The Man With No Name Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Hello, don't know if this is in an older post, but I was wondering if anyone one knows what kind of chemicals you need to make these guys and the exact amounts and what kind of setup people have and stuff like that? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Harris Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 This sounds like it might help, but it doesn't: Minimate Labs. But it's amazing. (Hail Ivan!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellpop Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 What "chemicals" are you talking about? Do you mean for making customs? Because paint is the only chemical that I use. Well, and occasionally Super Glue. As far as setups go, I basically just work at my dining room table, but I'm hoping to put in a little workstation into our new house. My wife thinks the idea's cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man With No Name Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 What "chemicals" are you talking about? Do you mean for making customs? Because paint is the only chemical that I use. Well, and occasionally Super Glue. As far as setups go, I basically just work at my dining room table, but I'm hoping to put in a little workstation into our new house. My wife thinks the idea's cute. everything needed to really mold and cast and make these guys. I saw a post on here where some guy was making clear purple and pink minimates that looked way sick. Do you need everything to be under vacuum too, stuff like that? Thanks everyone for reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youbastards Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Most customizers here are painting or using decals to create custom Minimates. If you are interested in making your own molds, you may be better off sending a PM to the specific members you see doing that type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyCarter Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 everything needed to really mold and cast and make these guys. I saw a post on here where some guy was making clear purple and pink minimates that looked way sick. Do you need everything to be under vacuum too, stuff like that? Thanks everyone for reading Wasn't he just dying blanks? Anyways, if you have to ask this question, you're probably best off not pursing the idea.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man With No Name Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) everything needed to really mold and cast and make these guys. I saw a post on here where some guy was making clear purple and pink minimates that looked way sick. Do you need everything to be under vacuum too, stuff like that? Thanks everyone for reading Wasn't he just dyeing blanks? Anyways, if you have to ask this question, you're probably best off not pursing the idea.... Maybe he was dying blanks I didn't know, that's why I was asking? And I totally disagree, if you don't ask questions, then how would you know anything? People said I shouldn't go to college, then they said it would be too difficult to pursue nuclear chemistry, Japanese and making neon sign's all at the same time with no previous experience in any of those subjects. I had no background in those areas and now I teach/work with nuclear chemistry in Japan for half the year and I still make neon sign's on the side for fun too. Tisk Tisk too coming from the Staff, I would expect more from you people. So can anyone help point me in the right direction? Come on folks your out there I know it. Do the people who make the minimates toy line read this forum?? Edited August 25, 2011 by The Man With No Name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke314pi Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Minimates are made in a factory in China. No one here has molded and cast a minimate. Some people have molded and cast official accessories and their own sculpted pieces with varying degrees of success using store-bought resin. Diamond occasionally reads this forum, but they probably won't help anyone bootleg their proprietary designs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MINI_MYTE Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I don't know that DST would go into the specifics of how they make minimates. Wouldn't that be like Col. Sanders giving everybody the secret recipe to his fried chicken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youbastards Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Step 1: Make 14 unique molds for the basic Minimate figure - Head - Torso - Crotch - Upper Left Arm - Lower Left Arm - Upper Right Arm - Lower Right Arm - Hand (1 mold for both left and right) - Upper Right Leg - Lower Right Leg - Upper Left Leg - Lower Left Leg - Knee Pin (1 mold for both left and right) - Foot (1 mold for both left and right) Step 2: Pour the correct plastic material into molds to form the parts. Step 3: Assemble parts together to make a bootleg Minimate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I have to admit that I've always been amazed by how little we know about how Minimates are made & why nobody asked? Scared? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlushyFrog Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 i've always assumed minimate storks dropped them off at stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Wait I know this one... When a Mommy-Minimate and a Daddy-Minimate love each other very much she shall open to the man as the furrow to the plow, and he shall work in her, in and again, till she bring him to his fall, and rest him then upon the sweat of her breast. "Makin' Minimates" is now a favored euphemism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storm 1:08 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Wait I know this one... When a Mommy-Minimate and a Daddy-Minimate love each other very much she shall open to the man as the furrow to the plow, and he shall work in her, in and again, till she bring him to his fall, and rest him then upon the sweat of her breast. "Makin' Minimates" is now a favored euphemism. Didn't you take some pics of some Minimates "Makin' Minimates?" All in the name of education, of course.