The people who brought you $80 drybrushes are now trying to sell ridiculously overpriced display cases in new hair-brained hobby Kickstarter
UPDATE: Mistakes pointed out in the article below have been updated in the Kickstarter. You can read more here.
This is a guest post by a concerned hobbyist. See further Editor’s note below…
Well, before we get started, as Rob always says, vote with your hobby dollars. So if something has value to you, then you should get it I agree. However, these display cases on Kickstarter seem to lack value, especially considering you could get your own locally (that are about ten times the size) for way less.
It feels more like these guys are relying on their name and following more than actually giving value to customers, especially considering these display cases aren’t even deep enough to fit a biker model… and the Kickstarter project page is laid out like a first-grader trying to use the internet for the first time.
I can’t even understand what you’re actually getting for your money!
Just Say No to This Hairbrained Hobby Kickstarter
What am I on about? Okay, well, the new Artis Opus Kickstarter does look cool, I will give them that, but for the price, it just seems insane.
To me, this just feels like these guys are looking to cash in on their name. They are made in Britain, which is nice, but for now, let’s start with the size issue.
Here it says the extra small is the cheapest option, and as you can see, the internal size is only 3.3″! Even the extra large square is only 13.5″ on the inside, and for basically $150, that is just insane. When you break it down to base size, the small square can maybe fit eight 32 mm minis. Maybe?
Then, the issues with how much they fit don’t stop there. As I said, this is obviously a premium product, for a specific following, but even for a premium customer, you get basically nothing.
See, a 90mm base can’t actually fit in the original size of the cabinets, so if you want to house any of your larger minis, you’ll have to pay extra for the depth, which just means more money for something small.
Even in their promo photos, you see how you have to fit a biker; just imagine anything bigger… Sure maybe the size doesn’t matter too much if the price was right. But these are just extremely expensive.
The Price is Not Right
If you look at the price, it’s almost insane to ask about $60 for a 3″x3″ box, and even at the largest rectangle, you are paying basically $300 for a single 29.1″ x 13.5″ box.
Which, while they look good, there’s just no value to be found. Why pledge this much for so little to an English company with so many potential issues about to impact them too? Sure we all look to be headed into a recession, but the UK especially looks to be not only on the cusp of an energy crisis, but also an economic crisis, and currently in a leadership crisis.
They are pushing the bundles (and we’ll show later how little you get if you don’t go with a bundle), and while you save some more cash, it still is crazy. Let’s add the total dimensions of the square project to see how much actual display size you get for the money (as you get one of each box).
42.2 inches is all you get of actual storage space for about $420… Ima be real with you that just doesn’t feel great, but the issue really isn’t just value. The whole thing is laid out in a very confusing way and with some really sloppy errors regarding who even is supporting the project.
Confusing & Sloppy Layout
Where to even start? Well, maybe with the picture below…
Well, it’s pretty obvious this isn’t Ross from Fauxhammer. To us, this looks more like Squidmar (two of my favorites, sorry, Rob).
While this isn’t huge, it just shows how little thought went into the project page. If you can’t even get the people right, who are repping your product (and a YouTuber as big as Squidmar), it just doesn’t sit well. To be fair, there is a Fauxhammer video in the project, but this surely isn’t a screenshot of him!
This is just the start, though; what you actually get in the project is very confusing.
So, what’s confusing here? Well, it doesn’t say anything about doors, however later, it says they do come with doors, but they also have a place to pay for extra hinges and things.
It doesn’t really say they come with doors here, it just says they have doors on (we’re assuming they do come with doors, but hard to say, hence why it’s confusing). They look to use magnets to keep the doors on, which is cool for sure, but are they included too?
Then, it says you have to can hinges (which are pretty vital for a door, but these might just be upgraded hinges, clasps, and locks (again, it is hard to say). However, they are all still TBA prices! This means you don’t even know what you’re paying for any of the upgrades as they all have the same TBA announcement.
Do we need hinges? Do we need magnets? I am so confused…
Last but not least, here is another example of how lazy this project is. They say the video is below, and guess what? It’s just blank space. While the video is higher in the post, it’s sure not here.
Then there is the issue of power; what the heck are mains? I dont speak the King’s English; if I buy this from America, do I get a power adapter to use with this that will plug into my socket here?
It’s not rocket surgery, but when you’re asking this much for this little, at least give us all the details clearly and concisely.
Sure, while this may look great on the wall, and appease your significant other, you can get a lot more for a lot less money elsewhere.
Make Your Own Display Case Cheap
Editor’s note: Brands of all shapes and sizes love your support, and it is obvious that Artis Opus has the ability to get their supporters to onboard their Kickstarters with minimum effort, as this campaign has eclipsed 100k in funding already.
We wish them the best and congratulate them on their continued success.
For the rest of the hobbyists out there that can not afford these items, we have shown you in the past some great display cases from IKEA and how to light them on the cheap with LEDs
Here is an excerpt from those tutorials:
Depending on your budget, you can purchase a case for about $120 bucks, or go even bigger for about $200. Both of these options will hold an entire army and hopefully break the bank!
We’ll show the cases below, but be sure to check out the whole tutorial here, or watch the video below.
Like most people during COVID, Rob had some extra time on his hands and figured, why not upgrade the display cases? At the time, you could get it delivered to your house in about a week or so. 
This is how the FABRIKÖR cabinet case comes from IKEA. Don’t worry, the case will soon be filled with all things gaming! It’s about 5 feet tall and 18 inches deep with a width of 22.5 for $179.99 when this was written. By comparison, the hobbyists’ favorite DELTOLF case measures 5 feet four inches and has shelves about 15 inches square for $99
Even better, the LED light kits only cost $20.
What are your thoughts on these new display cases that are on Kickstarter?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, or our new Discord server, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
Get ad-free access to our videos, a monthly drop of miniatures, and support some of the best creators out there for as little as $6 a month on Patreon!
