I recently had the opportunity to examine a number of resin cast kits and aftermarket parts from several suppliers. I am truly amazed at how far the aftermarket has come in terms of product selection and quality. At the same time, I am amazed at how far it has to go.

The quality of today's resin products is all over the board. Certainly, there are some casters whose quality is always top notch, yet others vary. In speaking to modellers and through my own experience, I know that some cottage casters have ready excuses for poor craftsmanship. Commonly heard rebuttals to customer complaints include, "That's not so bad, any modeller can fix it," and "It's better than no model at all." Of these people I ask, "If any modeller can fix it, why didn't the modeller who prepared the master do it right in the first place?"

Casting techniques have advanced to the point at which they are no longer the problem. The problems of most resin casters seem to exist in the preparation of their master models. Some aftermarket business owners appear to be happy with masters that look like the vehicle they are patterned after, yet have visible flaws such as unfinished putty work, jagged or incomplete panel lines, crooked detail points or thick profiles. Such sloppy work should not be good enough for any resin caster.

Every resin master itself should be prepared as though it was destined to be a contest model. All surfaces should be smooth and blemish free, bodies should be 100% symmetrical, panel and door lines should be crisp and straight; and any add-on parts should be test fitted prior to casting. In other words, a master body should need only a paint job to prepare it for entry in a contest.

I think your opinion is valid and it has been echoed many many times.

I suggest you post specific examples...company and product... of what you are encountering that is what you define as all over the board.

There is no harm in letting other modellers know what products are good and which need more work.......letting the producers know also helps.....if no one steps up and says the quality is slipping then they will just keep producing the same thing.

Hear you! Some of the stuff out there is pretty horrid and still demands top dollar! Some manufactures are top notch others are indeed "cottage" industries, or is that counter-top?? . Yes the making of the "master" (hint,hint), casting mold and the resin casting is time and money consuming. And yes number of parts cast before mold replace (hint,hint#2) is small compared to traditional injection molding but then so is the price asked for the part!
A well done to those top notch makers (you and we know who you are) and for the others.....
. Buyer ,definately, be where!

Doug

As someone who has made masters, shortcomings in those masters come in two flavours: Mistakes (wrong stuff you didn't know about) and Shortcuts (stuff you knew was wrong and didn't correct because it was easier not to).

Mistakes, I can forgive.

Shortcuts, I can't.

There are a lot of resin kits out there riddled with shortcuts.

Paul