Redesigned Blow-Molded site is awesome!

[donna123]

Went to the Blow-molded site and found a full redesign and updated items!  You can look up blow molds in different ways.  There are even catalogs to download and browse.  Some of the blow molds now have a front and back view.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to this wonderful update! 💟

[Scott Rob]

This is great!!!! Thanks for letting everyone know Donna! 

[Doneal]

https://www.blow-molded.com/ 

This is the one ins't it?

 

[Scott Rob]

Yes it looks like a full redesign!

[Mel Fischer]

It is a full redesign with many new features, blow molds and information I still have not learned everything new yet,

Mel

[donna123]

On 3/9/2021 at 8:34 PM, Mel Fischer said:

It is a full redesign with many new features, blow molds and information I still have not learned everything new yet,

Mel

Hi Mel,

I have a question......What is a "cast".   Under the "more" heading I see the item listed as a cast, but why is that a cast and not a prototype?  What is the difference?

Thanks, Donna

[papillionlights]

23 hours ago, donna123 said:

Hi Mel,

I have a question......What is a "cast".   Under the "more" heading I see the item listed as a cast, but why is that a cast and not a prototype?  What is the difference?

Thanks, Donna

Hi Donna,

The "Ghoul" cast on the site is likely resin, and possibly somewhat hollow, but being upwards of 50lbs it is at minimum heavy.  Depending on the manufacturer's process, a cast could be either used to create a negative mold (the inverted form) out of something such as cast aluminum, or to test a machined (think carved) negative mold that would later by used during the blow-molded process. Either way, casts were commonly a one-time part of the initial creation process of a new design. It is possible for some manufacturers to have then painted and re-used the resin casts, but that is difficult to confirm without physical access to the piece.

The site is a bit loose with its use of "prototype" since many of the pictures are better described as samples. It is something I wish to refine in the future. Given the cast serves a different purpose and is made of a different material (not blow-molded), it gets its own special page.

 

Edited March 12 by papillionlights

[Light in the Dark]

Was curious if there is a plan to add municipal blow molds to the site? For example, general plastics lanterns, double sided, bells, etc?

[papillionlights]

1 minute ago, Light in the Dark said:

Was curious if there is a plan to add municipal blow molds to the site? For example, general plastics lanterns, double sided, bells, etc?

If you have some, or know someone who does, I would absolutely be welcome to adding them to the site. https://blow-molded.com/contribute gives you a quick guide for submitting photos.

Edited March 12 by papillionlights

[Light in the Dark]

Great. I'll start getting some pics!

[donna123]

12 hours ago, papillionlights said:

Hi Donna,

The "Ghoul" cast on the site is likely resin, and possibly somewhat hollow, but being upwards of 50lbs it is at minimum heavy.  Depending on the manufacturer's process, a cast could be either used to create a negative mold (the inverted form) out of something such as cast aluminum, or to test a machined (think carved) negative mold that would later by used during the blow-molded process. Either way, casts were commonly a one-time part of the initial creation process of a new design. It is possible for some manufacturers to have then painted and re-used the resin casts, but that is difficult to confirm without physical access to the piece.

The site is a bit loose with its use of "prototype" since many of the pictures are better described as samples. It is something I wish to refine in the future. Given the cast serves a different purpose and is made of a different material (not blow-molded), it gets its own special page.

 

Hi Papillionlights,

Thank you for the explanation.  I appreciate it.

Donna

[Mel Fischer]

3 hours ago, donna123 said:

Hi Papillionlights,

Thank you for the explanation.  I appreciate it.

Donna

HI Donna,

I was sure he could explain it better then I could so I asked him if he would.

Mel

[donna123]

5 hours ago, Mel Fischer said:

HI Donna,

I was sure he could explain it better then I could so I asked him if he would.

Mel

Mel,

Thanks so much!  I appreciate it. 👍

[HowardFamilyChristmasDisplay]

Mel, the site looks amazing!!! You guys did a great job!

