I've gotten a couple of emails asking about what I've planned for the CybBB and the release dates for the HOS01 kit.
Tentatively I'm still working on molds and i have to wait for that to be done before I can start working on the instructions and get the necessary stuff printed out. I'm targeting to start shipping out first orders in 2nd/3rd week of Feb and start taking actual orders and hopefully conclude this project in May or June.
As for BB. I'm hoping to start working on the redesigning in Mar and release him in the same month.
Keeping fingers crossed here.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
LOG021: HOS01 IN COLOR
Monday, January 19, 2009
LOG020: "REISSUE" of JDP HTM01 KITS
Due to a couple of requests to make the JD Productions HTM-01 (whatever that means) Cybertronian BB available again, I'm considering to make slight revisions to joints and make a small batch of kits if there is sufficient interest. Tentative price of the kit is $40 not including shipping. If I didn't recall wrongly the kit has about 40 parts.
Do write in if you're interested in this little figure
Do write in if you're interested in this little figure
LOG019: REVISED SHIPPING OPTIONS
Sorry guys I made a mistake on the available shipping options. Upon checking another location I realized that normal shipping was available. I'll update this list when I get more enquiries:
USA
Normal Air: US$28 (10-14 days)
Express : US$45 (2-4 days)
Japan
Normal Air: US$24 (5-7 days)
Express : US$32 (1-4 days)
For those who paid and wish to change their shipping options please let me know so I can do a refund of the difference.
And I missed out a small detail. I'm located in Singapore so do bear with the seemingly high shipping charges.
USA
Normal Air: US$28 (10-14 days)
Express : US$45 (2-4 days)
Japan
Normal Air: US$24 (5-7 days)
Express : US$32 (1-4 days)
For those who paid and wish to change their shipping options please let me know so I can do a refund of the difference.
And I missed out a small detail. I'm located in Singapore so do bear with the seemingly high shipping charges.
LOG018: WHAT IF......?
While I wasn't ready to reveal the intentions I have when I first started this project, switching over from scratchbuilding by hand to designing on software and prototyping by machine, I received a couple of emails from a few guys who might not be getting the kit for whatsoever reasons, but still wrote in to express their interest and appreciation for the project.
I explained to them that the project might not end with resin. So I'd like to ask a couple of questions and hope to get feeback from the fandom:
Yep I wanna get this and others into the factories one fine day and make real toys out of them. That's why I refused to give this up after the large one failed and revived this almost two years later. At this point of time I have no means at all to realize a mass manufactured project but I do hope that it can happen one day if the resin projects prove to be successful and able to fund it at least partially.
So do write in as the main intention of the preorder is to gather information and data for me to plan my projects more carefully. But of course, be honest about the prices that you intend to pay for the various options and feel free to express your opinions, views and suggestions.
my email address is griffith76@gmail.com
Thanks,
Eric
I explained to them that the project might not end with resin. So I'd like to ask a couple of questions and hope to get feeback from the fandom:
- How many of you guys will be interested in an ABS (injected toy plastic) version?
- Would you still buy one in kit form like Gundam/Zoids? (in ABS of course)
- How much would you pay for it in kit form, kit form with paint apps applied or complete like the City Commander? (same size at 6.5")
Yep I wanna get this and others into the factories one fine day and make real toys out of them. That's why I refused to give this up after the large one failed and revived this almost two years later. At this point of time I have no means at all to realize a mass manufactured project but I do hope that it can happen one day if the resin projects prove to be successful and able to fund it at least partially.
So do write in as the main intention of the preorder is to gather information and data for me to plan my projects more carefully. But of course, be honest about the prices that you intend to pay for the various options and feel free to express your opinions, views and suggestions.
my email address is griffith76@gmail.com
Thanks,
Eric
Sunday, January 18, 2009
LOG017: HOS01 RESIN GARAGE KIT FAQ
I've recieved some very good questions from an individual for the and I've replied accordingly the best that I can. I'm kinda busy to sort the questions and answers out so I'll just keep the Q&A as they are posted.
Q.
This is my first post, so hopefully I'm putting this in the right place. I'm a relatively new collector (less than a year), and I'm still learning things, so please forgive me if I ask something silly. I'm posting it here instead of as a PM in case someone besides Eric has some input and in the hopes that the answers to my questions benefit others as well.
