Box o' Vinyl Recasts

[MonsterBoy7]

Hep: in response to your statement. I have been a member since 2009. I have visited sometimes when I had time to burn and lots of time when I never had time to participate. I would not even sign in just come on look at the topics and sign off. Mainly because of work and school.

Now I never came into the scene the last time I had read about this big recasting issue flare up on the UMA. So now because I am friend's with a few sculptors who do complain about the same things that are being mentioned now is the reason why I am interested in this conversation.

I have one friend who is a professional sculptor, who name is Eden Small. He works for WETA film company in New Zealand. Before he started working professionally at WETA, he sent a couple copies of one of his newest sculpts to the Garagekit Magazines here in the US. And he was so upset when he and I spoke,because he told me that he sent the copies in pure honest trust. Until he found out that one of the magazines that received his kit, the magazine owner took the kit and made molds of it.

I asked Eden how did you know that it was recasted? He then showed me the EBAY Auctions listing his kit being sold be this magazine. He was so upset he told me that he would never offer another piece of his art to collectors ever again. How low can you be he told me, and I have to agree.

So when I see a story like this with someone admitting that they have done recasting in the past and have done unlicensed kits. I am interested in knowing the motives. The reasons why? Why steal from another producer? How would you as a producer feel if the shoe was on the other foot and my friend Eden took one of your kits and started recasting it and selling it in his country? This is what I am interested in. I have heard his side now I want to hear other people's statements about why they do it?

 I am not sure how severe this behavior is in the resin hobby. But for it to attract this much attention and comments, it must be serious. This is me looking from the outside in of course. I only know a few sculptors and I know of kits that I have purchased through my subscriptions to Amazing Figure Modeler. Not only do I collect some kits but also,soundtracks,movie posters,and all Universal Monster related merchandise.

Hammer: If my questions upset you and Hep,that was not my intention. I was just asking because again I did not have the chance last time this thread was locked. I didn't mean to get you upset. But after you mentioned that you had Recasted in the past, I thought it was a good time to exchange moxie with someone in an open and friendly conversation. I will just take your silence as a message that you do not want to answer. I understand and I will not ask anymore questions.

[MonsterBoy7]

you do make an interesting point Hepcat. But troll behaviour is very easily spotted.

Now I am a Troll because I do not have the free time you and Hep have to particapate on a forum? I am not all over the forum, this is true. I didn't know that only people with more posts then me could participate in a conversation?

I think I do not need you to answer anymore questions,as your actions are starting to show me the reasons why you admitted to recasting.

I guess if you do not like what someone is saying to you then it's time to put the blame on someone else? Draw the spotlight away from you and put it in another part of the room.

To me that is the actions of a coward. Admins and Mods you do not have to lock this. I will not ask anymore honest questions.

Thanks for re-opening this thread I got to learn a little more about the other side of people in the hobby.
Thank you.

[Anton Phibes]

Now I am a Troll because I do not have the free time you and Hep have to particapate on a forum? I am not all over the forum, this is true. I didn't know that only people with more posts then me could participate in a conversation?

I think I do not need you to answer anymore questions,as your actions are starting to show me the reasons why you admitted to recasting.

I guess if you do not like what someone is saying to you then it's time to put the blame on someone else? Draw the spotlight away from you and put it in another part of the room.

To me that is the actions of a coward. Admins and Mods you do not have to lock this. I will not ask anymore honest questions.

Thanks for re-opening this thread I got to learn a little more about the other side of people in the hobby.
Thank you.

You're not a troll....there are some people trying to play guessing games. It happens on other sites too. I had folks speculating about my identity before John told them who I was. Bottom line: it's a topic BUYERS can be passionate about. Because someone like either you or I am---they suspect we are "one of the boys" in the production of the kits. I have no dog in this fight.  I am not a model producer, but I do like to have the option of buying the models~~and that causes me to have an opinion. I assume thats why you have one too. I followed Mike Hill's resin kits religiously. Then he went on to private commission only, and to high finance clients. The last models I got he did were the FZ busts. The last affordable thing he did that i got was the Sideshow Wolfman Premium format figure. he didnt like having his work re-cast....so he went to  greener pastures. Because of re-casting.

[george]

Phibes: Thanks for that comment.

I'm still hoping others will chime in about why they engage in recasting or why they buy recasts.   So far only one person here has admitted engaging in recasting.  I wish other recasters here had stepped up to admit having engaged in recasting because I'd love to know if their customers knowingly buy recasts.   I'd like to know if most of those buyers are unaware or they really don't care.  As a kit producer, I think that would be good for me to know.   

Larry: Please don't  feel like I'm picking on you especially since you are the only person here who has been man enough to stand up and admit that he engaged in recasting; like I said, you get serious props for that, man.   But I'd love to know if your customers know when the kit they buy from you is a recast.

