Generic rotocast heads?

[AAAAA]

Not only is there a tremendous amount of work involved, who has that kind of money laying around?

It not only involves making the mold, etc. First you have to start with a design sketch of the head in question: Eyes/Hair color, angular or rounded features, high or low forehead, ears, nose, jawline, racial features (i.e. African-American, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, etc.), male or female.

And with a female head, you have to make sure that it doesn't turn out all bugly in the execution. Cause let's face it, just because it looks good on paper, doesn't mean it will look as good as a three dimensional sculpt.

With female heads there is also the matter of giving them sculpted or rooted hair, facial expression, etc.

Also, you have to find out what people like when it comes to rotocast heads. What are they looking for in a generic head? Haughty, aloof, wicked, innocent, tough as nails, playful?

All of that has to be taken into consideration before you even come up with the master sculpt.

Still, paying 5,000 for it to be done overseas is probably a lot cheaper than having it done here in the States.

Since we get the majority of our clothing and other items from overseas, because they are cheaper to produce there, the same thing can be said of just about anything else.

Forgive me if I'm babbling, I kind of tend to do that.

It really is too bad that there are so few choices when it comes to rotocast heads for us to use when it comes to customizing.

She's right,In china the 5,ooo covers the Making of the masters, bUt in addition you have have purchaces the Minium order of production, which could range 5,000 to 10,000 units produced with will cost an extra 5,000 t0 20,000 or more depending what being made.
The bigger the order the more cost effective, and willingness of the factory to produce product.
Thats not including Tariffs , shipping and port fees.
You you can get the molds made in USA it will cost a little more. But the problem is Regulations of manufacture.The Regs is the Size of phone book.
Thats one of the reasons porduction in the USA is hard. fees and compliance
is so much it easire and cheaper to do it over seas.
Paul was telling me in 07 MM his partners wanted to do the manufacture in the states(In a Basement), I told your partners have no idea about production nor How big a extruder machines are, and the manufactering red tape with goverment is like.
One of my friends wanted to buy the old marx Glendale plant,
Hey Rich we can pick up for paying off the taxes!!! a Plant thats was not been kept up for 45 years.
Yeah sure and we have level the factory and rebuild to to OSHA standards
but berfore that the EPA will come in and do a enviormental inpack study that would takes years and tell us we have to remove the first 3f eet layers of top soil from the 5 acres site and have it cleaned and than put back.we will be 20 millon in a hole and haven't produced a single thing!!!

[Captain]

People are still digging buried toy parts out of the grounds surrounding that Marx Plant. In fact a buddy of mine found a 5 gallon pail full of Johnny West hands there a few years back! They company that formerly was/is Marx? still uses the Sebring Ohio plant. I know a bunch of them and could ask what they would charge to do some heads? They have been taking on some pretty small jobs for peanuts this last year to keep the plant running, and everybody (ie:the few they have left) employed.

[jasonmego1277]

Sounds very very close to what I have gotten so far. I got some slightly different numbers. There is a lot of going back and forth. It is correct that It takes a lot for the tooling, and there are certain plastic requirements. The sculpts are most expensive part. Unless you sculpt yourself or have someone who can sculpt its almost increases the cost tremendously. I am working on some exciting things, Just trying to get all my ducks in a row. I can't be certain as of yet, things are slowly progressing. Stay tuned.

[60'schild]

Glad to hear it's still progressing for you jasonmego1277 (albeit slowly).

Keep us posted!

[AAAAA]

People are still digging buried toy parts out of the grounds surrounding that Marx Plant. In fact a buddy of mine found a 5 gallon pail full of Johnny West hands there a few years back! They company that formerly was/is Marx? still uses the Sebring Ohio plant. I know a bunch of them and could ask what they would charge to do some heads? They have been taking on some pretty small jobs for peanuts this last year to keep the plant running, and everybody (ie:the few they have left) employed.

I'm not surprised , Toy collectors have been treating the Glendale Plant grounds area like archaeological dig site Plastic Figure and Playset collector Mag
did a stoty on it.
The suff they been finding Unsual color Figures, Pink and Blue tank Hulls
The Marble colored (mulitcolored) Items when they clean the injector and change molds and Color Plastic resin.
You can ask, the other plant. see in they have any of the old 7 1/2 inch molds in storage.
American Plastics was willing to Make there 1/9 scle corvette and Trans Am in any color I want packing included, BUt I have to take and order of 10,00 units ea.
Jasonmego yeah I'm just talking off the top of my head on the numbers. with dealings i had and Paul Clark. Good Luck man!!