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View Poll Results: Printed Kits or Large PDF Sheet Sizes (2ft x 3ft or A3)
Prefer that PDF files be made available, that can be printed locally 16 59.26%
Prefer Printed Kits with internal structures 6 22.22%
Prefer A3 sized PDF Kits 4 14.81%
Just do them as PDF "Skins" that can be used as a laminate for available commercial Rockerty Tubes 1 3.70%
Voters: 27. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 07-29-2012, 01:27 PM
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mbauer mbauer is offline
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Poll on Marketing Huge PDF 2ft x 3ft Sheet Sizes or A3 Sheets

Been designing some really big rockets and airplanes that fly.

There have been several questions on availability of them. Well, the printer in use can handle 2ft x 3ft [60.96cm x 91.44cm] sheets of cardstock. Also have the capability to make PDF files in A3 size.

Most print shops won't print on paper this size, however, it is possible to find a blueprint printing place in most locations. Just ask around with Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering or even Architects if there isn't a specific blueprint service available.

The cost to print sheets this size is real expensive, most charge by the square foot. My cost is around $6 per sheet for the ink and cardstock.

Thinking about listing these rockets on eBay as printed kits. The cost will be fairly expensive due to my cost + shipping and ebay fees. To save on fees the kits can be listed here at PM in the "For Sale by Owner" forum.

My poll is about finding out if there is a market for these.

Thank you for taking the time to check this poll out!

Mike
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Old 07-29-2012, 03:20 PM
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A bigger concern is the shipping.
Packaging of large sheets...safely...and then the oversize parcel costs.
You've already got an expensive kit...and you will have to tack on an unreasonable
shipping cost that will really turn away any interested parties.

Can these models be built at a smaller scale?
If so, that makes them appealing to any builder
as well as the big scale builders.

You could market them as "large" scale models in a small scale package.
(PDF printable kits)

Normal size kits that can be printed in a variety of scales.
Play up the idea of building them at largest scale...
but include full instructions on how to print the pages at any scale.

Include a list of print enlargements (%) to a variety of scale sizes
and explain the various card thicknesses necessary to build the bigger scales.
Expalin how you get the pages printed and suggest print methods.

Do all your presentation representing the large scale build,
photos of larges scale models, etc
and include the fact that the models can be built at reduced scales too.


...
but, I have one more thing to add.
recently there is a lot of renewed interest in the Saturn V.
(a recent video of Neil degrasse Tyson unpackaging a large model for his office
was a big hit on the net!)


A large scale model of that rocket would receive a lot of interest.
If only as a display piece.
A large printed kit of the Saturn V would have a small market.

Presented properly I could see it fetching $75-$100
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Old 07-29-2012, 04:54 PM
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mbauer mbauer is offline
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Thanks for input Dave! Will keep the suggestions in mind.

Yes, shipping is a big concern. It isn't cheap to send or receive anything here in Alaska.

They will ship in a box that is approx. 4"W x4"H x 24"L. The sheets are rolled and then placed inisde a box or tube. It did cost $20 recently to send four sheets USPS Priority to CA, which is the same cost to Florida.

Was thinking most models will be priced around $50 depending on how many sheets they use.

How are sales on your new site for the printed version?

Mike
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Old 07-29-2012, 05:40 PM
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I'm not selling printed models...except for the few brand name kits I have.

My stuff is single digital (through ecardmodels)
or CD compilation.

It didn't occur to me that you could roll the printed pages of your big kits.
(lol not thinking)

Are you sure there isn't a risk of creasing?
Especially if the boxes get squashed?
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Old 07-29-2012, 06:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by airdave View Post
I'm not selling printed models...except for the few brand name kits I have.

My stuff is single digital (through ecardmodels)
or CD compilation.

It didn't occur to me that you could roll the printed pages of your big kits.
(lol not thinking)

Are you sure there isn't a risk of creasing?
Especially if the boxes get squashed?
My turn on the non-thinking...Just went to your papermodel store thread and sure enough, says CD etc.. but not printed kits, except for the ones you acquired. My bad.

I've sold several in past years and just boxed them up. Nobody had any problems, except when they were in a tube. Some complained they were next to impossible to remove. After that I used rubberbands around them so they would'nt "grow" and lock themselves to the tube. Now the post office charges more for the tube saying they are not standard size. Now I just grab some boxes from work that are the correct size.

Mike
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Old 07-29-2012, 07:14 PM
josh josh is offline
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Mike, you have my interest peaked, are we talking about scale aircraft models? That is definatly something that I would go for.
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Old 07-29-2012, 08:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by josh View Post
Mike, you have my interest peaked, are we talking about scale aircraft models? That is definatly something that I would go for.
Sorry, but all of my models are for flying, no flying scale airplane models. Found it difficult to get scale ones to fly, have to modify them, for instance a weight reduction trick is to decrease the fuselage diameter, others have smaller tail surfaces, etc..

If you see a scale model you would like upsized to larger sheets of cardstock, I could print them with the designers permission. Right now I have approx. 100-sheets of Index 110# and 400 sheets of 125# Tag.

Mike
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