Update From Dave

Ok let me start out by saying, I have not posted with any news, because I had no good news to post. The reason why this project along with Slayer Cast store shut down, was solely on my shoulders. The problem was and has been, one I have dealt with, for more then 7 years.

Going to try and give the long and short of it the best I can, then explain where I am going with this post.

Some of you have been in the know of my life for the last 6 to 7 years. While others of you are clueless. So let me shed as much light as I can.

The short, 2007, I developed tumors that I had to have removed from behind both my eyes. These caused massive headaches, problems with my vision, and the worry it could turn into cancer. I spent the better part of 2 years with that, and beat it. Flash forward to 2009/2010. I was in the middle of one of my biggest months with Slayer, and one of our biggest sales, I started to have trouble with headaches, and pain in my neck and chest. I head to the doctors like anyone would. I am told have new tumors and that treatment and more tests are needed. I find out these are cancerous and need to be removed, only just cutting them out would not be enough, I would have to do treatment as well. And so I started treatment, kept working at my Pizza shop, kept chipping away at catching up on Slayer and all the work it involved. It was very rocky, and it caused much delays, but I managed to get back on track and keep my life and both businesses running.

Almost another year goes by, and I begin to have some issues again, this time much faster do the symptoms come on, and shut me down again. The warning signs were not there, it just happened, and just like that, My online business and my real life came to a screaming halt. I was hospitalized, and told immediate treatment was necessary. Thus came the end of Slayer, and any and all projects I had going on. This time I was not able to simply work thru the motions.

During the time of my treatment, I had no income coming in from Slayer Or my Pizza Shop. I had stepped away from my Pizza Shop and gave Slayer and doing mold and cast work my full attention. Being that I was in remission and not had any issues with my health, I thought it was a good time. I mean you get scare for your life, and suddenly you start to wonder what you want to do with your life. Me I wanted to make toys, and bring sculpts to this hobby that we would never see, both for ARAH and Modern sculpts. So when I got sick for the third time, that was the nail to finish me. I had tumors yet again in my head, in my neck, I had kidney failure and well...things just didn't look good.

What did all that have to do with the club, hopefully you will see that I didn't plan to get sick, I didn't ask for it, and I sure didn't want to go out like that. But that's what happen. So that brings us to the now.

Yeah Dave we know all this, you told us all. The problems, the downfall...so what right?

Well here is where I am at as of this day. I am back in remission, and have been for some time. I have the kidney issue under control. I am working back at my shop. Now for the issues.

1. The molds for the first 3 figs. Pythona,2 snipers and the Billy are all no good. I have to make new molds.

2. Jared has some parts to make some figures, but not complete the list of everybody who ordered, so I have to get with him and see what we need, and what I need to make.

3. All my rubber and plastic has gone bad, I mean I can cast and use some of the plastic, but its not what I would want to send out. This stuff doesn't age good when left sitting, it really does have a short life span.

4. I am so broke its not funny, and mostly why I have had no update. I can do anything to fix a problem when I don't have the means to fix it. I have time, and my health is better, I don't have the funds to get it back off the ground. With everything I went thru and how much it cost me, its going to have me buried for some time longer. And this would mean I cant give refunds.

To be honest I don't want to refund, I want everybody to get the awesome sculpts and enjoy the figures.

I talked to Aly, and I have talked with Nova, both are willing to help with the mold and cast work, I have to figure out the best way for them to help and not cost them any money. i really need rubber, which is going to cost me about 200.00 to get done what i need to get done.

If anybody wants to help, that would be great. I dont plan on anybody jumping on that one, but I am putting it out there. If you do however pm me.

second very important issue is the arms. The way I had to go about them, is all cast plastic. Nova has another option and would make the figures much more playable, and should stand up the test of time. The man has rivets or at least access to make rivets work. Some time next week, Brian ( Nova ) and I will be sitting down to talk and plan how to get this project back up and running, and finish it.


