The cost of replicating a garage kit splits into two main parts: the cost of making the mold, and the cost of pulling each cast one by one. In a real example where the work was handed to a casting service, 25 pieces came to a sizable sum, tax included. Ordering more from the same mold, however, needs no new mold fee, so you only pay a comparatively modest per-piece fee for labor and materials. Because the mold fee is paid once up front no matter how many you make, the unit price shoots up on small runs and falls as the run gets larger. Once you understand this structure, you will read quotes very differently.
In this article we walk through the replication process with silicone molds and resin casting, the costs from a real casting-service example, the breakdown of DIY casting, and the point where run size tips the balance. Replication is a process that deals with physical objects, so everything covered here is general information about casting things yourself or using an outside workshop or service.
Note: Figmee is currently a service that generates figurine-style images and 3D model data (GLB / 3MF) from the drawings and illustrations you upload, and lets you download them. Sales of physical 3D-printed items are in preparation (Coming Soon).
What replication actually involves
Replicating a garage kit does not mean selling the master itself. You take a mold from the master, pour resin into it, and make as many copies of the same shape as you need. The rough flow looks like this:
- Split the master into parts. The parts are divided so they can be pulled out of a mold. If any shape that cannot be released (an undercut) remains, it has to be fixed at this stage.
- Design the pour gates and air vents. You decide where the resin goes in and how air escapes. If this design is poor, bubbles get trapped and every pull comes out with defects.
- Make the mold in silicone. The master is embedded, silicone is poured over it, and once it cures the mold is cut open to remove the master. In most cases the mold is split into two or more halves.
- Pour the resin and let it cure. A two-part urethane resin or similar casting resin is injected, and you wait for it to harden.
- Remove the flash and inspect. The gates are cut off, bubbles are repaired, and each part is checked for chips.
Of these, step 3, making the mold, accounts for most of the cost. Splitting the master and designing the mold call for a craftsperson's judgment, and they have to be done at least once regardless of the run size.
Looking at casting-service costs through a real example
A real breakdown tells you more about the structure than an abstract market rate. One published record of asking a casting service to replicate 25 pieces shows the costs split into a fee for making the master mold, a charge for the silicone, and a per-piece fee covering labor and materials, all adding up to a tax-inclusive total (source: YZP House, "I tried asking RC Berg to replicate a garage kit!", as of July 2026). The mold fee and the silicone made up the bulk of it, and divided per piece, the total works out to more than three times the per-piece fee alone.
What stands out is the condition for additional runs in the same record. Making another 25 pieces from the same mold needs no mold fee, so the cost is just the per-piece fee times 25. In other words, the unit price drops to less than a third.
Lead time is worth noting too. In this case, it took about a month from the first quote request to the arrival of the first test shot, and about another month from there until all 25 pieces were delivered, roughly two months in total. If you are aiming for an event, two months is not enough on its own; you need to set your deadline for finishing the master even earlier.
How the unit price changes with run size
Treating the mold fee from the figures above as a fixed cost and the per-piece cost as a variable cost, the picture looks like this.
| Run size | Mold fee (fixed) | Per-piece cost | Estimated total | Per piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 pieces | High (same for every run size) | Comparatively modest, flat rate | Lowest of the three | Highest, about three times the 50-piece level |
| 25 pieces | High (same for every run size) | Comparatively modest, flat rate | Somewhat higher | About half the 10-piece level |
| 50 pieces | High (same for every run size) | Comparatively modest, flat rate | Highest of the three | Lowest of the three |
Note: The mold fee is a rough estimate based on the sum of the master-mold fee and the silicone charge in the example above, and the totals in the table are calculated as "mold fee + per-piece fee × run size." The actual tax-inclusive total for the 25 pieces in that example does not match this calculation, so compare quotes by their tax-inclusive totals rather than by their line items. Actual amounts vary with size, number of parts, and shape.
What this table shows is not simply that "small runs are a bad deal." Making 50 brings the unit price down, but anything left unsold turns directly into a loss as dead stock. At the scale of an individual creator, deciding by "how many you can reliably sell" rather than by the lowest unit price makes it less likely that you lose money overall.
The DIY casting option
You can also make silicone molds and pour the resin yourself. The cost structure is completely different from using a casting service.
What you need up front. Silicone, resin, release agent, a scale, and mixing containers. A vacuum degassing chamber or a pressure pot greatly reduces bubbles, but once you add those, the equipment becomes a substantial investment.
