# Would anyone be interested if I took the time to do this with a creature from ...



## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi All - 

I have the chance to buy one of these and I wanted to get your opinion - 

I have ALWAYS loved the PENN PLAX creature from the black lagoon aquarium ornament - Not only as cool kitch aquarium art (Aquariums are my other hobby) - But its an awesome little creature sculpt that would be a great little kit - 

My original idea was to buy one, reverse engineer it, mold and cast a few to sell that could be used again as decor as an aquarium bubbler - I would LOVE one but they are too valuable to use an original - 

But I thought, if I am taking it apart and casting anyway, I could run off a few small resin kits just as easy - Sort of a garage kit? I hope this isnt considered a recast, since the original hasnt been available for 3 decades 

Anyhow - I was thinking it would be worth doing if I could sell the aquarium safe versions for $40, and maybe the model kits for $30?? Just estimated prices - Not trying to profit, just trying to recoup the cost of breaking apart one in order to make some that can live underwater again - 

Would anyone buy these at this price point?

Thanks!

Tyler


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I'd buy a kit or at least strongly consider it. I have an original PP Creature somewhere, along with a Lunar Module. I got them as a kid...


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## auroralover (Dec 12, 2009)

Interested as a Creature fan but ignorant of what these look like. Can you post any pictures?


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## auroralover (Dec 12, 2009)

Oh, never mind. I googled. No, but great ideas. Thanks.

(Why is this thing so expensive? I googled and someone paid over $1000 for one. IT'S AN AQUARIUM TOY, for god's sakes! Amazing and stupefying.)


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

I'd like one too! I always wanted one.


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## tracy.net (Aug 30, 2009)

By all means please do! And yes you can count me in for one. Hard to believe no one has allready done this to my knowledge.


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

I think you can count me in for one!


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## tr7nut (Apr 18, 1999)

*Strong interest!*

I'm very interested and would LOVE to have one! Do you have any idea (ballpark) what you would have to charge for one?


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

tylerh said:


> I hope this isnt considered a recast, since the original hasnt been available for 3 decades


If you don't have written permission from Penn Plax to do so, it would be a recast; the amount of time that has passed since these were available is irrelevant.


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

What Zombie said.


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

I was under the impression that since these have not been produced for over 40 years, and Penn Plax no longer even owns a license, that to make copies of these for a small market would not be considered a recast - 

Breaking a universal copyright maybe (as ALL garage kits with a creature from the black lagoon image do)

If there was a model kit that has not been released for 40 years and someone cast theirs, it seems like even though by definition it IS a "recast" it isnt looked on as one by the community - 

What is the line here?


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

If you don't have permission from the owner, to recast an item, well, it's a recast.


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

I understand that but there seems to be an "acceptable" recast vs "unacceptable" recast -

IE: Noone seems to mind if someone recasts a piece from an old rare kit to help complete a kit missing the piece, etc...

But if someone say, from here. sculpts a kit, and someone buys it, recasts and sells it, then people go nuts - 

Wondering where this would stand - 

I understand the "technical" aspect of it already - its pretty clear - I mean how its looked on here


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

Recreating a missing part for a kit to help out a fellow modeler is not recasting. Taking an entire figure, making molds off of it, making copies and selling them IS recasting. If you want to be completely legit about this, hire a sculptor to recreate the Creature in that size and then make your molds. Then you could sell as many as you wanted without be labeled a recaster.


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Not to open a can of worms, but making a part from something that you did not sculpt or own the copyright to, is not different at all than casting an entire figure - That sounds more like selective ethics to me personally -


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Also, not trying to sound combative or stubborn, I just dont really understand what is sounding like a double standard -


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

Big difference. Someone you know is missing a part for a kit. They have a friend who loans them the missing piece. A quick mold is made, one part is cast to replace the missing part. Then the mold is cut up to use as filler for a future mold. No money exchanges hands. It’s just one modeler helping out another. 

Now, if you can’t see the difference between doing that and doing what you’re planning on doing... well, then you can’t. I think you’re just looking for someone to tell you what you’re planning is okay. And, I’m sure someone will. But, at the end of the day, it is what it is, a recast.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

tylerh said:


> Not to open a can of worms, but making a part from something that you did not sculpt or own the copyright to, is not different at all than casting an entire figure - That sounds more like selective ethics to me personally -


The whole recasting issue, is selective ethics.
Everyone must draw their own personal line-in-the-sand.

Some of the hard-liners even consider Polar Lights to be recasters.
(They did take existing models, and make molds from them)

At the end of the day, you have to follow your own conscience and do what you think is right.