Firstly, phenomenal work, Eric! This is just a beautiful piece. What's more amazing is that you are making it generally available to others. I am very seriously considering buying one of these, and possibly two depending on how convinced I become that I could put it together myself.
Eric discusses at length what it is he is offering in his blog site. He seems very upfront about the kit's limitations. I appreciate the honesty, but I also want to make sure I'm not overly alarmed by his disclaimers. So my major concerns are: (A) How hard is it to put together? and (B) How sturdy is the figure going to be?
In terms of (A), I am new to "garage kits" and am not sure what exactly that implies. Putting a kit together sounds kind of fun, but I'm also worried about it. If I am not experienced doing this sort of thing, do I run a significant risk of ruining my kit? That is to say, with merely enough time and patience (and the right tools and good instructions), am I likely to get it right eventually, or are there special tricks, honed skills, and/or extreme precision that are required to do this? If it sounds unlikely that I as a neophyte would be able to do it properly, I'd rather further invest in having someone who knows what they're doing put it together.
If this latter is the case, then I'd like to understand what the options are for assembly. There are two listed: "simple" at $80 and "complete" at $150. A little more description here would be useful. What will be lacking if I only get the "simple" option? Is the only difference the filling of bubbles and replacing of rods? Also, what is the expected likelihood of there being any bubbles? At almost double the cost, are these final steps especially hard to do or just time consuming? Are the acrylic rods only important if you plan on transforming the figure into train mode (this seems to be what the blog posting implies)? For the painting option, what exactly does that include? Since the figures already come in properly-colored material, what is left to color besides the detailing (which seems small)? Or will the body of the figure also be painted to compensate for the dullness of the material's coloring?
In terms of (B), I understand that this is meant to be a display piece, but exactly how fragile should I expect it to be? What is the effect of the figure being in resin rather than plastic? If I do decide to transform it (or maybe even just pose it), do I run a non-negligible risk of breaking it (assuming I'm actually trying to be careful)? If I were to transform it a small number of times (say half a dozen), should I expect noticeable degradation? If I accidentally bump the shelf he's on and he falls over onto his side, is he likely to break?
And finally (C) how do we make sure this project is a success? For me, at least, this is really exciting stuff. I'd love to see the line continue, and I hope that Eric's project is getting sufficient exposure to generate enough interest. I guess this has been around for a while, but I don't monitor the forums deeply enough to have noticed it until it got front-paged recently. Is it possible to front-page it again to let people know that they should start placing pre-orders now?
A.
the disclaimer is to warn folks like yourself and people who do not have first hand experiences with resin garage kits. For kits, there are good ones and there are bad ones. I've examined first hand 2 kits from Japan Wonderfest; the Lady Roses Coral kit and MetalHawk kits. I've not gotten a chance to assemble them but based on the quality of the molds and casting, I'd rate Lady Roses 9/10 (close to perfection and minimal cleaning) and MetalHawk 4/10 (bubbles in every part and some parts have flaws that affect details and large bubbles that are virtually impossible to putty up, this guy's practically selling rejected parts). I'd rate my own kit at a 7 for average quality and ease of assembly. But Prime is much more complex in design and much much heavier so I'm not factoring these in for the ratings.
I am making minor mods to the parts that I feel that are difficult to assemble and will only sell kits made from the 2nd mold onwards. If you'd follow my instructions carefully there shouldn't be any problem getting everything right.
I've designed most of not all the parts to be replaceable in the event that someone breaks something. Most of the important areas are held by screws and you wont need to pay a fortune to replace something small. The large parts are virtually impossible to break. And don't worry, you will not ruin your kit as all the holes you need to drill are marked, as long as you read the instructions carefully there shouldn't be any major problems with assembly. It's just terribly boring and tedious for me since I've been going through this thing for 2 years.
As for joints. The figure won't be a rag doll for sure. It will be able to stand on its own and hold simple poses but due to its weight, the joints do not feel strong enough. But I like mine better than Titanium War Within Prime.
I'm sure anyone with a little common sense and patience can do it without destroying the kit and someone with experience with garage kits and a dremel can do a good job. Resin garage kits are kinda common but not transformable ones and it's much harder to build one that is required to transform as the parts be assembled with greater care in order for them to fit properly in the alternate mode.
