|
|
|
| Giant Scale Aircraft Discuss Giant RC Scale Aircraft. |
Topic Review (Newest First)
|
| 11-15-2012 03:52 PM | ||
| mwavesdave |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? I've got build threads with photos for the F-4 Phantom, Me-262, and the full scale Hurricane, those are all the projects I'm working on at the moment! |
|
| 11-15-2012 02:27 AM | ||
| RBIRON |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? Where you still going to post some pics of your work or did you change your mind? |
|
| 11-05-2012 07:23 PM | ||
| RBIRON |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? Your plate definetly sounds full. |
|
| 11-05-2012 06:39 PM | ||
| mwavesdave |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? Well the whole point wasn't to make money anyway, I figured if I was so frustrated, then others must be as well. I really wanted to encourage people to get back into building aircraft, something I find as much fun as flying. All of the short kits I cut, were because I wanted one for myself, so have the Ziroli B-25, P-38, a 108 in span PBY, Vailley Aviation Hurricane and Typhoon, as well as Dave Platt Me-109, Spitfire, (1/5th), Brian Taylor 82 in span Mossie, Don Smith 1/4 Spitfire, and the big Don Smith Mosquito, I'm sure there's more! lol Right now, though, the focus is on a gorgeous 78in span Me-262, from German plans, and the big project, the full scale Hurricane for the Shearwater Aviation Museum. Think my plate is pretty full for a while! lol |
|
| 11-05-2012 12:38 AM | ||
| RBIRON |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? I think you under cut yourself there,i am sure the people who got those kits are very happy but i think even if you charge $250-$300 a kit for the super size planes like a 144 inch OTTER or BEAVER it would be a good price some of these guys are charging $500 to $ 800 for a kit and they are useing a CNC like machine so you stack em up like you said set up whats left to do? Ah watch maybe and they are charging that kind of money. I think that is why we are seeing more and more of these stick build type plans a guy can buy cheaper and less of a problem getting what you want. Anyway your right you got to pay yourself $50 a hour so say you stack em up and cut 4 or 5 kits at once so you burn up 8 or 10 hours doing it you sell em [cash up front  ] $200 to $300 a kit so the most you make is $1500 that day you pay yourself $400 the rest is profit and everyone is very happy.At that rate you will have your cutting machine in no time and doubling what you make for kits every day i am sure you would out sell all these guys that are charging the big money if you believe less is more then greed won't get you like these other guys.Maybe these guys have big morgage payments on there machines i don't know.I understand though it is alot of work i did one by hand only useing a jigsaw,files,and a utility knife [1/6 scale Spitfire] it took awhile but i think a guy should do that at least once to keep a good mind set. You know if you really want a 1/5th Hawker Hurricane and have no time TROY BUILT MODELS has a kit for i think it was $369US you get everything with it except you electronics and your retracts are extra but it is also covered for you all wood build up with a fiberglass fuselage,i think shipping would be maybe $100US http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items...ANE-82FAF.html Watch the VID they explain it better then i can.There down in Florida. Well keep us posted hopefuly people responed to this maybe RC Canada will change there minds. |
|
| 11-04-2012 04:21 PM | ||
| mwavesdave |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? It is a shame, what started me off was the insane price for short kits, and some of the issues that even Laser Cut kits have. I really wanted a 1/5th Hawker Hurricane, and I knew that 1/8th Baltic Birch ply was readily available locally, and for a 5 X 5 sheet, it's $12 with tax! That makes a lot of bulkheads and ribs! Having a scroll saw, table saw, bandsaw, etc, meant that I can just as easily stack and cut multiples at a time, so makes sense to offer to others. I was really shocked at how big the demand was, and what was supposed to be a short cut a few kits to help people out, ended up taking all of my building time. A set of four kits probably averaged a week, more so for the Ziroli P-38, those were a ton of work, but sold them for $125.00. That's way too low to ever make a living at it, but once I retire, then I could look at doing it as a business, and cost per kit would probably have to go up about 25% to make it profitable. That would still be about 1/2 or less the price of kits from the US, and cheaper shipping, no customs issues, etc. It's certainly something I'd love to do! I'm up to my eyeballs right now with the 100% scale Hawker Hurricane project, but who knows, after that, might have to take the plunge, and get serious about the kit cutting. A laser cutting machine would certainly make it into a serious business, but take a bit of the fun out of it, and god knows what they cost! |
|
| 11-04-2012 02:55 PM | ||
| RBIRON |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? Sounds like a big job unless everyone that reads this chims in and is on board. There is lots of kit cutters in the US but the thing is there pricing is out to lunch like for a ex.the Beaver kits out there are $400 to $700 look at Mr aerodesign"s kits [i think he is Canadain based] don't get me wrong but i can get a good builders kit from any of these top name brand companys like Topflite or Unionville for $200 to $350 and then there is the shipping and duty charges on top of it all of which can add up real fast.Canada needs there own and we all have to make a living but lets keep it real and all injoy the hobby. Then there is Ivan Pettigrew he doesn't cut kits but he has plans/blueprints and his planes are all over the world those are planes that you just don't see anymore.Why because his pricing is in reach.Johonsplanesandkits.com has a beautiful twin Otter but his price is a little high and you still have to buy things to complete the plane,Hanger 9 come on $550 for a air frame really [twin Otter] it isn't a true ARF a true ARF is reciever readly,now Troybuiltmodels now that is more like it you can get a nice twin Otter ARF for $209 plus shipping which for me is $84 to my door. Nitro planes has a nice B25 Air Frame all wood build up and covered for $279US prices like that can make a guy shy away from kit cuters if there too high priced. If it is a plane that no one makes anymore then i guess your stuck unless you cut everything yourself by hand i have done it myself alot of work but you do get that high from it when your done because you done it yourself but again alot of work. Well if you did get this going you would be bissy that is for sure. Quote:
|
|
| 11-04-2012 12:08 PM | ||
| mwavesdave |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? If there isn't, and I don't think there is, get about 300 good friends to commit to 1 kit a year,for the next 5 years, and I could probably justify early retirement, and spend 40 hrs a week cutting short kits! That might be possible actually, sooner than later, goal is to retire at 55 (7 years), or as soon as I've got the means to make up the difference in my pension. No idea what the demand is though, here in Canada, for cutting kits. Other nasty issue is that Precision Cut Kits in the US has bought the rights to a ton of designs, making it a legal nightmare. Any business would do the same, if you've got the market pretty well cornered, then you can be sure you'll make a living. |
|
| 11-02-2012 08:56 PM | ||
| RBIRON |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? Yes i remember in your last e-mail it wasn't a good idea for you until much later down the road for you to try and go after something like this you could be called away without warning. I was more less throwing that out there to see if anyone else knows or heard of any other kit cutters out there in CANADA. |
|
| 11-02-2012 07:14 PM | ||
| mwavesdave |
Re: B-25, or Hawker Typhoon anyone? Not that I know of. I'll have to get through some of my priority projects, then I'll chat with the RC Canada execs, and see what I'd be looking at to become an Auth Vendor. That's one hurdle, but probably not huge, big one is I'm full time military, so I can't promise delivery times. We get deployed, or disasters happen, I'm gone. Afghanistan, training took up better part of a year, and then deployed for 9 months! That would really suck, for me, if I've already paid vendor fees, and for anyone who's got an order in. |
|
| This thread has more than 10 replies. Click here to review the whole thread. | ||
Your Privacy Choices