Runnriottt Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I opened another disappointing box today. Chalk up another prop to the "major fixes before wearing" pile. *sigh* This was to be a gift. Turn around time of pretty quick to boot. Alas, between the post office and the poor packing its busted. Or so I thought. Looking at the casting, its just thin. Tell the truth, it just pushes me closer to loosing interest in the hobby. I am sick of poor casted stuff, thin casted stuff... over priced for the quality it shows up in. Either Vader or any other stuff I have bought as of late. Can I fix it? Yea... but not the point. Hell I might as well make this stuff myself as much as I have to fix. How much more would it cost to cast it thicker? Now that I am SO close to cranking on some stuff, I know the cost of resin, fiberglass and time in it. How hard is it to put out good stuff? Is it the drive for money? "They will never know" mentality? I want to know what you all think. Prop debacles lately for you all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Voorhees[501st] Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 i know you didnt get a helmet from me! heh. im with you 100% Nathan..thats exactly why i cast my stuff thicker...and i sell em at what i think is a good price..stuff seems to be way overpriced these days fro mediocre product. imnot a pro just yet, and some of my castings are better than others, but i try to keep em at a level i would be happy with recieving if i bought it myself. im going to rework my Vader for next year and hopefully have an even better helmet available for anyone who needs one. Seems like there arent many Vader helmet makers anymore, and i want to fill that slot by offering a quality bucket at a good price. i think these makers are casting thinner items to save money by using less supplies..thats what i think, i also think its not worth it to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turrican Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I think this problem grows up more and more.Not only at fanmade props. Bought me the " The complete Vader " book from Lucas Books. It make me very angry that the stuff from good old Georg goes more and more the way to waste money easy. The sites in the book are all stick together when you want to open it, you have to be very carefull if you not want to damage them.That what is than shown in the book is a bad joke. The same at other " licensed" products from great LFL. Look the Rubies shucks...pic's which show the product have nothing to do with that what you get. Or a other nice waste buy this year was the Sideshow Stormtrooper. At the box it looks like a great collector piece with a nice modeled hero helmet and armor. The Promofigur pic's are complete other as the finish product..the helmet fom the Sideshow Stormtrooper was a bush in the face for each collector. Lookes like a cheap asian toy. What i want to say with this. You get more and more bilked. They all think they can sell shucks for many money because the fans are all so stupid to buy it. But shuckssellers take care, if you scare all your fans and collectors, you all can eat your props or put them in your great butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAZGÛL Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Im pretty wide in SW, liking books, models, collectibles, and I can honestly say I havent noticed anything getting worse. On the contrary the kits, figures and toys are miles better today compaired to the earlyer days. I may have missunderstod, but didnt Nathan mean the fan made stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnriottt Posted November 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Yea... kinda in the realm of Fanmade. I do agree that most of the 1 to 1 licensed stuff needs help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james007bond[TK] Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Hi Natham Need to rant here too.... RANT ON*** I agree, way too thin... I am shocked at some of the ABS that cracks too easy.... or when you get a helmet kit and find that the plastic is way too thin..... I just don't get it, if the same manufacturer can make body armour of a decent thickness, why are the buckets so thin.... I've had to re-enforce my Hovi points as an example....... good old t-shirt and crazy glue method... Yeah you're, may aswell make it yourself...... If I pay good money for something, I do so in good faith and I expect decent quality... They say 'You get what you pay for' ... ha poppycock.... that's not always the case... Perhaps it's time our community applied pressure to get things sorted? RANT OVER ** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAZGÛL Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Im no expert, but I thought the thin hovimic area were because you need the faceplate to be thin to get sharp, nice details, and the deep area there will get thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmartigan Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Yeah, I'd take less exception to some thin areas in a faceplate that is pulled versus something that is casted. Thinner plastic is needed to get sharp details if you aren't pulling with an industrial setup. But how much more does it take to slush in a little more resin or make sure you laid enough fiberglass? That's just being lazy and irresponsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin[Admin] Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 How much of it is "you get what you pay for". I'm wondering if this is more new vendors selling less quality for less money, or existing ones dropping their quality for the same amount of $$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnriottt Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 The prop i just got would normally go for 180 to 200 bucks. Tops it cost him in resin maybe 40. I have been disappointed in vacced stuff as well, but not on this level. I am just sick of crappy parts from "good" sellers. <_< Go figure... quick to want money on eBay and slow to answer problems post sale. Pretty standard. Ill take some pics. I am sure you all will agree when I show you what I am talking about. Really, I agree with the thought" get what you pay for" as well. The closer I get to understanding the process of this stuff the less I am willing to accept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turrican Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Im pretty wide in SW, liking books, models, collectibles, and I can honestly say I havent noticed anything getting worse. On the contrary the kits, figures and toys are miles better today compaired to the earlyer days. I may have missunderstod, but didnt Nathan mean the fan made