Re: District 9 Weapon Kits (3 variants available)
@
Bigturc @
thadbo13 @
D48thRonin
First of all, thanks guys for the comments and input. I love that this run is getting members excited about owning these weapons. I've wanted these myself for years, so I get it.
I'm a big fan of resin props myself and have many of them in my collection. But there are pros and cons to both 3D prints and resin casts...
1. Weight - nothing like picking up a prop and it having decent weight. So on the surface resin would work well. But these things are huge and weigh a tonne in resin. Which means they are great to hold for a few minutes, but you sure wouldn't want to con with it. And don't let your kids try hold it! Ha ha. Shipping has to come into account here as well. Obviously shipping a resin kit of this size worldwide would be very expensive whereas the printed kit packs up nicely and is pretty light to ship. Thus the low $35 shipping price. And of course, the beauty of the 3D kit is you can add as much weight as you want. So if you want it heavier you can have it.
2. Durability - I'm no expert here on this but I have had some experiences... during my AR build, the body of the rifle fell over on the concrete floor and broke in 2 places. Fortunately I was able to re-glue them easy enough and it has been fine since. If the gun had been resin would it have broken? I dunno, but I tend to think it would. I dropped my Oblivion rifle which has resin shrouds and it smashed to pieces! (No, I don't want to talk about it!) So a gun of this size and weight, it wouldn't matter which product it's made of, drop it and it's going to break.
3. Finishing - this is probably the biggest concern for people, especially those who haven't worked a lot with prints. I've done a few now and have a good understanding of the kind of finish I'm going to get compared to the amount of work I'm willing to put in. We tend to think resin casts are better, as printed kits require more sanding. But it has to be said, there are casts and then there are casts. I've been working on a resin kit (from the RPF) which has taken me more time to prep than the printed AR! But then my resin Oblivion pistol kit by @JOATRASH and @moganthirteen arrived almost perfect and required very little prep. It's the same with 3D kits too of course. I just finished a very, very rough kit (from Etsy) of a Titanfall Pistol and Data Knife which both took ages to prep. But then I'm right now in the middle of 2 MIB Side Arm kits from @
rgriesbeck and the prep time was minimal. Either way, resin or print, there is work involved. And yes, prints do tend to require more sanding, so builders want to keep that in mind.
Also, the Weta SMG has LEDs in it. A printed kit will make it easier for those who want to add electronics to their build.
Now I realise you guys probably know all that, but thought it worth mentioning for newer builders who are considering this run. A read through my build thread will show I am no expert builder and had some struggles along the way, but I learnt a lot and feel like I have achieved something pretty dam cool in the prop world. With that in mind, I can't wait to build the SMG and Exo Suit variants myself. Bring on the sanding! :wacko :lol
Cheers guys.
To my mind the hard work is all part of the fun and gives a lasting sense of achievement. Tmax’s build guide had me hooked and I can’t wait to get his SMG.
Thanks Paul, so appreciate the support and kind words. And I have to agree, I wanted a Weta PR for years and nearly owned one numerous times. Building my own one was so satisfying and while it was a lot of work, it was totally worth it. It's in our bedroom so I literally see it every morning (you can imagine how happy my wife is about that! Lol) and I am nothing but super stoked to have it. :thumbsup
