Modelhaus Offical Update/SA

[Mike 1017]

 

http://cs.scaleautomag.com/sca/announcements/f/1/t/129604.aspx

[Ironman63]

Yes, I was somewhat offended(and I'm not easily offended) by the wording of the modeler's frustration with Modelhaus' decision to retire in the other model car mag.  Everyone has the right to quit or retire at any time.  Businesses close all the time(re: Revell USA).  Some reorganize or are bought but some, especially small businesses are gone forever. Being here for several years, buying from Modelhaus and knowing the backstory of how the business was to continue and the tragedy that changed that plan, I was aware of what happened.  I can't believe for one minute that the editors at SA didn't know and then allowed this to be published without any rebuttal.  My subscription was due to be renewed but their handling of this one reader's opinion has caused me to not renew.  Just my 2 cents.

[bbowser]

I was also irritated.  One person who feels they're entitled to unlimited production from others.  I'd love to have a new (insert favorite grail here) but they don't make those anymore either!

[mikemodeler]

So nice to see them recognize that publishing that letter was wrong. If they really wanted to honor Don and Carol, they would do an article and show their operation to the modeling world. While it would be after the fact, maybe it would show us that "casting up some parts" isn't as easy as one thinks.

[Bucky]

I just made an order for some dog dish caps.  I'm glad to see the letter they submitted. I only wish more of the casters out there had the same dedication to the hobby.

[niteowl7710]

I suspect the letter they published was just one of many of that same content based on the mumblings I've heard at the shows since Don & Carol announced their retirement. 

[ChrisBcritter]

"The one interested party that did go beyond an initial contact was unable to formulate a plan for advertising such a niche business and backed out." 

Strange; the Holthaus family did very well with relatively little advertising. Hope their retirement goes OK even if they don't sell.

Edited December 3, 2018 by ChrisBcritter

[dodgefever]

3 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

"The one interested party that did go beyond an initial contact was unable to formulate a plan for advertising such a niche business and backed out." 

Strange; the Holthaus family did very well with relatively little advertising. Hope their retirement goes OK even if they don't sell.

He's talking about a broker advertising the business as a whole, not someone looking to take over the product line..

[Deathgoblin]

I read that letter in SA.  It seems kind of ridiculous to blame the people running the company for retiring.  Sorry to see them leaving the business, I never had the chance to order anything from them.

[Oldmopars]

It is sad to see a great aftermarket company like them just fade away, however I do understand that everyone retires some time, I hope I get to. The reality is that we are a minority, modeling is not big business like Video games or something else that there is millions of dollars in. I would bet that most producers of aftermarket model kit parts are doing it out of there garage, or as a side business to another business. There is just not a lot of money in it. We should appreciate them while they are around, support them if we can. Encourage those that can do this kind of stuff to continue by buying the parts they make. At the end of the day, this is just a hobby, no one is going to die if the hobby goes away.

We all remember when we could get kits at every local store, hobby shops were plentiful, not anymore. The hobby is not what it was 20-30 years ago. Young people these days are more interested in Halo or Mario Cart than they are in building a plastic model. My guess would be that the average age modelers right now is well over 40.

Its a sad fact, but I think we will see more of this as the years go by. People will retire, and young people just do not see the business as a money maker or anything they want to invest in.

BTW, it is not just modeling. I ride motorcycles and the motorcycle industry is suffering too. H-D used to be top dog and you had to wait to get the bike you wanted some times up to 2 years. Last year they offered rebates for the first time in history to get rid of old stock.

Victory motorcycles closed, sales of other brands are down too. Life goes on.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Oldmopars

[Richard Bartrop]

It's annoying to be sure, and inconvenient, but that doesn't make it an obligation.   This sort of thing is a labour of love, and it's great that they were able to supply these parts for as long as they were.  For all the talk about what people should do, it's significant that nobody was able to step up.

I still think the long term future of the hobby is good as 3D printing improves, and th knowledge base grows.  One way ot another, you're still going to be able to get that '65 Rambler hubcap.

[Tom Geiger]

"The bottom line is, that any of the current resin casters could be doing what we did with replacement parts. Why aren’t they? Have you asked? "

Above is a quote from the Holthaus letter. I've been saying this all along. The concept of repopping old kit parts is not proprietary. Anyone can make some 1000 molds and open a business.

Then you ask the question... how many 1963 Falcon hoods will the market buy?   Even a '69 Chevy hood... just how many can you sell?  It's a trickle of orders depending on who is working on any specific model.   Don and Carol made this work. As they said, nobody is taking this project on.

