Part works

[Eric the chicken]

Every year at this time the adverts for part works pop up on TV. I see this year it’s a bat mobile, a couple of years ago I think it was Bismark or Turpitz. My question is, purely out of curiosity has anyone on the forum either built one of these models themselves or known anyone who has?

 

[bourbon]

I saw a part works forum on the net once, damned if I can remember what it was called. I know that some of them suddenly stop without warning.

 

[wyn]

Are these those kits in a magazine type thing that end up costing £1k?

 

[My Old Landy]

I worked with a chap that did the steam engine. Once it got past a certain point the company just offered the last parts as a one off payment. They sent him the parts and an outline drawing to complete it.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I had an association with a group of guys in the high-end kit world.

I remember seeing a tv advert for a kit I liked the idea of once.
I was a bit hesitant to ask them about it as I presumed they would be full of scorn for such a thing.
However, the opinion of them was generally positive.
Bearing in mind, some of these guys made the kits themselves to sell to others so the opinion might have been slightly biased in favour of the manafactures...

The main point was the majority of the models sold via magazines were one-offs. Ie, they were not something you could go and buy a full kit for so they were free to set whatever price they wanted for the "unique" kits.
The manafactures have to put the investment in to do the research, create, test, package the kit etc without knowing how many will sell.

The kits themselves are generally decent quality. I had no idea what some kits could cost but something that would cost you £750 to buy over 100 issues could well be £600-700 to buy from a model shop anyway.
Especially some of the stuff that includes die-cast parts, chrome plated etc.

There is usually good support available, most magazine runs have a dedicated builders forum. Mostly open to anyone but some need you to log in using a code you get with the first issue.

I don't remember what brand I was asking about (or even what the model was) but apparently they made some nice stuff.

If you take into account the price of a normal magazine (that doesn't come with any parts) the total price you pay is not actually that bad. Plus you get to pay in small instalments.

Personally, I think I would get frustrated waiting for each piece to come. But, realistically, if I bought a complete kit that took 100hrs to build I doubt I'd ever even get around to opening it.
If I had a dedicated area/bench that I could set aside for a year it might be a nice break to spend half an hour a week reading a magazine and another hour fitting the single part supplied with it.

If you have a whole week to fit one part your going to get it just perfect as well so the overall finish should be better.

If I was going to subscribe to one I'd look for a name that's been going for a while.
Check this but I think you are covered with S75 protection if you pay for a subscription with a credit card and they go bust before you have all the pieces.
Most of the big names have been around for years though.
I have heard of a few delays getting issues. I think they might order say 10k pieces to make up the first few issues then, when they see how many they are selling, order the remaining 4k pieces for the rest of the issues.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Are these those kits in a magazine type thing that end up costing £1k?

Aye, and above sometimes. Current one I saw is related to the Batman franchise - "issue 1 £1.99, issues 2-101 £10.99" or somesuch.

 

[hotponyshoes]

You're not really just paying £1k+ for a kit though.
It's more like a subscription to a hobby.
My missus spends £4 something on a horse magazine each week and that's mostly full of competition results that are freely available on the Internet...

A pack of fags is nearly £14 now so £12 a week for something to read and something to fiddle with is not the worst way to waste money....

 

[julianf]

A pack of fags is nearly £14 now so £12 a week for something to read and something to fiddle with is not the worst way to waste money....

£14!!!

I'm going to start a "grow your own tobacco" magazine!

 

[Morrisman]

You're not really just paying £1k+ for a kit though.
It's more like a subscription to a hobby.
My missus spends £4 something on a horse magazine each week and that's mostly full of competition results that are freely available on the Internet...

A pack of fags is nearly £14 now so £12 a week for something to read and something to fiddle with is not the worst way to waste money....

I've spent £thousands on car and bike magazines over the last 40++ years, and invariably given huge piles of them away whenever I've moved house.

However, I doubt I've bought even one mag in the last year though, everything is a repeat, nothing seems to be original, and it's all available on the interweb anyway. A 10 minute flick through and the mag goes on the pile, whereas years ago I'd thumb through each one a dozen times.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I've spent £thousands on car and bike magazines over the last 40++ years, and invariably given huge piles of them away whenever I've moved house.

However, I doubt I've bought even one mag in the last year though, everything is a repeat, nothing seems to be original, and it's all available on the interweb anyway. A 10 minute flick through and the mag goes on the pile, whereas years ago I'd thumb through each one a dozen times.

I used to buy them fairly frequently.
FHM mainly to look at the pictures!

I'd say I probably do the same amount of reading now but it's all online.
(And looking at pictures!)

I suppose that's one advantage they have when selling something like physical kit parts, you can't just go online to get them.

Although I'll claim the idea now of an online subscription to a magazine that let's you download a file each week to 3d print your own parts....

 

[hotponyshoes]

Something I have always wondered..
Some of these mags look like they include parts (ie. A electric motor) that must be worth more than the single issue they are supplied with.
What stops people just buying that one issue?
Are they a subscription only service?
Or do you have to collect vouchers or something to get the higher value parts posted out to you?

 

[hotponyshoes]

Ohhhh...
I've seen a thread on here about a (mostly) 3d printed cnc plasma cutter.

A magazine that supplies the stl's to print the bits from a scratch-off download code, supplies the small metal bits / nuts / bolts with each issue, then after you have input all the codes and downloaded all the stl's sends you a plasma cutter out in the post.
The software could be supplied early on and the content of the magazine could show you how to design stuff and use it. Even I might be able to program it to cut after a year...

*copyright me - 2023*

 

[Cobbler]

These magazines in monthly parts amuse me, I always reckoned one will come out “all you need to know about sex” in 48 weekly instalments. Week 1 how to start, week 2 errr, yes well, what do yo do in between? Then saw one advertised just that. No I didn’t buy one, just need to top the wife up with red wine….

 

[Farside]

These magazines in monthly parts amuse me, I always reckoned one will come out “all you need to know about sex” in 48 weekly instalments. Week 1 how to start, week 2 errr, yes well, what do yo do in between? Then saw one advertised just that. No I didn’t buy one, just need to top the wife up with red wine….

The title "Part Works" gives the game away, though.