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Either way, Im not looking for validation as I am simply trying to fill a demand for something that doesnt exist - 

The answer of hiire someone to sculpt a new one" seems OK, however then it isnt a penn plax creature anymore - its just a 5 inch creature - 

In the same line with your example - If someone needs a part for a kit, why dont they "just sculpt it or hire a sculptor"

I dont see how when someone needs a part for a desirable kit that is not being produced anymore, it is deemed "OK", When producing the 4 parts it takes to make this desirable kit that is no longer being produced anymore, is not - 

Clearly not everyone is going to see eye to eye on this someone grey middle ground - 

Am I looking for someone to tell me that what I am doing is "OK" so I feel good about it? No.

Do I think that spending several hundred dollars and hours of my own time to recreate a handful of cool aquarium decorations (which is what I originally wanted it for, to have in a fishtank) that noone will be able to have otherwise - Penn Plax wont remake them, the Creature license is too expensive to justify any company making them, and unless you are rich enough to buy a $500 aquarium bubbler - and selling a few (maybe 10-20) to recover the cost of making them in the first place, not mass producing, is wrong to begin with? No. 

I asked because I wanted to get a feel for what people thought, and it just seems grey - I have 2 or 3 people against it, and several people who would indeed like one - 

No clear answer, so if I am able to get one soon, I will keep those interested updated - 

Wort case, I may just sculpt one and run off a few that way - (I wont get into why THIS seems OK, even though you are still selling an unlicensed product??)


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## jayco35 (Sep 5, 2002)

I have a ? when someone buys one of your repops and decides to repop it themselves so they can make a quick buck cutting into your sales would that be cool ?


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

I’ll throw something else into the mix... What about the hard core Creature collectors who DID dish out $500 to $1,000 to buy an original of this piece. Is it just like, screw them? A bootleg IS going to hurt the collector value of the original. Just sayin’.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

i want to point something out that hasnt been mentioned:
so you make these, sell them either finished or unfinished, either way it gets painted, it goes in the tank, hooked up to the air pump, its working fine...and the next morning all the fish are belly up, poisoned by either the resin or the paint. its the same reason that you really shouldnt drink out of a garage kit goblet. if you dont mix the resin absolutely perfectly balanced (to a precision most modelers dont have the facilities to do), theres an excess of one part of the other imbedded in the plastic. 
similarly, most of the silicones we use to make resin parts are not intended to cast foodstuffs or dinnerware. id assume that for the same reasons the pieces cast from them would not be good for aquarium fish. 

as to the value of the actual piece, i am not surprised: most of these eventually broke at the waist, so very few have survived to this day.


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## robiwon (Oct 20, 2006)

It does seem to be selective. There was a thread recently about a recast figure, no one seemed to mind, before that, another threads OP was flammed beynd belief for a recasted figure. 

It almost seems that if it's something a lot of people want, then more people make excuses to justify it.

That's just my 2 and one half of a third cents on the matter.:wave:


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

If someone needs a small part to a model like an old Aurora Monster and I have the spare part, I'll just ask for the addy and send it no charge...my buddy Chris (Auroranut) has done the same, as many here can attest to...if I only have the one piece to my name I'll cast that one piece and send it off to my fellow modeler, again...NO charge (not even postage) and I know Chris does this also... again, with no monetary gain what-so-ever, in fact, quite the opposite. Hell... I've even given entire (rare & MIB) kits away. To me that is part of this community here at HT... I'm looking at making a Model...not a Buck.








This looks a lot like the Aurora Creature, why not just grab a PL repop and stick him in your aquarium...
Mcdee:thumbsup:


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

*Id get one, as long as it doesn't cost DOUBLE the price of the actual kit..

Z
*


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

tylerh, youre sort of new here, so im just going to say that this is a hot-button issue that many people in the hobby have very strong feelings about (as i am sure you are figuring out from the replies to your post). 
the ethics of the situation aside, it is a fact that if you are branded a recaster, there are a large number of modelers that will not deal with you any longer. this may not bother you, until such time that one of those people is the person that produces and sells that kit you want. 
basically, being known as a recaster is a great way to sully your name with (what seems to be) the majority of the people in the hobby, and rehabilitating your reputation among them is very difficult. we can debate the relative ethics ad nauseum (which has been done multiple times), but that is undeniable. to me, recasting that one piece is simply not worth it.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

You know one thing you could do, that might benefit a lot of people, is to contact PP. It might take some legwork, but you might be able to find out if 1) they still have the molds 2) if they own the molds do they know how much interest might be in a reissue? 3) would they be willing to lease the molds out to someone (Atlantis?), 4) how much would a custom run of X unpainted, unassembled Creatures be? If they have no idea what you are talking about, ask them if they mind you reproducing it in a small number (dozen or two) and selling it as a repro item giving credit to them. Can't hurt.

