What would you pay for a custom paint mask?

[itsafokker]

I am planning to buy a mask cutting device and I need to convince myself (well my wife really) that I can cover its cost by producing masks for other modellers. I need to make some money for my time but only on a small scale. I have worked in print and design for years and have the necessary skills to produce a good product but I’d like your help in a bit of market research.

Would like to replace markings, insignia, code letters decals etc with paint by using a self adhesive mask? There are of course masks for standard roundels etc available but where the markings of you modelling subject aren’t available as a mask, would you be interested in buying one?

The process would involve me drawing the design using a vector program (Adobe Illustrator) from dimensions, decals or artwork supplied by the modeller. This is then loaded into the cutter software for the mask material to be cut.

If you think this would be a useful service please tell me the following:

• How much would you pay for an accurate mask set for one model?

• How many times in one year do you think you’d use need them?

I’m talking about markings masks, or anything you can supply dimensions for. I’ll leave complex curving canopy masks etc to Eduard!

I hope I’m not stepping on any suppliers’ toes here!

Thanks for your help!

David

[Daniel]

Bit of a chicken and eggs this one, if you don't get many responses, perhaps you should make a proposal along the lines of 'would you pay £X for a 1/72 set of AB and C?'...

Dan

[itsafokker]

Bit of a chicken and eggs this one, if you don't get many responses, perhaps you should make a proposal along the lines of 'would you pay £X for a 1/72 set of AB and C?'...

Dan

Thanks Dan.

Yes! I guess as soon as you use words like “custom” or “bespoke” people think “not affordable”.

Maybe a couple of examples would help. In the case of a set of WW1 German crosses that were either an odd proportion or size that is something that could be produced quickly and certainly for below £10. On the other hand a full set of aircraft codes and insignia would be a bit more, but not too much.

On the plus side, the materials are cheap, the cost is in the time, and I would certainly provide a few duplicates to allow a modeller to have some spares for errors. Also, if I thought that I could sell any one set to other modellers then the price could come down.

David