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 It's taken an hour or so to get over Ivan's post (....even that sounds bad ) AND .....dyeing blanks is way way way way different to dying blanks ....need I explain ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkerbean Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I thought minimate were like smurfs & came from a magical land far far away (I don't mean China!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Minimate assembly...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man With No Name Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 (edited) Step 1: Make 14 unique molds for the basic Minimate figure - Head - Torso - Crotch - Upper Left Arm - Lower Left Arm - Upper Right Arm - Lower Right Arm - Hand (1 mold for both left and right) - Upper Right Leg - Lower Right Leg - Upper Left Leg - Lower Left Leg - Knee Pin (1 mold for both left and right) - Foot (1 mold for both left and right) Step 2: Pour the correct plastic material into molds to form the parts. Step 3: Assemble parts together to make a bootleg Minimate Okay cool, now we're getting somewhere. I assumed step 1, but what sort of correct plastic materials are we talking about here for step two? They don't need to be the exact same as the real ones but close enough works for me. And then also I don't know anything about molds, what do you use? And then you just pour and go? Seems too easy, what's the catch? Edited August 25, 2011 by The Man With No Name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jatta Pake Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 everything needed to really mold and cast and make these guys. I saw a post on here where some guy was making clear purple and pink minimates that looked way sick. Do you need everything to be under vacuum too, stuff like that? Thanks everyone for reading Wasn't he just dyeing blanks? Anyways, if you have to ask this question, you're probably best off not pursing the idea.... Maybe he was dying blanks I didn't know, that's why I was asking? And I totally disagree, if you don't ask questions, then how would you know anything? People said I shouldn't go to college, then they said it would be too difficult to pursue nuclear chemistry, Japanese and making neon sign's all at the same time with no previous experience in any of those subjects. I had no background in those areas and now I teach/work with nuclear chemistry in Japan for half the year and I still make neon sign's on the side for fun too. Tisk Tisk too coming from the Staff, I would expect more from you people. So can anyone help point me in the right direction? Come on folks your out there I know it. Do the people who make the minimates toy line read this forum?? What Ady is politely telling you is that it sounds like you are asking how to make a counterfeit copy of someone else's intellectual property meaning DST property. The customs you see are retail versions purchased from the company and modified using dye, waterslide decals, paint, sculpting mold or literally hundreds of other methods. I speculate that Minimate parts are made using some type of injection mold process common in Chinese toy factories. A steel mold for a single part would run you tens of thousands of dollars to make properly. There are ways to make plastic injection molds for much cheaper but the quality and durability would be poor. Such a small object as Minimates require precision molding using the perfect blend of plastics so the pieces fit together and can be removed without breakage. These are DST trade secrets and something a business would closely guard. Another bootleg option is 3D printing. Search out Ivan's work. In sum, it is so cost prohibitive that it would cost you the equivalent of a thousand Minimate 2-packs to make a single figure in a non-plastic material like metal or epoxy resin. Ivan was able to make one because 1) he's a genius and 2) he's got bat sh!t crazy patience and ideas. Your next option is to become a big Minimate retailer and purchase an exclusive run from DST. Good luck with that. As you can see, the best method is purchasing retail figures and customizing them. The cheapest method is joining a forum like this one and begging DST to make the property/character/blank you want. For all the carping on this forum, DST listens to its fans better than most toy companies. I leave tomorrow to try my newest idea: the fake Chinese worker with deep hidden pockets in the Minimates factory idea. Wish me luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Actually it's a long and complicated process. I'm sure it started out with basic design sketches based on the dominant block figure of the time, Kubricks. After a lot of back-and-forth and experimentation the Art Asylum folks settled on a design that was similar to the Kubrick design yet distinctive enough aesthetically and legally. Based on those designs, sculpted clay versions were made. I'm sure those went through many iterations to figure out articulation, tolerances, etc. This first design is nowhere near what you see today. It was much more Kubrick-like and didn't have elbow or knee joints. Of course it was closer to the larger three-inch version than the current two-inchers. Once the design was final and all the bugs worked out it's handed over to a machinist. He (most of the machinists I know are male, I'm not saying women can't be machinists, just that they are underrepresented in the field, and that if you are going to choose a pronoun to represent them, the masculine pronoun is more likely to apply to any randomly selected individual) is responsible for creating the steel mold, or tool, for each piece of the Minimate listed by youbastards above. Of course like all molds the tool is a negative version of the finished item. The machinist has to remove the steel where ever there should be plastic. It is a valuable trade that doesn't seem to get the respect it should, IMO. The machinist doesn't just create one tool per part. Multiple torso tools (for example) are assembled in a rig. This rig does have a technical term that I can't recall and Google isn't helping. Each piece in the rig is connected via channels. When the plastic is injected, these filled channels become the sprue that the Minimate parts hang off of. It's also possible that the tools are assembled so that all