That said, I wish Don and Carol a long and pleasant retirement!  

[Oldmopars]

22 hours ago, Richard Bartrop said:

It's annoying to be sure, and inconvenient, but that doesn't make it an obligation.   This sort of thing is a labour of love, and it's great that they were able to supply these parts for as long as they were.  For all the talk about what people should do, it's significant that nobody was able to step up.

I still think the long term future of the hobby is good as 3D printing improves, and th knowledge base grows.  One way ot another, you're still going to be able to get that '65 Rambler hubcap.

I think 3D printing is great, however, I have used a 3D printed hood and grill from Shapeways. It was nice and the guy that designed it did an outstanding job, but it took me several hours of sanding and filling to get rid of the 3D print lines. This part was printed on their best quality setting. I was thrilled to get it as nobody made the parts I wanted, now I can go back and order more if I need them for another project. Is 3D printing going to save the hobby? I don't think so. Yes it will help those of us that are in the hobby right now, and help us to get the parts we want for the project we are working on, but I do not think it will in any way draw young people into the hobby.

That is the biggest problem, young people are just not as interested in the hobby as us more mature adults. Aftermarket parts for this hobby will always be a labor of love, nobody is going to get rich. If they are lucky and have a good customer base and quality stuff, they may be able to support their family with it as sole income. Even if Resin goes away and 3D printing becomes the holy grail of aftermarket parts, nobody is getting rich(other than Shapeways).

Now look at how many guys on this board are over 65-70. We don't live forever. We have to put the hobby down at some point. Without the young getting into the hobby, it will die off with those that are currently keeping it alive.

With the cost of 3D printers going down, quality going up, more people will be able to own there own 3D printer and make parts for them self. They will no longer need the resin casters or people to make it for them, they will just do it them self, or ask that buddy that has one.

I say enjoy it as long as it lasts, the end may be a few years or 20 years, but I don't see a bright future for resin casters.

[Richard Bartrop]

As you say, nobody was getting rich with resin either.  What services like Shapeways do is take care of the setup costs and shipping, so at least your labour of love isn't as likely to bankrupt you.

Yes the resin casters aren't long for this world, but how on earth does the end of resin mean the end of the hobby?  Did the hobby end with balsa wood kits?  Hardly anyone sells vac form kits anymore because everyone went to resin, and the hobby is still here.  It's not dying, it's changing.

And yes, I know that some people people here have managed to convince each other that they are the sole representatives of the hobby.  True, there aren't a lot of young people in this forum, but seeing how the last one foolish enough to poke his head in was practically chased out, I have my own thoughts on why that may be.  

If people here would take a break from reciting the Grumpy Old Man mantra and actually take a look at what's going on, it's pretty obvious that young people are buying model kits, and building them, but they're building what they're interested in, and the same goes with the aftermarket.   Someone on the forum was showing off his Shapeways store full of modern performance parts, stuff the traditional resin casters weren't doing.    Don't like this forum?  It's easy enough to set up one for people who do share your interest, and for all the old man rage about the name, Discord is probably the easiest way yet to set up a discussion group.

You don't need resin to make a model, you don't need styrene, and you sure don't need a kit.  People were making models long before you were born, and I'm pretty sure they'll be doing it long after you're gone.

[mikemodeler]

Reading the letter from Don and Carol and some of responses ( along with the original letter that sparked all this) reminded me of a saying someone once said when talking about resin kits and parts- If you see something you like, buy it now because it might not be available later. I didn't realize how important those words were until I went to buy some stuff back in the late 90's before everyone had a website. I called the phone number shown in an ad from an old issue of a model magazine only to find out the business had closed. I was disappointed to learn the resin pieces I finally decided to buy were gone forever but vowed then and there that I would buy stuff as I saw it, even if I wasn't ready to use it.

When Fireball Modelworks announced they had the F250 conversion kits ready for order, I placed my order for 3 of them immediately, knowing that it might take me years to use them all but when I was ready to build I would have them. I don't even own one of the Moebius 4x4 kits, but I do have other kits to use the conversions on.

So, I will state it again, If you see something in resin that you like, buy it now because it might not be available later.

[peteski]

7 hours ago, Oldmopars said:

I think 3D printing is great, however, I have used a 3D printed hood and grill from Shapeways. It was nice and the guy that designed it did an outstanding job, but it took me several hours of sanding and filling to get rid of the 3D print lines. This part was printed on their best quality setting.

