Question: Why no custom props?

I was thinking, and after trying to gauge interest for selling some nice 1:1 fan-made prop replicas here, I sort of found out that SSF are not really interested in fan-made repros.
This sort of shocked me, as fan-made stuff is often cheaper, more accurate (depending on what we are talking about here), and of a higher quality than most mass produced props from SS or whomever.
I guess I look at it sort of like this:
The Cinemaquette Vader cost how much? $2000? I mean for that much you can buy or put a huge dent in a very nice LIFESIZE Darth Vader.
Same for the new HT 89 Batman figures. For as much as those cost you can be well on your way to having a 1:1 Keaton Batman suit. And i mean a VERY nice one.
These are just examples of course.
This is just my observation of collectors on this forum, and yes I know that it is a SIDESHOW forum, but I was just curious as to what people's opinions on this were.

Make me a 1:1 Keaton suit for under $300.

I collect prop replica's, but no costumes but like Indiana Jones' idol, BTTF stuff I have heaps, .. I don't like big items much, I prefer small things I can display on a cabinet or in the detolf or even carry with me. Prop knives, ID cards, jewelry, .. I often try to find high end cosplay stuff. I have the two suits of the 10 Doctor that I have both folded up in a detolf and is worn at times.

Big forum, very niche segment=does not compute.
Need to find a more specific forum.

dominishin said:

Make me a 1:1 Keaton suit for under $300.

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put me down for one too

1:1 Keaton Batsuit under $300? Where can Preoder pwease?

The RPF is the place for props

My custom prop replica Grail Diary disagrees with you.

But in answer to your question. . . This forum is very specific. It is for licensed 1/6 scale action figures. There's not much discussion about other things. If I wanted to discuss custom props, I'd go to RPF. If I wanted to talk about military figures, I'd go to OSW. If I wanted to talk about small comics-based figures, I'd go to The Fwoosh. . . you see where I'm going with this.

Point being, when I sought out a custom Grail Diary, I didn't ask around here, I went to Club Obi Wan. . . cuz that's the main Indy board on teh Interwebs. The main prop replica forum is. . . The Replica Prop Forum. . . dot com.

I'm a huge prop fan - and some of the fan made ones I've bought have been great. And some haven't been as good as a commercial version.

I'd love for there to be more discussion here about that as it's a topic I'm very interested in - but theRPF does a fantastic job of covering that arena and perhaps there isn't as much crossover in collectors as one might think.

avbat said:

Same for the new HT 89 Batman figureS. For as much as THOSE cost you can be well on your way to having a 1:1 Keaton Batman suit. And i mean a VERY nice one.
These are just examples of course.

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dominishin said:

Make me a 1:1 Keaton suit for under $300.

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Yea no one is talking about making a Keaton Batsuit for under $300???
BOTH HT figs cost close to $500, and for $450 or so you can have a really nice setup for the all the most costly parts of the suit, and yes, you would be "well on your way" to having a nice suit.
I ought to know:




My opinion, and it is just my opinion:

1:1 Lifesized Keaton >>> HT Jack and Keaton
no comparison really

Anyways I am just saying that on this forum people are collecting busts, figures of all sorts, etc. from movies, when you are often paying through the nose for licenses and loss of quality through mass production. And I know this is not always the case.

I guess I am just confused when props and fanmade items from these various movies are and/or can be so much cooler to have than something from sideshow, or HT, etc. and they are sooooo closely related (simply different forms of memorabilia from the same movie), then why are people so oblivious to some of this stuff on here? it seems like a shame for people who love a certain movie or franchise so much.
Thats all I am saying.

Going back to Batman stuff for a minute: The Toynami Batman returns stuff.
This stuff is crazy expensive. The grapple gun is sold out at $350 and you cant even remove it from the stand and the Returns cowl is $450 and it doesnt come off of the stand either and can't be worn???

Shoot on the BOTB you can get a nice fanmade grapple gun that you can even take apart just like the one in the movie for less than that, not to mention a Returns cowl cast from the real screen used on that you can actually wear ( or display) for less too. And it is a hand made item with lineage to the real prop. Not number blank blank out of 5,000 or whatever it may be.
Just giving more example with the stuff I have more experience with.

Ven said:

Let me tell you something about this forum buddy!!!!! IF IT AIN'T EXPENSIVE AND INACCURATE, WE DON'T WANT IT!!! BECAUSE WE LOVE TO _____ AND MOAN ABOUT HOW EXPENSIVE AND INACCURATE IT IS.

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Ven this actually made me laugh outloud. . . TooTrue lol

Ven said:

Let me tell you something about this forum buddy!!!!! IF IT AIN'T EXPENSIVE AND INACCURATE, WE DON'T WANT IT!!! BECAUSE WE LOVE TO _____ AND MOAN ABOUT HOW EXPENSIVE AND INACCURATE IT IS.

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1/6 '89 figs for me over the 1:1 Bat suit, no brainer.

one sec guys, let me go make a photoshop comparison of the two real quick.

I went into the fan made prop replica market and I have to say I'm really happy about this decision. The props made by these guys are professionally painted and assembled, with high quality craftsmanship, they are being shipped faster than licensed items, they are also made from original molds, and sometimes cheaper and more accurate than licensed props.

Got to RPF, there you'll find people who know and appreciate fan made replicas. I agree that for $2000 or more you could always go for life-size items, which will be more impressive than any scaled statue or figure.