Classic Metal Works 1976 Buick Estate Wagons and IH R-190 Cement Mixers/Concrete

[sirenwerks]

Definitely passing on these, for obvious quality reasons.  The CMW N scale stuff wasn't the greatest to begin with, but I feel like the new owner will ride the molds out and then blame sales on no N scale interest.

[peteski]

Definitely passing on these, for obvious quality reasons.  The CMW N scale stuff wasn't the greatest to begin with, but I feel like the new owner will ride the molds out and then blame sales on no N scale interest.

Still shaking my head at the fact that these are brand new molds, designed and cut just last year (or maybe in 2019).  As far as the buyouts go, yes some time ago CMW was acquired by Round2, which just recently has been acquired by an investment firm.  Who knows what the future brings.  For all we know, the next new CWM N scale vehicle might be as good as anything Kato, Wiking, Bush, Trainworx, or Atlas made.  However, I doubt it.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I'm still trying to make sense of that cement mixer. I have put the Wiking mixer body on R190s before with success and they look proportional and correct, even though they are based on a Euro prototype. But the printed body they have is just wrong in every proportion. Like the body hangs at least 5 feet aft of the rear wheel. The cylinder is almost horizontal and I can't even guess what they were trying to do with the Water tank. Who designed this thing?

[thomasjmdavis]

I'm still trying to make sense of that cement mixer. I have put the Wiking mixer body on R190s before with success and they look proportional and correct, even though they are based on a Euro prototype. But the printed body they have is just wrong in every proportion. Like the body hangs at least 5 feet aft of the rear wheel. The cylinder is almost horizontal and I can't even guess what they were trying to do with the Water tank. Who designed this thing?

I wonder if the mold was existing tooling from some toy cement mixer from a small size toy construction set, modified to fit. It goes with the soda trucks that have bottle cases that are about twice scale size (to my eye, those look the same size as the ones on the HO trucks).  Or the garbage trucks with ribs that are 6 scale inches deep.

I am much happier with the early cars I collected (that came in the "plastic bubble"), and the occasional Aerovan trailer (some of the paint schemes are nice).  Not saying that those did not need improvement, but I think the older CMW N scale was better quality than the latest products.

[Mark5]

CMW has been doing the opposite of improving from my perspective. For me they really hit the skids 1st with that "off-road" bus that they did (the body was so high above the wheels that you'd need a ladder to board the bus!  )

[cfritschle]

CMW has been doing the opposite of improving from my perspective. For me they really hit the skids 1st with that "off-road" bus that they did (the body was so high above the wheels that you'd need a ladder to board the bus!  )

Mark,

The tooling was fixed so the subsequent runs of the CMW buses had the correct ground clearance.  My understanding that CMW wanted to correct the problem with the first run, but their "financial partner" wanted to get the buses to market without any additional tweaking or delay.

[Mark5]

The tooling was fixed so the subsequent runs of the CMW buses had the correct ground clearance. 

That's good to know, though I've never seen any of the subsequent runs.

Mark

[peteski]

Mark,

The tooling was fixed so the subsequent runs of the CMW buses had the correct ground clearance.  My understanding that CMW wanted to correct the problem with the first run, but their "financial partner" wanted to get the buses to market without any additional tweaking or delay.

How long ago were those high-ground-clearance buses released?
I'm asking because of your "financial partner" comment.
CMW was bought out by Round2 few years ago.
Then just very recently, Round2 was bought by an investment firm.

 If those "off-road" buses were produced anytime before few months ago, we can't blame anybody but CMW/Round2 for that release.  Or there is another "financial partner" that has been involved with CMW/Round2 for some time?

[cfritschle]

How long ago were those high-ground-clearance buses released?
I'm asking because of your "financial partner" comment.
CMW was bought out by Round2 few years ago.
Then just very recently, Round2 was bought by an investment firm.

 If those "off-road" buses were produced anytime before few months ago, we can't blame anybody but CMW/Round2 for that release.  Or there is another "financial partner" that has been involved with CMW/Round2 for some time?

Peter,

The initial release of the GM TD 3610 bus was March of 2011, long before CMW licensed the Classic Metal Works and Mini Metals brands to Round2, which was May of 2017. 

[peteski]

Peter,

The initial release of the GM TD 3610 bus was March of 2011, long before CMW licensed the Classic Metal Works and Mini Metals brands to Round2, which was May of 2017.

Thanks Carter. So this means that at that time CMW's "strings" were also pulled by some investment firm?

[cfritschle]

Thanks Carter. So this means that at that time CMW's "strings" were also pulled by some investment firm?

I wouldn't necessarily stay "strings," but it is not unusual for a small manufacturer to get some extra financial help when developing a new model.   

[peteski]

I wouldn't necessarily stay "strings," but it is not unusual for a small manufacturer to get some extra financial help when developing a new model.   

I guess that I didn't realize that even back then CMW was getting financial help from an outside source (which was dictating to them to rush out a model, regardless of quality).  That's never a good thing.  I guess we will now have to wait and see how good, or bad things get when the latest "cash injector" investment firm handles Round2 (and the CMW brand).