3D printing is still in a teething stage, and there are several 3D printing technologies out there. Shapeways is nowhere near state-of-the-art when it comes to printing resolution or surface finish.  Give it few more years and 3D printed parts will be indistinguishable from hand-made masters and resin cast parts (or even injection-molded parts).  Even now, many resin-casters use 3D printed masters for casting their resin parts. Fireball Modelworks is one such company.  Those wonderful resin-cast parts are copies of a 3D printed master.

[Oldmopars]

17 hours ago, Richard Bartrop said:

As you say, nobody was getting rich with resin either.  What services like Shapeways do is take care of the setup costs and shipping, so at least your labour of love isn't as likely to bankrupt you.

Yes the resin casters aren't long for this world, but how on earth does the end of resin mean the end of the hobby?  Did the hobby end with balsa wood kits?  Hardly anyone sells vac form kits anymore because everyone went to resin, and the hobby is still here.  It's not dying, it's changing.

And yes, I know that some people people here have managed to convince each other that they are the sole representatives of the hobby.  True, there aren't a lot of young people in this forum, but seeing how the last one foolish enough to poke his head in was practically chased out, I have my own thoughts on why that may be.  

If people here would take a break from reciting the Grumpy Old Man mantra and actually take a look at what's going on, it's pretty obvious that young people are buying model kits, and building them, but they're building what they're interested in, and the same goes with the aftermarket.   Someone on the forum was showing off his Shapeways store full of modern performance parts, stuff the traditional resin casters weren't doing.    Don't like this forum?  It's easy enough to set up one for people who do share your interest, and for all the old man rage about the name, Discord is probably the easiest way yet to set up a discussion group.

You don't need resin to make a model, you don't need styrene, and you sure don't need a kit.  People were making models long before you were born, and I'm pretty sure they'll be doing it long after you're gone.

For what its worth, I am not part of the Grumpy Old Man set you are talking about, I am far younger than most on this board. I don't think resin casters going away is the end of the hobby, I do think that interest in Cars and Trucks in scale is fading. When was the last time MPC or AMT put out a completely new kit, not a rehash? Most of the stuff from USA based model companies now is repop stuff through Round2. Military stuff still seems popular, but very little US based support. Most of the model companies are overseas now. Revell USA clearly was struggling to stay afloat, hopefully they will be returning under new ownership.

I am in no way here to declare the "Sky is Falling", but you would have to be stupid to not see the fact that what the Auto scale models were 20-30 years ago is gone. Interest is fading. Could this be because most of what Detroit is building is BORING? How many people want to build a model of a Ford Edge or a Jeep Compass.

The hobby if anything is shifting to more of the Sci-Fi type stuff.

And if you don't think that the modeling hobby is struggling, go ask your local hobby shop, if you can find one. Nearest one to me is 1.5 hour drive.

I am hopeful that 3D printing will revive the hobby, but I am thankful for what we do have and know that I need to enjoy what is here, while it is still here. Things change and life moves on.

[MrObsessive]

Scott, I have to agree with you about the changing of the hobby. I'm 57, so I remember VERY WELL those cars of the '50's and early '60's as cars with big fins and lots of chrome would have been the first cars I would have seen when I first knew what a car was.

Lets fast forward 20-30 years when many of us in reality will be in our 70's and 80's. First, we'd be very fortunate if we still have the ability to build anything at that point and then I've made this statement before-------how many of people will be around that will remember a '55-'57 Chevy, or '69 Camaro?

Time marches on, and there will come a point that the hobby will change drastically-------that's a big reality. Like you mentioned kids are building, just not the cars and trucks that most of us here are familiar with.

I wouldn't say that today's subject matter is particularly boring. Look no further than the Asian market and how they have quite modern subjects of their cars seemingly all the time. They're still in business so is it a matter of the domestic kit makers not wanting to take a chance on the 'average' car? I can kind of get that, but how would they know if they never try?

While I'm not a big fan of CUV's or SUV's, I can see there being a market for some up to date stuff such as a Chevy Traverse, new Silverado, Cadillac Escalade, Ford Escape, etc.

And yes, 3D printing will be a game changer in the years to come. Will we get to a point where the kit makers will become obsolete because we'll get to a point where even a novice can 'make their own kits'??

Will .stl files simply be bought and your hobbyist take it from there to make their own model with their 3D printer?

Time will tell....................

[Richard Bartrop]

Just turned 60 here. Being a Grumpy Old Man is as much attitude as age.  You'd be amazed at how young some Grumpy Old Men are.

Hobby shops?  Maybe Calgary in an anomaly, but there's at least 5 here I can think of.  In fact, I'm heading to one today.

Round2 has decided to focus on reissues, so they're probably not the best example.  On the other hand we have seen announcements for totally new kits from both Revell and Tamiya.