I really don't have anything else I can say at this time. I have said sorry so many times, its not worth saying again. Like i said before this was not done on purpose and i sure in hell didn't ask to get sick. I will begin to post on a weekly basis with pics of figures, parts and the molds, so all can see the process. I would have done this before, but Slayer kept me way to busy. With Slayer dead, closed and gone for good, it now gives me the time to try and do what I can to fix this, and make right in somebody's eyes.

I have tried to explain the best I can, and hope all will understand,I will make this right. I will update this thread again if there are questions, also after I talk with Brian I will better know how to handle this.

Thanks for the time,
Dave

I can certainly empathize with being poked in the eye by the fickle finger of fate health wise.


With Billy all you have to do is make a new head, and use the Comic Pack Stormshadow body. You might want to also have available just heads from each project

Nice hearing from you again, Dave. I'm glad things look a little better now.

I hope things will work out when you team-up with Brian. I have some of his casts and his stuff is of great quality. I've heard good stories about Aly's products too.

If the arms turn out to be possible troublemakers for the recovery of this project, I say leave them. But ofcourse, only when you've checked out all the options.

Thanks Dave.

Some things in life really make action figures trivial in comparison. It's nice to know you recovered. Hope it stays that way this time.

Surnis wrote:

Some things in life really make action figures trivial in comparison. It's nice to know you recovered. Hope it stays that way this time.

I hope this as well. The fact you never really know the future is going to turn out is the kicker. Throw a wrench into the mix of an all ready busy life, and man its so easy to spiral out of control. I really am on the mend as far as my health, its my financial issues that are now causing the problem. The fall out from going thru what i did is worse then what I went thru . i was in gods hands then, now I am at the mercy of bill collectors . It wiped out everything I had the second time, going thru it this time, there's no blood left in this turn-up...

Dave, thank you for updating us. In my case, I thought your silence was for the worse, but I now I'm happy to know you are doing better and as Surnis said let's hope this time will be for a very long term.

The only thing that remains a mystery that needs some light is where is Jaimanstone and what happened to him.

I made sure to post this in an open section of the board, for others to repost if they like, XOC2008/Ian Walker has already posted on the fighting 1 18th, Thanks man. I have no idea how or when I will get everything taken care of, but I am working on it.

I ran a company to support the hobby, It failed because I failed. I own that. If anybody wants to sling mud, feel free, was never proud of how things went down.

I will address the money issue both with the club and me personal in another thread for paid members only. Some things are just my business and I dont feel I have to explain to the whole net, and I wont.

Thanks again Ian, fighting 1 18th has a lot of really good people in this hobby, glad you kept them in the loop.

Dave

Thanks again guys for those that posted. I really am back, and staying for good this time, god willing. I plan to even post a custom or 3, the one thing I do have is time, and lots of paint.  

Okey! Dave, I sincerely hope you get better, and that all this succeed, so playing wait, we dryness of another, the first is health, but of course also includes our discomfort, we have provided some money, and I for one hope sincerely to enjoy these fantastic figures that we have promised, but obviously the first thing is the health friend, so take it easy and Get Well, we'll be waiting your news.

Regards and take care.

Recoil:) 

I'm so thankful you're doing better, Dave, and it's great to have our captain back!

I, for one, am glad to hear from you, Dave.

I believe I stated before someone's medical issues are their own and while we might feel we have a right to know what is going on, you have the right to not talk of it.

I am glad to hear that things are starting to get better.

Now we have a little more info than we did and I think this is a good start.

As Dave mentioned above, I am more than willing to throw both time and money at this project to help see it done. I'm sure he and I will talk more shortly to try to work out the fine details. Just keep hanging on....

I'm so happy to hear from you again Dave. They toys are nice and all but hearing from you again makes my day.

I'm good for donating $25 for supplies. I'd help more but I've got $6k in renovations starting tomorrow.

Just give me a paypal address.

Thank God you are feeling better. Awesome news.

Glad to hear that you are doing okay as well. It's amazing how much has changed since this project started. Nova is an experienced caster now, Falcone has had a factory made figure, and kickstarter is a viable resource for projects like this to get off the ground.

As excited as I am about getting a Pythona figure, I'm much more excited to see what could happen with the right team working on this project long term.

