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So in my online trading I have finally run into someone who absolutely refuses to give me retail to retail trade value based on my trade offering not being made out of finecast even though it is the same sculpt in the older metal version.

Is this a trend or an isolated incident? Are people in the hobby actually at the point where finecast is worth more than plastic or metal?

???

Never used it my self, but from what I have heard, It is worse then plastic and metal? Why would it be worth more?

I could see them feeling that way if they had an extensive conversion in mind.

I far prefer metal to finecast myself. Hopefully the rumors of a complete switch to plastic by GW happens sooner than later.

I'd say its almost certainly a minority, if not isolated, incident.

Metal versions of Finecast models regularly command a premium in eBay, I think this guy must have his own, quite specific, reasons for his opinion.

Sold a bunch of metal LoTR dwarves on ebay, minis that are now available only in Finecast. Despite being opened/used they went for more than the new RRP value.

Possible the buyer wants to do some extensive converting that wouldn't be possible with the metal?

I think metal is more sought after.

Only if you like junk.

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

See, I've been a critic of Finecast, not because I was a bandwagonner, but because I had genuinely bad casts more often than good.

I'm on a bit of a mission collecting Daemon Princes at the moment (trying to get three for all the powers, and have each one a different sculpt) and wanted Bel'Akor for one.

He's direct only and Finecast, but I deliberately went into the local store to order him, just as an extra level of cover if it turned out looking like chewed gum, and the first Finecast model I've bought in over a year.

Turned up today, and I'm pleasantly surprised! Cast is flawless, minimal clean up required, and it will be infinitely easier assembling him than a metal version would be.

Don't know if I just got lucky, or they really have made changes to improve it, but I may be less reluctant to buy it in the future (which, at the rate I've been buying from GW recently, might be another year!)

 azreal13 wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

See, I've been a critic of Finecast, not because I was a bandwagonner, but because I had genuinely bad casts more often than good.

I'm on a bit of a mission collecting Daemon Princes at the moment (trying to get three for all the powers, and have each one a different sculpt) and wanted Bel'Akor for one.

He's direct only and Finecast, but I deliberately went into the local store to order him, just as an extra level of cover if it turned out looking like chewed gum, and the first Finecast model I've bought in over a year.

Turned up today, and I'm pleasantly surprised! Cast is flawless, minimal clean up required, and it will be infinitely easier assembling him than a metal version would be.

Don't know if I just got lucky, or they really have made changes to improve it, but I may be less reluctant to buy it in the future (which, at the rate I've been buying from GW recently, might be another year!)

I don't understand the finecast hate fully either. All the sculpts I've got have been very good indeed, and have been so much easier to assemble than their metal counterparts. So, overall, I've had a good experience of finecast, with my only criticism being that metal is nicer and easier to paint on.

 azreal13 wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

See, I've been a critic of Finecast, not because I was a bandwagonner, but because I had genuinely bad casts more often than good.

I'm on a bit of a mission collecting Daemon Princes at the moment (trying to get three for all the powers, and have each one a different sculpt) and wanted Bel'Akor for one.

He's direct only and Finecast, but I deliberately went into the local store to order him, just as an extra level of cover if it turned out looking like chewed gum, and the first Finecast model I've bought in over a year.

Turned up today, and I'm pleasantly surprised! Cast is flawless, minimal clean up required, and it will be infinitely easier assembling him than a metal version would be.

Don't know if I just got lucky, or they really have made changes to improve it, but I may be less reluctant to buy it in the future (which, at the rate I've been buying from GW recently, might be another year!)

My issue isn't the flaws it is the resin they choose for Finecraft, I live were it get cold in the winter. The should of picked a resin that can take weather changes without becoming brittle, like some other companies.

 The Shadow wrote:

 azreal13 wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

See, I've been a critic of Finecast, not because I was a bandwagonner, but because I had genuinely bad casts more often than good.

