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Vintage Gorton P2-3 pantograph - photo
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Ah...
Fun times, One of the first molds I worked on with one of these machines was an blow molded Easter bunny candy container.
1978?
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Nearly same for me, '78, bottom of a tumbler, guided by an experienced moldmaker. Company name, location, item number. We polished the core while the cavity was textured by acid etching, but stacking lugs were masked, protecting their polish.
In those lugs, still kind of amazed wood dowel and green compound so effective on J-20 steel.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
Toolmaker51
Nearly same for me, '78, bottom of a tumbler, guided by an experienced moldmaker. Company name, location, item number. We polished the core while the cavity was textured by acid etching, but stacking lugs were masked, protecting their polish.
In those lugs, still kind of amazed wood dowel and green compound so effective on J-20 steel.
Nice to meet another moldmaking panto-head. There aren't that many of us around.
I did my apprenticeship in a Union shop in St Louis. An injection mold shop, where we trained 3 or 4 apprentices at a time. Each one got an extra speciality in addition to being trained as moldmakers. One guy trained as an expert in EDM work, another in cross slide rotary table operation. Mine was patternmaking and 2 and 3D pantograph work. I really enjoyed it.
I remember the first time I saw one of the products I engraved on the shelf in a Hardware store. It was one of the first smoke detectors sold and a real ego boost for a young kid with his girlfriend. (Why did I take my girlfriend into a hardware store again?) She wasn't that impressed...
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We built all types but roto-molds; from compression up to large injection, nearly all of it NSF food service equipment. All of us ran nearly everything but the horizontal boring mill and he ran nothing else, jobs so large, took weeks - months to complete. Remainder did parts or full molds, depending on lead time. Beside lathes, planer, shaper, my real favorite still; K&T Model 2D Rotary Head. Always pointed out or described molded products in general, our own no so visible to the public.
Oldest friends still ring my phrase "Made in a mold...".
For the crowd, no mill akin the 2D, I think it's the most useful manual machine ever. I'd recommend a video, too many long winded clowns with clumsy demonstrations.
This one, brief and decent appetizer; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypMl2kQTeMo
This one by gourmet chef [open link, you'll get it] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BRUgxBA6uk