movie in the theater. And, while I may get some glue on my fingers building a model, at least I won't end up with my shoes stuck to the floor.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley DoughlessThe trade off is simple...more labor by me means less money for the producer. We each have our own approach to the hobby, and none of them is "right" or "wrong." But, in my case, if I buy a plastic kit for $20 I expect to spend a certain amount of time to paint and assemble it. But, if I spend $75 for a laser kit, I expect to spend even more time on it. Since I'm mostly a "Builder" who enjoys creating scenery, I look at the "play value" of a kit. If it takes me 20 hours to paint and assemble a simple,$20 kit, that's a dollar an hour for some engaging entertainment. That, to me, is a far better value than $15 to see a 2-hour zombie movie in the theater. And, while I may get some glue on my fingers building a model, at least I won't end up with my shoes stuck to the floor.
Yes, I understand the joy of model building, and my point is someone lost in my responses.
In this world of RTR, it seems like we are paying for the labor needed to assemble and paint the product. What would your $75 laser kit cost, if it were not a kit but came RTR and you basically had to pay someone at the factory to build it?
Have you seen the Woodland Scenice built up buildings? Many of those RTR buildings are nothing more than the standard DPM $17 kit, which is about 4 walls and styrene to use as a roof and a base, built up and painted by someone. Yes, there are a few more small details applied, but the buyer is basically buying the product AND the labor, and a small store costs about $50.
Making a kit with a bunch of small parts cost money. I'll pay for the separate tooling and time it takes to make each part on its own sprue, possibly in a different color.
If I buy a kit, I guess what I don't want is 6 big pieces of styrene, a base and a roof and 4 walls, and pay RTR or multiple tooling prices for it, when I get neither. I''ll pay DPM kit prices for it. That was how I read the original post to this thread when the OP complained about having to tediously paint windows, like a DPM kit. I wondered what he paid for his "opportunity". $20?, ok then. $50 bucks? Ripoff.
As far as laser cut kits, that's a little different. They are wood, and real wood kits look better than fake styrene wood. They have to have a certain amount of individual pieces that have to be assembled in order to look right. Having said that, I want my $75 to include a certain amount of engineering and thought put into the pieces I get. I don't just want a pile of sticks that I have to measure and cut myself, according to a somewhat poorly exectuted instruction sheet. Some producers are better than this than others. I'll go find an instruction sheet and find stock wood at the hobby shop if I have do cut everything my self, or scratch build something with $10 worth of sticks.
- Douglas
I still find this thread amazing, just for the plain fact,that seem's to find it's way,in a lot of questions. ''Read''. seem's to me,that is beginning to be some so of lost art,in our World. A good case in point, on these very same discussions, not all that long ago,a poster, had a question,about a, five pack, Intermodal car that he had said,however he tried,he could not get one of the cars to couple on to one of the last units, as always people responded about reading the instructions, His answer of course,was that he did and there was nothing about,what he was experiencing. Sometime during the thread, another poster said he was having the same problem, until,he got a tip,from a friend and was told to read,the bottom of the box, sure enough,there were diagrams and a text explaining how to set it up.
Cheers,
Frank
We really need the model companies to start running a list of disclaimers like the drug commercials do on TV:
-this is a plastic model. Some experience at model construction is recommended but not entirely necessary. Please see page 1 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website to see what level of experience you are currently at. Please note: experience levels are subjective, but generally range from "no hope in heck" to "this is too easy".
-no age recommendation. If you can read this you should be good-to-go. If you cannot then putting an age recommendation here would be superfluous (a waste of time).
-model comes molded in color (generally white...but white may have faded to off white...slight chance of yellowish areas in the corners that may occur over time...). Rusty colored spots are normal due to the molding process. Black spots are not normal and users should seek a replacement immediately.
-window frames are molded separately in color (see above).
-doors are molded separately in color (see above).
-clear plastic is provided for the "glass" portion of the separately molded windows (the term "glass" is used to described the area of the separately molded windows (molded in color) where an HO sized person of average height would either look into or out of). Substitute "HO" for "N" if you purchased that scale version of this model kit. Please note: "average height" is not meant to be offensive to people of above average height or below average height (see page 11 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website).
-No actual glass is provided in the kit. But the clear plastic provided to simulate "glass" may show signs of scratching or crazing due to contents shifting during shipment. This is an irritating but normal side affect of model kits. Over time clear plastic may deform or become limp looking. Any deformation that exceeds acceptable limits or that will not fit flush against separately molded windows (molded in color...see above for color description as colors may vary) would require the user to seek a replacement immediately.
-tiny pictures on the box show completed and assembled unpainted kit (model molded in color...see above for color description as colors may vary). Please note that color variations of box top photo's may occurr due to various circumstances (listed on page 8 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website). We apologize for the tiny pictures, but increasing the box size to accomodate larger pictures and the following disclaimer highlights would have necessitated an increase in consumer cost (please see full apology on page 14 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website).
