HALO PISTOL update Sept. 21

[Tyre]

Hey guys. Sorry for the delays, we're really trying to get these out to you as soon as possible but there is a bit of an issue.

I want to get your opinions on something i'm really having a hard time with: The cast that I have gotten back from our cast-man are, in my opinion, very low quality. Admittedly, I don't have a clue what a high quality/ low quality casting looks like, but I think for $125 bucks i'd be really disappointed if these showed up at my door:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/beadbe8c.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/de4a316c.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/e607fa45.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/40cc9ce3.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/0aa1731e.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/daf63dd9.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/e48c5294.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y92/tyrenlds/058cd713.jpg

Is this the kind of resin cast you all are used to dealing with? Is this amount of clean-up a normal thing?

Geoff, our caster, has had the originals for weeks now. Numerous things have gone wrong on his end; molds broke, 'things' have come up, and now there seems to be a broken finger involved. So, after all of this a box finally shows up with a dozen M6C's that I don't think I can sell. I'm very hesistant to purchase more resin to finish the other pistols now because of the quality i've seen thus far.

Geoff has offered to clean these up, but I don't know how nice they will come out. Maybe he can chime in if I am way off base here. At any rate, please let me know how you all feel about these pistols. If clean-up was an expected thing than these can start shipping soon. But if you won't be happy with this kind of quality we'll have to figure something out. Don't know if i'll have to print all the orders from the SLA machine or find a better caster, but I really want to give you'all something you'd be happy with.

 

[trekkieb47]

I wasn't expecting that amount of cleanup.

I think that's a really bad mold in my opinion. I would request those masters back ASAP. All of those excuses sound very suspcious on his end.

Were the M6D's just as bad?

Berry

 

[Tyre]

I havn't seen the M6D's yet, but i've been told the mold is done for them. Anybody else with cast experince care to chime in?

I have met Geoff and he seems like a stand-up guy. I am sure if you'all feel it's needed that he would clean these up and make them nice. Just need to know where everybody stands on this issue.

Originally posted by trekkieb47@Sep 21 2005, 06:09 PM
I wasn't expecting that amount of cleanup.

I think that's a really bad mold in my opinion. I would request those masters back ASAP. All of those excuses sound very suspcious on his end.

Were the M6D's just as bad?

Berry

[snapback]1081049[/snapback]​

 

[trekkieb47]

How is the resin quality?

Are there many air bubbles?

I don't know how he cast them or what kind of casting material he used, but in my experience (limited nonetheless) a simple 2 part mold should've worked for this. Then all the buyer would have to worry about is sanding down the mold line and trimming the sprue part. And maybe fill in a couple of pin holes. This is typical.

The amount of work on these goes way beyond that.

 

[Matsuo]

Tyre, Sorry I haven't been following this project as well as perhaps I should have.
Do you have pix of the master with which to compare?

As a caster, I'd say that it looks like there could have been a little more care put into the mold. Beyond that I'd prefer not to talk trash about other artisans here. I'm shure there are a few guys here who have no reservations in that regard though..:lol



PM me if you like.

Matt

 

[Buddydog]

I am headed Tylers way today, I offered to pick them up and do some filling and filing to clean up the sprues on the back and remove the one in trigger area. Admittedly, the trigger area sprue was much larger than needed, but I felt it was better to assure the handguard recieved all the required resin.

I haven't heard from Tyler as of yet, but I think I can honestly say that these are very good casts as far as resin pieces go, I simply haven't been able to hold them to clean them up very well. Mixing and pouring is one thing, but I do not currently posses two opposable thumbs. It's up to you guys, obviously, but I think I'd be more satisfied if they were cleaned up too. No major air bubbles, short of the back end of a couple that I quickly tried to fill.

The question really is, how quickly do you want these versus how much sanding do you want done before you recieve them? I assure you there is nothing that you wouldn't be able clean up if you have assembled a resin or styrene model kit in the past. The only thing I didn't get a chance to do is to drill out the barrel, which I know is definitely my responsibilty, not anyone elses. So for sure I at least need to get that taken care of.

If it matters, pictures of the wound and mold to follow...

Geoff

 

[Tyre]

Well, the quality is pretty good over most the surface of the pistol. There are some air bubble issues on the top of the slide but not in many other places. Other than the sprue part I think a bit of putty and a quick go over with a razor blade would really make a difference. Mold lines are almost non-existant.

The pictures may exagerate the defects a bit too. I've got a couple e-mails from people saying that this is fine and they would like the pistols as they are - is this the consensus?

Originally posted by trekkieb47@Sep 21 2005, 06:26 PM
How is the resin quality?

Are there many air bubbles?