What you keep paying for. Silicone and resin. Silicone use scales with the size of the mold, and the mold also degrades with every pull, so it has a limited life.
What is easy to overlook. Your working time, and the materials lost to every failed attempt. Your first few tries will bring failures such as cracked molds, trapped bubbles, or casts that will not release.
Here is how DIY casting and a casting service compare in character:
| Aspect | DIY casting | Casting service |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Moderate, for equipment and materials | High, several times the DIY setup, as mold fees |
| Unit price on small runs | Kept low, since you pay only for materials | Higher, because the mold fee is added on |
| Consistency of quality | Depends on experience and tends to vary | Easier to keep at a consistent level |
| Time required | All of the hands-on work is yours | Longer waits, but you are free to do other work |
| Best suited for | A few to a dozen or so pieces, prototypes, personal use | Dozens of pieces, event sales, consistent quality |
You cannot simply say "go DIY if you want to save money." Once you factor in your own working time, sending dozens of pieces to a service can turn out cheaper. On the other hand, for 5 or 10 pieces, DIY casting keeps the total lower.
From request to delivery
Here is the flow for using a casting service, with rough durations. In the example above, it took about two months from the quote request to delivery, so this breaks that period down step by step.
- Finish the master (depends on your own work). Complete it through surface finishing. Anything left unfinished gets replicated along with every scratch.
- Contact candidate workshops (1–3 days). Attach photos and tell them the overall height, number of parts, desired quantity, and desired delivery date. How quickly they reply is also useful information.
- Receive quotes and place your order (3 days to 1 week). If you have quotes from several places, line up what each one covers before you compare.
- Send the master and wait for the split and mold design (2–3 weeks). You may be consulted about how to split it here. If anything needs fixing, this is when it comes to light.
- Check the test shot (a few days). Look at a single cast and check for bubbles and missing details. If there is a problem, this is the last chance to fix it at the mold stage.
- Wait for production and delivery (2–4 weeks). The larger the run, the longer it takes.
- Inspect (1–2 days). Open every piece and check for chips, bubbles, and missing or extra parts. Defective pieces are handled according to the terms you confirmed when ordering.
If you are aiming for an event, you need time to revise the master on top of all this. Instead of counting back from the deadline, build up from the date the master will be finished and confirm whether the schedule actually fits.
What to include when asking for a quote
A replication quote cannot be finalized without seeing the master. Even so, if you provide the following information up front, you will usually get a rough estimate in the first exchange.
- Overall height and number of parts. Even at the same height, more parts mean more molds and a higher cost.
- Desired quantity. The unit price depends on how many pieces the mold fee is divided across, so it cannot be calculated without a quantity.
- Desired delivery date. Are you aiming for an event, or is there no deadline? A rush job can change the price.
- Condition of the master. Is it hand-sculpted or a 3D print? How far along is the surface finishing?
- Splitting preferences. Have you already split it yourself, or do you want them to handle the splitting? If they do, that work is added to the cost.
When comparing quotes, look beyond the total and also check "whether a test shot is included" and "how defective pieces are handled." A test shot is a step where a single piece is cast and checked before production starts; if bubbles or missing details turn up here, they can be fixed at the mold stage.
What to fix on the master before replication
Fixing things after the mold is made costs almost as much as starting over. These are the points worth eliminating at the master stage.
Leave no undercuts. If there is a shape that cannot be pulled out of the mold, the mold needs more split lines, or the piece may not be replicable at all. Watch the inside of arms, overlapping hair, and deep folds in clothing.
Rethink parts that are too thin. Hair tips, fingers, thin belts, and weapon tips chip because the resin does not reach all the way in. You need to decide whether to thicken them or make them separate parts in a different material.
Check recesses where bubbles may collect. Deep, narrow recesses do not let air escape easily, so every pull ends up with bubbles. Discuss with whoever is doing the replication whether the shape allows extra air vents.
Finish the surface first. What the mold captures is the master's surface itself. If scratches or sanding marks remain, every single copy will have them.
If you are not confident you can handle this checklist yourself, the safe choice is a workshop you can consult from the splitting stage onward. It costs more, but far less than having the mold remade.
