GZG List archives -- October 2005
Re: [GZG] Turrets and bodies separate
I hate it when someone makes my point much better than I did.
Then again, I l;ove it when that happens, too.
On 10/13/05, Thomas Barclay <kaladorn@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I must say, I have several lines of tanks (possibly old CMD ranges or someone else's) in
> 1/300th where subsituting turrets is easy and you can change turrets and thus easily have
> grav chassis, AC chassis, or tracked (theoretically, wheeled would be possible too).
> That's handy.
>
> In 25mm, I can't think of any really good reason this could not be done too. Some have
> started by letting you make orders for an AIFV, an FCS, or the like all from the same
> similar appearance. I had conversations with David at DLD about this, but his casting is
> multipart and very detailed, so its a bit of a different beast.
>
> Using single major part pour moulds, you'd still think standardizing on say 3 sizes of
> turret rings (one for small turrets, one for medium turrets, one for larger turrets) would
> be good enough. Use these for all chassis' and then you're set. You can mix and match
> turrets and chassis. And, when making your moulds, just make smaller ones with 1 or more
> turrets. Make 2 or 3 turrets of the same type in a mould, instead of a vehicle chassis +
> turret.
>
> To avoid too much stock sitting about, just keep a small stock of each body or turret and
> then pour more as needed.
>
> Rather than increasing your inventory (which, BTW, is a problem that even a simple POS
> system ought to handle quite nicely, or web commerce solution), it might actually do the
> opposite. Instead of having to make 10 different grav chassis, you need make six. But with
> six different turrets, that's 36 combinations, instead of 10. You see my point - fewer
> actual moulds and fewer actual different stock items, but more possible final products.
>
> Yes, this does require a bit of planning and discipline.
>
> The other option is make all turrets flat bottomed. You have to think that would agree
> with pour moulds generally. Then make the three 'turret elevators' (the ring part that
> would be moulded at present into the turret) separate. Then you can even go one step
> further and sometimes, using a different elevator ring size, fit larger turrets to hulls
> not normally designed for it. It might look odd, but if you've ever seen some historical
> monstrosities, you know this is hardly unprecedented. That offers the benefit of somewhat
> decoupling turret ring size from the individual turret. Then you'd buy a turret ring
> elevator, a turret, and a chassis.
>
> I was very much of the opinion that if I ever get a place with a garage where I can do
> some casting, this is the kind of thing I'd do. And I think it could be profitable for a
> business doing it, for the aforementioned reason of having more models available while
> still having fewer actual moulds and separate inventory items.
>
> Of course, what do I know.... ? (Adrian, Laserlight... no need to answer... or for that
> matter, any of you who've met me... that goes double for Beth... *grin*)
>
> Tom B
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