7mm Mickoo's Commercial Workbench

Yorkshire Dave

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
mickoo said:
I may need to pop back to the turbo and tweak a few bits to get it to print well and I think it's missing some fine details on the turbine end. The problem is, this thing is tiny and as soon as you paint it, those tiny details get lost, which begs the question, do you need to model them in the first place?
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If the turbo generator is visible - then yes you do need to model it. Especially if modelling US railroads, Deutsche Bundesbahn or any railway which used electric head/tail lights..... :)


mickoo said:
If I don't put the turbo generator in then people will complain, if I add the BLP one people will complain because it's the wrong type, if I put the correct one in...guess what...people complain as they don't want to pay the extra price for a detail they didn't want.
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In the model kit game you're damned if you do and damned if you don't...... can't please all the people all the time.


Personally I'd rather pay more to have all of the detail parts in a kit (both interior and exterior) to allow me to build any one of the common variants of a particular loco after purchasing, with any unused detail parts going into my spares pool.

I don't really want to think about it beforehand and work out second guess what additional detail parts are required (as kit contents are generally not listed anywhere to view prior to purchase) then remember to purchase the extra detail parts at the same time as the kit. I usually find out what detail parts are missing/required afterwards - during building. :mad:
 
paulc

paulc

Western Thunderer
Clarence3815 said:
I understand your conumdrum.

I thought of suggesting a list of options customers could select from. But then you need to have a special packing regime available for each kit. And that is never going to work at a show with all the hubbub going on.

I did have a special arrangement with a now ceased kit supplier and could order just what I wanted. I would order 12 months in advance to give the order time to be processed along with other custmer`s orders.
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Why not have optional detail packs such as , extra detail pack A , Super detail pack B . People could then decide how far they want to go and it would be easy for you when packing the kit up .
I work on the 2ft rule so probably wouldn't want either .
 
G

Genghis

Western Thunderer
paulc said:
Why not have optional detail packs such as , extra detail pack A , Super detail pack B . People could then decide how far they want to go and it would be easy for you when packing the kit up .
I work on the 2ft rule so probably wouldn't want either .
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I think JLTRT did this.

There is more of an issue with long lived locos that can have many detail differences. As an example, our LNER O4 kit is packed with 3 chimneys, 3 types of washout plugs, two smokebox doors and additional tender toolboxes for the GW variant plus other alternatives. It's not really an issue to pack these when they are whitemetal as this is relatively cheap, but if you move to brass or resin the cost goes up to reflect the better quality. Input costs have risen more than kit prices so stock control is a serious issue. We couldn't afford to pack each variant of the 'standard' O4 as different kits so we throw in all of the whitemetal bits and offer an appropriate brass chimney as a free addition as it would be too expensive to pack every brass one.
 
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paulc

paulc

Western Thunderer
Genghis said:
I think JLTRT did this.

There is more of an issue with long lived locos that can have many detail differences. As an example, our LNER O4 kit is packed with 3 chimneys, 3 types of washout plugs, two smokebox doors and additional tender toolboxes for the GW variant plus other alternatives. It's not really an issue to pack these when they are whitemetal as this is relatively cheap, but if you move to brass or resin the cost goes up to reflect the better quality. Input costs have risen more than kit prices so stock control is a serious issue. We couldn't afford to pack each variant of the 'standard' O4 as different kits so we throw in all of the whitemetal bits and offer an appropriate brass chimney as a free addition as it would be too expensive to pack every brass one.
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I forgot to mention that i would charge for the packs if only to recover costs .
 
mickoo

mickoo

Western Thunderer
So what did I learn in 2024!

However long you think something is going to take...triple it and then add two, any spare time you had to make up shortfalls and catch up exist in a third realm; deadlines are just promises designed to fail and no amount of coffee or Red Bull prevents the 'wall' smacking you flat in the face when you most need to work.

I doubt 2025 will be any different :rolleyes: Still, some MOK 4MT progression, despite a lot of hours and energy it doesn't look like anything much has happened and the bags of bits feel no lighter.

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mickoo

mickoo

Western Thunderer
And so it continues, more castings, more pipework, more castings, more.......endless :D

However I feel the end is close, basically the rest of the valve gear, lubricators, cab skin and rear.....I want to scoosh some black into the corners that will be impossible to get once the skin goes on....and tender rear. So another week then :eek::cool:, actually hoping to button it up over the weekend if I get two good days at the bench.

The sand pipes are niggling me, they foul the bottom of the brake hangers and given everything is slot and tab or pin and hole, it's hard to get anything in the wrong place.....however initial findings are that the hanger pivots are too low; I hate to call it but it looks like they'll all have to come off and be moved up.

Other than that, all the other hundreds parts have fitted with sub atomic precision, so I may have put them in the wrong place; eitherway, move then must.

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Deano747

Deano747

Western Thunderer
mickoo said:
And so it continues, more castings, more pipework, more castings, more.......endless :D

However I feel the end is close, basically the rest of the valve gear, lubricators, cab skin and rear.....I want to scoosh some black into the corners that will be impossible to get once the skin goes on....and tender rear. So another week then :eek::cool:, actually hoping to button it up over the weekend if I get two good days at the bench.

The sand pipes are niggling me, they foul the bottom of the brake hangers and given everything is slot and tab or pin and hole, it's hard to get anything in the wrong place.....however initial findings are that the hanger pivots are too low; I hate to call it but it looks like they'll all have to come off and be moved up.

Other than that, all the other hundreds parts have fitted with sub atomic precision, so I may have put them in the wrong place; eitherway, move then must.

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Simply (or not so simply in terms of work time!) stunning Mick!! MOK in the the best hands!!
 
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