Thats kinda of how the Parks Born Loser reissues came about. Someone asked Parks about the old molds and they said yeah as a matter of face we have them you want them? Or to borrow them?

The problem with "recast" issues is that it is never as simple as it may seem to those who are anit-recast at all costs. There is sort of a professional double standard because many name brand over the counter model companies do it all the time. And we buy their products without hesitation. Atlantis, Moebius, Polar Lights, and other companies have cut all new molds to knock out modern copies or reproductions of vintage kits. Name brand resin companies like Trakz and Verlinden do it all the time too. Trakz' 1/35 resin Sherman turret is a rubber mold knock off of the Tamiya plastic kit parts. Likewise, Verlinden's resin WW2 US Infantry gear are resin copies of the Airfix Multipose figure pieces. I notice Cult TV Man sells resin Aurora Vampirella recasts but I do not see people protesting that Cult sells recasts and calling for a boycott of him, although they do protest that Monsters in Motion aparently sells recasts. 

There may also be some very simple legal answers to the issue of making and selling copies of long defunct products that a simple consultation with an appropriate attorney would answer.


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi All - 

A lot to reply to but this is what I came up with that MIGHT make eveyone happy - 

First a few replies - 

If I would be mad if someone recast something I made and was selling - YES, I would be mad, because the repop is hurting my financial gain for my work - But, I dont see how repoping these would hurt anyone - ie: Who is this taking money from? Universal wont be hurt by 20 recast kits being sold, and PP has long LONG abandoned this - BUT - moving forward - 

The fish dying - I would try to make them from PVC or ABS - I have had fish for 20 years so I know what is toxic and what isnt - No worries there - 

The ethics question - It seems to be a situation where a lot of the mentality is that if its "something I want, its OK, if it doesnt benefit me, its not ok" 

As for it being a Aurora creature - Its similar, but only 5 inches tall - 

The postential workaround - I am trying to get ahold of specialty licensing at universal to see if they have a clause for very small run collectibles - May not be the case, but Im looking - 

As for the people who paid $$$ for theirs - THOSE people bought them to have as a mint collectable, not an aquarium decoration - I dont think a few "new" ones would change the value of the originals - Just like people making "kit car" Cobra's does not change the value of originals - 

DJ - Penn Plax was contacted about this a while ago and they literally have NOTHING left for that item - They didnt even remember who sculpted it - Im sure all the paperwork and molds, etc- got tossed away in the 80s - They are also entirely uninterested in making new ones because they dont want to pay for the lic.


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## Bwain no more (May 18, 2005)

Tyler; I have been a GK producer for close to 20 years now and trust me, you will NEVER make EVERYONE happy!  Having said that, it appears to me you HAVE given this alot of thought, are faring the positive and negative aspects of the debate pretty well, and I think it might be time to just research the various production avenues that will work best for you and give it a shot. Along those lines I recommend www.smooth-on.com as an EXCELLENT starting point. The product is fairly priced, their customer service is excellent and there is a technical support team that will be likely to advise you on the potential toxicity of the cured polyester resin.
A fairly consistent piece of advice MOST GK producers will give someone just starting out is to produce something YOU would like on your shelf (or in this case in your tank, LOL). And you are right, the ethics in the hobby CAN be selective, both on the production AND consumer end of things, with a great deal of RATIONALIZATION thrown into the mix. Speaking for myself, my thought/rationalization process as an aftermarket producer (replacement heads) has been if I sell one, THEY (the LICENSEE) sell one and for the most part the kit manufacturers have been FAIRLY receptive and in some cases downright supportive! This is how I justify my own pursuit and (what I consider to be a) contribution to the hobby, knowing full well the LICENSORS (movie studios and families of the actors) would have a DIFFERENT (yet ABSOLUTELY CORRECT) point of view. 
At any rate, if you do produce them, I would be interested in buying one!:thumbsup: 
Tom


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

tylerh said:


> If I would be mad if someone recast something I made and was selling - YES, I would be mad, because the repop is hurting my financial gain for my work - But, I dont see how repoping these would hurt anyone - ie: Who is this taking money from? Universal wont be hurt by 20 recast kits being sold, and PP has long LONG abandoned this - BUT - moving forward -


i want to nit pick at you on something here: 
repops are authorized reissues, not recasts 

as to the fish issue: i presumed you meant to cast them in polyurethane resin because of the low numbers involved, as the costs of molds for ABS or PVC are so high. 

having just completed a job with a universal monsters license, i dont know if they have such a specialty, but i doubt it.


