New manufacturing?

[RyanShort1]

Has anyone given consideration to trying to do a new / modern business venture doing a repro of these old models?

[lastvautour]

It sounds like a good idea as there must be lots of them in our(my) generation. I would be a poor candidate for such work as it would feel like work. To me that IS a four letter word!!  If you do decide to go down that road, I wish you luck.

Lou

[RyanShort1]

LOL! I get it. OTOH, it could be a fun challenge to set up some jigs that could be used by others! (Hint!)

[lastvautour]

My predictable future has very little or no modeling for the rest of the year as we are moving. My collection is 3/4s packed and many of my shelving has been taken apart. I haven't even looked at packing my workshop.

Lou

[Lotus-14]

Hi Gang,
I have toyed with the idea a number of times, as a mechanical engineer, I thought it would be fun. In the '80s and '90s,  I did sell plans for Control-Line models through Flying Models magazine, it was moderately successful, but no where near making a living; at best it was break even. But I had a job, and didn't need the income from it.
I spent some time studying Strombecker models as a possibility, particularly the ship models. Strombecker used an assortment of manual and automatic carving machines, like shapers. I have looked for the machines, but it is just about impossible to find them anymore (they probably went to China for scrap), and the tooling would be very expensive. My idea was to sell finished models and kits at places like craft fairs, where you already have a group interested in making things.
There was a company in Oregon that made a Strombecker like model of the Martin Clipper, but they didn't last too long. I don't know what their manufacturing process was, but it was a very nice kit.
The option would be to use computerized shaping, but it is very expensive, and the process doesn't give a finish that looks like the shaped tooling used by Strombecker.
The other option is to do partially shaped blanks, like Hawk, pantograph carvers, like Dyna-models, or printed wood for flat parts like Comet did. There is also die cut or laser, but the die cut requires steel rule dies (Not that expensive, but you still need to buy them.), and a pretty good sized press. Laser is popular, but expensive.
Then there is the real problem...there are very few people who would be interested in buying the models. The older people are like me. I'd buy the models, but I'm part of a dying generation. Even among the older modelers, there is a trend to want a finished product, hence the Chinese die cast and ready built models, or the Philippine mahogany models. I was at a big swap meet, and had a large number of old models. I was told no one would want them, because they weren't laser cut; one guy actually got mad at me for offering stuff you had to make yourself...true. The Millennial Yuppies would not be interested, because they would actually have to do something, other than stare at their iPhone. There are a handful of younger people who might be interested, but very few.
Regards,
Tim

[buccfan]

Hi Tim, thanks for your post, it would appear to be as you say hand carvers are a dying breed, people are looking for quick ways of doing things nowadays, all you hear in the plastic modelling world at the moment is 3D printing. Regards Paul J.

[Flying T]

i made some primitive kits like pioneer did in the 30s based on plans from airtrails and model airplane news,block of pine 4 fus balsa for rest,3 view plan and instructions from the govid chart,was at the flea market in a store for 2 yrs next to shaw air force base,only a few people were interested,gave up