1/18 Longbow Radome thanks for the orders !!!

hendoracer · Post by **hendoracer** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:02 pm

I would be more inclined to purchase from you if you kept your prices closer to what you originally stated they would be. Your customs are nice, but they usually ending up costing twice what you say they will when you first post about it.

::::I am thinking painted ready to install for about $15. :::

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:50 pm

In PH's defense, the costs are all determined by the amount of time and labor that go into first making the prototype, the making the moulds, then the plastic, then finally casting the pieces. (I'm sure I'm leaving out a bunch of steps there...) PH is also a one-man deal and does not have the factory or capital at his disposal that the major toy companies do, so that is why there are the higher costs

While his items are not cheap, they are priced accordingly and are fair.

GooglyDoogly · Post by **GooglyDoogly** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:56 pm

hendoracer wrote:I would be more inclined to purchase from you if you kept your prices closer to what you originally stated they would be. Your customs are nice, but they usually ending up costing twice what you say they will when you first post about it.

::::I am thinking painted ready to install for about $15. :::

If you can find these types of customs somewhere else for a cheaper price, you're welcome to get it there.

*crickets chirping*

PH does fantastic work, and considering the quality of the product and the fact that he's the ONLY one doing custom parts for 1/18th stuff, his stuff is EXTREMELY affordable.

hendoracer · Post by **hendoracer** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:26 pm

I didnt say I could find them cheaper. I said that they always end up costing MUCH more than he says they will. He is the one who gives a price estimate when he asks about interest in a custom project, not me. He does superb work, but I a little more realistic estimate of the price would be appreciated. I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks this.... just the only one who's willing to say it.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:36 pm

hendoracer wrote:I didnt say I could find them cheaper. I said that they always end up costing MUCH more than he says they will. He is the one who gives a price estimate when he asks about interest in a custom project, not me. He does superb work, but I a little more realistic estimate of the price would be appreciated. I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks this.... just the only one who's willing to say it.

Hello Hendoracer,

Thanks for bring this to my attention.

Your right my price guess are just that a guess. All my projects seem to be more expensive than I originally think that they will be.

Most of the projects I take on are not that simple to do. The wirbelwind is a prime example. A very complex build.

This radome is not as simple as I thought at $15 Painted.

1. There is about $8 worth of resin in one of them.
2. There are 3 pieces to this mod.
3. It takes about 2 hrs to pour , pop out and partially assemble this mod.
4. It takes 2 additional hrs to sand and paint it.
3. It takes another 1/2 hr to paint the deluxe.

So at $25 for an unpainted one minus $8 for the resin.

We are at $17 . It takes 2 hrs to process it . So I am making $8.50 an hr.

I originaly thought $15 painted. So now I am at $3.50 an hr.

I can make more money at Mc Donalds.

So I have learned my lesson. For now on I will try not to make a guess how much these things will cost.

There are 2 other guys who make XD Customs Jack at Skyworks and The Woofer. I am sure if you compare prices I am the cheapest in town.

Both of those guys say I do my stuff too cheap.

It took me 16 hrs to make the original master.

I was actually asked to make this custom. I am really not into modern helos.

At $25 this is a bargain. I guess you could take 16 hrs to make your own you could save that money.

For now on I will try to refrain from making a guess and if guys are interested in my projects you can always PM me.

Also there is not that much money in small stuff. Maybe I should stop doing the small stuff all together and just consintrait on the big stuff only.

I need to give this some thought.

Again thanks for bringing this to my attention,

Matthew

hendoracer · Post by **hendoracer** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:36 pm

Well if you are doing this to make money perhaps you should set up a simple website as others have sugested. Then you could list firm prices and people could easily place orders. I'm pretty sure you would make more money that way. The way you are doing it now (guestimate pricing/ who knows completion and delivery time) seems more like you are doing it as a hobby, and not as money making venture, so thats what I was going on. My mistake. You do teriffic work, but I thought it was being done as a hobbyist trying to share with others who love the hobby and not as an actual business. Didn't mean to offend you, just wanted to express my opinion.

