Styrofaoam inserts reproduction

[Bluedeath]

I'm planning to build custom boxes for my valks.

I'm asking to a manufacturer to reproduce for me styrofoam inserts takatoku/bandai like (sadly I only own Joons insert but i think it will work as reference) .

He says that if i want them printed out he had to prepare a mould and al least 1000 pieces had to be produced to justify the cost.(The mould is the most expensive part).

Otherwise he can carve them out someway but i don't know how.

The insert will have a mark that will make them different from taka/bandai so

There will be no possibility to mistake em for the original one (i don't want to be sued from bandai for breaking their copyright) but they will fit a joons box (hope takatoku is the same size).

I'm not planning to make cash, just cover production costs.

What do you people thinks of my idea?

[Bluedeath]

No reply?

Plase tell me what you think of my idea even if you think that is very insane.

Thanks

[flash]

I like the idea, but it'd be more interesting if we had a way of making the boxes to go with them. 1000 pieces is a lot, I don't know if you'll find that much support here. Any approximate cost per piece?

[Bluedeath]

I'm working on the design of the prototype i will know the price once i will give the designs to him.

I was just asking if someone is interested.

Can someone give me the exact measures of a taka box or confirm that they are the same of a joons box.

[Solscud007]

Wait is thos styrafoam? or jsut normal foam like in gun cases? Jsut cut out to fit a valk?

[hirohawa]

It would be cool if they fit the new Bandai re-relaese as well.

1000 is alot.

If they fit the new bandais you would have an easier time selling them.

I would think that most people that have the original vintage Taka/bandai valks still have the styrofoam.

What kind of price are you going to ask?

Thanks

[EXO]

Cool idea but 1000 is the insane part... good luck. Tell him to make some for my 1:48s haha... (of course that was coming, when doesn't it?)

[DatterBoy]

Cool idea but 1000 is the insane part... good luck. Tell him to make some for my 1:48s haha... (of course that was coming, when doesn't it?)

Serious, what I'd rather have is a space saving container for my 1/48. The box displays they come in, while nice, just take up too much room. I'd throw mine out as soon as I had a suitable replacement.

;Dat

[Skull Leader]

Me and a friend of mine ,Alphonso Mora (together as "Alphateam 11") tried to get this to fly a few years back with 1/55 customs, but getting styrofoam cut into shape (we were going to have them basically re-produce the old Takatoku styro sets) was going to be UBER expensive (as in, we would've needed a full-length production order to make it cost-effective.. a limited run of 500 or less just wouldn't do it for less than a few hundred per box.

By the time we came around to trying just foam (yes, gun-packing foam) inserts, it was still going to be around $50 a piece, and the Yamato 1/60 craze had taken hold, and interest plummeted to less than 100... far short of what we would've needed to continue. the Yamato custom market hadn't really begun, and even then most people hung on to the box for it anyway, which made custom yamato boxes unfeasible.

Let me give you some advice from someone who has tried this before... it's not going to be cheap, and there are feeble-minded donkeys here who think custom work for anything over $29.99 is too much. Boxes themselves are cheap... even getting artwork printed on them is cheap (by comparison), but the inserts are costly.

Here is the last prototype we came up with before the project went under (the box, not the valkyrie!)

Edited September 23, 2004 by Skull Leader

[Agent-GHQ]

That sounds like a great idea! But even better if it comes w/ the box. Not just the box, but also the animation art work on the box too. Be sure to make the styrofoam for the Bandai reissues too. Too bad its in fighter mode though. Anyhow you have all my support on this project. I hope everyhting goes well!

[Valkfan]

Me and a friend of mine ,Alphonso Mora (together as "Alphateam 11") tried to get this to fly a few years back with 1/55 customs, but getting styrofoam cut into shape (we were going to have them basically re-produce the old Takatoku styro sets) was going to be UBER expensive (as in, we would've needed a full-length production order to make it cost-effective.. a limited run of 500 or less just wouldn't do it for less than a few hundred per box.

By the time we came around to trying just foam (yes, gun-packing foam) inserts, it was still going to be around $50 a piece, and the Yamato 1/60 craze had taken hold, and interest plummeted to less than 100... far short of what we would've needed to continue. the Yamato custom market hadn't really begun, and even then most people hung on to the box for it anyway, which made custom yamato boxes unfeasible.

Let me give you some advice from someone who has tried this before... it's not going to be cheap, and there are feeble-minded donkeys here who think custom work for anything over $29.99 is too much. Boxes themselves are cheap... even getting artwork printed on them is cheap (by comparison), but the inserts are costly.

Here is the last prototype we came up with before the project went under (the box, not the valkyrie!)

Hey Skull Leader I never knew that you were part of Alphateam 11! You guys used to make some nice customs.

Rick

Edited September 24, 2004 by Valkfan

[Bluedeath]

They will be made out of polystirene (here in italy we call it polistirolo) as the original box.

I don't know the price yet but i think that the "casted" specimen will cost very little (i don't think that bandai paid more than 50 cents a piece) but the mould wil be very expensive. I'll know the price once i give the reference designs to the owner of the manufacturing company.

[Bluedeath]

That sounds like a great idea! But even better if it comes w/ the box. Not just the box, but also the animation art work on the box too. Be sure to make the styrofoam for the Bandai reissues too. Too bad its in fighter mode though. Anyhow you have all my support on this project. I hope everyhting goes well!

I prefer the box that hold the Valk in robot mode but even in figter mode would be cool (but i think that this means another mould ) . For the cardboard box i'm working on Taka style boxes but BTW if you know where is it possibile to find suitabile lineart please let me know.

[Neova]

Not to go offtopic, but does anyone know if we have HIRES (600 DPI) scans of the original Takatoku / Bandai boxes? All 6 sides, dimensions, and complete for all of the different boxes?

I would love to make a set for myself to use.

[Bluedeath]

Me and a friend of mine ,Alphonso Mora (together as "Alphateam 11") tried to get this to fly a few years back with 1/55 customs, but getting styrofoam cut into shape (we were going to have them basically re-produce the old Takatoku styro sets) was going to be UBER expensive (as in, we would've needed a full-length production order to make it cost-effective.. a limited run of 500 or less just wouldn't do it for less than a few hundred per box.

By the time we came around to trying just foam (yes, gun-packing foam) inserts, it was still going to be around $50 a piece, and the Yamato 1/60 craze had taken hold, and interest plummeted to less than 100... far short of what we would've needed to continue. the Yamato custom market hadn't really begun, and even then most people hung on to the box for it anyway, which made custom yamato boxes unfeasible.

Let me give you some advice from someone who has tried this before... it's not going to be cheap, and there are feeble-minded donkeys here who think custom work for anything over $29.99 is too much. Boxes themselves are cheap... even getting artwork printed on them is cheap (by comparison), but the inserts are costly.

Here is the last prototype we came up with before the project went under (the box, not the valkyrie!)

Men thoose box are great how did U cut the foam?

[Skull Leader]

Thanks Valkafan, the Max/Milia Marriage set was our pride and joy project... wish I hadn't lost all my pictures of that though Sadly Alphonso and I don't keep track anymore (he dissapeared )

Bluedeath, *I* didn't cut the foam, someone in california did, and I don't remember the company we tasked to do it (that was actually Alphonso's job). I don't remember the exact estimates... but in US funds we were looking at well over $1000 for the general mold to be made in Styrofoam.

[Bluedeath]

MMM looks very exepensive. I hope that the company i will ask for will give to me many options.

Thanks..