Author Topic: What if anything will the discontinuation of metal minis from GW mean for IWM?  (Read 29797 times)

beachhead1985

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So I just heard that GW is officially discontinuing all metal kits, as they are allegedly the largest buyer of metal in the gaming industry, what will this mean for IWM?

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Sigma

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Cheaper raw materials? ;D

If you are trying to imply that IWM should go plastic, Battletech doesn't sell the volume needed for a completely plastic line. With 3000+ different minis, and not even enough space for the simpler spin-casting silicone molds (thus the Archive), no way man.

I could probably buy the Battletech license from Topps for what it would take to upgrade to metal injection molds for that many minis.

JPArbiter

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since Tin has far more industrial uses then as the primary component of Pewter, I doubt seriously this will change much of anything.
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Wraithcannon

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I'll be cutting my fingers a lot less with the exacto knife?
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Stormlion1

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My dremal will get less of a work out?
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Mendou

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I won't be buying overpriced plastic minis for a game I don't play rather than not buying overpriced metal minis for a game I don't play?

Cergorach

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If you think that now that GW stops buying tin the price of tin will go down, I think you've misjudged on how much tin is used outside of the miniature games industry. What GW 'consumes' is a drop in the bucket (maybe even the sea), so it will not impact the price of tin.

As for IWM going plastic, CGL is already doing that (starter set, 2 Clan Mechs, the Clan Mech set that has been planned). Maybe IWM will eventually have to go with resin or a resinplastic (more flexible) when tin prices continue to rise, I doubt that they'll sell many BT figures when they'll be forced to ask $50 for a BT figure.

Going to plastic with a core Mech/vehicle line could be very profitable for CGL, but it would depend on how they would package such a product, making a single mold for each Mech would not be a smart idea. Anything that isn't mainstream/popular could be done in low volume in resin.

beachhead1985

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well, my first though was that it would be either good or bad, it did not occur to me that it would change nothing.

my thinking is/was that with GW out of the picture the price of metal would either drop because they were not buying it, or go up because the suppliers wouldn;t bother putting very much aside for the gaming industry.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

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I don't think the suppliers care very much, to which branch of industry their respective buyers belong.
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Jal Phoenix

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Or someone could try to convince our idiotic lawmakers that lead miniatures will not kill us. 

Cergorach

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Or someone could try to convince our idiotic lawmakers that lead miniatures will not kill us.
But I likr to chew on my mechs! To simulate battle damage of course... ;-)

F T C

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I knew a guy who liked to lick the tip of his paintbrush t a point before he dipped it in paint.  One night he got real sick, and when his wife threatened him with divorce if he didn't go, agreed to go to the ER.  Turns out he had lead poising from--guess what--painting his miniatures.  After it was all over he had a good laugh, but I don't think his wife ever did. 
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Jal Phoenix

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I can't comprehend licking my paintbrushes.  It's disgusting.  I don't think that would contribute to lead poisoning, though.  If he's doing it right, the brush would never even touch lead. 

greatsarcasmo

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Was he using lead based paint?
The amount of lead from the mini he would pick up from licking his paint brush would be infinitesimal. I would be more worried about all the other crap on the paint brush from the paint!
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Death Monkey

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Just to fill in the second half of the story beachhead1985 missed,  they are discontinuing the use of metal in their minis.  The same molds they've been using for their metal range will be put into service for resin mini production.  So same minis different material.  From what's been said on other forums, that will drop their materials price significantly, but due to extra time it takes resin to set, it'll likely raise their labor expenses. 

Ezekiel Crow

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This has not been confirmed.  Right now they are not sure what the future of the metal mini line is.  They have simply ceased production as of right now and will be evaluating what steps will be taken in the future. 

To be honest, I'm kinda curious how much of a back stock they are currently sitting on and how long they can go without producing any new metal castings. 

FedCom4Ever

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Isn't plastic a byproduct of oil?

I would hate to think that the price of my mini's would hinge on what we could get from the middle east or south America. Let's just stick with metal. Which probably comes from China anyways.  ???
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cavingjan

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Oil or cellulose

General308

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If you think that now that GW stops buying tin the price of tin will go down, I think you've misjudged on how much tin is used outside of the miniature games industry. What GW 'consumes' is a drop in the bucket (maybe even the sea), so it will not impact the price of tin.

As for IWM going plastic, CGL is already doing that (starter set, 2 Clan Mechs, the Clan Mech set that has been planned). Maybe IWM will eventually have to go with resin or a resinplastic (more flexible) when tin prices continue to rise, I doubt that they'll sell many BT figures when they'll be forced to ask $50 for a BT figure.

Going to plastic with a core Mech/vehicle line could be very profitable for CGL, but it would depend on how they would package such a product, making a single mold for each Mech would not be a smart idea. Anything that isn't mainstream/popular could be done in low volume in resin.

I would be happy if IWM would go with lead to lower the prices.    I don't put my mini's in my mouth so I would prefer cheaper minis.   Plastic for most minis will never happen though.

General308

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Or someone could try to convince our idiotic lawmakers that lead miniatures will not kill us.

Nothing prevents lead minis.  Reaper is doing it right now.  They have a whole line of them.  They are even doing it with some of there CAV minis as I understand

Stormlion1

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Lead miniatures, very useful when redcoats kill ones family and you need something to melt down and shoot at their killers.  ;)
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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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I dislike lead minis.  They don't hold details as well as pewter.
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Jal Phoenix

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I dislike lead minis.  They don't hold details as well as pewter.

They hold the detail just fine.  In fact, they take it even better because they're softer and easier to carve.  Problem is, they're softer and easier to dent.  A teensey misstep with the file that wouldn't even mark a pewter mini can be devastating to a lead mini. 

Bedwyr

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I can't comprehend licking my paintbrushes.  It's disgusting.  I don't think that would contribute to lead poisoning, though.  If he's doing it right, the brush would never even touch lead.

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Jal Phoenix

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More evidence that you shouldn't lick your damn paintbrush!  I have a cup of water right there on my desk.  Guess what it's for?  Somebody get these lickers a logic handbook!

FedCom4Ever

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More evidence that you shouldn't lick your damn paintbrush!  I have a cup of water right there on my desk.  Guess what it's for?  Somebody get these lickers a logic handbook!

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beachhead1985

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so why did we get away from lead? was it the poisoning aspect? that does seem strange, not that lead is much easier to come by these days
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

cavingjan

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Just remember that you have issues (limited as they are) on the consumer end but you also have them on the manufacturing end. IWM may not want to deal with the safety headaches of lead anymore.

GhostBear_TomeGurdel

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IWM will not be headed back to lead minis. Had a conversation with Mike Noe about it after Reaper announced the P-65 line.  The gist of it comes down to the material may be cheaper, but the head aches accompanying it are not worth it. There are more strict guidelines for safety  concerns that could effectively negate that savings for a company as small as IWM.

 
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Charbok

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Yeah, I can't even imagine the amount of hoops a business would have to jump through to produce Lead minis.  You'd have EPA regs to follow, and all manner and sort of headaches to go with.  Totally not worth it, IMO.  Don't get me wrong, lead minis do take detail wonderfully, but they are fragile and you have to exercise caution with them.

 

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