How Plastic Kits Are Made

That's a great suggestion. I always wanted to know how those really fine details, such as recessed panel lines, are machined into the steel die.

I like the idea too. 

EdGrune

...So here is my suggestion.   Update this article to the 21st century.   Update how the state of the industry has changed, including the players and a world-wide market.   Update the process in light of the rise of 3d CAD to cut the dies.   I suspect that while man-hours required to make a model kit have been reduced, machine hours required to do many of the same tasks have increased 

It's a great idea for an article, Ed!

Careful, though-they might ask you if you'd like to write it

Thumbs up on that one.

the Baron

It's a great idea for an article, Ed!

Careful, though-they might ask you if you'd like to write it

I'll just submit my expense report.   I'm sure it will get paid.  

You Know;

        Don't laugh! I have thought about going to the "How it's Made" show website and see if they would do it. Problem. It has to fit in a short segment. I will have to say it is an intriquing idea. Having had a Foster Father ( R.I.P.Dad ! ) who worked as a Tool and Diemaker for Houdialle - Hershey industries in Buffalo N.Y. I had an inkling at an early age.

        Dad made some items and showed me how they Pantographed them down to the size they needed for the Tool. He did the "Spirit of Exctasy" as an example. She was ten inches tall. When she was done in wax she was only an inch tall!

     The resulting figure was as detailed as the bigger one. I learned this about the time I went into High School.There I had to create a home model( framing )  at 1/16 inch equals a foot. Small but busy looking !

       Immediately after leaving Uncle Sam's Marines , I tried to get hired at Revell in Venice, California. I should've lied. They asked what my hobby was .I told them Model Building. They then said, at that time, They didn't hire folks who built models as a hobby.Why? Because this kept theft down on the Line .!!!!

      They only hired women as assemblers of their display pieces. They were more careful than Men . Go Figure ! Anyway, just thought I would throw that in .. T.B.

EdGrune

 

the Baron

It's a great idea for an article, Ed!

 Careful, though-they might ask you if you'd like to write it

Okay, Ill do it.   Going to need to wrap up the Revell/Monogram story with new Revell in Germany.  Then pop over to England to see Airfix.    I really should see how Tamiya does it, so I guess I will need to travel onward to Japan, and while I'm in the neighborhood check out China for Trumpeter, Meng, and a few others.

 

I'll just submit my expense report.   I'm sure it will get paid.  

 

Seriously, though, a book on Monogram and Revell covering the period from the merger to the present would be great, too!  I have Graham's books, and I've always been a little disappointed that he didn't go beyond the merger.

I know many people have come to rely on Scalemates, but it's not the same thing.   I've got a small collection of books about various makers, like Airfix.  And some books are on my grail list, like the out-of-print book on Eaglewall in Britain.  They produced a series of 1/1200 table-top navy kits, among other things.  I've built some of those for my wargaming navy collection, and I'd really like to get that book.  But it hasn't surfaced.

Ed, while you are over sipping sake, check out the model railroad company Kato. The “Tamiya” of trains.

EdGrune

 

 

 

I'll just submit my expense report.   I'm sure it will get paid.  

 

Here's a bit from YouTube about Injection Moulding, well worth a look see with a good explanation of the whole process and at the end of the video, there are another two video's worth watching as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMjtmsr3CqA