$$$$$$$ kits

[tatans]

You forgot the PRICE.

[downtowndeco]

When I first started my kit company I asked myself, "What can I bring to the market that would be really hard for the average modeler to duplicate on his own?". The answer was highly detailed hydrocal kits that feature weathered stone, brick and concrete castings.

While many modelers will buy a bunch of stripwood, a few sheets of scribed siding & attempt to duplicate a high dollar wood kit, most don't have enough time to put on a magnifier and hand scribe thousands of weathered bricks, one at a time. I do it for you. :  )

 

 Randy Pepprock

Downtown Deco

 

PS. I only have 8 left of our latest kit, DD1042, The Dead End Alleyway. Order soon to avoid disappointment.

[PASMITH]

YIKES: Just saw some building kits on eeeebay, some company called FSM, they started @ $200 and up to $400 and they were still bidding, one bid had 20 bids.  $400.00 for a kit build???? Now I know why I scratch.  can this be possible???

Scratching is always better.

Peter Smith, Memphis

[Texas Zepher]

some company called FSM, they started @ $200 and up to $400 and they were still bidding, one bid had 20 bids.  $400.00 for a kit build???? Now I know why I scratch.  can this be possible???

Fine Scale Minatures has been setting the standard for scenery kits for I would guess at least two decades.  I'm surprised every model railroader doesn't know about them.  I got really lucky when a local hobby store here in town went out of business and I just happen to walk in as the store owner marked them down to $55 each.  I bought the whole stack and missed a house payment that month.

There are other kits out there just as good--maybe better--, but they don't have the brand recognition the FSM has.

[tomikawaTT]

FSM kits, IMHO, are rather like Ferraris - if you want one, price is no object.  If you NEED one, you must be racing in Formula I!  If all you need is dependable, inexpensive transportation...

Since I am modeling a very specific prototype area that doesn't even begin to resemble depression-era New England, I look at FSM kits as something that must interest somebody, but not the somebody who takes off his shoes just inside my front door.

I learned to scratchbuild back when the only available alternatives were Ideal cardboard kits and Plasticville - both unaffordable to a schoolkid with a miniscule allowance.  Now, I won't hesitate for a heartbeat to take cutting tools to materials and fabricate what I want - which is very seldom what some kit manufacturer has produced, is producing or ever will produce.

Just last week I bought a well-known industrial model kit, not to build as-is, but to kitbash into the several buildings I need to finish a believable model of a Japanese colliery I 'mine-fanned' half a century ago.  The only thing the two have in common is corrugated iron siding.

I can't imagine somebody buying a FSM kit to use for kitbash fodder.

Chuck (kitbashing and scratchbuilding Central Japan in September, 1964)

[corsair7]

YIKES: Just saw some building kits on eeeebay, some company called FSM, they started @ $200 and up to $400 and they were still bidding, one bid had 20 bids.  $400.00 for a kit build???? Now I know why I scratch.  can this be possible???

THose must be Fine Scale Miniatures kits. They are made by Gerge Selios and announced somehere (I don't eve recall seeing one of his ads) before they are made/ Only those that are subscribed to are made. This means small production runs and hence high prices.

I've seen pictures of the built up kits and they look great but I am not to drop that kind of money on any building kit, especially ones that that are not N Scale. But I can't say that George is doing anything wrong here. It's his business and he can run it anyway he wants.

Irv

[WaxonWaxov]

I was looking at the Franklin and South Manchester online the other day and my wife (who insists on looking over my shoulder while I'm surfing) asked "wow. are you going to build stuff like that" to which I replied, "honey, if I could build models like that I could quit my day job"

 

[CNJ831]

I concur with Bob that on some of the other, much more advanced forums, one does see posters absolutely agog over the latest FSM kit and indeed these guys are of a calibur that they could undoubtedly scratchbuild a copy if they so desired - I've done so several times myself (see below). But what you are largely paying for in the FSM kits is George's limitless imagination, creativity and sense of superdetailing that seems to far exceed that of most of the rest of us.

George and the FSM kits have reached such mythic proportion as to attain something of a cult status among the hobby's more serious members. FSM kits have become a viable commodity in the marketplace, often commanding far more than their original selling price within just weeks of their issue (most runs are sold out before the official issue date). Older kits can manage several to a dozen times their original prices (often $300-$500 for the best examples) and I've seen completed models on dioramas go for $1,000+ on eBay. Nevertheless, by George's own estimate, probably half of the FSM kits are never built but rather are held for future sale by their owners as a sort of investment.

(scratch version of FSM Jeffries Point Stave & Heading Co. kit)

CNJ831

[Railphotog]

On some ebay listings, I see the letters"FSM" in the heading, even when the listing is not for a Fine Scale Miniatures product. What else might these initials stand for?

These bozos know that auctions for FSM kits - Fine Scale Miniatures - get a lot of visits, so they add "FSM" in their titles so people will visit their auctions and maybe bid on them.  I think this actually may be against eBay rules as it is dishonest trickery.

