- Posts: 3075
- Thank you received: 2362
Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)
Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.
Making miniatures: tell me everything.
- Cranberries
- Topic Author
- Offline
- D10
- Don't give up.
How much does it cost to hire someone to sculpt a mini?
What happens next--do they do a 3D scan of the master sculpt? How big are those sculpts?
When they make the miniatures from the master sculpt, do they have to create unique molds for each miniature, and isn't that horrifically expensive?
Some answers that I looked up since posting this lazyweb plea:
boardgamegeek.com/thread/1228148/qs-dupl...tems-and-resin-minis
boardgamegeek.com/thread/1264060/producing-miniatures-question
boardgamegeek.com/article/16989532#16989532
From what I gather, people actually sculpt them at 28mm, rather than make something 12" high and then 3d scanning and 3d printing a smaller version for the molding process.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
For the injection molding miniatures (ie. plastic miniatures), the design goes directly to the milling machine, carving a block of steel/aluminium for the mold. A mold may contain multiple miniatures/parts. Generally they are set apart by sets. A company may set apart hero miniatures & monster miniatures, since monster miniatures are in multiples.
I'm not sure how they do master sculpt -> steel mold for plastic now.
For metal it's much simpler with rubber molds. You don't need 3x masters. I know the Pendraken guys can help you with that.
But even now, a lot of metal miniatures are created using digital sculpt. Scult, print, clean up and create the mold for metal miniatures.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- engineer Al
- Offline
- D6
- Mama mia!
- Posts: 895
- Thank you received: 734
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
You may want to dig into this kickstarter. It's digital to plastic, and so far, in my opinion, the best "indie" plastic kit.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/dreamforge-...s-crusader-plastic-m
The guy also kickstarted metal miniatures.
The plastic miniatures had a target of 40k, while the metal's target was 3k.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- SuperflyPete
- Offline
- Salty AF
- SMH
- Posts: 10733
- Thank you received: 5119
The end.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Cranberries
- Topic Author
- Offline
- D10
- Don't give up.
- Posts: 3075
- Thank you received: 2362
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- SuperflyPete
- Offline
- Salty AF
- SMH
- Posts: 10733
- Thank you received: 5119
It varies immensely. Chad Hoverter's rates are different from Copplestone, or Murch, or anyone else. Rates are from $150.00 all the way to $1000.00 depending on who makes it, whether it's part of a larger deal, etc. I've worked with several miniatures game companies in different capacities and have talked to dozens more about this and this seems to be the range.craniac wrote: How much does it cost to hire someone to sculpt a mini?
Most 3D printers still don't have the resolution that can make top-tier models. So, as I said before, most of the time, they go from wax or putty right into making a master mold. Let's say that we're talking about a one-off model with no other models in the kit - they make 5 copies from that master mold, then make a NEW mold, with 5 copies of the master in it. That's then their production mold. This is for spincasting and resin only - blow or injection molding is an entirely different animal.What happens next--do they do a 3D scan of the master sculpt? How big are those sculpts?
If there's 5 different models in a kit, then they would take the 5 master models and make a master mold first, to reserve it as a "safety" and then make a production mold. They can then spin one copy of all 5 models in one shot. It's the same price, though, as making 5 copies of one mold. Making molds is not hard, though, or always expensive. It's the vacuum chamber that's expensive. To make a silicone mold with no air bubbles, you need to mix the shit up, then suck the bubbles out in a vacuum chamber. It's also a question of how many sides the mold needs - a two part mold is fine for a lot of models but the more complex and dynamic the cutouts, the more pieces of the mold you need. Lots of variables.When they make the miniatures from the master sculpt, do they have to create unique molds for each miniature, and isn't that horrifically expensive?
Most people sculpt at 28mm (or the scale of the actual finished model) and then go right to resin or metal, or whatever. In the OLD days they used to have shrinking mold material, so they'd sculpt 10% larger than the 28mm models and then cast - the final product would literally be 10% smaller due to shrinkage of the molds, and worse, it wasn't a repeatable phenomenon. Now most are non-shrinking and the models are what they are. I always kind of wondered if the phenomenon of shrinking molds is what changed the whole industry to "28mm Heroic Scale" (which is closer to 32mm).From what I gather, people actually sculpt them at 28mm, rather than make something 12" high and then 3d scanning and 3d printing a smaller version for the molding process.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- SuperflyPete
- Offline
- Salty AF
- SMH
- Posts: 10733
- Thank you received: 5119
craniac wrote: Thanks all for the insights. I checked out the Dream Forge site and their stuff is very detailed and perpetually sold out.
There's actually a whole lot of companies that make modular models for many genres - zombies to sci-fi to WW2. What are you looking to accomplish and why? Maybe I can find you something.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Cranberries
- Topic Author
- Offline
- D10
- Don't give up.
- Posts: 3075
- Thank you received: 2362
1) Making alternative miniatures for Space Hulk that actually fit the boards
2) Creating a Kickstarter called "Huge pile of miniatures!" and charging $300 a box. I'll call it a gaming "kit" and no rules or board will be included. Then I'll flee to Brazil.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- SuperflyPete
- Offline
- Salty AF
- SMH
- Posts: 10733
- Thank you received: 5119
Go out and get CircuitCam and then get Formlabs Form1+. Then learn how to model in CAD. Then make miniatures.
When you get there, call me. I've got a contract metal casting company. Or, you can call Reaper and ask them about contract injection molding. Or go to Alibaba and see about some Chinese sweatshop so you, too, can exploit cheap labor.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
For metal spincasting, I'd contact Pendraken, Copplestone, or Perry twins. Interestingly, Perry twins cast 4000 miniatures specially sculpted for Peter Jackson for his Anzac Day exhibit this March.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.