"Thoughts on Siocast for 15mm?" Topic

Got an email from Splintered Light Miniatures. They're looking into casting their miniatures in this material. The general impression I remember getting about siocast was middling to negative. BTW I prefer metal 15mm.

I prefer metal as well. My only experience is with FoW infantry. I thought the detail was good, but I also received sprues wit figures broken off at the ankles. Cleaning mold lines with an exacto blade was a bit annoying since I'm a bit heavy handed. I also worry more about the robustness of the mineral during handling at games.

After talking with a few makers that invested (or were about to invest in the system), I would not recommend it. Not that the system doesn't make nice figures, if it breaks getting replacement parts are expensive and takes a long time to get. In one case, my buddy elected to invest in getting a 3D printer like Reaper has. He is glad he went that way. I can understand why people are looking at Siocast as the equipment can make the injection molds, codes the molds so the casting machine knows how much material to inject and the quality of the figs are great. But how can you make money to pay off the equipment if the machine could be down for long periods of time? Rubber molds for metal casting (and the metal itself) has skyrocketed! I used to get a box of 15 matched mold sets for about $350.00 USD before 2010. Now they are sold seperately for $50.00 USD a matched set!

The "weakness" is that the same company provides moulds, material and machinery. Too many m's. Add in monopoly.

martin