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

Never mind.


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)




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## Buc (Jan 20, 1999)

Kind of surprised at some of the responses myself.

btw, if this is only like 5" tall, why not check with BlueSkyHelper. Didn't
he do a mini - aurora creech? Not sure how big it is, but at least he
sculpted it himself.








http://www.bucwheat.com/temp/creechBSH.jpg

Buc


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## Bwain no more (May 18, 2005)

John;here is my take on this. Fifteen years ago Tom Lowe bought an "Addams Family House" on eBay, sent it to China to have it reverse engineered and built a fairly successful brand from that humble start. True, he licensed the "Addams Family" from whoever owned the rights, but other than that, the concept is pretty much the same. True, Aurora was defunct, and PennPlax is not, but I do not see that PennPlax stands to be damaged from this. And yes, collectors DID see a drop in the value of original kits, but mostly in built-ups, not mint sealed kits and that was from 5.000 units hitting the streets, not 40 or 50. That is MY take on it as an INDIVIDUAL, not a producer, but as a producer that HAS been recast, I don't see this as a great departure from the solidarity of any fraternal take on recasters. Before you guys see this as some sort of shocking "left turn" or some such, bear in mind that recasters (I see no need to invent a NEW word, but I use it here purely in the technical sense to describe the process w/o ANY ethical implication) such as Mr Lowe and my good friend Frank Winspur, afforded me the opportunity to break into the GK world in the first place, and continue to produce. I don't wish to offend, but like I said this is MY take, so agree or disagree, and take it for what it's worth. 
Tom


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## Bwain no more (May 18, 2005)

Not to further muddy the waters, but IIRC didn't PennPlax pantograph their Creature from an Aurora kit (w/o permission) and release it w/o licensing from Universal?  PRETTY sure forty years later they are safe from litigation.
I'm just sayin'...
Tom (still kinda shocked that people are shocked)


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

Yes,and they did Blackbeard as well.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

Bwain no more said:


> Tom (still kinda shocked that people are shocked)


I am shocked that you are shocked at their shock 

Seriously though.
That is why these threads turn into what they do.
Because when it comes right down to it, it all depends on each person's point of view and standards.
Some people are entrenched in the beliefs they have.
Some, of the newer people can be educated to some of the problems, and have their views changed.
But we are never going to have a large consensus on the specifics.
Sure, you can get a lot of people who say they are against recasting.
But when you get into specifics, you start getting splinter groups.
Some have no problem with replacement parts.
Some have no problem with copies of entire styrene kits.
Or OOP garage kits.
Some hate recasts, but will still buy from known recasters as long as the kit they are getting is legit.
And it goes on and on and on.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Bwain no more said:


> Not to further muddy the waters, but IIRC didn't PennPlax pantograph their Creature from an Aurora kit (w/o permission) and release it w/o licensing from Universal?  PRETTY sure forty years later they are safe from litigation.
> I'm just sayin'...
> Tom (still kinda shocked that people are shocked)


Very good point. He wants to make a bootleg copy of a 45 year old bootleg copy. Personally, I see no problem. And I've had a garage kit or two that I sculpted recast. And when its all said and done, he'll be lucky if he gets his investment $$$ back. He'll not get rich doing this.


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## Cro-Magnon Man (Jun 11, 2001)

otto said:


> he'll be lucky if he gets his investment $$$ back. He'll not get rich doing this.


Nor will he affect demand for sales of the original, or lower the investment value of examples of the original; he won't be taking business or income away from anyone. He would I suppose be lifting the workmanship of whoever created the original, but as it was a bootleg, the 'creator' was probably the Aurora sculptor. This is a very interesting case! 