stuff? . Yes because of the toys i agree with you 100% Sorry if i was to go off topic but i thought because of the topic Prop Quality heading down hill? he also mean the general prop quality not only fanmade stuff. Ill take some pics. I am sure you all will agree when I show you what I am talking about. Really, I agree with the thought" get what you pay for" as well. The closer I get to understanding the process of this stuff the less I am willing to accept. Pic's would be very nice.And i agree with you , too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnriottt Posted November 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Here you go. My examples. I have had more, but this will do. Pics tell it best. If my thumb is in the shot, I am showing thickness. The newest let down. Resin helmet, bought on eBay. Casting marks. Yeesh. Plus a sweet mold line. Yea! <_< Thickness. High end Vader chest box. Less than 1/16" in places, don't ask the price. <_< Got this in trade, glad about that. Another Vader helmet. Resin mask. Thin. Yet another. Yep... that is daylight through the casting, its that thin. Busted during shipping and totaly crap paint. Yes, a real asset. Cant give it away. <_< Top notch guy too. <_< Some of these I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into. I know wonky, not perfect, all that. Really, this is a shout out to prop guys. Take time in the stuff you charge for. Would you want this stuff on your door step? What if you paid these prices for this stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAZGÛL Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Thats really sux! I feel bad for you planning it to be a gift and all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turrican Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 WOW Realy bad stuff. It's possible to tell the names of the propmaker's from this...this..garbage.., to protect other possible buyer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishtrooper Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Nate i feel for ya bud. The quality of all those items is shocking. The condition of the helmet in the 1st pics is unbelievable - i mean how can a seller really put that out to someone in good conscience! Just unbelievable what some will try to pass off and expect ppl to just accept that kind of crap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleetfang[TK] Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 WOW Realy bad stuff. It's possible to tell the names of the propmaker's from this...this..garbage.., to protect other possible buyer? I second this. Help protect your Legion brethren. Be the sheriff and call these guys out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKCaleb Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 I have a top notch beautiful ROTJ e-11 made of mostly metal and some plastic/resin parts waiting for a new home. I can promise you that baby wont be damaged during shipping. over-all man, that really sucks. That vader helmet is pathetic, i would take a number 2 in that thing and send it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runnriottt Posted November 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 I am on the fence about listing makers. Starts flame wars, and well... That gets old. All the Vader stuff I have reviews on NoDisentagrations. Trust me, Mr Master Chief Helmet guy got a blister on eBay, doubly so for he refuses to answer my emails. yippie. For 61 bucks I guess I cant complain. Still stings, but Ill fix the turd. I see positive feedback, guys gushing about how great it is and all. Am I the lone whiner? This is as good as it gets? I own 6 Vader helmets. 3 unwearable. Now maybe I am a little harsh. Most of the Uber collections don't wear this stuff. I do. However, shipping and packing is just unacceptable. If you sell something, it SHOULD survive transit. At minimum. As far as in Stormtrooper stuff, so far outside of one helmet that was busted, (so was everyone else on that run) I have had a blast. Good comms, good stuff and such. Most of my Vader stuff is top notch. Just here as of late I seem to have landed on the back of the turnip truck in prop buying. Sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peregrinus Posted November 15, 2009 Report Share Posted November 15, 2009 What is in that last pic? With the blue paint... --Jonah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Trooper Posted November 15, 2009 Report Share Posted November 15, 2009 It is a Sky helmet purchased from Nightmare Armor studios. Nate had a bugger of a time with that guy. I remember when Nate posted it awhile back. Here is a recent shot from Nates other Thread http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?show...t=0&start=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodChuck[501st] Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 WoodChuck here. Hmmmm should I get into the resin/casting end of the hobby? I don't think so!! I will stick with wood and PVC, and I promise my quality will not diminish. When you said that the vendors are just trying to make a quick buck and don't seem to care about the quality of their products, that seems obvious from the photos you have to back up your opinion. As a vendor, I put customer service first, and would never use someone else's work without their permission. It sucks that you have found the bad guys, but we "good guys" are out here too. Woodchuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-2126_MD[TK] Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 Chuck u aint no Vendor. Ur a Master Craftsman!!!! u are in a league of your own!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperTrooper Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 Chuck u aint no Vendor. Ur a Master Craftsman!!!! u are in a league of your own!!! What he said . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmartigan Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 WoodChuck here. Hmmmm should I get into the resin/casting end of the hobby?I don't think so!! I will stick with wood and PVC, and I promise my quality will not diminish. When you said that the vendors are just trying to make a quick buck and don't seem to care about the quality of their products, that seems obvious from the photos you have to back up your opinion. As a vendor, I put customer service first, and would never use someone else's work without their permission. It sucks that you have found the bad guys, but we "good guys" are out here too. Woodchuck I got a gun from Woodchuck, and he is obviously cutting corners! It was made of only balsa and toilet paper rolls instead of real wood and PVC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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