| Term | Definition | Picture |
| Tips | Tips are small, usually one sentence, ideas pertaining to the subject of the page. Examples may be... 1. Use water based paints (acryllics) to paint hair., 2. Always top-coat your paint., etc. | |
| Techniques | Unlike Tips, Techniques are more comprehensive. It may be a tutorial on how to paint a figure, or how to cut your own glass for glass display shelves, etc. | |
| Clevis Pin | A small metal peg used in the figures shoulder or hip. This peg has a rounded head (rivet head) on one end (exterior) and flattened on the other end. This flattened area has a hole drilled in the center to accept one end of the internal shoulder or hip joint spring. Clevis pins were used in figure shoulders after 1969 and in figure hips after 196?? | |
| Rivet | A small metal peg used in the figures elbows and knees (If articulated). This peg has a rounded head on one end and when inserted into the joint, the other hollow end would be flared against the inside of the joint to hold the two parts together. | |
| Spring Perch | A small metal peg used in the figures right hips. This peg has a rounded head on one end and when inserted through the hip, the other hollow end would be flared against a washer that holds the hip joint spring permanently on this hip. The other end of the joint spring is attached to the Clevis Pin or loop of the other leg. | |
| Plastic Loop | The area inside the figures shoulder or hip that is a molded part of the shoulder/hip used to attach the joint spring. These plastic loops can be fragile and are often broken in the vintage figures. These were used until 1967 when reinforced loops were introduced | |
| Reinforced Loop | The area inside the figures shoulder or hip that is a molded part of the shoulder/hip used to attach the joint spring. These plastic loops were reinforced by inserting a small metal grommet into the hole. This prevented the joint spring from cutting into the plastic. These were used in shoulders from 1967 -1970 when clevis pins were introduced. | |
| Joint Spring | The spring used internal to the shoulder or hip area to hold either the arms or legs onto the figure torso. They came in various sizes for the different figures (male, female, or child) and in three different versions. | |
| Two-Part Shoulder Joint Spring | The first shoulder joint spring used. One end was hooked to go into the joint loop or clevis and then wound into the spring. The other end was a separate hooked wire secured inside the wound spring coils. It was used until 1967 or 1968 | |
| Normal Shoulder Joint Spring | The second shoulder joint spring used consisted of a spring with both ends being hooked. No separate piece was used. This is the most common shoulder spring used. | |
| Heavy Shoulder Joint Spring | The final shoulder joint spring used. Identical in construction to the Normal shoulder joint spring, however this one was made with a stronger, heavier gauge wire. This spring is so strong and tight that it often causes damage to the figure’s shoulder area on the torso (splits) This was used starting in 1974. | |
| Mold Mark - Date Stamp | The impression left in the figures torso (back) or foot (bottom) caused by the head of the Ejector pin used at that time. The mark usually contained the Marx name, Made in America and the roman numeral year date. | |
| Ejector Pin | The separate pin that was inserted into the mold to assist the mold device in ‘pushing out’ or ejecting the molded plastic. The head of this pin usually had a distinctive Mold Mark that was therefore imprinted on the torso or foot of the figure. Other blank (no mold mark) ejector pins may have been used in the mold creating those round blank circles found on the figure parts. | |
| Hip Spring | The internal spring used to hold the legs to the torso. Approximate circumference of a dime with 3 to 5 coils, this spring was either permanently attached to the Spring Perch or had two hooked ends to attach to the hip clevis pins or loops. This spring was made in three different lengths: Male, female or child. | |
| PVE | Poly Vinyl Ethelyne, The thermal plastic used for the production of the figures and Hard Accessories. This plastic is melted by the mold machine and colored pellets are added to obtain the appropriate color. This colored, melted plastic is then injected under great pressure into the figure mold. The plastic would cool and solidify and the part would be ejected from the mold. This cooling process took just seconds. | |
| PVC | Poly Vinyl Chloride - The thermal plastic used for the production of the soft accessories, heads and hands. This plastic is melted by the mold machine and colored pellets are added to obtain the appropriate color. This colored, melted plastic is then injected under great pressure into the mold. The plastic would cool and solidify and the part would be ejected from the mold. This cooling process took just seconds. | |
| Original Years | The time period from 1964/5 to 1967. Period boxes were not themed, often varied greatly in design, font, and color from figure to figure. | |
| FAF Years | Fort Apache Fighters. The time period from 1967-1973 when the Fort Apache Fighters themed boxes were used. From 1967-69 these boxes were made of heavier cardboard and produced in such a way to create a very sturdy box. After that, the FAF boxes were made from a thinner, less sturdy, cardboard. | |
| MOD Years | Modern. The time period from 1973-1974 when many figures were issued in ‘70’s Mod themed boxes. The company was owned by the Quaker Oats company during this period. | |
| BOTW Years | Best of the West. The time period from 1974-1975 when the BOTW themed boxes were used. | |
| JWA Years | Johnny West Adventure. The time period from 1975-1976 when all figures were issued in JWA themed, white, end-opening boxes. The figures & accessories often underwent a color change for this period and Johnny and Sam were produced in Quick Draw versions. | |
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.