It's probably the principle of the matter which will remain the contention, but as we've seen, everyone's principles are different, like their opinions. Some will see this as fairly innocent, others will see it as the thin edge of the wedge - permit this, and you have to permit more blatant examples of recasting.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

tylerh said:


> The fish dying - I would try to make them from PVC or ABS - I have had fish for 20 years so I know what is toxic and what isnt - No worries there -


you know of a way to produce a low run (under 100) of copies of something in ABS for a reasonable cost? if so please explain. i need this info.



tylerh said:


> The postential workaround - I am trying to get ahold of specialty licensing at universal to see if they have a clause for very small run collectibles - May not be the case, but Im looking -


regarding the licensing, such licenses do exist (i dont know if NBC/Universal has them, but other studios do), but only for very high end, high dollar merchandise. The numbers you are talking about wouldnt even cover the studios cost of processing the paperwork needed to create the license and usher the product through the approval process. (if they did have such a thing in place, every movie character garage kit would be licensed already, and the discussions of "relative morality" would be moot.)


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Hi all - 

Yes, it would cost more to produce in ABD, etc.. Im not totally schooled in production costs related to materials, etc - I was mentioning ABS etc, because it is water safe - I do know that there are ways to make molds for plastics relatively cheaply that would be water safe - In fact just read any vivarium / aquarium board and look at the DIY background builders - They build their backgrounds out of spray foam, carve and paint them, THEN do a final coating to make them aquarium safe - There are lots of ways to make something OK for living animals - 

Here is where this makes zero sense to me:

I want to reproduce a "kit" that is 40 years old and has never been reproduced.

Plen Plax got the Creature lic from universal, but essentially stole the look of the aurora sculpt.

Penn Plax will never release this again - period - They have been asked and have no interest in ever doing this - 

Going by what seems to be the "OK" standard of a recast - ie: remake parts of a rare kit that is out of production, and not causing financial loss to anyone - I thought this would be OK - But this seems to only be ok in "some" circumstances?? Who is being hurt financially here?? Penn Plax isnt, Aurora doesnt exist, and even if universal got 50% of the sales of each one - They are getting "taken" for MAYBE 500$??? Not a huge loss to them for sure - - - 

THEN - I say I would like ot try to get a small lic. to do a run of these - And even though I havent checked (Although I have a friend who is a lic. manager with another large entertainment company that said universal wouldnt do it) It sounds like there is no way to make it available "legally"

So, according to these rules, people just think NOBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS KIT - OK, I agree if people felt this way across the board ie: Its either produced legally or its an old kit - But those SAME people are TOTALLY OK with recasting a piece, or pieces of old rare kits that are out of production (Like the penn Plax creature)

Next, I am told its OK if I sculpt a creature myself and make the kit - Which is fine, but then the message is "It's OK to break intellectual property laws of universal, as long as I am not bootlegging from Penn Plax. <--- a company that already admits to never wanting anything to do with that toy again."

Correct me if I have misinterpreted any of the above - A lot of double standard there - 

I would hope that all the people who are SO AGAINST a recast of "this" item have also never downloaded an illegal song, movie, or watched an illegally uploaded TV show on youtube- I also hope NONE of them ever bought a resin version of ANY of the aurora kits that were being produced in the dead time between Aurora and polar lights - etc - Because that is the EXACT SAME THING that I am talking about doing, that is "wrong" for me but seemingly "OK" to do when the situation seems to fit the person in questions motives - 

Again - I am against recasting if the kit is: In production, easily available on ebay, or if a recast financially hurts the original artists or production company - But NONE of this applies to this creature kit - And again, it sounds like a lot of "If its something that I need for MY kit, its fine, but if its something I dont need but others want, im morally against it."


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

razorwyre1 said:


> you know of a way to produce a low run (under 100) of copies of something in ABS for a reasonable cost? if so please explain. i need this info.
> 
> 
> 
> regarding the licensing, such licenses do exist (i dont know if NBC/Universal has them, but other studios do), but only for very high end, high dollar merchandise. The numbers you are talking about wouldnt even cover the studios cost of processing the paperwork needed to create the license and usher the product through the approval process. (if they did have such a thing in place, every movie character garage kit would be licensed already, and the discussions of "relative morality" would be moot.)



Ya, I know LFL gave out a license for the Bronze yoda, etc - I think it was 10 pieces total and their "fee" was just that George got one (Which is now a fountain in front of the main entrance to ILM in San Francisco)

That was like $5k per unit though - Super high end, as you said


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## kreaturekid (Apr 25, 2010)

Just wanted to say that this IS recasting, not only are you making money off something that isn't yours. Your going to ruin a perfectly good penn plax creature toy, which really bums me out, just to make a few bucks. Also there is a fella who sells resin recasts, painted, and in reproduction boxes on ebay already, so someone beat you to it.