I'm on a bit of a mission collecting Daemon Princes at the moment (trying to get three for all the powers, and have each one a different sculpt) and wanted Bel'Akor for one.

He's direct only and Finecast, but I deliberately went into the local store to order him, just as an extra level of cover if it turned out looking like chewed gum, and the first Finecast model I've bought in over a year.

Turned up today, and I'm pleasantly surprised! Cast is flawless, minimal clean up required, and it will be infinitely easier assembling him than a metal version would be.

Don't know if I just got lucky, or they really have made changes to improve it, but I may be less reluctant to buy it in the future (which, at the rate I've been buying from GW recently, might be another year!)

I don't understand the finecast hate fully either. All the sculpts I've got have been very good indeed, and have been so much easier to assemble than their metal counterparts. So, overall, I've had a good experience of finecast, with my only criticism being that metal is nicer and easier to paint on.

Oh, believe me, the criticism was justified, I'm just not entirely sure it still is (environmental limitations aside) I will still approach with caution, but that is an upgrade from my previous "avoid at all costs"

I much prefer metal to fine cast ..and Inexpensive Hard plastic is prefeered even more

 azreal13 wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

See, I've been a critic of Finecast, not because I was a bandwagonner, but because I had genuinely bad casts more often than good.

I'm on a bit of a mission collecting Daemon Princes at the moment (trying to get three for all the powers, and have each one a different sculpt) and wanted Bel'Akor for one.

He's direct only and Finecast, but I deliberately went into the local store to order him, just as an extra level of cover if it turned out looking like chewed gum, and the first Finecast model I've bought in over a year.

Turned up today, and I'm pleasantly surprised! Cast is flawless, minimal clean up required, and it will be infinitely easier assembling him than a metal version would be.

Don't know if I just got lucky, or they really have made changes to improve it, but I may be less reluctant to buy it in the future (which, at the rate I've been buying from GW recently, might be another year!)

I don't know.....I learned how to use and smooth GS on a friends Demon Prince oh so many years ago.....

Having seen some of the more recently produced/sold finecast stuff I'd actually somewhat prefer it over metal now, at least for anything not festooned with small/easily broken parts. Living in a moderate climate does help with that, though.

The trader that brought this on valued the finecast more simply because it is newer than the metal. I thought it was really strange myself.

I have had nothing but problems with finecast myself. I live in a warm climate and my finecast figs have constant warp/bending issues. That said it hasn't affected my willingness to trade for them retail to retail.

I'd prefer metal.

I had a friend pick up a Trazyn model for me the other day, hoping that after all this time they've finally worked out the process. . Got it home, it's missing a giant chunk of the shoulderpad. My personal experience with Finecast has been quite poor, and it's seriously hurt their image with me.

I'd prefer, in order, plastic, resin, metal, finecast, with the latter almost always being a dealbreaker.

I would love to find someone to take a Metal Lysander in Termie armor off my hands..

Everyone seems to want the Finecast equivalent instead.

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

General market prices and comments by many serious collectors and painters seem to show a distinct demand for metal miniatures because of their quality over finecast.

I'm in a location with extreme weather as well. I've seen people's finecast stuff both droop in the summer heat and crack in the winter cold.

I get that tin is expensive and pewter is traditionally 85-99% tin, but if you're going to switch to another material, it needs to be good or you need to price accordingly. Reaper made this guy from metal to vinyl based plastic and dropped the price from $5.99 (metal) to $2.79 (plastic).


Image is of the $2.79 plastic "Bones" version and is not mine.

 frozenwastes wrote:
I'm in a location with extreme weather as well. I've seen people's finecast stuff both droop in the summer heat and crack in the winter cold.

I get that tin is expensive and pewter is traditionally 85-99% tin, but if you're going to switch to another material, it needs to be good or you need to price accordingly. Reaper made this guy from metal to vinyl based plastic and dropped the price from $5.99 (metal) to $2.79 (plastic).


Image is of the $2.79 plastic "Bones" version and is not mine.