As for the 2 types of assembly services, I'd use an analogy; Say a MG Gundam kit. First option, I can cut out the parts, clean the excess materials, then put it together. In the second option, I have to do likewise, then putty up the seamlines, sand off excess putty. But in my case to fit and clean everything properly takes a much greater effort than merely trimming the parts and putting them together. This is a handmade product and not machine produced. There should not be any bubbles in the first place but I cannot guarantee 100% bubblefree. And replacing of rods is a more tedious process than what you think it is. If you drill a hole 0.5mm off your train parts will no longer align properly. The pegs I've included in the design to lock the limbs and parts together in train mode came out too loose after molding and casting. There are ways to tighten them (eg. add a little glue to the pegs or the hole to make things tighter) but only a prefabricated rod and a drilled hole can be perfect. Pegs and holes cast in resin tend to deform as the molds are soft in the first place and there's always a factor of human error. The steps are intermediate in level of difficulty but terribly tedious for me to do it. I've got better things to do with my time (like designing new stuff) than drilling holes and plugging rods in. ie. you want an engineer to sweep the floor for you, you gotta pay engineer rates and not sweeper rates.
The parts come colored but it wont look as good as real toy plastics. In short, adding colors weakens the resin so I have to do it sparingly.
It wont break toppling over. Some small parts or joints will break if dropped from a height of say, table top level. It's a heavy piece for its size coz its solid in all parts. Just compare a Bowen or Sideshow Marvel statue to a Hasbro figure. But mine's playable if you are careful with it. He's so blocky I doubt he can do real action poses, mostly museum or heroic poses. The joints MAY become loose. I won't know coz I do not have the chance to test the figure for a long period, but in theory they should hold, and like I mentioned, these are replaceable. You can even find the materials at local hobby or hardware stores probably.
For the project to be a success, there's no real way for any individual to make a difference. You like it, you get one and a few hundred others feel the same. Then they open up the package and like what they see and see value in what they've paid for, then will continue buying if new designs come out with consistent or better quality. That's how I see success and why I do not want to hype this up and claim that it's the most friggin amazing scratchbuilt garage kit ever designed when its not. I'd want people who'll truly appreciate what they've paid for and review the design and product honestly. Only then I can be certain that this thing actually has a future. I have seen and own some of the best transformable resin models in the world and even then, people do complain about them in comparison with real toys. So I'll let market forces decide whether this is a good product or not for its price.
Q.
This is my first post, so hopefully I'm putting this in the right place. I'm a relatively new collector (less than a year), and I'm still learning things, so please forgive me if I ask something silly. I'm posting it here instead of as a PM in case someone besides Eric has some input and in the hopes that the answers to my questions benefit others as well.
Firstly, phenomenal work, Eric! This is just a beautiful piece. What's more amazing is that you are making it generally available to others. I am very seriously considering buying one of these, and possibly two depending on how convinced I become that I could put it together myself.
Eric discusses at length what it is he is offering in his blog site. He seems very upfront about the kit's limitations. I appreciate the honesty, but I also want to make sure I'm not overly alarmed by his disclaimers. So my major concerns are: (A) How hard is it to put together? and (B) How sturdy is the figure going to be?
In terms of (A), I am new to "garage kits" and am not sure what exactly that implies. Putting a kit together sounds kind of fun, but I'm also worried about it. If I am not experienced doing this sort of thing, do I run a significant risk of ruining my kit? That is to say, with merely enough time and patience (and the right tools and good instructions), am I likely to get it right eventually, or are there special tricks, honed skills, and/or extreme precision that are required to do this? If it sounds unlikely that I as a neophyte would be able to do it properly, I'd rather further invest in having someone who knows what they're doing put it together.
If this latter is the case, then I'd like to understand what the options are for assembly. There are two listed: "simple" at $80 and "complete" at $150. A little more description here would be useful. What will be lacking if I only get the "simple" option? Is the only difference the filling of bubbles and replacing of rods? Also, what is the expected likelihood of there being any bubbles? At almost double the cost, are these final steps especially hard to do or just time consuming? Are the acrylic rods only important if you plan on transforming the figure into train mode (this seems to be what the blog posting implies)? For the painting option, what exactly does that include? Since the figures already come in properly-colored material, what is left to color besides the detailing (which seems small)? Or will the body of the figure also be painted to compensate for the dullness of the material's coloring?
