Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 02:35 AM
well, this is a tough decision. consider this a heads up.
In order to make way for new kits we will be retiring some of the current kits available. it's likely that we will print a dozen or so of the retired kits but when they are gone they are gone. we just have too many products and its one of the factors that keeps us from getting caught up. So, we will be deciding on what has to go in the next 30 days. we will also be retiring some textures actually quite a few. all the textures sell but some only sell a couple of dozen sheets a year. others sell consistantly even though they may not be what i would consider the best thay could be, we will be improving the textures that stay. the wood planks will get better with less repeating in the image. It's likely that we will keep only one of the concretes ant the steel plates will likely go away alltogether.
i want to stress that we are not doing this for any other reason then we want to be a better company and offer an even better product. for instance.
the wood shingles will be going away but will be replaced by laser cut wood shingles. we will be adding a series of laser cut windows and doors. these have been on the drawing board for a long time. only our persistant backlog is keeping us from releasing them. the new (actually old) steel mill buildings will be available within the month in HO only for now.
It's likely we will suspend sales for the summer wile we re work our inventory system (we usually don't sell anything all summer anyway)
Sooo, thats the news. besides, I could use a vacation. riiiight.
Thom
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Thursday, April 24, 2008, 01:59 PM
I'd really like to see what someone could do with the "small forge" model. this is a really nice kit that is under appreciated. It was actually the first "kit" I designed. the small engine house was the first paper model but It has never been available as a kit.
Thom
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Thursday, April 24, 2008, 01:55 PM
People keep making our models look even better. james did a fantastic job with the mercantile. enjoy these pix. makes me want to see the rest of his layout.
thom
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Sunday, April 13, 2008, 01:12 PM
Clever models has a new home. just across the road from our old diggs but much larger with a dedicated space for the company. the printers are up and running so I can get back to filling the back log that has been a bane to my exhistance for almost 6 months.
the delays have gone on too long and my brother and i have considered closing shop till we can catch up. It's personally embarising to have to write letters trying to explane why a simple bag of paper can take 3 months to get delivered. I thin we may have to take some drastic steps befor this is solved. One thing I can assure is that the kits will keep getting better. right now i have no time to create new kits. there are several that are in the works but they will be staying on the drawing board till this backlog is gone, we have finally entered the traditiopnal slow season which is both nerve racking and a relief. Will the sales return at the end of summer?
We do have some cool new product planned for this break. I hope we can get to them.
Other model companies have a ridgid plan for when the produce trhere anual kit reliese. notice I said kit. One kit a year is the average for a craftsman company. they ususally release on the same day every year and some of nthem have been doing it for over a decade.
Contrarily we releas when ever we have somthing finished and test built. I think we may have to follow the more proven method of our competitors.
At some point soon we are going to have to retire some kits and textures. The number we offer is just too large to manage. If we are goint to add kits we will likely need to deleate some. At the very least we will likely print a set number of kits eack year and when thier gone thier gone.
It was recently brought to my attention that ther is a european model company (a big one) that sells a paper steel mill. it comes as two kits and each sells for about $500 us. thats a grand for the whole mill. I must say it look impressive but would easily be enough work to keep a modeler busy for a whole year.
A new project we have brewing is that our demo switching layout will be going on the road without us. It will be set up in various hobby shops for a period of months and then moved to different locations. We will also be offering clinics on modeling with paper.
Additionally a new HOn30 narrow guage layout is being built to travel to shows. our initial theme will be an urban industrial rail line. we will be focusing on new warehouses and factories for this module. we will be expanding it over time but the main idea is to be able to get to more shows with a running layout.
thats it for now. time to make thew donuts...er kits.
Thom
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Wednesday, April 2, 2008, 01:06 PM
Moving day has come for Clever models. It's been a bumpy ride. We foundout that we have to print kits in bulk. It just takes too long to fill orders in a custome fashon. A two month backlog has become the status quo. Obviously that stinks. we can't expect folks to wait that long for kits. we know it's wrong and we work hard to catch up. It seems we have finally entered the annual sales slump. We still have a hefty backlog and are working every day to dig out. We have out grown our current digs.I am right now packing up the printing gear and paper and prepairing to move this weekend to a much larger and more dedicated space. with the help of the other Clever brother and the equally clever nephews. I should be back up and running and filling orders in about a week.
I don't blame anyone for being PO'd at us for delivering slowely. i only ask that folks understand how hard it can be to run two businesses. One that makes money and one that is a passion.
Thom
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