Something I've meant to mention a few times. With all the piracy going on, I wondered if some of the resin manufacturers should consider having some of the bits cast in metal. I was thinking that any scumbag could make a silicone mould at home but casting metal may put them off. And if everything was copied in resin, it would be easy to spot the fakes.

Martin

That would indeed make it easy to spot fakes, but I don't think that is the problem. It is already quite easy to spot a fake. Hate to be negative, but this would incur extra cost on the manufacturers side, but do nothing to hurt the recaster. His cheaper resin copies will find eager buyers anyway.
It would be good to have a thread with ideas that can counter this recasting, but it seems there is very little that can be done.

Cheers
Adrian

I think you are right Adrian. It's a bit like trying to stop prostitution. You need to convince the johns not to buy rather than putting the hookers in jail as there will alwats be more.

If it can be made, it can be faked. That my friends is a fact of life. It will never be stopped . All we can do is just hinder and make it harder for the fakers. If fakers are seen on internet sale sites report them, but be mindful buy exposing them on this site or any other may be inadvertently advertising for them. The other thing that can be done is not alow them into competitions and if spotted report to trading standards. At the end of the day you have to stop the purchaser. Thats why in English law a person can receive a greater punishment for handling stolen goods. than the thief who stole them.

mick

I don't think any serious modelers buy fakes anyway. I have projects going for a year or more sometimes. Why waste my time on a miscast piece of S?

Here's a thought:
When a 3D printed figure is cheaper to make than a resin one (using moulds) recasting will be given a deadly blow. In my view this just takes a few more years.
Of course this requires legit manufacturers to move towards 3D printed figures, which many do not seem to embrace. I hope these change their minds...
Until then it's down to ethics on the buyer's side.

Adrian

Oh well!

Martin

Not sure why you think that Adrian. The only thing you would be changing is the cost of the master. If the costs go down with digital (and I am not sure they will), all you have done is change one cost component in the production and distribution chain. I don't think a cost reduction in this production component could be significant enough to make recasting uneconomic.

We all know too well the joy of flipping our brush on an exquisite sculpted detail on a top notch figure. That joy will not be there with a poor recast copy.

cheers

alex

A suggestion - Could the model exhibitions world-wide be talked into posting an anti-piracy sign with maybe a leaflet to take home? I think a lot of the buying public are oblivious to this issue. Just my opinion - some consumers will never care and keep buying pirated figures, but some are buying them out of ignorance.

All the best,
Dan

Colin, If the original figures are individually 3D-printed at lower cost than the the recaster can copy them using rubber moulds and resin, the recaster cannot undercut the original manufacturer, which is the only thing that keeps him in business. There already is at least one company offering such individually printed figures.
Of course, this does imply a change in how companies create their master. This then has to be done by digital sculpting, or 3D scanning, rather than by physical sculpting.

Having said that, it's maybe just a small extra step to 3D scan an original figure, but it may be difficult to get the same resolution as the original. As always, technology brings new solutions and new problems....

Cheers,
Adrian

I see. I was assuming Digital design but classic molding and casting. You mean print to order I see.

! .. Yet again, this ugly aspect rears its head!

In my humble opinion! Their is no answer to this question! (Nor never will be). .. It boils down to individual 'Morality'. Those who care and will not buy! against those who! do not care and will buy.

Nothing more, and nothing less!

Is this necessary ?

Mark.

Is what necessary?

This type of repetitive thread!. ..It will all end in tears!

Have we not learnt our lesson in the past! as to how this type of thread ends up?



Mark.

Oh I see. I thought this one was a bit original. Some creative thinking. And at least this sort of thread does sensitize new members.

It's an interesting idea, Martin, but I think there are enough pirates out there who don't even bother with resin. I see a lot of white metal copies of resin kit figures on eBay, overwhelmingly from Russia and the Ukraine (one thing they can agree on, I guess). I agree with the others that that wouldn't really stop the piracy.

Prost!
Brad

Maybe something like this to put up in miniatures conventions, etc.? Maybe figures & hobby shops? I'm sure those of you who have real talent with graphics would come up with something better! Maybe the caption on the Stop Piracy sign should be: STOP MINIATURES PIRACY! SUPPORT FIGURE ARTISTS AND MANUFACTURERS!

All the best,
Dan

Dan ! I shall go the more direct route!



Mark.

The metal parts on our busts where copied in resin by the recasters.

We had a recent figure by Pathos designed and printed. The quality was absolutely terrible both in design and printing. A 200mm figure and a 120mm figure, the same piece, cost £750 to design and £750 to print. It was a complete failure and even more annoying as Andreas would not make any effort to rectify the piece. Without going over everything the piece can never be released as it is unusable, ironic as pathos has also disappeared, not surprised after fleecing some £1500. My point to show us that the costs to print were a huge part of the production price and not viable to offer prints to customers, even if the quality had been good enough.