CAUTION: FIGURE WILL BE HOT WHEN IT EXITS THE MACHINE. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

Roto-a-what?

Posted: February 3rd, 2009 | Author: Kirby |

Roto-a-Matic is a collaboration between Chicago-based product development specialists Squibbles Ink and designer toy store Rotofugi. 

Those of you in the midwest (especially around Chicago) and parts of Florida and California have probably, at one time or another, came across a magic vending machine that, when filled with the correct amount of change, creates for you a plastic toy right in front of your eyes. Those machines, usually found in musuems or zoos, are called “Mold-a-Rama”*

Kangaroo MAR

A Mold-a-Rama machine injects a molten concoction of polyethylene plastic into a mold, hits it with a blast of air to make the plastic conform to the shape of the mold and then opens up the mold to drop the figure into a bin where you can retrieve it. It’s like MAGIC and we’re huge fans of Mold-a-Rama and the resulting figures, usually referred to by collectors as MARs.

Not quite being content at tracking down MARs in colors and shapes we didn’t already have, we’ve gone and done the most exciting thing we can possibly think of for a MAR collector….we’ve gone and purchased our own machine. Sure, it’s a fixer upper, but it works (see the kangaroo?) and we’re going to fix it up. But we won’t stop there, no. We’ll be making NEW molds for that bad boy, asking some of our artist friends from the “designer toy” world to contribute. We’ve dubbed the project “Roto-a-Matic.”

Stay tuned for more information as we get this project off the ground!

* Mold-a-Rama is a registered trademark of the William A. Jones Co. Please visit their official site here.

 

14 Comments on “Roto-a-what?”

  1. 1: drew said at 1:42 pm on February 19th, 2009:

    holy crap! this sounds sooo cool! i can’t wait to see this!

  2. 2: MAD said at 8:55 pm on February 20th, 2009:

    FRIKKIN AWESOME!!! Can’t wait to hear more about this one!

  3. 3: Gavin said at 1:50 pm on March 1st, 2009:

    By the power of grayskull… wow! Looking forward to seeing this. I’m a mold-a-rama fan from wayyy back.

  4. 4: Oscar said at 12:18 pm on March 2nd, 2009:

    This is such a great idea! I can’t wait to see what sorta freaky designs you come up with.

  5. 5: Neil said at 7:36 am on March 12th, 2009:

    I cant wait to hear what happens with this, this is such a good idea, the only thing is… will I get to experience the awsomeness in the UK?

  6. 6: akum6n said at 1:57 am on March 25th, 2009:

    That is a super cool idea. I’m more familiar with the penny-smasher machines… wish I saw these when I was growing up.

  7. 7: hollie said at 7:21 pm on May 4th, 2009:

    THAT IS AMAZING! i relived my childhood by getting a dinosaur at the field museum a couple months ago. this is going to be so much better!!!

  8. 8: RonnieO said at 7:29 pm on May 22nd, 2009:

    Kirby/Whitney, do you have a rotocast Oscar Meyer 1952 Wienermobile from the Henry Ford Museum yet? I hope not. I have a few. Glad to part with one, for you. Couldn’t stop making them at the museum. They’re sooooo cool … and wienery.

  9. 9: Kirby said at 9:18 pm on May 29th, 2009:

    I don’t have one…but will definitely take you up on your offer! :)

  10. 10: linda aka outsideartist said at 12:59 pm on July 3rd, 2009:

    ok first a CNC ,and Pocono..
    and a Ro lo matic! upps?
    I am not very young buy..5 years ago I wrote some one and said,HEY HOW can I get my art made into a TOY LIKE YOU!
    I need to find that reply”
    It was somebody found in hi Fructose or the like!
    BUT they were so very kind and said,it took us years to figure it out and we are in business and so on,BUT very sweet and KIND.and I can say I still have not created a toy in the likeness of my creatures..I have 100s
    andy way..Its my TURN! ok…..
    Allrighty’then..at least say before I die..and I will be content..just gazeing about my hallow rooms”
    Thanks for making me hopefull.and at the very lest I iwll have my husband fashion me one!(BOY hes in troubble)
    cheers,
    LAC

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    ……

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