DutyCat Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) After weeks of trial and error, we are finally getting close. Check it out on the dutycat blog. Beany Cap Update I do intend to make these available. I am interested in opinions about what you guys think is a fair price. Edited January 11, 2013 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hotdog Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Looks awesome Gil! Can't wait to get one for myself. As far as determining price, I would look at how much cost you have in materials to make the product, and estimate how many you can produce before having to purchase more materials. Then divide the cost by the number of product and you have a good start at figuring out what to charge. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Wow Gil, very nice indeed. As for a fair price, it's hard to say. I agree with starting with cost of material divided by how many you can produce as a starting point, but what percent to add over that for profit is a bit tricky. You don't want to price it over too much but you don't want to cut your profit margin too low either. Also, since it's the first piece to ever attempt a window AND star tracker fix all in one, that's going to be attractive to more people. It will help you if Revell decides to keep this kit in their catalog for a longer time too. I still think they should offer it without the stack but I doubt that will happen. Also, have you looked to see how much modifications it would take to fit the Revell shuttle? If it's not a hard change, you might could get some sales from those kits as well. Keep it up and keep us posted! Bill Edited January 10, 2013 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Doesn't look too bad at all, Gil! But let me pick a nit before you proceed with the final version. Being a stickler for detail and figuring that if I'm gonna buy someone else's product, that product had better be better than I can do. Here's a photo showing the hard tiles below the windows. Your version looks like it had a row too many, yours encroaches on the Startrackers. This is just a heads-up. A detail few, if any, will see ... http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/photos/sts71/mir-imax/hmg0016.jpg Having said that, regarding pricing ... I think anything over $20.00 might get some resistance. thanx lad Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Doesn't look too bad at all, Gil! But let me pick a nit before you proceed with the final version. Being a stickler for detail and figuring that if I'm gonna buy someone else's product, that product had better be better than I can do. Here's a photo showing the hard tiles below the windows. Your version looks like it had a row too many, yours encroaches on the Startrackers. This is just a heads-up. A detail few, if any, will see ... http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/photos/sts71/mir-imax/hmg0016.jpg Having said that, regarding pricing ... I think anything over $20.00 might get some resistance. thanx lad Pete I thought the same thing....at first. Then I found a really close up photo and Gil is actually correct as to how far up the tiles go. If anything, the shape of the last row may be a tad off, it appears they are all the same width and not tapered like he has, but that's pretty minor. Here is a good shot of it. Bill edit, pic added Edited January 10, 2013 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Now if you could get the tiles lining the star trackers and in the bottom of it's recess...THAT would knock it way outta the park! p.s., I tend to agree with the $20ish range. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Liberator24 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Smarty pants..... very nice!!!! -Jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K2Pete Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I thought the same thing....at first. Then I found a really close up photo and Gil is actually correct as to how far up the tiles go. Bill Billy, Billy, Billy ... where do you find these wonderful pix? I stand corrected, happily stand corrected!! Good on ya Gil! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Billy, Billy, Billy ... where do you find these wonderful pix?... I'm not tellin'... :monkeydance:/> I will say that I've collected quite a few pics over the years of doing research. I know there are always more out there, MUCH more out there, but it's fun searching for them. Interesting about the tiles, If you really study them, you can see they are not in a symmetrical pattern. I know the star trackers probably have something to do with that, but other tiles that seem like they could be are really different from side to side. Just something I noticed. Bill Edited January 10, 2013 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DutyCat Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Doesn't look too bad at all, Gil! But let me pick a nit before you proceed with the final version. Being a stickler for detail and figuring that if I'm gonna buy someone else's product, that product had better be better than I can do. Here's a photo showing the hard tiles below the windows. Your version looks like it had a row too many, yours encroaches on the Startrackers. This is just a heads-up. A detail few, if any, will see ... http://spaceflight.n...max/hmg0016.jpg Having said that, regarding pricing ... I think anything over $20.00 might get some resistance. thanx lad Pete Thanks for the good words, guys. Pete, don't be a "tile counter." (joking) But FYI for everyone, I never intended the tiles to be gnat's @ss accurate. That is a tough nut to crack. I just wanted to get them in the ball park and fix the window size issue. The tiles are representative, and the windows aren't "perfect" either. If you look real close, you will see that I had to make some "adjustments" to get everything to flow together. Overall, however, the piece will be a huge improvement over what you get in the box. This was a "garage project." crafted manually at my workbench. I don't have the resources and expertise of a professional aftermarket resin caster. Bill, you are right about the tapered tiles at the front. I will take a look at that before finalizing the master. There are a couple of other minor improvements to make as well. Overall, we are 95% there. As far as adapting it to the Revell kit. I don't know. It may not fit well at all, and the Revell kit already has decent sized windows, even if their shape is a little off. You could give it a shot, I guess. Regarding pricing, you guys are thinking exactly along the lines I am. I don't want the beany cap costing as much as you can pick up an entire Monogram orbiter kit for on ebay. At the same time, I have put a couple months of work into this one master, and just casting ONE of these and cleaning it up a little takes a couple/three days. I think am going to go with $20, plus $5 for shipping/handling. The piece is clearly worth that, and I will have to make a trip to the post office or UPS for each one I mail out. I may adapt a copy of this cast to an early Columbia/Challenger by laying more tile, but no promises. As it sits, it is only good for Discovery/Atlantis/Endeavor. I am not claiming to be a resin guru or to be able to do this better than any one of you guys. I did it because it needed to be done. As a modeling community, we have devoted a lot of time and effort to finding a solution to this problem. If people want to do it on their own, that is fine. I just figured if I did it already, and it wasn't a hack job, then I could save folks the trouble of having to fight through it themselves. Personally, if I could have dropped a $100 and waived a magic wand to avoid the labor and hassle of doing all of this work manually, I would have done it. r/ Gil Gregg Edited January 11, 2013 by DutyCat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crowe-t Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 (edited) Gil, Sorry to come to the table a bit late. It looks great! You are definitely 95% there with the overall feel and design. It's a major and much needed improvement to the Monogram's windows and to make things better you included a fix for the star tracker ports! Well done!!! I'm with Pete and Bill regarding the $20 pricing. As long as you can make up the investment and put a couple of bucks in your pocket $20 sounds like a good number and certainly won't scare anyone off. A few of the tiles aren't 100% correct but it's not really that noticeable and doesn't make a difference, it's beautifully done! I don't really think one of these are necessary for the Revell shuttle. The Revell's windows, out of box, are very close to being correct and only need minor shaping to look accurate. It is up to the individual builder if they want to add tiles around the (Revell's) windows and making the star tracker ports isn't too difficult. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. Mike. Edited January 11, 2013 by crowe-t Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vince Hoffmann Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Gil, any update on availability? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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