In terms of (B), I understand that this is meant to be a display piece, but exactly how fragile should I expect it to be? What is the effect of the figure being in resin rather than plastic? If I do decide to transform it (or maybe even just pose it), do I run a non-negligible risk of breaking it (assuming I'm actually trying to be careful)? If I were to transform it a small number of times (say half a dozen), should I expect noticeable degradation? If I accidentally bump the shelf he's on and he falls over onto his side, is he likely to break?
And finally (C) how do we make sure this project is a success? For me, at least, this is really exciting stuff. I'd love to see the line continue, and I hope that Eric's project is getting sufficient exposure to generate enough interest. I guess this has been around for a while, but I don't monitor the forums deeply enough to have noticed it until it got front-paged recently. Is it possible to front-page it again to let people know that they should start placing pre-orders now?
A.
the disclaimer is to warn folks like yourself and people who do not have first hand experiences with resin garage kits. For kits, there are good ones and there are bad ones. I've examined first hand 2 kits from Japan Wonderfest; the Lady Roses Coral kit and MetalHawk kits. I've not gotten a chance to assemble them but based on the quality of the molds and casting, I'd rate Lady Roses 9/10 (close to perfection and minimal cleaning) and MetalHawk 4/10 (bubbles in every part and some parts have flaws that affect details and large bubbles that are virtually impossible to putty up, this guy's practically selling rejected parts). I'd rate my own kit at a 7 for average quality and ease of assembly. But Prime is much more complex in design and much much heavier so I'm not factoring these in for the ratings.
I am making minor mods to the parts that I feel that are difficult to assemble and will only sell kits made from the 2nd mold onwards. If you'd follow my instructions carefully there shouldn't be any problem getting everything right.
I've designed most of not all the parts to be replaceable in the event that someone breaks something. Most of the important areas are held by screws and you wont need to pay a fortune to replace something small. The large parts are virtually impossible to break. And don't worry, you will not ruin your kit as all the holes you need to drill are marked, as long as you read the instructions carefully there shouldn't be any major problems with assembly. It's just terribly boring and tedious for me since I've been going through this thing for 2 years.
As for joints. The figure won't be a rag doll for sure. It will be able to stand on its own and hold simple poses but due to its weight, the joints do not feel strong enough. But I like mine better than Titanium War Within Prime.
I'm sure anyone with a little common sense and patience can do it without destroying the kit and someone with experience with garage kits and a dremel can do a good job. Resin garage kits are kinda common but not transformable ones and it's much harder to build one that is required to transform as the parts be assembled with greater care in order for them to fit properly in the alternate mode.
As for the 2 types of assembly services, I'd use an analogy; Say a MG Gundam kit. First option, I can cut out the parts, clean the excess materials, then put it together. In the second option, I have to do likewise, then putty up the seamlines, sand off excess putty. But in my case to fit and clean everything properly takes a much greater effort than merely trimming the parts and putting them together. This is a handmade product and not machine produced. There should not be any bubbles in the first place but I cannot guarantee 100% bubblefree. And replacing of rods is a more tedious process than what you think it is. If you drill a hole 0.5mm off your train parts will no longer align properly. The pegs I've included in the design to lock the limbs and parts together in train mode came out too loose after molding and casting. There are ways to tighten them (eg. add a little glue to the pegs or the hole to make things tighter) but only a prefabricated rod and a drilled hole can be perfect. Pegs and holes cast in resin tend to deform as the molds are soft in the first place and there's always a factor of human error. The steps are intermediate in level of difficulty but terribly tedious for me to do it. I've got better things to do with my time (like designing new stuff) than drilling holes and plugging rods in. ie. you want an engineer to sweep the floor for you, you gotta pay engineer rates and not sweeper rates.
The parts come colored but it wont look as good as real toy plastics. In short, adding colors weakens the resin so I have to do it sparingly.