[Mel Fischer]

Most of the credit for how the website looks should go to my friend Nick as he has done and is still doing all the work of formatting the website and updating it as more pictures and information are submitted.

THANK YOU NICK for bringing a  lot of the enthusiasm and enjoyment of doing the research on the blow molds back for me again.  As you know I am back taking pictures again after a couple of years of not doing so and thanks to you I am once again learning more of the history of the blow molds and their manufacturers.

[Scott Rob]

I also would like to thank Nick and Mel. I like Mel have also began taking photos of the blow mold I have that are missing from site. And sending them in. To me it’s really fun to see the history. When I went to GFP the folks there were very nice and knowledgeable about their products. I wish I had gotten there information and stayed in contact with them.

side thought....
Years ago I talked to a lady there about making a small run (min. 600 units) of large choirs boys girls 48”. They went the extra mile to find them and discovered they had been damaged in flood at NC plant (old empire plant). They had a flood and all the non production large molds that were on floor were damaged from water. It think it was like 2ft water in mold storage building steal and Aluminum molds. 

[Mel Fischer]

As I recall, I think I was told that the flood you refer to was in 1995 when Empire was still in business and owned the plant.

Mel

[Scott Rob]

Maybe I don’t remember that area has flooding issues. I was thinking about it I called them around 2010. I know they had bad flood in 2009 hurricane Floyd landed near plant. She said roof and building had damaged due to hurricane. So I am not sure which flood damaged the molds. Also I did ask about 40” choir angle that BECO made and both were damaged. 

Edited March 15 by Scott Rob

[RichardG]

On 3/15/2021 at 12:02 AM, Scott Rob said:

Maybe I don’t remember that area has flooding issues. I was thinking about it I called them around 2010. I know they had bad flood in 2009 hurricane Floyd landed near plant. She said roof and building had damaged due to hurricane. So I am not sure which flood damaged the molds. Also I did ask about 40” choir angle that BECO made and both were damaged. 

Not sure if you ever visited the plant during closing. My wife and I went to the auction and toured the factory and let’s just say that place was a mess. Round the corner to Walk into another building and you’d see standing water puddles all over from where the roof leaked. It was crazy. 

[Scott Rob]

I did not go to NC plant. I wish I had gone years before when one of my college friend moved near their. He went there and brought me a Christmas tree and set of Noel candle. The plant was open to locals only on Saturday mornings in fall cash and carry. The Norfolk plant was also in really bad shape. They had lots of issues leaking roof...Some of equipment was leaking hydraulic oil. It was clear to me that management did not want to make needed repairs. But on bright side they sold the water damaged blow mold boxes a few dollars cheaper.  

[Mel Fischer]

I was told a few years before they closed that General Foam was a family owned business and that they lived in the UK and really had no interest in the business anymore and were wanting to sell it.  I don't know if that was true or not as I did not follow up on it.  Possibly that had a lot to do with the condition of the place.

[RichardG]

3 hours ago, Scott Rob said:

I did not go to NC plant. I wish I had gone years before when one of my college friend moved near their. He went there and brought me a Christmas tree and set of Noel candle. The plant was open to locals only on Saturday mornings in fall cash and carry. The Norfolk plant was also in really bad shape. They had lots of issues leaking roof...Some of equipment was leaking hydraulic oil. It was clear to me that management did not want to make needed repairs. But on bright side they sold the water damaged blow mold boxes a few dollars cheaper.  

I did hear how they had the big sales in Tarboro. One of the managers said they had to quit cause way back when someone drove up. Loaded up a trailer. Then took back to their business and was reselling. Even cheaper then then the box stores. Walmart threatened if they didn’t quit then they’d quit buying. 

2 hours ago, Mel Fischer said:

I was told a few years before they closed that General Foam was a family owned business and that they lived in the UK and really had no interest in the business anymore and were wanting to sell it.  I don't know if that was true or not as I did not follow up on it.  Possibly that had a lot to do with the condition of the place.

I was told it was a family Owned business as well. Once they became profitable again they wanted out. However did not know they lived across the pond. Interesting.