The reality of selling at events
If you sell your replicated pieces at an event and they are based on existing characters, licensing comes into play. Wonder Festival's same-day license system has the organizing committee act as the point of contact with rights holders and grants individuals permission to sell only on the day of the event and only at the venue. The official website also explains that licensed works are "sold only at the venue and only on the day of the event," and cannot be bought online (source: Wonder Festival 2026 [Summer] FAQ, as of July 2026).
In other words, for kits of existing characters you have to decide the run size on the premise that you will sell out on the day of the event. The system does not let you clear leftover stock online afterward. This constraint feeds straight into your quantity decision.
Original characters fall outside the same-day license system and are up to the exhibitor. Since they are your own creations, you can sell them by mail order or keep selling them over time, which gives you far more freedom in planning the run size. If you are trying replication for the first time, starting with an original work carries less risk, because you have somewhere for leftover stock to go.
When you make the master digitally
In recent years it has become common to make the master digitally, output it on a 3D printer, and then send that print for replication. The replication process itself does not change, but the cost of trial and error before you make the master drops dramatically.
The advantage of a digital master is that you can revise the shape as many times as you like before replication starts. However, whether it will release from the mold (whether there are undercuts) and how to split the parts are still areas that a person has to design, even in digital form. If you go into replication without settling them, you end up with the most expensive failure of all: remaking the mold.
Before that, at the stage of deciding "what proportions the piece should have in three dimensions," AI prototyping can help. With Figmee, you can generate figurine-style images and 3D models from an illustration or rough sketch and rotate them 360° in your browser to check them. We cover this way of roughing out the 3D form before you start sculpting in detail in Prototyping Sofubi Masters with AI. What you get is a proposal for the shape, not manufacturing data you can send straight to replication. Designing the release, wall thickness, and splits is a step that people work out by hand afterward.
How to think about pricing
Once your replication cost is fixed, the next step is the selling price. If you simply set it at "cost × 2," you can end up in the red in unexpected places.
The expenses people tend to forget are the ones outside replication: packaging (boxes, bags, cushioning), printed assembly instructions, event fees, travel and shipping for bringing stock in and out, and, if you also sell by mail order, packing materials and the labor of shipping. Added together, these put a noticeable extra amount on top of the per-piece replication cost.
It is also safer not to set the price on the assumption that every piece will sell. If you make 25 and expect to sell 15, set a price that lets you recover your costs with 15. The remaining 10 can go to the next opportunity, but a loss cannot be recovered.
On the other hand, when you sell kits of existing characters under a same-day license, the system leaves no way to sell leftovers later. In that case you have to be even more conservative: narrow the run to the number you can reliably sell, and then set a price that recovers your costs. A smaller run makes the mold fee weigh more heavily, but it is an easier loss to predict than sitting on unsold stock.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is the biggest part of the replication cost? A. Making the mold. It is paid once up front regardless of the run size, so the smaller the run, the heavier the burden per piece. Conversely, when you make an additional run from the same mold, there is no mold fee, so the unit price drops sharply.
Q. At what quantity does it make sense to use a casting service? A. There is no single answer, but once you reach dozens of pieces, a casting service tends to come out ahead on both total cost and quality. For a few to a dozen or so pieces, DIY casting usually ends up cheaper. Where the break-even point lands shifts depending on how much you value your own working time.
Q. How much lead time should I allow for replication? A. In the example above, it took about two months from quote to delivery. If you are aiming for an event, allow for finishing and revising the master on top of that, and it is safest to get started at least three months ahead.
Q. How many times can a silicone mold be used? A. A mold degrades with use, starting from the fine details. How many pulls you get varies greatly with the shape, size, and type of resin, so if you plan additional runs, ask the workshop up front "how many pieces can we expect from the same mold." Once a mold reaches the end of its life, it has to be remade, at roughly the same cost as the first time.
Q. Which is cheaper: selling 3D prints as they are, or replicating them? A. It depends on the quantity. For a few pieces, selling the prints as they are is faster and cheaper; at dozens of pieces, the time and material for printing each one add up, so taking a mold becomes the better option. Whether you own a printer also changes the decision.
Summary
Garage kit replication costs are a combination of the mold fee, which is a fixed cost, and a variable cost per piece. Once you understand this structure, you can judge a quote not as "expensive" or "cheap" but by "what it comes to per piece at my run size."
Replication is also the step where going back costs the most. Once the mold is cut, you can no longer casually go back and change the proportions. That is exactly why how many doubts you can clear up before you start the master is what decides your total cost.
