O-ring molds destroyed

[alvarobm]

Was said on GIJCC roundtable that some o-ring molds has been destroyed...any info about WHICH molds?

[Yoho Joe]

No, and specifically said that they would not reveal which molds are gone, so as not to, paraphrasing, "raise hopes and then have people complain when they can't come through".

Basically what it came down to was Hasbro said they were not going to pay to store the molds any longer. The storage costs in conjunction to the deterioration of the molds (they are showing rust and pitting after 25 years) made no fiscal sense. It would be cheaper to make new molds than to store and fix existing molds.

That said, Hasbro gave the club a list and basically said, what do you want us to keep. No ideas how many molds the club was able to salvage (they did say they initially said "all of them" ), but they were very plain in saying they would produce O-Ring figures "as long as they could".

Basically, the molds are deteriorating rapidly, and are even more limited now. Club has some reserved, but looks like Hasbro is moving on. My read is we got a few years of O-Ring era stuff and then that's it. I'd guess on vehicles, is that if we haven't seen it released in the last decade, it's probably not gonna happen without new tooling.

[alvarobm]

Thanks, man!

It´s really sad that they are destroying those molds, while so many people (me included) still love o-ring figures.

They could, at least, send the molds to foreign toys manufacturers, like Funkskool, Estrela or Plastirama (charging low royalties) to allow these manufactures to make the toys and sell online and at local market.

[pbarny]

They could, at least, send the molds to foreign toys manufacturers, like Funkskool, Estrela or Plastirama (charging low royalties) to allow these manufactures to make the toys and sell online and at local market.

They can't. The point is they're falling apart just sitting in the warehouses/storage they do have. It also costs money to properly dispose of metals. Best to do it now when they can still get some value melting them for scrap than to have them pay for toxic disposal fees and pass those costs along to us.

[Dune Echo]

No, and specifically said that they would not reveal which molds are gone, so as not to, paraphrasing, "raise hopes and then have people complain when they can't come through".

Basically what it came down to was Hasbro said they were not going to pay to store the molds any longer. The storage costs in conjunction to the deterioration of the molds (they are showing rust and pitting after 25 years) made no fiscal sense. It would be cheaper to make new molds than to store and fix existing molds.

That said, Hasbro gave the club a list and basically said, what do you want us to keep. No ideas how many molds the club was able to salvage (they did say they initially said "all of them" ), but they were very plain in saying they would produce O-Ring figures "as long as they could".

Basically, the molds are deteriorating rapidly, and are even more limited now. Club has some reserved, but looks like Hasbro is moving on. My read is we got a few years of O-Ring era stuff and then that's it. I'd guess on vehicles, is that if we haven't seen it released in the last decade, it's probably not gonna happen without new tooling.

Crap, I guess I'm back on the ledge again.

Did they say if the con sets were going to be o-ring next year or not?

[alvarobm]

They could, at least, send the molds to foreign toys manufacturers, like Funkskool, Estrela or Plastirama (charging low royalties) to allow these manufactures to make the toys and sell online and at local market.

They can't. The point is they're falling apart just sitting in the warehouses/storage they do have. It also costs money to properly dispose of metals. Best to do it now when they can still get some value melting them for scrap than to have them pay for toxic disposal fees and pass those costs along to us.

If this is the only reason to destroy these molds, then we have a clue about molds that won´t be destroyed soon: those used on VvV Comic Packs and 6 Packs. And maybe those used on collectors series, too.

Despite the risk of "increase hopes", someone from the Club could give us a list of which pieces Hasbro saved for future exclusives.

[Dune Echo]

Despite the risk of "increase hopes", someone from the Club could give us a list of which pieces Hasbro saved for future exclusives.

You do realize we're dealing with the Collector's Club, right?

[alvarobm]

Despite the risk of "increase hopes", someone from the Club could give us a list of which pieces Hasbro saved for future exclusives.

You do realize we're dealing with the Collector's Club, right?

Yes, but you sound like they are...hmmm..."evil"

[Dune Echo]

Despite the risk of "increase hopes", someone from the Club could give us a list of which pieces Hasbro saved for future exclusives.

You do realize we're dealing with the Collector's Club, right?

Yes, but you sound like they are...hmmm..."evil"

Never said that. But they're are unequivocally uncommunicative.

[kingofpain26]

Yes, but you sound like they are...hmmm..."evil"

Never said that. But they're are unequivocally uncommunicative. [/quote]


not true.. they are pubically uncommunicative...

but having a personal conversation with them yields different results.

I have learned that the Cobra Eel V. 1 mold was one of the ones unrecoverable, and destroyed (announced at the roundtable)

however, Im still trying to find out if just the RAH molds were destroyed, or the newer New Sculpt figures survived. or ALL the O-rings will go the way of the dodo.

[alvarobm]

Yes, but you sound like they are...hmmm..."evil"

Never said that. But they're are unequivocally uncommunicative.

not true.. they are pubically uncommunicative...

but having a personal conversation with them yields different results.

I have learned that the Cobra Eel V. 1 mold was one of the ones unrecoverable, and destroyed (announced at the roundtable)

however, Im still trying to find out if just the RAH molds were destroyed, or the newer New Sculpt figures survived. or ALL the O-rings will go the way of the dodo.[/quote]

It will be a great service to Joe community if you find out which molds were destroyed...good luck on this quest!

Now i´m concerned...you think there´s a chance that "New Sculpt Era" molds were destroyed too?

[SkippytyA]

So is it natural for the o-ring molds to rust and pit? Makes me wander what condition they've been stored in.
I think we as collectors, on the day that all vintage o-ring molds are discarded by either the club and/or hasbro, we should hold an official memorial. I'm serious about that.

[General Scarlett]

.....
I think we as collectors, on the day that all vintage o-ring molds are discarded by either the club and/or hasbro, we should hold an official memorial. I'm serious about that.

I'm in denial for that day of sorrow.......

[pbarny]

So is it natural for the o-ring molds to rust and pit? Makes me wander what condition they've been stored in.
I think we as collectors, on the day that all vintage o-ring molds are discarded by either the club and/or hasbro, we should hold an official memorial. I'm serious about that.

Depending on the metals use, hard to say on the rusting. The pitting makes sens because of the repeated use, having to clean with solvents, the amount of misfires that had to be scraped out, eventually the surfaces will wear down.

Hasbro should've abandoned o-rings and had a profitable joe line in about 2002 or 2003, instead of waiting 5 years. They had the technology, but caved.

[sinchicken]

Save the surviving molds!

http://savethesurvivors.wetpaint.com/