Not bad, just rusty




Kit Development

Putting a model kit together isn’t for the faint hearted. There’s A LOT to do (and buy), especially true when getting off the ground. Machines, materials, suppliers, shipping, packaging… it’s a lot, but it’s also a lot of fun.

With my entire workshop (and the rest of the house) moving across the Atlantic, I’ve been concentrating on all the other aspects of developing a kit — namely, the narrative.

Introducing, “Oddmunn’s Feed”

A rural, steam-operated milling industry that processes feed, seed, grain and flour in the big mill and sells the product directly to the customer in the reputable Oddmunn’s General Store, right on site. The mill itself is served by rail and road, with a transit house overseeing daily deliveries. Although now well worn, the reliable mill continues to provide lifeblood to surrounding communities with its high quality product.

The kit will have 4 structures of varying sizes:

1. The Mill [Large]
2. The Barn Store (with Storage Shed) [Medium/Large]
3. The Engine Shed [Medium]
4. The Transit House [Small]

It’s a creative take on an old mill that toes the line between the prototypical and the whimsical. I’m a fan of the quirkiness and humor found in the Fine Scale Miniatures kits. In fact, I like FSM kits BECAUSE of that… they’re just… me, as a person and a modeler. Quirky. However, I’m equally excited and motivated by realism modelers like Chuck Doan. The ability to reproduce real life at scale has always excited me. Ultimately though, it’s the combination of these two ideologies that got me to thinking of making kits. What if there’s a way to bottle the energy of both?

Many kit manufacturers include metal castings, and my kits won’t be any different. In fact, I’m working with Bill at RailroadKits to include a number of very charming FSM castings per release. But I want to go a step further. Custom designed 3D prints. I’m extremely proud of the prints that will be made available in the kits, ranging from simple objects to complex machines. Remember when I said Oddmunn’s Mill is driven by steam? Check out this single piston mill engine (currently a prototype):

Yes, this will be fully included in the kit! Complete with a vertical boiler and a series of pipes, valves and spigots to complete the scene.

The engine and boiler sit under the open air engine shed, allowing full view of the awesome detail.

… and that’s just one mini scene! There will be a lot more details and scenes to come!

What’s more, all my prints will be made using a custom resin mixture. What does this mean? Well, for anyone who’s 3D printed small parts like this already knows… they can be quite brittle. My mix ensures each print is strong and durable. A first for Craftsman Kit production!

That’s all the steam I can let off for now 😉

by Craig on February 3, 2022