Model Forum / General / Models / December 2005

    Basically, it's because they're done in short runs and are *very*
labor-intensive.

Small production runs, the mold rubber is expensive and the resin is
too. Keep in mind that 50 casts from a mold is very good mold life.

As others suggested, the resin itself (similar to fiberglass resin) is
on the expensive side.  These models are individually cast and the
plastic must chemically cure in the mold while a typical thermoplastic
styrene kit is literally shot into a mold in seconds and almost
immediately cools enough to be removed and handled.  As such, the resin
kit is usually low production by its nature.

OTOH, this means that a subject of limited interest can be made more
economically than if it were a full-production (as in, obscenely
expensive, but easily mass-produced) styrene kit.  As a Car Guy©, I
have models of a 1961 DeSoto, a 1962 Chrysler wagon (both of which I
owned) and a 1965 Plymouth Satellite (next door neighbor's), among
others, none of which were ever 'kitted' - because some wonderful
artisan decided to give them a chance.  The cheapest was ~$35 and the
expensive ones ~$75.  Some resin bodies to 'convert' production styrene
kits (a Dodge B100 van body or chopped-top pickup to convert the
'Little Red Wagon' wheelstander, f'rinstance) are as little as $10 or
so.  At the other end of the spectrum, the 'Exotic Furrin' Racecar
Guys' are used to paying $100-150 and more for conversion bodies &
parts.  These are reasonable prices to me to get a decent looking
replica I couldn't get otherwise.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; done that)