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

nobody "beat me to it" - I am not going to "sell resin recast kits on ebay"

I was going to make a few that would work IN AN AQUARIUM - I was considering doing resin but not as a solid statue - 

Also, I am not "out to make a few bucks" as you would see if you read any of my posts above - I just want to make a few of these available for their ORIGINAL PURPOSE - As a bubbler in a fish tank - 

Again, by reading above, you would see that I only wanted to make a few to RECUPERATE costs of making them - I have a good enough job and I value my free time more than to try and start making a living off of recasting small run aquarium decor -


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Also - HENCE why I was asking HERE - Because I figured if I sold them to members HERE< they would be purchased as fun decor LIKE I WANT TO MAKE< and NOT get re-recast and thrown into the market place - 

If I was really out there to be crooked, do you think I would even have brought it up here?? I have NO history of every buying or selling a recast (I know I have not been a member actively here but I have read for years and only post once in a while) BUT I am on other boards where recasting is an issue (Movie props) - ALso, I have over 10 years as being a member in high standing on Star Wars toy message boards, where again, reproduction weapons and accessories are killing the market - And again, I have NO history of doing that there either - In fact, i run a 100-200 hit per day hobby web site out of my own pocket about how to CONSERVE and FIX the toys you have, so you dont HAVE to buy reproductions (I will gladly email anyone a link - not going to just post it because I am not fishing for hits)

I can see how, to some, I looked like someone just coming here looking for justification to do something I "know is wrong" - And trust me, if 10 people had come on board and said "No way man, thats bad news" I would have said OK - I wont do it - 

BUT, it seems like for every 1 person who says no, 2 or 3 people not only say it's OK, but want one themselves - 

I am not agitated at the fact that I am being told what I am doing is "wrong," What agitates me is the seemingly endless double standards and accusations - Not to mention the free-flowing definition of acceptable recast vs. unacceptable - 

AS for destroying a penn plax creature - OK - Granted, you have me there - and in all honestly I was hoping I could cast and figure out the engineering without having to damage outside of removing it from its box - 


If I was "out to make a buck" I would just buy one, make my molds, and throw them on ebay -


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

nevermind


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Ok = Let me phrase it THIS way:

IF I wanted to do this - What would be a way to do it that would:

A) Make everyone happy and 
B) make people still want to buy one?

Im looking at just sculpting my own with a modified bubble feature


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## swriojas (May 9, 1999)

Original sculpt is the way to go for sure, who knows, it might take off. If you decide to, please check with Kreature Kid, he not only knows everything Creature but also that retro 60's look.

Unfortunately, one can rationalize all day on recasting depending on how bad they want something, but truthfully a recast is a recast.

Best of luck,
Steve


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

Adam, aka Kreature kid, would do a hell of a job this. After all, he is the Kreaturekid. :thumbsup:


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## tylerh (Apr 9, 2009)

Hey Steve - AS I have learned, the line is very blurred 

I saw seen Kreature Kids sculpts in other threads and they have ALWAYS been amazing - His Dracula is one of the best I have ever seen!

Ill see what some other cool options might be - Maybe Ill come up with something "better" than the Penn Plax creature


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

tylerh said:


> Ya, I know LFL gave out a license for the Bronze yoda, etc - I think it was 10 pieces total and their "fee" was just that George got one (Which is now a fountain in front of the main entrance to ILM in San Francisco)
> 
> That was like $5k per unit though - Super high end, as you said


exactly and remember, lucas is one man calling the shots at the company he founded, vs. the NBC/Universal merchandising and licensing department.... a committee.



tylerh said:


> Yes, it would cost more to produce in ABD, etc.. Im not totally schooled in production costs related to materials, etc - I was mentioning ABS etc, because it is water safe - I do know that there are ways to make molds for plastics relatively cheaply that would be water safe - In fact just read any vivarium / aquarium board and look at the DIY background builders - They build their backgrounds out of spray foam, carve and paint them, THEN do a final coating to make them aquarium safe - There are lots of ways to make something OK for living animals -


well get ready for some sticker shock: metal molds for styrene: 4 to 6 figures on the left of the dot; those for pvc, four. 



tylerh said:


> So, according to these rules, people just think NOBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS KIT - OK, I agree if people felt this way across the board ie: Its either produced legally or its an old kit - But those SAME people are TOTALLY OK with recasting a piece, or pieces of old rare kits that are out of production (Like the penn Plax creature)


Thats about right, except for one way: mass produce them with licenses from penn plax and universal. (and even then, in the eyes of some, youre still recasting.) 

one more vote for KreatureKid: also he'll do a better job of the waist hinge than the little piece of vinyl that penn plax used.


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