Mego "How It's Made" (POTA vinyl, etc)

[Tothiro]

Hey ...
I was thinking over a project today and got to wondering if anyone was familiar with how the outfits with stamped vinyl parts were produced... I'm talking Gorn/Klingon tunic, POTA Soldier Apes, etc...

Was that a heat process? Something else?
Also I had always assumed whatever process left the vinyl imprinted was done during the production of the actual bolts of fabric, which then would be cut down at the factories into various shapes for assembly. Then I remembered Urko and Isis - with their specific patterns... and that seemed to argue that some of this detail work would be done during toy manufacture.

Any researchers know what the deal is and how those were made?

[Tothiro]

Anybody? C'mon now... Darth needs our help!

[AAAAA]

Its a heating process similar in concept to bag sealer or leather emblossed where a piece of teflon is used to cover a vinyl sheet and a heated form is that PRESSED under pressure on the fabic, the length of time is the important or the emblossed will get danmage
the best example in the zipper of the mr. action wet suits which is heat pressed on the suit like rafts or heat sealed on the edges.

[Tothiro]

Its a heating process .

Aha. Thank you, sir! (brain working) So it's basically like making pressed panini sandwiches? Except without the eating.

I'm going to experiment I think with some tool and dye. Do you know anything more about the temperature or duration?

[AAAAA]

Aha. Thank you, sir! (brain working) So it's basically like making pressed panini sandwiches? Except without the eating.

I'm going to experiment I think with some tool and dye. Do you know anything more about the temperature or duration?

what you should is experiment make a mold in clay or plaster, pour white metal as your Positive,
Now you have chose to heat it lightly with heat from a flame or electrial hook up
like a sodering iron. temperature and duration and all important How much pressure is the tricky part,
under production control a Quick press and release about 5 to 10 seconds 10 to 30 pounds pressure.temperture maybe 250 to 300 degrees as long you don't melt the dye
and vise mounted C-clamp with with a wide base with a hard rubber cover (Inner Tube) a wheel-spin handle as your press

[Tothiro]

^ You are the whole bag of chips. Super thanks!

[PNGwynne]

I suppose the teflon is essential to not mar the vinyl?

[AAAAA]

I suppose the teflon is essential to not mar the vinyl?

yeah and come is very thin thickness , I i have .01 which is thinner than paper
and fairly cheap
do not remove the teflon until the vinyl is cold

[Tothiro]

Yeah - it looks like a 1' x 1' cut would only be about $4.00 from this e-tailer... that's cheap.

Teflon-a-rama!

(Sorry to Mods if this is better housed in the custom section now... It kind of started out on the fence though! )

So it looks like a Tin/bismuth alloy would do the trick - it melts at 280 degrees which is well within even the 600 degree silicone mold tolerance, but then I'd have to play it pretty close to 250 for heating and hope that's hot enough for the pleather/vinyl. Otherwise it seems like Crown Pewter would be the next step up at 575, since I'm not a big fan of Lead.

[AAAAA]

I said it going to be tricky there a alloy called Aluminex I think, might also be good for DIES.
you want to in bed a handle in the die , similare to a Jiffy pop handle or Matels creepy crawlers thing maker
that way you and move the the die around make sure it does not interfear
with the pressing device.

Yeah - it looks like a 1' x 1' cut would only be about $4.00 from this e-tailer... that's cheap.

Teflon-a-rama!

(Sorry to Mods if this is better housed in the custom section now... It kind of started out on the fence though! )

So it looks like a Tin/bismuth alloy would do the trick - it melts at 280 degrees which is well within even the 600 degree silicone mold tolerance, but then I'd have to play it pretty close to 250 for heating and hope that's hot enough for the pleather/vinyl. Otherwise it seems like Crown Pewter would be the next step up at 575, since I'm not a big fan of Lead.

[Tothiro]

I said it going to be tricky there a alloy called Aluminex I think, might also be good for DIES.
you want to in bed a handle in the die , similare to a Jiffy pop handle or Matels creepy crawlers thing maker
that way you and move the the die around make sure it does not interfear
with the pressing device.

Okay, this may be a ridiculous and insane plan but here's my ghetto MacGuyver line of thinking for consistent heating and pressure...
Make a plate set with a connecting hinge sculpted in (with a higher temp steel cross pin or something) and handles ala jiffy-pop. Essentially building an old style waffle iron.
Put the thing open-faced on a cooking sheet in an oven set at about 250 degrees and get it to a uniform temp. Pull the baking sheet out when the set up is preheated and then insert the teflon-wrapped vinyl assembly and fold the top plate over and shut, putting a 30 lb top weight on it, counting down the 15 seconds and then extracting everything.

I would presume the metal would hold temp long enough to be effective and it might remove the chance of spot over-heating with a butane torch. Wouldn't really need the hinge either I suppose - a male-female guide sculpted into the sides > (-->) > would probably be just as useful.

I couldn't find anything on Aluminex except marine hull cleaners and acid etching.. Do you know an online supplier or something off hand? Maybe they'd have a material data sheet posted for temps, etc?

[AAAAA]

waffle Iron is a good concept image ,i was going to state Ammo loader
and the alloy i probally saying it wrong ,I'll search , now remember the "one man operations" usually need 3 men and boy to work , you might find yourself running out of hands .

Okay, this may be a ridiculous and insane plan but here's my ghetto MacGuyver line of thinking for consistent heating and pressure...
Make a plate set with a connecting hinge sculpted in (with a higher temp steel cross pin or something) and handles ala jiffy-pop. Essentially building an old style waffle iron.
Put the thing open-faced on a cooking sheet in an oven set at about 250 degrees and get it to a uniform temp. Pull the baking sheet out when the set up is preheated and then insert the teflon-wrapped vinyl assembly and fold the top plate over and shut, putting a 30 lb top weight on it, counting down the 15 seconds and then extracting everything.

I would presume the metal would hold temp long enough to be effective and it might remove the chance of spot over-heating with a butane torch. Wouldn't really need the hinge either I suppose - a male-female guide sculpted into the sides > (-->) > would probably be just as useful.

I couldn't find anything on Aluminex except marine hull cleaners and acid etching.. Do you know an online supplier or something off hand? Maybe they'd have a material data sheet posted for temps, etc?

[AAAAA]

Thiis is the product.Durafix
YouTube - Durafix basic application instructions
YouTube - Durafix Repaired These Items

here some other embossing tips
YouTube - Heat Embossing