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How to make manufacturers listen
smorko
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Serbia & Montenegro
Member Since: March 11, 2013
entire network: 94 Posts
KitMaker Network: 5 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 04, 2017 - 04:52 PM UTC
Ok, so this is going to be a rant/list and I apologize in advance, but I bought an aftermarket Voyager set for my third Wespe and upon inspecting it I just couldn't keep quiet. The instructions are unclear and full of errors (something that voyager hasn't done so far). So as a suggestion to all manufacturers, of models and AM parts, maybe listen up.

Instructions:
1. Make them clear (Eduard does this the best)
2. Label all parts (big problem on this voyager set)
3. Have someone or several people use them before they are put on sale (I'm sure there are plenty of volunteers)
4. Make instructions available online (Eduard is the good example here as well), it will be easier to update any errors, and will increase your site traffic.
5. Do instructions in different colors. If cost of printing is an issue, put the color instructions online only.
6. If you ask us to scratch build an item, please add basic item outline and dimensions, not a crudely drawn doodle (Aber).
7. Don't freehand the instructions and try and fit them on as few pages as possible (looking at you Aber)
8. If you mark a set for a specific model, make sure it fits that model (Looking at you Lion roar)
9. If you have holes on your photoetch, make sure they are big enough (Dragon RSO wheels photoetch...)
10.If you ask us to add an item from another kit, at least suggest a kit or manufacturer, they are not all the same, or give us dimensions.
11.If you have many fiddly small photoetch parts, include a few extras, it won't increase the cost and is a nice touch.
12.Look at origami instructions (valley folds and mountain folds) for an easy way to make photo etch instructions clearer.
13.Do tool clamps well! Lion Roar does great ones, most others have issues.

Feel free to add whatever you think they need to improve upon, only way they will learn some things are unacceptable in this day and age

Rant over
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