I don't know how he cast them or what kind of casting material he used, but in my experience (limited nonetheless) a simple 2 part mold should've worked for this. Then all the buyer would have to worry about is sanding down the mold line and trimming the sprue part. And maybe fill in a couple of pin holes. This is typical.

The amount of work on these goes way beyond that.

[snapback]1081058[/snapback]​

 

[trekkieb47]

Well I can't speak for the people who ordered those HALO 2 guns, as I ordered the M6D, just looking at those pictures makes me worried for those guns.

I have no problem doing my own sanding, drilling, etc to make these look good, I just thought I would do less of it.

Berry

 

[trekkieb47]

Originally posted by Matsuo@Sep 21 2005, 01:59 PM
Do you have pix of the master with which to compare? 

Pictures are lowerer down in this thread.

http://www.rpf.invisionzone.com/index.php?...ic=84998&st=120

 

[hydin]

id be kinda peeved myself.

im not the greatest caster in the world, but that amount of cleanup is pretty bad. dunno if its the resin or if its the caster, no idea.

if i gotta wait longer, thats fine. if theres the option of just those pistols or ones that look just as bad, id appreciate a refund.

if you can find a new caster or get the issues fixed with these molds, im still in for my set. honestly though, from the resin kits i have gotten in the past, they have almost a mirror sheen smoothness to them, and they all had minimal cleanup.

chris

 

[Tyre]

Ok, awesome. Looks like Geoff is coming by today to pick-up the pistols and give them some TLC. thanks man, really appreiciated.

Ok, now that we have this worked out i'll order more material. I'll talk to Geoff and find out how long this will take him to do, and from there i'll get you'all a shipping date. Thanks for hanging in there everybody.

 

[Jimbo890]

I don't have a lot of experience in resin casting, but is the original a CNC '3D-stereo lithography' generated model? Some of the 'lines' on the molds make me think that was the source. IMHO, the source model should have been cleaned up more before sending it to the silicone.

 

[SurferGeek]

The pistol was done on a rapid prototype system (Stereolithography) from 3D drawings. Here's the prototype:

Here's the casting:

Unfortunately I've never seen a good casting of a rapid prototype. The surface will usually have very distinct "stair-step" lines or at the very least have a "sandstone" texture to the surface... Both of which will transfer to the casting making clean up a bear and achieving a smooth surface for paint is almost impossible without destroying the details.

 

[Bowelrock]

Why wasn't the master cleand up and primerd before molding? The master should have never been molded in that condition.. IT should have been cleand up before molding. I just don't understand.

 

[Jedi Lawja]

Iee. That's AWEFUL. No way you can blame the masters for that mess, it looks perfect.

IMO, $100+ for a medium sized one-pull piece is high.

Jay

 

[mez7]

yup should have definatly cleaned up before making the mold,

seems like maybe a few of the lines on the resin peices are a bit softer than the original as well, dont know if thats maybe because of the silicone used to mold or what?

 

[Jedidentist]

I don't mind a little cleanup, but the master definately should have been smoothed up some. I understand that messing with some of the more detailed areas would not have been advised, but the broader areas like the barrel could have been done. As for the price, that's not much of a concern to me as I understand how much work you've done simply from the design and prototype end. Originally, I was expecting a fully machined piece that wasn't going to be a casting...then I found out that it was going to be cast, however it was going to be cleaned up and painted...now we're talking about getting none of the above. It is tough to try to figure out all of these issues when starting a project, but when people are paying $100s for it, then people are going to come down harder. I'm not in a super hurry for these, but I do want them for mid-October...and definately before that if I have to fix it up and paint it. If you guys can clean them up and make them look VERY good, then do it and ship them...I can paint. However, if it's going to turn into a quick fix, and quick paint job, then don't waste our time. I was expecting a little better quality for $125.

Derek

 

[DuneMuadDib]

I'll echo the statements on caring for the master. The master should have been cleaned up completely first.

Those castings aren't great. The worst casting I've ever handled was better than that. I have seen personally that if you do it right you can cast a piece bubble-free that only requires a light sanding to clean up the seam.

Those could be done much better. I'll wait a while longer to see them done right.

 

[Jedidentist]

After looking at them some more, I don't think they're that bad. It would be nice to see what they look like with the sprue(s) removed, and at least some minor cleanup with the barrel drilled out. That might make everything look completely different...although I still don't like that grooved barrel.

Derek

 

[Gordon Gekko]

Aren't parts of the gun supposed to get an almost chrome finish? If the mold was created with a master straight off the RP it's definately going to have the "sugar cube" texture on almost every surface. A real pain to clean up and paint.

Just my 2cents on the subject.