Re: [Epic] Space Marine Tanks and Epic 40k Snapshot...

From: Richard Dewsbery <dewsbery_at_...>
Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 19:05:36 +0100

> >BTW, the cost per sprue, bearing in mind the moulding machines have
> >already repaid their initial investment many times over,
>
> I don't know about that. Plastic extruders are insanely expensive, and I
> doubt the ones form the 80s are still in working condition, much less in
> quality condition. I'm sure they have paid for themselves once you account
> for depreciation and such, but they run 7 or 8 figures for a relatively
> small operation.
>
> Of course, the figs are still overpriced.
>
> Temp

At last, a chance to disagree :-)

I've run plastic moulding machines myself. I think it is unlikely that
the GW machines are shot just yet a while - the most likely parts to
wear are the moulds, and given that GW cycles its games, and therefore
its moulds, on a 3-5 year basis, I don't see this as being a particular
problem. In addition, the thermoplastic used in the machines is
reasonably benign and easy to work with.

Yes, the machines would not have been cheap. But not "insanely
expensive", even compared to the lead moulding machinery (which IS
cheap, by any industrial standards). If you would like, I can find out
the cost of something suitable relatively easily (a bit boring, I
know). Yes, the moulds are expensive. But the cost per sprue is tiny,
when you bear in mind that each machine can churn out one every 5
seconds or so, and a few ponds of raw material will last the whole
production shift.

> they run 7 or 8 figures for a relatively small operation.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. They may well run 7 or 8 machines,
but if you mean that each one costs a 7 or 8 figure sum, that's not
quite right. And GW is not a "relatively small" operation. Think about
it. 13 or 14 sprues in each epic box. 10 or so epic boxes sold in each
GW shop in the first week of release (double or triple in some areas,
perhaps less in others. 98 GW stores in the UK (not including 3rd party
retailers). Over 12,000 sprues sold in one week from epic40k basic sets
alone! That is NOT a small operation.

Richard
Received on Thu Apr 10 1997 - 18:05:36 UTC