Unicraft

[The Wooksta!]

First Unicrap "kits" I saw were being handed about on the Hannants stand at Donnington in '94.  But I'm sure he'd been flogging his garbage for a few years prior to that.

[famvburg]

      As a long time pen pal of Igor's, I'd just like to say that if you're going to dis him & his work, dis him correctly. he's Ukrainian, not Russian. I've built a number of his kits & have a number in my stash & I just don't see the negative waves about his work. Granted, they're not Tamigawajimi, but they're buildable.

That Hawker 1048 is just the sort of thing I'd love to build, but I've got too much previous experience of the "Russian Merlin". I have that MB Tankbuster too.

[Martin H]

That Hawker 1048 is just the sort of thing I'd love to build, but I've got too much previous experience of the "Russian Merlin". I have that MB Tankbuster too.

The MB tank buster is one of Igor's best. It was my very first resin kit, not just my first Unicraft kit. The Mustang FTB is also quite good.
I stand by my earlier comments, Ive even cloned one of his conversions just to see if changing the resin improved the item in question.........It did. And all I did to the original parts prior to moulding was a light sanding.

[kitnut617]

      As a long time pen pal of Igor's, I'd just like to say that if you're going to dis him & his work, dis him correctly. he's Ukrainian, not Russian. I've built a number of his kits & have a number in my stash & I just don't see the negative waves about his work. Granted, they're not Tamigawajimi, but they're buildable.

I've got quite a few of his kits and conversions and I agree with you and Martin, Igors stuff isn't as bad as what a lot make them out to be, and it's called modelling you know ----

[NARSES2]

  I've built a number of his kits & have a number in my stash & I just don't see the negative waves about his work. Granted, they're not Tamigawajimi, but they're buildable.

Yup they are buildable and I've actually enjoyed building the half dozen or so I've completed (lot more in the stash). Always had a sense of achievment once I've got them finished. I enjoyed this one in particular

[Martin H]

the wall in my loft has had a 40-50% kill rate with Unicraft kits. And the 80% built FW-42 has ended its days as the spray mule in the spray booth.

[kitbasher]

the spray mule in the spray booth.

A mate at work reliably informs me there are specialist websites dealing with this sort of thing 

[Martin H]

the spray mule in the spray booth.

A mate at work reliably informs me there are specialist websites dealing with this sort of thing 

What ever floats his boat Dave

[kevincallahan]

      As a long time pen pal of Igor's, I'd just like to say that if you're going to dis him & his work, dis him correctly. he's Ukrainian, not Russian. I've built a number of his kits & have a number in my stash & I just don't see the negative waves about his work. Granted, they're not Tamigawajimi, but they're buildable.

My apologies. I will assiduously refer to him as the "Ukrainian Merlin" from this point on.

[Supertom]

I'd like to point out that Igor does run a business, and perhaps there are reasons he's always using poor quality resin.  I suspect it has to do with a possibly low sales volume or lack of equipment (the high pressure casting machines are quite an investment and are tricky to operate I've heard).    On the other hand, you have to hand it off to him for tackling subjects that not a lot of people would take on.  This hobby can be challenging, after all.  I understand that some people are enthused about his products but but slagging him at every opportunity someone mentions his products is getting old.  Put yourself in his shoes - perhaps you could start up a small-scale, low production run resin conversion/kit company and show Igor how it's done instead.

[TsrJoe]

A good point Tom but theres no excuse, i have been in relatively regular contact with Igor for many years (way pre forum) back in his days of pouring treacle like epoxy in open topped moulds! (indeed i recall even back then sending over a few castings id made in what is now the hobby standard urethane resin!)
there ARE suppliers of cheap urethane based resins in the Ukraine, Unicraft's form of moulding WOULD be suitable for using such resins, the fact that he pigments the epoxy used (to match that of a 'plastic resin') shows us that he is aware the stuff currently used is crap.
Pricewise too he is taking the proverbial p.... just look at some other manufacturers and you will see what i mean, in fact i believe it has been seeing the prices of Unicraft resins and their mould quality that has led to price hiking by other ranges, where in real terms resin and silicone costs have actually decreased ! (i for one feel cheated when looking at his costs compared to those of other friends and colleagues products!)
In no way am i dismissing Igor's obvious talent as a master maker for his kits, but iv been stung sooo many times by seeing images of his work in preperation and indeed looking forward to its release only to be disappointed time and again on whats actually produced.
I feel for Adrian at Lonewulf and other stockists of Unicraft, like many i keep getting drawn to the range due to subject choice but one looking in the box i am reminded of just how much work they entail!
I agree with the previous poster that as modellers we should accept a little more work so we can add subjects ner previously modelled to our shelves... sorry but in this case no, a change of casting material forced upon by the client base would help greatly but my suggestion is even more simple ...
Find a subject you want to model, source and scale some suitable drawings, raid the spares box for smaller usable items like undercart etc, and build it ourselves from laminated styrene, kitbashed parts or wood! Its quicker and more satisfying than cleaning up blobs of carcenogenic epoxy resin !

[The Wooksta!]

Hear hear!

[Supertom]

Joe,

Yes, I've had a tough time with Unicraft products as well, and I agree that some extra quality control and changes in production methods would make things much more worth the money - what I'm getting at is that it's one thing to express dissatisfaction in the quality of a product, and another to do it in a derogatory fashion, over and over, ad nauseum.  That gets old, really fast.  Alright I'm done with this.

[luft46models]

there is always the capitalist option, i just dont buy unicraft because it is beyond my abilities to turn his kits into something vaguely acceptable to my middle of the road standards. i even tried my best efforts in the spares box and using metal tubing and lots of milliput but it just wont happen.
i have voted with my wallet, if you agree then do the same.  I think what many who are "carping" are oth trying to warn others and relieve some of their own angst at feeling they have made a bad decision(s) in the past, myself included.

A friend of mine expresses it as Unicraft have poisoned the well so that other manufacturers will not attempt the same subject!

William in Oz

[rickshaw]

I've never bought a unicraft kit.  I am attracted by the subjects and the pictures of the masters invariably show well crafted models.   I've been in two minds several times of buying one or t'other of the models but put off by some of the comments I've read about them.  I wonder what it is that occurs between the making of the master and the creation of the moulds that makes them such, according to some, such terrible models?   Does anybody have some pictures of the unmade raw model as delivered so I can compare them to the pictures of the masters which appear on the website?