I follow another forum and many of the members there go absolutely gaga when there is a new FSM or other similar craftsman kit announced, falling all over themselves saying they are getting one.   Most are fine craftsmen, and could probably scratchbuild this newest Butchers Way on their own, only the castings are the hard part.  Most could be substituted by other ones, exept possibly the animal caracasses.    The structures are all basic boxes, could be made from scribed siding and/or stripwood.  And for a whole lot less than $280.00!!

Some time ago I scratchbuilt a copy of FSM's "Baxters' Building Supplies", using photos from their ads in print and on their website.

But these guys love their kits, no matter what's in them!

 

[steemtrayn]

On some ebay listings, I see the letters"FSM" in the heading, even when the listing is not for a Fine Scale Miniatures product. What else might these initials stand for?

For example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Campbell-356-HO-HOn3-Water-Tank-Mint-in-Box-FSM_W0QQitemZ140259797988QQihZ004QQcategoryZ117370QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOOK-STEAM-CARS-TO-THE-COMSTOCK-FSM_W0QQitemZ310076617533QQihZ021QQcategoryZ484QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/HO-DPM-SHOE-UNDERWARE-CUSTOM-BUILT-WEATHERED-FSM_W0QQitemZ320289098809QQihZ011QQcategoryZ484QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/MODEL-RR-MAGAZINE-1965-9-ISSUES-FOR-ALL-SCALES-FSM_W0QQitemZ310077134082QQihZ021QQcategoryZ484QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

 

[simon1966]

George Sellios has just announced his new kit for 2008 on his web site http://www.finescaleminiatures.com/ a limited edition of 700 kits for $280 each.  Some people freak out when they see this type of price for a kit, but it will most likely sell out quickly.  It takes George a year to design and produce the kit.  A lot of the time and cost is taken up in the custom castings that are made just for the kit.  A modeler can expect to spend perhaps a hundred hours constructing the thing.  As has been stated by others there has over the years developed a vibrant after market for these kits.  The rare ones that are more desirable sell for silly money.  There are many that could take a fare stab at scratch-building the structure, but very few that could reproduce all the castings that make up the complete scene.

FSM has carved out quite a niche and the company has legions of fans that are more than willing to pay this price for the latest kit.  Personally, I have great admiration for someone to command that sort of following. When you consider that this is the result of a year of someones work and that much of it is done by hand it puts it into a different context.  One thing it is not is a mass produced item churned out of a factory in China.

[gandydancer19]

YIKES: Just saw some building kits on eeeebay, some company called FSM, they started @ $200 and up to $400 and they were still bidding, one bid had 20 bids.  $400.00 for a kit build???? Now I know why I scratch.  can this be possible???

That is why I scratchbuild too.  That, cheap laser kits, and plastic kits.  Plastic kits can be made to look good if you know what you are doing and take your time.

[ereimer]

They are amazingly fine, beautifully detailed and  very limited run kits, and as Richg said, they're very sought after by collectors. 

Most of the ones I've seen, however, would look more comfortable on a layout with a New England theme--they don't seem 'transferrable' to, say, out here in the West. 

But they're beautiful kits. 

Tom

yeah i'd love for them to do a couple of old west kits , might even buy them if they weren't too silly priced brand new . i giggle when looking at the auctions for kits where the bidding goes over $400 and you can see the original $39 price tag on the box . makes me wish i'd have bought a bunch of them back in the 80's when i could afford them , i could sell them now and retire

 

ernie 

[richg1998]

If you get bored, here are some links concerning FSM kits.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fine+scale+miniatures+kits&btnG=Search

Rich

[twhite]

They are amazingly fine, beautifully detailed and  very limited run kits, and as Richg said, they're very sought after by collectors. 

Most of the ones I've seen, however, would look more comfortable on a layout with a New England theme--they don't seem 'transferrable' to, say, out here in the West. 

But they're beautiful kits. 

Tom

[richg1998]

Those kits have been expensive for the last few years. FSM are Collectors kits. Some are probably never built.

George's site.

http://www.horailroad.com/fsm/

Rich

[markpierce]

YIKES: Just saw some building kits on eeeebay, some company called FSM, they started @ $200 and up to $400 and they were still bidding, one bid had 20 bids.  $400.00 for a kit build???? Now I know why I scratch.  can this be possible???

Not only is it possible, it is normal for the small number of these highly-desirable kits.  I sometimes wonder if many purchasers ever build these.   They are valued by collectors.

Mark 

[ATW]

Ahhhh........

 FSM Fine Scale Miniatures/Models(?) Aren't those the kits George Sellios sells? They usually are expensive and I've never seen one Myself.

 DPM and Walthers work pretty good and cardstock, but whatever floats those guys' boat.

[tatans]

YIKES: Just saw some building kits on eeeebay, some company called FSM, they started @ $200 and up to $400 and they were still bidding, one bid had 20 bids.  $400.00 for a kit build???? Now I know why I scratch.  can this be possible???