Dave let me know that he's accepting donations at his normal PayPal address: slayerdave2011@gmail.com

I know donating isn't for everyone after all the fuss, but I sent some myself, and I've got faith that we can get this Club back on track.

Dave,
Really don't know what to say. I just hope that you've kicked it in the ass this time!!

Thanks again all for the well wishes. It feels good to be back. Thanks for the support, the awesome pm's, and emails. You guys rock.

Thanks to mswi , stormavik, cyko, and Morgardee, for believing in me and helping with the funds. Ordering rubber in the morning. as soon as it comes in, this lil shin dig will get kicked into high gear.

So good to hear you're back Dave, it sounds like it's been a rough road. I'm looking forward to seeing the cool stuff you come up with next!

Thanks Burg. Yes its been a very rough ride, although I am in better health, I still have a long way to get my life back.

Its crazy how much this kinda of thing takes out of you. drains you physical , mental, financial ....and you just feel like there's no light at the end of the tunnel, and then there is. Good feeling. I could have handled things much better, but my mind frame was just not there when it all went down. My wife, Rachel, who has been my rock, I just couldn't put anything else on her. On top of me running 2 business and having our family, we are care givers to my parents. My wife, really had more on her shoulders then I did, and man she kept it together. She was handling emails and pms for me for a while, but it soon became to much, and well I just dropped the ball, I pretty much at one point in the beginning, wanted to eat a bullet. The pain, the pressure, the feeling of everything crashing around me, with no way of just picking myself up this time, oh man. Not a feeling you can describe. I am not a person to have a lot of regrets, I always feel you take something away from ever situation , good , bad or indifferent. Had my state of mind been better, had I been at the top of my game, well I think things would have been different, much much different.
Positive energy going forward now, thats my outlook, stay positive, stay strong, and stay on course.

Just bumping the thread to let folks I am checking the board daily now, and will be posting some pics later today at some point.

Since I have to make new molds, I am going to show my process. Its not the only way, just my way.

We should have done this from the beginning.

A glad as I am to hear about the project continuing, I am even happier to hear your health is better Dave. I have stood by this project, and at times been frustrated, but have always said your health is most important. I would like to add myself to the list of members adding to the funds to keep this going. I will PM you to work out any details.

I have to say I'm glad I decided to check in here the other day but due to work didn't have time to post.  I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.  I am happy to hear you're still with us, Dave, and that things are better for you.  Although frustrated and at times down right angry with how things had gone with project side of things here, I still tried to check in from time to time with hopes of seeing two things:  First, that you were getting better or at least not getting worse health wise.  Second, that the project wasn't a total loss.  I hope things continue to go well for you personally and look forward to what the future holds for the project.  I, just as others have, would like to help with funds to get this all back up and running but to be perfectly honest, I am still hesitant after the first go-around fell apart.  It was my first leap into purchasing custom arah pieces and the first time ever I spent that much on any joe-related item(s) period at one time, just to have it all bite me in the ass.  I have to admit that the free zombie head and torso are a hell of an incentive for me but it's a hard decision to make.

Anyway, I am happy to see good news on both fronts and the only question I can think of at least right at this moment is:  Are you still able to do the Big Lob heads?  That was the incentive the first time around that pushed me over the edge and got me to take that initial leap.  I remade Slaughters Renegades, have planned a matching Slaughters Marauder's team followed by yet another matching team in the form of the Rawhides.  The last remaining figure I don't have complete parts for (the head) is Big Lob.

So, good to have you back on the site, Dave.  Extremely happy to hear your are doing better and thanks for coming back to us.

Dave wrote:

Just bumping the thread to let folks I am checking the board daily now, and will be posting some pics later today at some point.

Since I have to make new molds, I am going to show my process. Its not the only way, just my way.

We should have done this from the beginning.

I guess by "daily" he meant "never"

Word. Yearly updates - with nothing actually happening.

Dave wrote:

Just bumping the thread to let folks I am checking the board daily now, and will be posting some pics later today at some point.

Since I have to make new molds, I am going to show my process. Its not the only way, just my way.

We should have done this from the beginning.

Dave, can you give an update please? Is there a way you can involve other people to help you like Nova, Remster, etc.?