Eagleskull
Active Hunter
i was wondering what would be the price range for a mystery ESB fett helmet?
Helmet Prices
- Thread starter Eagleskull
- Start date
Eagleskull
Active Hunter
Umm painted one
Eagleskull
Active Hunter
Damn just for the helmet i seen Full suit stormtrooper armor for $500
MORGUE
Active Hunter
Sticker shock when building or even considering building a Fett will knock most folks down. Especially the helmet!
There is a wide price range too! There was a mystery helmet on RPF for $285 with the face shield and alluminum stalk! All part were Raw!
Trooper armor that is $500 is for the armor and helmet unbuilt only! Thats not considering the Body glove,gloves,boots,and blaster and assembly!
All I can say the helmet and anything else FETT takes quite a comittment both in work and $$$!
Goodluck!
shunned
There is a wide price range too! There was a mystery helmet on RPF for $285 with the face shield and alluminum stalk! All part were Raw!
Trooper armor that is $500 is for the armor and helmet unbuilt only! Thats not considering the Body glove,gloves,boots,and blaster and assembly!
All I can say the helmet and anything else FETT takes quite a comittment both in work and $$$!
Goodluck!
shunned
BobaFettish
Well-Known Hunter
You are comparing apples to oranges. There are a few artists (and I do mean artists) here that invest not hours or weeks into a paintjob, but months. Factor in their time, level of skill, and meticulous details, not to mention using the same paints as used in the originals (compared to off-the-shelf sprays), then $200+ is not unrealistic. I paid quite a bit to have my helmet painted, and those who have seen it can attest that it was money well spent. I paint armor and such regularly, but the helmet is what makes or breaks a costume, so I left it to a pro.
As I have said since day one, this hobby is not a cheap one. You can invest as much time and/or money into it as you want depending on how accurate you want your costume to be. It all boils down to how happy you are with the finished product. If you are content with your own, then that is all that matters.
Lynn TXP 0369
Well-Known Hunter
Boy, have you got a lot to learn...
Time is $$$$ pure and simple.
I wouldn't even think of touching a Fett bucket for less the $300 if I did one, they arn't worth the headach for anything less.
I used to charge $100 to build and paint models when I did them for people in the past and that was CHEAP!!
I have gotten many repeat customers as they knew my work was excellent and at a good price.
After talking with the model building pros and showing my work to them I realized I was low balling my self by as much as 100% on my prices.
I could have easliy gotten $200+ or more for some of the builds I have done, but I wouldn't have had as many repeat customers at that price.
Then I got smart and started my pricing based on complexity, it would start at $100 and go up.
Time is money, and it is NOT cheap!!!
Lynn
Eagleskull
Active Hunter
What happen to those times u traded a Chicken for a helmet 
DarthBish
Active Hunter
So this would suggest to me that unless you're willing to spend a lot of money, your costume won't be "accurate".
Forgive my "French" here but that's the biggest load I've read in my life.
How do you think that's gonna read to any newbies here??
I'll tell you how it's gonna read, they're gonna think "Well gee, I don't have much money to invest so I guess I just won't bother.
This is the ONE thing that annoys me about this board. Sure it's a good source of info, but dudes it's also becoming a gigantic billboard for people making a buck at the expense of other Fett lovers.
Look around you.........there's very few "How to's" but a HELLUVA lot of "This guy will sell you's" or "This guy will paint it for you provided you've got the moola"
Now, as for you Lynn, don’t tell me “I’ve got a lot to learn” and put your sarcastic little
next to it.I’ve most likely been around longer than you have “Boy”, and I’ve learnt that it’s generally people like you, charging as much as they do, that cause over-inflated prices in everything, not just Fett gear.
So to use a well worn Aussie expression "Pull your head in"
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Lynn TXP 0369
Well-Known Hunter
DarthBish wrote:
Now, as for you Lynn, don’t tell me “I’ve got a lot to learn” and put your sarcastic little
I’ve most likely been around longer than you have “Boy”, and I’ve learnt that it’s generally people like you, charging as much as they do, that cause over-inflated prices in everything, not just Fett gear.
Your funny, At the age of 37 I'm hardly a "Boy" and I have been building and painting things for 30+ years... I'm a pro at what I do, time is $$$ that is just the way it is.
Do you your job for free???? I hardly don't think so, neither do I. If you don't see it that when people charge for to do something then that is your problem. As I said, You have a lot to learn in this subject.
My prices are cheap and my work is top notch, I just wish I had the time to still do it.
I have done over 40 jobs for people in 2-3 years with many repeat customers, Time is $$$ and my prices are hardly over-inflated.
I still have people today, 2 years after I have stopped building for people, still ask me to do stuff and I have to turn it down just because I don't have time.
Lynn
DarthBish
Active Hunter
Don't presume to "know me" to point of what you think I need to learn. Thanks Pal.
I guess there's only one way of seeing what's justified and what's not.
Why dont you give us all a little breakdown of the $250...(spelt d.o.l.l.a.r.s)...that you think you're justified in charging for a bucket paintjob.
I cant imagine the masking tape and paint bill being much more than $30.