Post by **aferguson** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:56 am

pH's stuff is top quality at bargain basement prices. Anywhere else they'd cost twice as much (shhh....don' tell him that)

hendoracer · Post by **hendoracer** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:50 pm

While I agree that his work is excellent, I'd have to disagree with "bargain basement prices"

DocTodd · Post by **DocTodd** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:46 pm

The thing about it is that you do not have to purchase these custom items. I am glad that they are out there being produced because it helps keep the hobby going. It is a niche market and for a long time we were used to cheap prices because of the Walmart deal. That gave us a false sense of reality. These collectible planes and things are expensive to make-Jason from Admiral has explained this to us previously. I personally have had to pass on a lot of custom items but I sure like seeing them produced. Keep up the good work Matthew as long as there is demand for items. My $.02
Todd

trex0770 · Post by **trex0770** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:45 pm

I've had numerous conversations with Matthew (pickelhaube) and I can tell you without a doubt that these customs aren't done to make a profit. His work is for the love of this hobby and to share with others.

He puts alot of time and effort into making things people want weighed against what can reasonably be made. The process that goes into making just a simple piece is much more than 95% of us are capable of.....and expensive too!

So with that said, I find it a bit offensive, hendoracer, for you to complain about the prices being too high or not what was originally quoted. You sound a bit clueless as to what is involved when a single person with no help is hand making all these pieces. He's got a family and business to run yet still finds the time to create stuff for people here to buy (or not). You have the choice to buy P's customs but no one's forcing you to if you think they're overpriced. Just do everyone a favor and try not to sound so entitled in posts!!!

My .02!

hendoracer · Post by **hendoracer** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:34 pm

You seem to be missing the point. No one is debating whether or not the work is well done or that it's difficult to do. What I'm saying is that when you ask people if they are interested in an item being made, the price that you quote figures into whether people are interested or not. When the price goes up people that originally wanted it can no longer afford/ justify the expense, and you are left having done a lot of work and invested money in something with only a few items sold.

Take the minigun/ pavehawk thing for instance. I would absolutely love to have a set of miniguns. At around $30, its easy to justify. At $65 plus the $40 for the refueling probe you have to buy to mount them... not so justifiable. Thats $105 of small parts for a helicopter that cost me $59.99. Had the price been more realistically estimated on some of these items, people could have made more informed decsisions as to whether they actually wanted it or not and Pickel could have spent time making things that he wanted or that others would actually purchase in numbers.

I don't understand why my point is so hard to grasp. When we all heard about the JSI F14 there were those people starting with the "Ohhhh! I'll take 5!" routine.... until we found out it was going to be over $200. Then suddenly people began to reevaluate whether or not the purchase was justified or not. That's all I'm sugesting here. Give a realistic price so that I don't get my hopes up for nothing.

Again, his work is great and I'm sorry that so many peoples panties got twisted out of shape over this.

hendoracer · Post by **hendoracer** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:34 pm

Also, going on about only making such and such an hour doing this, when you are doing it as a hobby in your spare time dosen't do much to change the way I feel about this either.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 10:46 am

Hey Guys,

I just want to thank you all for your radome orders. It has been a great success !!!!!

I just reached my 20th order

With about 10 pending and quite a few doubles.

This project appears to be very popular .

When sales are this high it makes me want to do more of the small customs.

As always thanks for the support in these trying times ,

Matthew

alf · Post by **alf** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:10 pm

love them

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 4:10 pm

Hey Alf,

Those look SWEET !!!

Man they belong on those Apachees . I love how you have the one hovering.

Thanks for the support !!!!!

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:24 pm

Dammit...I totally missed out on these:(

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:21 pm

Awesome!!!!

I've got to get around to installing mine!

dcway · Post by **dcway** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:56 pm

Hi Pickel
Are you going to be doing any more kits for the blackhawk conversion in the future???? Thanks DAna

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:18 pm

dcway wrote:Hi Pickel
Are you going to be doing any more kits for the blackhawk conversion in the future???? Thanks DAna

Yes I have not stopped making them.

They seem to pupular as well.

Small Scale Military Headquarters

1/18 Longbow Radome thanks for the orders !!!

pics...