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Is there such a thing, an industrial scale way of injection/spin casting resin the same way they do metal for instance?

Just wondering how it is companies mass produce resin models if it isn't done individually by hand?

Resin casting is generally not spincast. It's to do with general density and set times, mainly.

Metal is melted, and poured into a spinning mould. This is done to ensure that the extremities get sufficient metal. It cools and solidifies relatively quickly with or without the spinning, but spinning does cool it more quickly.

Resin is different. It is a viscous liquid where the set time is dependent upon chemical reactions, not cooling (as it gives off its own heat as it cures). The set (demould) time can be several hours, and it would give no real benefit overall. Sure, you could cast more in a given pour, but you still have to wait for the resin to set/harden before demoulding (up to several hours).

For best results in resin casting, moulds and casts should be done under pressure (you put the moulds and casts into a pressure vessel and pump up the pressure. This is mainly for air bubble release, not usually to force the resin into the extremities.

Interesting. How would a company like GW for example go about mass producing resin things then?

The FW methods seem a bit hit and miss, and they still make them all (slowly) by hand do they not?

Gw wouldnt do mass production resin as it requires hands on labor which is mostly which it's so expensive.

Comparing resin and plastic is like comparing a Rolls Royce and a honda civic. One is hand made, and thus the price tag is significantly more than the automated production model.

Check out the Dream Forge blog. The owner talks about how casting his newest creation is the greatest obstacle to bringing the model to market.

I imagine FW has a workroom with a dozen pressure pots. Some poor dude has to go from pot to pot filling molds with resin. By the time #12 is done, #1 should be ready to demold and start over.... It all must be rather Sisyphus like.

Wow that sounds really labor intensive. Does anyone know what machines are needed for resin casting?

Below is the blog post from DreamForge miniatures. I thought it was rather interesting.

Casting took considerably longer than planned, two days of fussing with new molds and adjusting vent and sprue size. I suppose it’s to be expected but it sure is frustrating.

Because of the current production rate, I have concluded that I need to move this out of house sooner than later and will be working toward that end.

Until then I had to choose a way to sell, that would allow the greatest number of people a shot at purchasing a kit... I settled on the auction format. I know it’s not ideal and bidding may go over the suggested retail but the market supply and demand will set the price and if there is extra profit, it will go straight to the contract caster to get that end rolling.

I refuse to take pre-orders because I will not sell something that is not in a box and ready to ship.... Been there, done that, and won’t do it again. There are just too many things that can go wrong, and I would prefer not to anger my customers with unreasonable wait times.

I apologize and hope you understand my decision. If the auction format drives the price too high, I would ask for your patients while I work out the production issues. How long will it take? Likely several (2-3) months for the contract caster to start production.

Have a safe and happy New Year, and happy bidding….

Resin casting on the professional scale uses vacuum chambers which degass the resin, removing trapped air and bubbles.

Home casting often forgoes this step as vacuum setups are pricey and most home projects can make due without them.

Home casting requires no machinery whatsoever. I make my own bases and cast custom parts all the time. Only costs are silicone rubber for the molds and resin for the casts.

aerethan wrote:Resin casting on the professional scale uses vacuum chambers which degass the resin, removing trapped air and bubbles.

Home casting often forgoes this step as vacuum setups are pricey and most home projects can make due without them.

Home casting requires no machinery whatsoever. I make my own bases and cast custom parts all the time. Only costs are silicone rubber for the molds and resin for the casts.

Someone should tell FW how the professionals do it.

They most certainly DO NOT use a pressure casting setup. Not with the voids in their castings. It's not uncommon for larger pieces to have hidden bubbles (and if you are over the import duties waiver cap, these WILL be drilled out by the Customs people - blame drug smugglers using sculptures to import stuff) adjacent to the casting gates/vents. Pressure cast pieces would not have these issues.

I don't think FW even use something as low-tech as a vibration plate to expedite bubble release.

I've never bought from them so I don't know first hand of their quality. There are a few custom model houses, a few in japan that do car kits that use proper technique, and every FX and creature shop I've seen uses vacuums for casting and mold making of any kind.

I worked for company that produced resin miniatures for nearly fourteen years and the most vital piece of equipment you needed was a vaccum chamber, I'm staggered to hear that FW do not use one! A good vaccum chamber will eradicate in my experience 95% of air bubbles and is worth the expense for the return you'll get from it. I suspect that if they don't use a chamber to get air bubbles out of castings they will be losing a lot of money on wasted materials. If what people say about the overall quality of the castings FW sell, we may well be getting the best of the worst.