the pieces for a single Minimate are on a single sprue. Usually they are combined in whatever way produces lowest cost. If pieces are molded in different types or colors of plastic, their corresponding tools are going to have to be on different jigs. The actual injection process begins with solid plastic granules being poured into the injection machine. Transporting and storing liquid plastic is a recipe for disaster. At this point lubricant is applied to the interior of the tool to aid in product removal. Inside the machine, the plastic is melted and forced into the cooled and lubricated tool. The tool is kept cold in order to harden the plastic upon contact. I'm not sure what types of plastics are used in Minimates but I do know it has changed over the years. At this point in the process, depending on the plastic, the mold needs to be shaken, pressurized, rotated, or caressed gently. After cooling, the plastic is ready to be removed. Everything is unscrewed and the sprues with the Minimate parts are popped out. Then the tool/jig assembly is all put back together ready for another injection. The sprues of Minimate parts are taken to the examination area where teams of detail oriented engineers examine them. They are looking for any irregularities or mold failures that could cause problems down the line. Last I heard their rejection rate at this point in the process is down to 2%. Bad sprues are stored for archival purposes. After examination, the sprues are taken to the purification chamber. Here they are subjected to series of chemical baths in order to make them safe to handle. First it gets a spray of Bromous acid (HBrO2) in a 0.3 micromolar solution. Next is the Thiosulfuric acid (H2S2O3) for color. And finally the chamber is filled with Hydrogen Selenide (H2Se) in order to cure. Seventeen hours later the room is ventilated and the sprues are taken to the Paint and Tampo department. I don't know much about the Tampographic (tampo) process. From what I understand it's a type of pad printing, but I haven't had any first-hand experience with it. I did try taking a class in it though. But once they opened the vial of cobra venom I decided it wasn't worth the risk and dropped the course. For your purposes it probably isn't necessary anyway. After painting, the Minimate pieces are sent to the Assembly Building via underground pneumatic tubing. There's actually an electronic eye in the tube that can identify the particular part and send it to the correct output bin. Sounds cool right? That's not the half of it. The Assembly Building is like nothing you've seen. Completely automated. Robots everywhere. They've got robots that remove pieces from sprues. They've got robots that attach Minimate arms to Minimate torsos. They've got robots that grind up the sprues and pour it into other robots for use as fuel. They've got robots that sweep up the plastic dust that the grinding robots leave behind. They've got robots that make sure the Minimate head is pointing the right direction before putting a Minimate helmet on it. The assembly robots finish their work by gently placing the finished Minimate in its proper spot in the thin plastic tray. These trays are placed on a conveyor belt which leads to the Consecration Room. Very little is known about what goes on in here and rumors abound. Everything from application of addictive substances to Masonic rituals to Chuck personally blessing each figure with Glinda's wand... But one thing is certain a Minimate is not truly a Minimate unless it comes out of this room. Then everything is boxed up, put in a shipping container, placed on a boat, sailed across the ocean to Diamond Distributors, then sent to your LCS or TRU. I think that about covers it. Wikipedia terms for further research: machining, tool and die, injection molding, pad printing, Lysergic acid diethylamide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cylonchaney Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 You might be thinking of this thread: http://www.minimatemultiverse.com/index.php?showtopic=7580&st=40&p=153649 He was casting whole minimates and molding them in different plastics. They had no articulation though and were more like minimate statues. PM the author. He might have some advice for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man With No Name Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Actually it's a long and complicated process. I'm sure it started out with basic design sketches based on the dominant block figure of the time, Kubricks. After a lot of back-and-forth and experimentation the Art Asylum folks settled on a design that was similar to the Kubrick design yet distinctive enough aesthetically and legally. Based on those designs, sculpted clay versions were made. I'm sure those went through many iterations to figure out articulation, tolerances, etc. This first design is nowhere near what you see today. It was much more Kubrick-like and didn't have elbow or knee joints. Of course it was closer to the larger three-inch version than the current two-inchers. Once the design was final and all the bugs worked out it's handed over to a machinist. He (most of the machinists I know are male, I'm not saying women can't be machinists, just that they are underrepresented in the field, and that if you are going to choose a pronoun to represent them, the masculine pronoun is more likely to apply to any randomly selected individual) is responsible for creating the steel mold, or tool, for each piece of the Minimate listed by youbastards above. Of course like all molds the tool is a negative version of the finished item. The machinist has to remove the steel where ever there should be plastic. It is a valuable trade that doesn't seem to get the respect it should, IMO. The machinist doesn't just create one tool per part. Multiple torso tools (for example) are assembled in a rig. This rig does have a technical term that I can't recall and Google isn't helping. Each piece in the rig is connected via channels. When the plastic is injected, these filled channels become the sprue that the Minimate parts hang off of. It's also possible that the tools are assembled so that all the pieces for a single Minimate are on a single sprue. Usually they are combined in whatever way produces lowest cost. If pieces are