Dear Jon B.
I am sending this from Mexico, I am fascinated too for plastic models manufacturing.
I was a cottage manufacturer (short run mfg.) of vacuform and resin models some years ago, but nowadays I want to manufacture injection models, I have some machines, the process is not high tech. but is necessary some equipment.
I think is good idea to see in FSM some articles about model manufacturing.
10-15 years ago in FSM was published an article about the subject
greetings from Mexico. your friend, juan.