-user must purchase an appropriate adhesive (also referred to as "modelers cement", or "plastic cement", "glue for plastic models"....but it is up to the user to ensure a proper adhesive is used). A list of acceptable adhesives is listed on page 2 of the full disclaimer booklet or found online at our website). We are not responsible if the user selects an improper adhesive.
-for complete legal rights, responsibilities, entitlements etc, please see page 15 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website.
HAPPY MODELING TO ALL!
Don.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
Frank,
I agree. A lot of the OP's issue could have been handled if he would have read the box better. Does he need to read the website too? That may not be automatic for some. And it would have been helpful if some of us would have researched the box ouselves and pointed out his error before telling him to basically get over it, its the way it is.
Embedded in his post is the possibility that he got a base, a roof, and four walls all with molded on details that have to be tediously painted to get the details it to look close to what the picture on the box represents. A big DPM kit at twice the price. We don't know, but I sense some of his frustration comes from the feeling he paid more than he thought he should for what he got and he was expressing it as a disclosure problem by Walthers, when its maybe really about a cost of production plus a huge mark-up issue. Perhaps not.
Thanks Don
Had to clean my screen, all the sarcasm was dripping out of it!
Karl
NCE über alles!
kbkchooch Thanks Don Had to clean my screen, all the sarcasm was dripping out of it!
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for damages that may occurr due to the original posted disclaimer....
Don,You forgot one:
The State of California has determined that building kits may become a habit.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE Don,You forgot one: The State of California has determined that building kits may become a habit.
...I will add it to page 15 of the full disclaimer booklet (found inside the kit or online at our website)
EMD.Don We really need the model companies to start running a list of disclaimers like the drug commercials do on TV: -this is a plastic model. Some experience at model construction is recommended but not entirely necessary. Please see page 1 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website to see what level of experience you are currently at. Please note: experience levels are subjective, but generally range from "no hope in heck" to "this is too easy". -no age recommendation. If you can read this you should be good-to-go. If you cannot then putting an age recommendation here would be superfluous (a waste of time). -model comes molded in color (generally white...but white may have faded to off white...slight chance of yellowish areas in the corners that may occur over time...). Rusty colored spots are normal due to the molding process. Black spots are not normal and users should seek a replacement immediately. -window frames are molded separately in color (see above). -doors are molded separately in color (see above). -clear plastic is provided for the "glass" portion of the separately molded windows (the term "glass" is used to described the area of the separately molded windows (molded in color) where an HO sized person of average height would either look into or out of). Substitute "HO" for "N" if you purchased that scale version of this model kit. Please note: "average height" is not meant to be offensive to people of above average height or below average height (see page 11 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website). -No actual glass is provided in the kit. But the clear plastic provided to simulate "glass" may show signs of scratching or crazing due to contents shifting during shipment. This is an irritating but normal side affect of model kits. Over time clear plastic may deform or become limp looking. Any deformation that exceeds acceptable limits or that will not fit flush against separately molded windows (molded in color...see above for color description as colors may vary) would require the user to seek a replacement immediately. -tiny pictures on the box show completed and assembled unpainted kit (model molded in color...see above for color description as colors may vary). Please note that color variations of box top photo's may occurr due to various circumstances (listed on page 8 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website). We apologize for the tiny pictures, but increasing the box size to accomodate larger pictures and the following disclaimer highlights would have necessitated an increase in consumer cost (please see full apology on page 14 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website). -user must purchase an appropriate adhesive (also referred to as "modelers cement", or "plastic cement", "glue for plastic models"....but it is up to the user to ensure a proper adhesive is used). A list of acceptable adhesives is listed on page 2 of the full disclaimer booklet or found online at our website). We are not responsible if the user selects an improper adhesive. -for complete legal rights, responsibilities, entitlements etc, please see page 15 of the full disclaimer booklet found within the box or found online at our website. HAPPY MODELING TO ALL! Don.
Or the short form:
Picture for illustration only. Contents of box may not include all parts necessary to build pictured model.
Enjoy
Paul
Paul,
They already have, a very similar text, Preproduction Model shown,built and painted,blah blah,details and figures,not included,in kit. Table of contents, on side of box.
I believe the OP just wanted to start a discussion and any other details are not important. Lets talk, about anything. The whole discussion is pointless.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
We can talk about,the 3.7,magnitude earthquake,that the Chicago area suburbs,had at 12:35 this afternoon. I was upstairs at my desk and the whole house shook,twice at about two second intervals,something I never experienced before,in my 70 yrs,of living in IL. The news said,it was an earthquake,six miles from me. Now my son just yelled upstairs,to me and it supposedly was an explosion in a Quarry, that the people involved stated that they don't know what happened,to make it so big,because the material they used is the same,as when they did it before. Who do You Believe ??
'' Now back to our regularly scheduled pointless discussion''.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
That's actually,ingenious. A ten speed,self propelled lawn mower.
Yeah, that seems like something you should just be able to buy at the store