I used to work in Resins, in the GW factory. They do use vacuum chambers, and every thing possible is done to ensure that quality is as good as can be. There is no evil plot to sell substandard/cheaply made gear. The simple problem is that it takes 2-3 months for a staff member to become properly (bear in mind also that 99% have no interest in the hobby) competant with the moulds, plus the fact that there is an immense pressure on production due to rate of sale of some items.

Also you have to take into account that casting resins isn't really condusive to industrial scales as it relies on extensive knowledge of how to strip each piece (and believe me each mould shape requires a different method to prevent damage), and also it requires that delicate balances and measures for the resin be completed at pace. Small variations will inevitably result, as will variations depending how many time a mould has been pulled. An experienced operator will reject any miscasts that they catch.

The biggest problem is that resin is nothing like plastic or metal to deal with, and no matter where it comes from there will be a degree of straightening/fetling required. I have bought resin from many places, from cheap bubbly stuff to the high end FW bits. If you have any modeling knowledge you can easily sort it. I am often staggered by the level of hate/ignorance of FW there is on forums such as this.

Captain Jack wrote:
I am often staggered by the level of hate/ignorance of FW there is on forums such as this.

Some of that ire is quite often justified though given FW's prices. Having been on their site a few times just out of general interest, if I am paying £35 for a single squad of Krieg then I expect them to be nigh on flawless. If FW don't have the machinery/personnel/training/technology to produce these items to that degree of quality, then they shouldn't be selling at that price; simple as. Expecting the consumer to empathise with their production issues is not on frankly.

filbert wrote:

Captain Jack wrote:
I am often staggered by the level of hate/ignorance of FW there is on forums such as this.

Some of that ire is quite often justified though given FW's prices. Having been on their site a few times just out of general interest, if I am paying £35 for a single squad of Krieg then I expect them to be nigh on flawless. If FW don't have the machinery/personnel/training/technology to produce these items to that degree of quality, then they shouldn't be selling at that price; simple as. Expecting the consumer to empathise with their production issues is not on frankly.

With the Krieg, Elysians, etc you will have them be "nigh on flawless".

It's the older/larger kits where you'll find issues. And that's not uncommon with resin casting, period.

Kanluwen wrote:

filbert wrote:

Captain Jack wrote:
I am often staggered by the level of hate/ignorance of FW there is on forums such as this.

Some of that ire is quite often justified though given FW's prices. Having been on their site a few times just out of general interest, if I am paying £35 for a single squad of Krieg then I expect them to be nigh on flawless. If FW don't have the machinery/personnel/training/technology to produce these items to that degree of quality, then they shouldn't be selling at that price; simple as. Expecting the consumer to empathise with their production issues is not on frankly.

With the Krieg, Elysians, etc you will have them be "nigh on flawless".

It's the older/larger kits where you'll find issues. And that's not uncommon with resin casting, period.

And what happens in a year to two's time when the Krieg moulds start wearing out? Do FW lower their prices to reflect the decrease in production quality? I doubt it. And the same older/larger kits that you refer to are also probably the same price they have always been.

I wonder where statutory consumer laws come into all of this. Here in the UK at least, these consumer laws exist to protect the consumer from faulty goods. I would suggest some of the crappier FW kits may well tread a fine line.

filbert wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

filbert wrote:

Captain Jack wrote:
I am often staggered by the level of hate/ignorance of FW there is on forums such as this.

Some of that ire is quite often justified though given FW's prices. Having been on their site a few times just out of general interest, if I am paying £35 for a single squad of Krieg then I expect them to be nigh on flawless. If FW don't have the machinery/personnel/training/technology to produce these items to that degree of quality, then they shouldn't be selling at that price; simple as. Expecting the consumer to empathise with their production issues is not on frankly.

With the Krieg, Elysians, etc you will have them be "nigh on flawless".

It's the older/larger kits where you'll find issues. And that's not uncommon with resin casting, period.

And what happens in a year to two's time when the Krieg moulds start wearing out? Do FW lower their prices to reflect the decrease in production quality? I doubt it. And the same older/larger kits that you refer to are also probably the same price they have always been.

I can't really confirm that. What I can confirm is that a lot of the "older kits" they're selling are backstock. The Tarantula Sentry Dugout, for example, is still sold with the stickers that they used for Imperial Guard bits prior to the Anphelion Project release. The bag was scratched all to hell too.
A lot of the older molds have been retired too. Look through their scenery section and ask if they plan on restocking anything that's "Out of Stock".

I wonder where statutory consumer laws come into all of this. Here in the UK at least, these consumer laws exist to protect the consumer from faulty goods. I would suggest some of the crappier FW kits may well tread a fine line.

Maybe, but isn't part of those consumer laws that the company has to make amends? Because FW does do that.