The Ford GT is boring? The Demon is boring?  This is why I wonder if the people who parrot the "modern cars are boring" line actually look at what's being built.  Are most cars boring appliances?  Yes, they are, but here's a news flash for you, it's always been that way, and people have been moaning about it since before you and I were born.   It's the passage of time that makes them interesting.

Edited December 5, 2018 by Richard Bartrop

[MrObsessive]

17 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

Are most cars boring appliances?  Yes, they are, but here's a news flash for you, it's always been that way, and people have been moaning about it since before you and I were born.   It's the passage of time that makes them interesting.

Gotta agree with you there Richard. Type in any year in a search.........say 1960 Street Scenes. Most of the cars shown are not going to be flashy two door hardtops or convertibles with WWW's. They're going to be your average family sedan or station wagon which sold the most in those days.

Now the CUV has replaced the station wagon (and even the family sedan some would argue), but 30 years from now, who's to say they won't be collectible? In 1960, no one would have ever thought a '55-'57 Chevy would be so desirable because back then they were 'just another car'.

Not the case today simply because they're all but extinct. Let's go forward a couple decades and what's the up and coming next wave of collectible cars??

The 1970's.

Edited December 5, 2018 by MrObsessive

[Oldmopars]

I am all for someone building kits of new cars, but Revell and Tamiya are the only ones doing that. Italeri has come out with a few trucks and cars too. If the kit makes would build models of the new stuff I would buy it. I think there would be more interest in the pick-up, SUVs and sports cars, but I would buy and build a Taurus if they made one. But how many of us would be interested in a bunch of modern jelly bean cars on the shelf? A New Dodge truck 4x4 with a 6.7L Cummins? YES, all day long, Chevy Silverado sure, Ford F350, yes, Meng seems to have done well with that one.

Maybe they should build more of the Tuner type cars, Honda's, Evo's, Scions, etc. Then sell a bunch of tuner parts to "trick" them out.

No, it would be really cool if 3D printing get to the point of good quality at a low price and all we have to do is order the file and print at home or a local printer. Maybe that is the future. However it spells disaster for your local hobby shop owner unless he can make a go of R/C cars and other stuff. They will have to change with the times. 

Oh, and just kill me now if a Ford Tempo or a Chevy Celebrity is ever a "Collectable" Can you imagine someone spending $100,000 for a  Plymouth Aries K car because it has become a collectable? Though I bet right now they are more rare than a 55-57 Chevy.

[MrObsessive]

1 minute ago, Oldmopars said:

 Oh, and just kill me now if a Ford Tempo or a Chevy Celebrity is ever a "Collectable" Can you imagine someone spending $100,000 for a  Plymouth Aries K car because it has become a collectable? Though I bet right now they are more rare than a 55-57 Chevy.

Scott, I was at a local car show a couple years ago and among all the nice and shiny '50's and '60's cars what had a crowd around it??

A 1978 Ford Fairmont! I kid you not! One of the plainest (read boring) cars of the '70's had a crowd of people around it admiring it. More than likely, probably because you just don't see them anymore and this car was clean as a whistle. Not a spot of rust on it and I don't remember the mileage, it was obviously well taken care of by its owner.

As far as the K car.............well, ya just never know! I can betcha those K car convertibles are definitely collectible now. Rattles, squeaks and all!

[Richard Bartrop]

Jelly beans?  Seriously?

If anything, the trend has been random creases and contrived surfaces, like some failed attempt at an origami car.  I think it's butt ugly, but thankfully, fashions change.

1 hour ago, Oldmopars said:

Oh, and just kill me now if a Ford Tempo or a Chevy Celebrity is ever a "Collectable" Can you imagine someone spending $100,000 for a  Plymouth Aries K car because it has become a collectable? Though I bet right now they are more rare than a 55-57 Chevy.

Imagine telling someone in the 60s that people would someday pay 6 figures for a VW bus.  

Give it time.

Hasegawa apparently thinks a lot of people want an Isuzu Gemini, so who knows?  There are at least three Ford Focus kits on the market.

 

Edited December 5, 2018 by Richard Bartrop

[Dave Van]

The SAE letter was rude and made some very poor assumptions. 

But it was JUST words and will have ZERO affect on the legacy of Modelhaus or affect how much I will enjoy using the Modelhaus parts and kits I have on hand to use. The Modelhaus reputation is not that fragile. 

[Oldmopars]

OK, I stand corrected, $8,000 for a YUGO?

https://jalopnik.com/5368942/worlds-nicest-yugo-for-7999