The "garage kits" or the "cottage model industry"
Originally garage kits were amateur-produced and the term originated with dedicated hobbyists using their garages as workshops. Unable to find model kits of subjects they wanted on the market, they began producing kits of their own. As the market expanded professional companies began making similar kits. Sometimes a distinction is made between true garage kits, made by amateurs, and resin kits, manufactured professionally by companies.
Because of the labor-intensive casting process, garage kits are usually produced in limited numbers and are more expensive than injection-molded plastic kits. The parts are glued together using cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) or an epoxy cement and the completed model is painted. Some models are sold completed (rare), but most commonly they are sold in parts for the buyer to assemble and finish.
Garage kits are generally produced in small quantities, from the tens to a few hundred copies (mostly somewhere between), compared to injection-molded plastic kits which are produced in many thousands. This is due to the labor-intensive nature of the manufacturing process and the relatively low market demand.
Resin casting garage kit production is the most labor-intensive. The upside is that creating the initial mold is much less costly than in the injection-molding process.
Please try to buy ONLY legitimate garage and resin kits: the bootleggers could destroy this hobby.
Because of the labor-intensive casting process, garage kits are usually produced in limited numbers and are more expensive than injection-molded plastic kits. The parts are glued together using cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) or an epoxy cement and the completed model is painted. Some models are sold completed (rare), but most commonly they are sold in parts for the buyer to assemble and finish.
Garage kits are generally produced in small quantities, from the tens to a few hundred copies (mostly somewhere between), compared to injection-molded plastic kits which are produced in many thousands. This is due to the labor-intensive nature of the manufacturing process and the relatively low market demand.
Resin casting garage kit production is the most labor-intensive. The upside is that creating the initial mold is much less costly than in the injection-molding process.
Please try to buy ONLY legitimate garage and resin kits: the bootleggers could destroy this hobby.