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Well, I guess that makes me one of the most envied modelers on the planet! That must have been a tough call to make, Mal- but you've got to weigh the costs vs the rewards. I look forward to your next moves!
chuk
Possibly Chuck
but I won't remind you of what I, "foolishly" said when you did Millie for me; but I am upholding my end of the bargain
There are one or three others that I am still doing masks for and I very much look forward to being able to do more for you
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Mal,
I quite sure that this decision was very difficult to arrive at. I honestly feel you're making the right decision.
I've known several people in other hobby related industries, such as Model Railroading, that thought the perfect job/career was to turn their hobby into their full time job. Those that succeeded quickly found out that they have almost zero time to enjoy their hobby, or just didn't want to spend all day working in the hobby field, then come home and still want to spend time working on their personal layout.
Some got burnt out and just walked away. Some continued on as just a business venture, and some did what you're doing and returned to the hobby as basically a hobbyist.
Maybe now you'll find the time and energies to finish the ME 110 Bumble Bee.
Joel
Its not quite the same for me, as I never tried to make a living at it, which is possibly part of the problem; I would bend over backwards to help someone out but be ultra frustrated when, after many emails and drawings, they decided that it wasn't worth THEIR! time anymore
I recently gave someone my phone number so they could discuss masks, and then they proceeded to phone me at the most inopportune moments just to tell me that they had sent an email and then they wanted to chat!
Yep, I'm looking forward to getting the Bf110 finished now
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sorry to hear that, if you ever change your mind you know you'll have plenty of orders to start up again...
all the best
Roger that Paul
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Hi Mal
It must have been a painful decision - but I think you've made right one.
I have to say, I think this could well be a portent of what's ahead with 3-D printing too where, as with plotter/cutters, the hardware costs get ever lower, to the point where it's the research that becomes the "product", and some type of licencing is the way to recoup the time invested.
I think there is really exciting market out there - but what form it finally takes is still unclear, and there will be a lot more losers than winners before it's clear what has become the new norm.
All the best
Rowan
You are correct Rowan, I have had 5 "ex-customers" ask about plotters, drawing software and material; so I have been thinking about the market for masking files
When I finally get my web site up and running (how many years have I been saying that!) I will concentrate on "how to" because the companies out there that are selling masks seem to think that they don't need to tell their customers how to use the masks!