It wont break toppling over. Some small parts or joints will break if dropped from a height of say, table top level. It's a heavy piece for its size coz its solid in all parts. Just compare a Bowen or Sideshow Marvel statue to a Hasbro figure. But mine's playable if you are careful with it. He's so blocky I doubt he can do real action poses, mostly museum or heroic poses. The joints MAY become loose. I won't know coz I do not have the chance to test the figure for a long period, but in theory they should hold, and like I mentioned, these are replaceable. You can even find the materials at local hobby or hardware stores probably.
For the project to be a success, there's no real way for any individual to make a difference. You like it, you get one and a few hundred others feel the same. Then they open up the package and like what they see and see value in what they've paid for, then will continue buying if new designs come out with consistent or better quality. That's how I see success and why I do not want to hype this up and claim that it's the most friggin amazing scratchbuilt garage kit ever designed when its not. I'd want people who'll truly appreciate what they've paid for and review the design and product honestly. Only then I can be certain that this thing actually has a future. I have seen and own some of the best transformable resin models in the world and even then, people do complain about them in comparison with real toys. So I'll let market forces decide whether this is a good product or not for its price.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
LOG016: HOS01 PRE-ORDER
Finally I'm ready to take a pre-order for this project after testing my first molds and parts from the very first set. And before anyone jumps straight into this getting all excited thinking you are ordering and getting a HOS Optimus Prime TOY, YOU ARE NOT. Read on.
DISCLAIMER
This is not a toy. What I'm offering to the Transformer fandom and the public is a resin garage kit with parts made from Polyurethane(PU) resin. It is meant to be closer to a display model and not a toy that can be handled roughly.
You'd expect to:
At this point of time you should have a clear idea on what this actually is. Building a garage kit is not the same as building a gundam kit. And if you're still keen to get one (or two) after knowing the limitations of the material and the design of this figure, here's the deal.
I will continue to improve some minor parts and start production shortly, but this project has taken its toll on my time and finances so at this point of time when I am certain that I'd be able to deliver a decent kit to those who know what to expect from resin garage kits, I'm starting a pre-order to decide on the size of the production run as well as ease my financial issues a little.
PRE ORDER INFORMATION
There are three options available for this pre-order:
PRODUCT INFORMATION
HOS Prime resin garage kit
CREDITS
I'm honored to have the chance to work together with a couple of very talented individuals as well as professionals to make this project better. So far these are the people involved and credit goes where credit's due:
Guido Guidi
What can I say more? There won't be no HOS Prime custom without the HOS comic and more importantly, Guido's concept design. 'Nuff said (Guido isn't involved in this project, I based my work on his concept and design)
www.guidoarts.deviantart.com/
http://xoomer.alice.it/guidi_guido/
Altitron
Hmm I don't remember what this guy does for a living but his artwork is cool as hell. He'll be the one doing the box/sticker art as well as other graphics goodies in this project and hopefully future ones as well.
www.ThePimpSled.com
http://altitron.deviantart.com/
Sabsabby85
Sabrina specializes in customized paintjobs from the TF movie toys. Really really impressive work. Normally I do not take notice in custom painted figures but I gotta say I was floored when I saw what she did to toys that I didn't really like. Check her blog out.
http://www.artsylovers.blogspot.com/
Frenzy Rumble
Professional kitbasher who commands the highest prices on ebay for kitbashing works. Michael the coolest gestalt custom pieces tower 18" tall.
www.frenzyrumble.com
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Please make all payments through Paypal (griffith76@gmail.com) and send me an email of your information as well through the same address. If you have any queries do feel free to contact me as well through email.
OTHER MISC NOTES
Future Projects: I'd wish to design and produce more custom figures from the series and hopefully make them available to everyone who wants one. There are lots of ways that I've thought of to improve on the current design after assembling the kit myself, but I have to move on as I've been working on this project for exactly 2 years since Jan 07. So the success of this production is crucial to developments of future projects. There are always ways to improve on designs and products and I will keep on trying harder.
For those who have supported and encouraged this project so far, you have my sincerest thanks. And if you have any supportive criticisms on how to improve on the design and product I will definitely taken them into consideration, but only for future projects. I've spent enough time, effort and money on this design.
A note to early orders. As much as I appreciate those who are willing to support this project fully and get the early kits, I have to be honest to inform you that for every production run, the kits from the earlier part of production MAY have problems and issues that can be solved in the later part of the production. If the issues are major, I will offer free replacement parts (shipping fees apply)
Think I've ranted long enough. If you have further questions do email me griffith76@gmail.com
Here are the pics of the very first kit made from the very first mold which will be painted by Sabrina aka sabsabby85. Her works can be viewed in the link section.