So, even if you charged $10 and hour that's.......hmmm, let me see, 20+ hours.
Gee, you think you'd be quicker with 30 years of practice.......but then again, you are a "pro"
g g
I guess there's only one way of seeing what's justified and what's not.
Why dont you give us all a little breakdown of the $250...(spelt d.o.l.l.a.r.s)...that you think you're justified in charging for a bucket paintjob.
I cant imagine the masking tape and paint bill being much more than $30.
So, even if you charged $10 and hour that's.......hmmm, let me see, 20+ hours.
Gee, you think you'd be quicker with 30 years of practice.......but then again, you are a "pro"
g g
judz dwedd
Well-Known Hunter
Ok, take it easy now. Bish, as you said yourself, the key is to make it yourself. Many of us here do just that, and save alot of jing by doing so. It also tends to be "a learning curve" as people learn, they get better, and upgrade their suit over time. Here, like at the RPF, people who have interest in having a Fett costume, but are unwilling or unable to do it themselves, sometimes become members here. They are as welcome here as any other member. They come here looking for sources of parts, info, etc. I think it is fortunate that there are members who can supply items, whatever the price. Nobody is forcing anyone else to buy goods or services. If you can do it yourself, That's great, but if you can't, there's others here who offer. Anyone here is welcome to offer their services, for whatever they think is a fair price. If someone thinks they can offer paintjobs for a lower price, and still be worthwhile for them to do, I'm sure they'd be well recieved. Nobody here is preventing people from offering "budget" services, but for some reason, they aren't in abundance. Maybe those who don't like the current market rates, should sacrifice their own time and provide the service at what they deem to be a "fair" price.
Jodo Kast 2749
Active Hunter
Well, before Bish gets this thread locked, I thought I'd chime in.
I used to make sets of sintra armor all the time. I started by dremmeling the stuff in my basement sitting on the floor with a cardboard box as a workbench. Despite the sore throat from the sintra fumes (yeah, I was ignorant to the dangers), the hours of working and risk of injury (dremmel disks snapped and flew in my face a lot of times on tight corners) I still sold them to help finance my own suit.
Costs
Sintra = roughly $5 of sintra per suit.
Dremmel = let's say $3 in wear on my dremmel and disks (just a guess)
My health and safety = free but not cheap
Time = let's say 5 hours per suit if you include making my own boxes
Average sale price on Ebay = $65
That's $11.40 per hour for my semi skilled labour.
Now, try having something custom built in another country and shipped to you home and offer the poor sap $11.40 per hour to do it. Good luck!
Now, as far as newbies and accuracy go - yes, accuracy costs money. That's why I never complained that my knee darts weren't "accurate" because I used about $0.30 worth of hardware from work to simulate darts. I wasn't ashamed of them at all. If I insisted on importing a dental tool from England to put in my helmet's cheek - I better not complain about costs.
Now, if I try to sell you a Canadian voice amp for $200 US that I just walked to the store and bought for $43 US, then you can call me a damn thief.
I used to make sets of sintra armor all the time. I started by dremmeling the stuff in my basement sitting on the floor with a cardboard box as a workbench. Despite the sore throat from the sintra fumes (yeah, I was ignorant to the dangers), the hours of working and risk of injury (dremmel disks snapped and flew in my face a lot of times on tight corners) I still sold them to help finance my own suit.
Costs
Sintra = roughly $5 of sintra per suit.
Dremmel = let's say $3 in wear on my dremmel and disks (just a guess)
My health and safety = free but not cheap
Time = let's say 5 hours per suit if you include making my own boxes
Average sale price on Ebay = $65
That's $11.40 per hour for my semi skilled labour.
Now, try having something custom built in another country and shipped to you home and offer the poor sap $11.40 per hour to do it. Good luck!
Now, as far as newbies and accuracy go - yes, accuracy costs money. That's why I never complained that my knee darts weren't "accurate" because I used about $0.30 worth of hardware from work to simulate darts. I wasn't ashamed of them at all. If I insisted on importing a dental tool from England to put in my helmet's cheek - I better not complain about costs.
Now, if I try to sell you a Canadian voice amp for $200 US that I just walked to the store and bought for $43 US, then you can call me a damn thief.
hansoloway
Well-Known Hunter
My 2 cents...I'm falling on the side of Lynn here. I'm one of the fortunate souls who does not need any painting sevices and I really enjoy doing that kind of thing myself. However, having painted several helmets in the past I also know the amout of effort and time that go into them. 20+ hours is not at all unreasonable.
If there people highly skilled at building/painting, (and I can think of a few), who are offering their skills, I think simple economics dictates that they be compenated according to their skill, just like any other area of our economy. Quality always costs more anywhere you look from cars to furniture to someone finishing your basement. You can't expect a master of his craft to give away his product for peanuts.
If there people highly skilled at building/painting, (and I can think of a few), who are offering their skills, I think simple economics dictates that they be compenated according to their skill, just like any other area of our economy. Quality always costs more anywhere you look from cars to furniture to someone finishing your basement. You can't expect a master of his craft to give away his product for peanuts.