molded in different types or colors of plastic, their corresponding tools are going to have to be on different jigs. The actual injection process begins with solid plastic granules being poured into the injection machine. Transporting and storing liquid plastic is a recipe for disaster. At this point lubricant is applied to the interior of the tool to aid in product removal. Inside the machine, the plastic is melted and forced into the cooled and lubricated tool. The tool is kept cold in order to harden the plastic upon contact. I'm not sure what types of plastics are used in Minimates but I do know it has changed over the years. At this point in the process, depending on the plastic, the mold needs to be shaken, pressurized, rotated, or caressed gently. After cooling, the plastic is ready to be removed. Everything is unscrewed and the sprues with the Minimate parts are popped out. Then the tool/jig assembly is all put back together ready for another injection. The sprues of Minimate parts are taken to the examination area where teams of detail oriented engineers examine them. They are looking for any irregularities or mold failures that could cause problems down the line. Last I heard their rejection rate at this point in the process is down to 2%. Bad sprues are stored for archival purposes. After examination, the sprues are taken to the purification chamber. Here they are subjected to series of chemical baths in order to make them safe to handle. First it gets a spray of Bromous acid (HBrO2) in a 0.3 micromolar solution. Next is the Thiosulfuric acid (H2S2O3) for color. And finally the chamber is filled with Hydrogen Selenide (H2Se) in order to cure. Seventeen hours later the room is ventilated and the sprues are taken to the Paint and Tampo department. I don't know much about the Tampographic (tampo) process. From what I understand it's a type of pad printing, but I haven't had any first-hand experience with it. I did try taking a class in it though. But once they opened the vial of cobra venom I decided it wasn't worth the risk and dropped the course. For your purposes it probably isn't necessary anyway. After painting, the Minimate pieces are sent to the Assembly Building via underground pneumatic tubing. There's actually an electronic eye in the tube that can identify the particular part and send it to the correct output bin. Sounds cool right? That's not the half of it. The Assembly Building is like nothing you've seen. Completely automated. Robots everywhere. They've got robots that remove pieces from sprues. They've got robots that attach Minimate arms to Minimate torsos. They've got robots that grind up the sprues and pour it into other robots for use as fuel. They've got robots that sweep up the plastic dust that the grinding robots leave behind. They've got robots that make sure the Minimate head is pointing the right direction before putting a Minimate helmet on it. The assembly robots finish their work by gently placing the finished Minimate in its proper spot in the thin plastic tray. These trays are placed on a conveyor belt which leads to the Consecration Room. Very little is known about what goes on in here and rumors abound. Everything from application of addictive substances to Masonic rituals to Chuck personally blessing each figure with Glinda's wand... But one thing is certain a Minimate is not truly a Minimate unless it comes out of this room. Then everything is boxed up, put in a shipping container, placed on a boat, sailed across the ocean to Diamond Distributors, then sent to your LCS or TRU. I think that about covers it. Wikipedia terms for further research: machining, tool and die, injection molding, pad printing, Lysergic acid diethylamide Cool thank you that was very informative, I think I might need some ergotamine tartrate for this reaction . I think you should wiki Dimethyltrypamine, my person favorite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyCarter Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Maybe he was dying blanks I didn't know, that's why I was asking? And I totally disagree, if you don't ask questions, then how would you know anything? People said I shouldn't go to college, then they said it would be too difficult to pursue nuclear chemistry, Japanese and making neon sign's all at the same time with no previous experience in any of those subjects. I had no background in those areas and now I teach/work with nuclear chemistry in Japan for half the year and I still make neon sign's on the side for fun too. Tisk Tisk too coming from the Staff, I would expect more from you people. Theres asking questions and theres asking questions though, I don't give a shit if you are some kind of international man of nuclear chemistry, its the internet, I can say I'm Ming the Merciless if I want to, it doesnt make what I say any more or less credible. As for the tisking, (as Jatta Pake explained) this is a fan site, surely teaching people how to counterfeit the product we're a fan site of would be a little dumb we try to keep a decent relationship with DST so that they come here and interact with us along with donating prizes for contests if we actively and publicly encourage you to conterfeit stuff then it reflects badly on us, if you want to go to the insane effort of paying 50 times what it costs to buy a minimate because you want to make them yourselves thats cool, what you do with your billions isn't anyone elses concern but as Ivan has explained its hardly a simple process, you may have more luck if you want to try this as a bit of a hobby by looking into the details of "Potato Plastic" or perhaps taking a look at http://www.shapeways.com/ and submitting your 3D renders to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jatta Pake Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I think "Man With No Name" has a new name: International Man of Nuclear Chemistry. I think he should embrace it. Ivan cracks me up. His posts are treasures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 To be fair to 'The Man With No Mane' (ol'shaven* ) I know that his work in nuclear chemistry & neon signs have both had glowing reports. *.... the notorious 'adult' Danish actor of the same mane name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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