Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I want to do bigger armies, but god knows i dont have all the money i want, so i'm thinking in cloning miniatures with some friends. What is more profitable? resine or lead? I don't like the idea of lead for the lack of conversion options.

Reproducing miniatures may result in GW legal action. But regarding your question, resin and lead take a lot of money to set up, and lead has great health risks.

My advice? Buy your miniatures like everyone else

Cloning models is a bad thing unless they are models you have sculped yourself.

And as for cheapness, it is often cheaper just to buy the models than go through the learning curve of casting, buying all the materials, the time it takes, etc.

Plus you will not be doing a bad thing by buying the models.

If you are having trouble with cash, go on ebay or other trading sites, you can often get models and even whole armies a lot cheaper than full retail price.

well, maybe thats the best option.

Now i just need how to figure out how to make convertions to make good units with cheap pieces, and now that GW is putting less pieces in the regiment boxes that would be hard (i'm still really mad about what have they done with night goblins).

Seriously, now the plastic miniatures are as expensive as the lead ones.

GW do like to rape your money, that is true.

GW miniatures are not made of lead. You should not cast anything in lead.

The only cheap way to play this game is to buy lots of minis off ebay/dakka swap/bartertown for 50%+ off and refurbish them. If you wanted to recast you'd end up spending at least 100-150 bucks just to start up. It's not a way to go.

I think he meant white metal, rather than actual lead.

I have 2 armies (of less than 2000 points...). I buyed them before everything was even more expensive.

And now... to expand those armies are imposible, and less if i want to start a 40k orks army.

Now i have to find someone desperate to sell warhammer boxes or bits for almost nothing. I found some good offers on ebay but i'm always late (a regiment box for les than 6 €)

Guys, GW will not seek legal action against you if you replicate your own models without selling them. Now, I see the term "profitable" and I worry, because I then infer they do wish to sell them. That would bring down the hammer, so I recommend avoiding that. If you wish to cast them for yourself and not sell them, that is perfectly legal, last I checked.

Now, here is the trick, Warnolo - casting is hard, laborious, and often rife with problems. Unless you want to sink a lot of cash into getting good stuff, casting in small quantities is the best you can muster. I recommend Resin - which you can find Smooth-On kits for $50, or so. Start with that, see if the cost-work-production ratios are worthwhile and go from there.

Thanks, and dont worry, is not for sale, is just to expend less.

Remember that unless you are seriously good, your product will be more brittle, potentially less detailed, flawed, etc. while you may end up spending as much or more while taking much of your own time to complete the project.

For starting orks, there's a really easy way! Go on eBay or a bits site like www.bwbits.com and buy the ork sprues from Black Reach.

Resin dude. It's not that hard or expensive.

I think what he meant to say was which was more cost effective to produce, resin or metal. Lost in translation.

Cost effectiveness is tricky.

How much knowledge about the issues does the party have?
Has the party done this before?

Cost effectiveness is non-existent below 3x, approximating same at up to 10x and very much so at 11-20x (for resin or metal). Resin is slightly safer to work with*, metal is more forgiving of errors (you can melt it down and reuse it while you modify the mould).

If you are only making 1-3 copies, the materials cost to do them will cost you the same as buying those new. As you do more copies, unit cost per goes down, until you reach the point of mould damage (wear and tear happens) when you have to redo the mould from scratch again and your costs go back up.

Generally speaking.

* In that you only have to worry about the chemical issues involved (mixing of the resin - some of which can be nasty). Metal casting involves the possibility of nasty hot metal burns as well as inhalation of fumes issues.

The mini's do go for a lot of $$$ for what they really are. However remember that a fully painted 2000 point army will last you 5-10 years. How long does a new video game last? Or your PC\console before it needs an upgrade? Come to think of it, some of my Eldar are over 15 years old and still usable.

15+ years ago you could get 2 termie's for about $12 (and metal). You could also get a box of 10 metal Grey Hunter SM's for $30 and their detail is the same as today's mini's. Now I think its 5 minis, all plastic for $40.

I may be alone here but the only way I see GW items being expensive is where you want more then one army and you want it now. Ouch.

chromedog wrote:Cost effectiveness is tricky.

How much knowledge about the issues does the party have?
Has the party done this before?

Thats the main reason i didnt do it for myself... because i don't have any idea how to do it and i doubt they know something.

A friend (and i use that word too lightly) sell me his orks from the black reach box for 20 €, and them he raised to 35€. Even if it is a good price or not (and i think is not for a second hand miniatures) he is an ass and my pride tell me to not buy anything from him.

Well, i should look at wayland something. Or in E-Bay.

OoieGoie wrote: You could also get a box of 10 metal Grey Hunter SM's for $30 and their detail is the same as today's mini's. Now I think its 5 minis, all plastic for $40.

Honestly, I'd say the plastic Grey Hunters are a world beyond the old ones. And they're 10 for 37.25.

Well, an ork battleforce for 49€ is pretty cheap.

http://www.waylandgames.co.uk/Games-Workshop/Warhammer-40k/Orks/ORK-BATTLEFORCE/prod_1433.html