DISCLAIMER
This is not a toy. What I'm offering to the Transformer fandom and the public is a resin garage kit with parts made from Polyurethane(PU) resin. It is meant to be closer to a display model and not a toy that can be handled roughly.
You'd expect to:
- drill lots and lots of holes(3 different sizes) preferably with a battery powered drill
- trim out excess material using a rotary tool(dremel or similar models) or a penknife(guaranteed cuts on the fingers)
- smooth out certain parts using sandpaper
- glue certain parts together using CA (superglue). While most parts are held by screws and replaceable if damaged, there are a couple of parts that have to be glued on.
- touch up on lost details(I cannot guarantee 100% perfect parts when I may have literally tens of thousands of parts to cast and pack within a short period of time. But if the quality is bad enough I'll send a replacement)
- find a couple of small bubbles here and there in a couple of the 80 parts. As much as I'll try to achieve perfection I cannot afford that level of QC for the price I've set.
- potentially flimsy joints in robot mode. I've been exploring on making tght joints in resin figures and it is currently the best method I've come up with so far considering its size. I have no idea if the joints will stay tight over a long period of time as there's no opportunity to test it yet but the joints are removable and replaceable.
- parts may not lock properly in train mode. I have included pegs in the design for locking of parts in the alternate mode but apparently there is still some form of shrinkage or deformation that is not visible to the eye that affects the fitting of plugs and holes. To have a perfectly tight fitting, the resin pegs have to be manually removed and replaced with styrene or acrylic rods for precision fitting. The resin pegs used for locking at for people who do not want to go through this extra tedious process. I'm still trying to work out other ways to improve on the current parts.
- possible issues with transformation after building the kit. How well the parts fit together largely depends on the skill level of the person building the kit and how much time/effort he's spending on it. eg. if the holes are not drilled straight, it will affect may other parts that are supposed to fit nicely together.
At this point of time you should have a clear idea on what this actually is. Building a garage kit is not the same as building a gundam kit. And if you're still keen to get one (or two) after knowing the limitations of the material and the design of this figure, here's the deal.
I will continue to improve some minor parts and start production shortly, but this project has taken its toll on my time and finances so at this point of time when I am certain that I'd be able to deliver a decent kit to those who know what to expect from resin garage kits, I'm starting a pre-order to decide on the size of the production run as well as ease my financial issues a little.
PRE ORDER INFORMATION
There are three options available for this pre-order:
- you're a die hard fan and a full supporter and insist on getting a kit irregardless of any reasons , you can opt to pay in full. I appreciate your trust and support and will make sure you'd get your kit delivered asap
- you have decided to get one for sure, but wish to pay in full only when I'm ready to ship. You can pay a deposit of US$50 for each kit reserved. You will be placed on the waiting list right after the people who has paid in full and will get your kit in due time. In the event that you wish to cancel the order I will not be able to refund the money back. However for any reasons that I may not be able to fulfill your order I will make a full refund including additional paypal fees.
- you think this looks interesting and you'd like to buy one if the reviews from those who have gotten it are good. Do write in. I will decide the size of the production run based on the number of people who might be willing to buy one and you will be in a list of names of potential orders. There is no obligation to order but I will keep the people updated on related information on this project and possible future projects in this series (if it can become a series that is). Priority goes to people who have paid full and partial. Once decided, I will not increase the number of kits to be produced as every kit will come with a numbered plaque.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
HOS Prime resin garage kit
- Size of figure: 6.5" tall in robot mode; 8.5" in train mode (approx)
- What's in the kit: 80 resin parts; Drill bits required; rods and tubes required; screws; additional rods required for optional modifications; and instructions of course, I have not written them yet though
- Optional tools: I will prepare a list of recommended tools to build the kit but they are normally easily available in most hardware, DIY shops, or you may even have them at home so I'm not including them in the kit. But if you insist I can include them in with an additional charge
- Colors: parts come in 3 colors (red/blue/light gray) for the "Original" version and 2 colors (dark gray/light gray) for the "Black" version. Do take note that colors may not appear as bright or rich as expected as excessive pigmentation/dye will cause weakening of material.