Very nice.

I honestly think that:
A. GW thought that Finecast was a stopgap measure.
B. That fans wold love the new material, despite its flaws.
C. They thought that they knew what they were doing, not realizing all the pitfalls ahead - and they fell. Into. Every. Last. One. Of. Them.
D. Most importantly, they were after the quick dime instead of the slow dollar. Sure, they will sell fewer minis, but the profit on each one is higher....

Reaper, by contrast, is trying for lower profit on greater sales with Bones. Both Bones and Finecast have problems, but Bones cost a third to half as much....

The Auld Grump

 Howard A Treesong wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

General market prices and comments by many serious collectors and painters seem to show a distinct demand for metal miniatures because of their quality over finecast.

i charge, on average, $300 for a paintjob, so there is no way i am going to use a material that has a tendency to droop over time in a display case...
my customers seem happy with metal, good resin, and hard plastic...
Finecast just isn't worth the headache, while metal is, in my opinion...
clean up takes longer, and i pin everything, so, after a couple of coats of varnish, the customer has a very durable piece...
in the end, all minis have to be handled with care, and are easy to break...
a personal preference for a certain material is just that, a personal preference...

i can see why people love the conversion prospects of Finecast over metal, for sure...
metal minis are a hassle to hack up, but i don't see any more detail on a Finecast mini than on it's metal version...
i am happy to stick with metal...

cheers
jah

There are VERY few models where the finecast version is any kind of upgrade to an original metal.

Some single piece models are decently done(Heimlich Kemmler) but overall I'd much prefer metal, especially if the model has thing fiddly bits on it.

Even with the better QA in place, finecast is far from what metal was.

I definitely agree with the general consensus that metal is better, although I have never had much issues with finecast either. I like the ability to easily carve up a model and convert it.

I also am very picky and do not order finecast. I find it in store and analyze each blister before picking one to minimize the bad casts.

I'm not the biggest fan of finecast. But larger metal models were a pain. And since I convert a lot of stuff, I ten to go with finecast.

Is finecast any better then what it was like when it came out? All I remember is the horror stories of details missing/model's hands missing.

Yea sure multipart metal was a bit of a pain. But single/2piece miniatures were fine. Surely better then filling a whole ton of holes with green stuff, or having to re-add detail in your self?

 Howard A Treesong wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

General market prices and comments by many serious collectors and painters seem to show a distinct demand for metal miniatures because of their quality over finecast.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:

Noir wrote:
Only if you like junk.

General market prices and comments by many serious collectors and painters seem to show a distinct demand for metal miniatures because of their quality over finecast.

Now thats just self centered . Read just the title and my post nothing else.

I'd much prefer finecast to metal. Detail seems exactly the same to me and I haven't run into any issues with miscasts.

Assembling and converting finecast is a dream compared to the filing and pinning necessary with metal.

Moreover, I'd much rather carry a bag of plastic/resin over metal any day.

 gossipmeng wrote:
I'd much prefer finecast to metal. Detail seems exactly the same to me and I haven't run into any issues with miscasts.

Assembling and converting finecast is a dream compared to the filing and pinning necessary with metal.

Moreover, I'd much rather carry a bag of plastic/resin over metal any day.

This.

 ExiledMiniatures wrote:
I definitely agree with the general consensus that metal is better, although I have never had much issues with finecast either. I like the ability to easily carve up a model and convert it.

I also am very picky and do not order finecast. I find it in store and analyze each blister before picking one to minimize the bad casts.

This.

"Ordering" it can be problematic as if you order it, you might end up getting a bad cast and then having to get replacements sight unseen.

Anyways, Finecast models technically cannot be "worth more" than metals at this point as they're still what is primarily being used for general release models. Unless someone really cannot find something I don't think they would pay over market value.

Given that some people are still absolutely terrified of the 'evil' that is Finecast though, they'll pay stupid amounts for metals. I sold a metal Vlad von Carstein for almost $35 last month.