BTW, the quote was "He who angers you conquers you." Don't know who first said that but it is one of my favorites, too.    It is a reminder to exercise civility and restraint.  My older sister told me that many years ago and I try to practice that when things get heated.   It is relate to another of my favorite sayings, this one by JFK: "Civility is not a sign of weakness."

With those things in mind, I ask Monsterboy, Hepcat, and other commentators here, to exercise civility and restraint so that this positive discourse will continue.  Thanks, folks.

GeoS

[hammerfan]

that would be nice George. i tend to think it will disintegrate into the usual mess. but time will tell.

[Hepcat]

If my questions upset you and Hep,that was not my intention.... I will not ask anymore questions.

It's not your questions I find annoying. It's your lack of participation otherwise when there are hundreds of threads on this board for Universal monster fans. I'm eagerly awaiting your input.

 

[fmofmpls]

We never can truly know the reasons for posting (or lack thereof) not to mention the true identity of any member here at the forum. We can only guess in our own best estimation. Anything else is nothing more than conjecture. I would respectfully ask that constraint is used in making public assumptions about other members;  with, or even without all the facts.

[michblk]

My reasons for buying a recast would be I either didn't know it was a recast.  I would consider buying a recast if the producer is no longer in business or the kit is no longer produced.

BK

[george]

Hepcat: PM sent.

GeoS

[long live kong]

I wouldn't buy a recast, but I have owned two, they were a gift from my mother a couple of Christmas's' back. She got a Geometric Medusa and a Cyclops (which I'm pretty sure was also by Geometric?) from ebay and I could tell she was really pleased with what she'd bought me, so I felt too guilty binning them or hiding them away so I built and painted them. I had to sculpt one of the cyclops' arms from scratch and a large chunk of his torso, the seams on the Medusa were half an inch wide so they also required tons of filling and sculpting. I showed my mum the finished kits and later gave them to a friend who was over the moon with them.

BTW George - a big thankyou from me for giving us Geometric! I own several kits (all original) and they have pride of place in my modest collection - two of my favourites are the 'swimming' Gillman kit and the Mike Hill Wolfman!

[RedKing]

I had to sculpt one of the cyclops' arms from scratch and a large chunk of his torso, the seams on the Medusa were half an inch wide so they also required tons of filling and sculpting.

This is another point about recasts I would like to adress. I know alot of people justify buying them to themselves because there is no way they can afford the original, so a cheaper knock-off will do. Well, again, the only person who benefits from recasters are the recasters themselves because , at least with the kits I received, there is alot of work thta needs to be done to get them into presentable or usable shape. For me, i enjoy painting the kit, not building it, so ny additional work i hve to do to get a kit together is irksome for me. here is an example: this pic is of the large Kong recast i have. i have trimmed the parts so you can see better. This is the top and bottom halves that should fit together but as you can see, the top is flattened so bad there is no way it will fit. It will require alot of heating and reshaping.

That's not all either. Every single piece of this kit needs to be heated and reshaped to fit together! Just terrible quality but the recasters do not care, they just want to pump out kits as cheaply and quickly as possible.
like LongLive Kong, I will try and build these kits because they were a thoughtful gift from a very close friend, and they will also serve to remind me of everything that I have learned during this discussion. needless to say, I will never consider buying a recast ever. it is just not worth it considering the damage to the hobby these guys have done and the insane amount of extra work that needs to be put into the kits to make them even half way usable.

[Anton Phibes]

That abysmal re-cast was originally a Dark Horse kit by Bowen (if I am viewing the warped monstrosity correctly). it put me in memory of a mistake my dad made once. My dad came over to my place and saw my Horizon Creature kit (which I sold off awhile back). He said he wanted to get one. But mine wasn't for sale at the time. He bought one that was painted and assembled from ebay and brought it to the house to show me his new "score" once it arrived. When he did---the first words out of my mouth were "you got ripped". He flipped out when I stood my Horizon Creature next to the RECAST he unknowingly purchased. It was smaller, and much of the detail was gone. This particular re-cast also sported a re-cast of Headless Fritz's custom nameplate....and a rubber Halloween snake.

My dad was ticked. I told him it takes money to go to college...so he learned his lesson. Now, when my pops wants a monster item, he doesnt buy anything before consulting me. So He doesnt get ripped again.

[monsterphile]

I wouldn't buy a recast, but I have owned two, they were a gift from my mother a couple of Christmas's' back. She got a Geometric Medusa and a Cyclops (which I'm pretty sure was also by Geometric?) from ebay and I could tell she was really pleased with what she'd bought me, so I felt too guilty binning them or hiding them away so I built and painted them.

There's an idea for a whole other thread.  Monster gifts we've gotten from people who meant well...   lol


Rob

[westbatman]

George,

Thanks so much for your posts. They have cleared up a mess of information on recasting, licensed and unlicensed kits. I am sending you a pm and was wondering if you could give me your thoughts.

Andy