- Weight: completed figure weighs about a little less than 1lb
- Price: Unassembled kit (US$120)
- Prices for additional services: Simple assembly ie. basic cleaning of parts (US$80); Complete assembly ie. filling of possible bubbles, replacing resin pegs with acylic rods (US$150); Basic paintjob ie. airbrushed solid colors for base parts and simple handpainted applications on various details (US$80)
- Shipping: US$45 to USA for express (2-4 days and US$28 for normal air: (10-14 days) based on a protional offer by local post office till 31 Mar 09 (2-4 days). For other countries please refer to this brochure here. Shipping is a single flat rate for multiple orders. I will absorb additional shipping charges if any.
- Replacement parts: In the event that parts get damaged beyond repair, I will offer up a list of the parts available for replacements. Prices may vary from $2 - $10 depending on size/weight. Additional shipping charges apply.
- Project duration: Depending on the size of the production, I do not wish to stretch the project beyond end of March. I do not know how fast I can churn out sets while maintaining a certain level of quality yet and I cannot afford to purchase materials altogether in one order nor do I have the storage space so I will fulfill orders as I go along.
- Size of production: To be decided. I will set a number to how many of each color are to be produced based on the level of interest I get. I may produce fewer than that actual number has the production costs are extremely high, but not more. And there won't be a second run. Each kit will come with a numbered plaque stating the kit number and number of kits produced for that color. People who would want to order a set of two can request for the identical numbers if they wish to do so.
- Expected date for first orders to be fulfilled: End Jan - mid Feb.
- End of pre-order: when the first kits are ready to be shipped out and the numbered plaques are to be prepared.
- Whats the diff between 10" and 6.5" versions: Size, price, material used and skill level of the people making molds and castings. I do not know whether Hal is better or not as I'm located in Singapore, only someone who has both can compare.
CREDITS
I'm honored to have the chance to work together with a couple of very talented individuals as well as professionals to make this project better. So far these are the people involved and credit goes where credit's due:
Guido Guidi
What can I say more? There won't be no HOS Prime custom without the HOS comic and more importantly, Guido's concept design. 'Nuff said (Guido isn't involved in this project, I based my work on his concept and design)
www.guidoarts.deviantart.com/
http://xoomer.alice.it/guidi_guido/
Altitron
Hmm I don't remember what this guy does for a living but his artwork is cool as hell. He'll be the one doing the box/sticker art as well as other graphics goodies in this project and hopefully future ones as well.
www.ThePimpSled.com
http://altitron.deviantart.com/
Sabsabby85
Sabrina specializes in customized paintjobs from the TF movie toys. Really really impressive work. Normally I do not take notice in custom painted figures but I gotta say I was floored when I saw what she did to toys that I didn't really like. Check her blog out.
http://www.artsylovers.blogspot.com/
Frenzy Rumble
Professional kitbasher who commands the highest prices on ebay for kitbashing works. Michael the coolest gestalt custom pieces tower 18" tall.
www.frenzyrumble.com
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Please make all payments through Paypal (griffith76@gmail.com) and send me an email of your information as well through the same address. If you have any queries do feel free to contact me as well through email.
OTHER MISC NOTES
Future Projects: I'd wish to design and produce more custom figures from the series and hopefully make them available to everyone who wants one. There are lots of ways that I've thought of to improve on the current design after assembling the kit myself, but I have to move on as I've been working on this project for exactly 2 years since Jan 07. So the success of this production is crucial to developments of future projects. There are always ways to improve on designs and products and I will keep on trying harder.
For those who have supported and encouraged this project so far, you have my sincerest thanks. And if you have any supportive criticisms on how to improve on the design and product I will definitely taken them into consideration, but only for future projects. I've spent enough time, effort and money on this design.
A note to early orders. As much as I appreciate those who are willing to support this project fully and get the early kits, I have to be honest to inform you that for every production run, the kits from the earlier part of production MAY have problems and issues that can be solved in the later part of the production. If the issues are major, I will offer free replacement parts (shipping fees apply)
Think I've ranted long enough. If you have further questions do email me griffith76@gmail.com
Here are the pics of the very first kit made from the very first mold which will be painted by Sabrina aka sabsabby85. Her works can be viewed in the link section.
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