How much do you guys pay for DIY figurine kits?

Billy the Hero · Dec 5, 2016

I'm currently putting together my own DIY automata kit, a figurine no taller than 20 cm. It will be cast out of Polyurethane resin(Smooth On Onyx Slow)and 3D printed PETG in 8-10 pieces, which includes the figurine, and the mechanism of the automata. I plan on doing nothing else after casting besides sanding and priming the pieces. It will be a DIY automata for intermediate skilled makers to build.

For a kit of this size, how much do you think is a reasonable price to sell this for? I am a one man operation working out of his workshop.
The price of manufacture breaks down like this:

-30USD for standard sample size of Onyx Slow. One package of A and B can cast 3-4 kits.
-20 USD for 20 copies of pieces that require 3D printing in PETG
-5USD for Cost of packaging. Includes instruction sheet with detailed build instructions, including color recommendations.

I obviously want some moderate return, and the kit is high in demand and has no other competition, but I also don't want to rip people off. What is a fair cost for an automata kit like this?

ThePlasticOne · Dec 6, 2016

Start with your cost of materials, obviously, and divide by the number of kits produced. Then figure out how much time you spent designing the thing. Add in the time it takes you per kit from first pour to the labeling of the package (every step but cure time, basically). Assign an hourly pay value, then divide by the number of kits produced. Play around with the value until you find a number that feels right, then ask if the resulting hourly pay seems right for the type of work that you put in.

For example, you produce 20 kits. That's $1 in 3D printed parts and up to $10.50 in resin per kit (for seven trial-size units...you may as well pay for the gallon to lower cost). Say it took you 20 hours to design and sculpt (likely more than that). At at rate of $60/hour (approximately what I make as a trained foundry technician performing essentially the same type of work) gives you $60 in labor per kit. Say it takes 1.5 hours for production and packaging - at $60/hr, that adds $4.5 to each kit. Call it $1/kit for packaging materials.

With this hypothetical setup, we have $1+$10.50+$60+$4.5+$1=$77 before cost of shipping. For a nice round number you could go up to $80 or down to $75 - don't expect much pushback over $3. Most people have no problem spending under $100 for a decent garage kit. Now, if it takes you much longer to design and produce, at a $60/hr compensation you can easily run up into the three digits, and then I'd have to take a good look at what you have to offer. You could come down a bit.

Gimpdiggity · Dec 6, 2016

Pardon my ignorance, but what is an aotomata kit?

Billy the Hero · Dec 6, 2016

ThePlasticOne said:
Start with your cost of materials, obviously, and divide by the number of kits produced. Then figure out how much time you spent designing the thing. Add in the time it takes you per kit from first pour to the labeling of the package (every step but cure time, basically). Assign an hourly pay value, then divide by the number of kits produced. Play around with the value until you find a number that feels right, then ask if the resulting hourly pay seems right for the type of work that you put in.

For example, you produce 20 kits. That's $1 in 3D printed parts and up to $10.50 in resin per kit (for seven trial-size units...you may as well pay for the gallon to lower cost). Say it took you 20 hours to design and sculpt (likely more than that). At at rate of $60/hour (approximately what I make as a trained foundry technician performing essentially the same type of work) gives you $60 in labor per kit. Say it takes 1.5 hours for production and packaging - at $60/hr, that adds $4.5 to each kit. Call it $1/kit for packaging materials.

With this hypothetical setup, we have $1+$10.50+$60+$4.5+$1=$77 before cost of shipping. For a nice round number you could go up to $80 or down to $75 - don't expect much pushback over $3. Most people have no problem spending under $100 for a decent garage kit. Now, if it takes you much longer to design and produce, at a $60/hr compensation you can easily run up into the three digits, and then I'd have to take a good look at what you have to offer. You could come down a bit.

I see! Thank you for taking the time to respond. According to your train of thought, I've decided on a price of 65USD.

23D is manufacturing, 40 is for labor. I just rounded up to 65.

- - - Updated - - -

Gimpdiggity said:
Pardon my ignorance, but what is an aotomata kit?

An automata is a moving mechanical device that works off a hand crank or wind-up mechanism. There's some great examples on Google.

Gimpdiggity · Dec 6, 2016

Billy the Hero said:
An automata is a moving mechanical device that works off a hand crank or wind-up mechanism. There's some great examples on Google.

Cool!

I know I'm getting a bit off topic, but is it something you'd be doing a project run if here on RPF? I'd like to build something like this.

Billy the Hero · Dec 6, 2016

Gimpdiggity said:
Cool!

I know I'm getting a bit off topic, but is it something you'd be doing a project run if here on RPF? I'd like to build something like this.

Definitely. I'd need to finesse my manufacturing process and bottom line, it's nowhere near enough to put for sale right now.

How much do you guys pay for DIY figurine kits?

Billy the Hero

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ThePlasticOne

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Gimpdiggity

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Billy the Hero

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Gimpdiggity

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Billy the Hero

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