funkrobotik Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Can anyone out there in the wonderful world of Robots throw any light on the mystery of why 95% of Mars Kings have this touching up of the shoulder paint. Mine has it,most on ebay seem to have it and low and behold, the latest one on ebay with the battery box damage has it and this is the real mystery, its not even a good paint match. :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Only a guess-I do not own this robot-is there a tab connecting the shoulder piece together? I know just about every Hook robot I have seen has a shoulder rub at the spot the tab is bent down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Palmer Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 i have been told that the original lithography became stretched or smeared during die stamping -- and that this was the final touch-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikola Tesla Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 I have heard modern tin-litho retailers mention "factory paint touch-ups" in their sales pitches---can't be too unusual. But there must be a lonely worker on the assembly line somewhere, does the same thing all day long, pick up a robot and dab some paint on its shoulder, pick up another robot, another dab of paint, and so on, and so on. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robothunter Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 When I think about it, all four of the Mars Kings I owned over the years all had this same touch-up. But for that matter, EVERY Gang of Five Target Robot I've ever seen also has the same wear spots on the top of the shoulder with touch-up applied. I think there's a lot of merit to the theory about the litho getting badly stretched during the pressing of the tin. I think Keith hit it on the head here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkrobotik Posted March 24, 2003 Author Share Posted March 24, 2003 Thanks for replies gentlemen, we'll go with the stretch marks then. Perhaps we should rename it Mars Queen.Just one general question, are there any other Brits on this forum?? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 It would seem that there are 3 major laws of touch up painting on robots:1. The paint color can be close, but must not match the original color.2. if the robot finish is glossy, the touch up must be dull. if the robot finish is dull, the touch up must be glossy.3. the touch up must resemble the work of a myopic third grader using a Q-Tip. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Palmer Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 nikola, talk about the lonely factory worker doing the same job all day long... when i was a kid in the 60's, my dad took me to the chandler gyroscope factory in indianapolis, indiana to see toy gyroscopes being made. my pop was in the tape and twine and string and rope business, and he had the chandler account for string. in other words, every time a factory worker cut off a 16" length of string to go with the gyroscope into the clear plastic box, my dad made money. this is my one (and only) true legacy in the field of toy manufacturing. anyway, there was this one guy i remember who didn't have any legs. he sat up on a stool, and his job was to take the axles of the gyroscope and dip both spindle ends into a very thin pool of STP before the gyroscope was placed into the spherical cage. the whole manufacturing and assembly line was in a compact area of a relatively small building, yet there were several people involved in the entire show. they all seemed to be having a good time, so i definitely would not call any of them lonely. i remember my dad telling me about when they were testing his nylon cord to replace his cotton string. nylon frayed less and lasted longer. technical stuff.the same chandler gyroscope is still made the same way and i assume on the same equipment. the company that owns it today is tedco, and the operation is now located in hagerstown, indiana. my dad is gone, and i can't tell you who sells them their string these days. i talked to a young guy with tedco at the nyc toy fair a couple years ago and told him my string story. he was not too impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robot polishing his rocket Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 [Just one general question, are there any other Brits on this forum??]YES! ME!...although i live in singapore now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikola Tesla Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 Keith, it's interesting that you should mention gyroscopes---always one of my favorite toys, one of the great mystery devices of all time. I used to buy gyroscope toys all the time as a kid in the 1960s, then started buying scientific gyroscope sets in the 1970s---trying to build a perpetual motion anti-gravity machine or something, I don't remember.One of my more recent favorite robot toys is a remote-control "UFO Robot" (can't think of its true name, and it's buried in the toy vault), which is a high powered electro-gyroscope with arms and legs and a NiCad power pack. When powered up, the thing spins like a Tazmanian devil, comes to an instant halt on its own two feet, and "glides" back and forth like a ghost across any slick floor. Really great action, for all you gyro lovers out there---I'm sure that John Rigg must have one of these toys. Loads of fun to watch. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robothut Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 Yes Nikola, I have several gyro type robots. on page 31 bottom shelf you can see part of your UFO NIKKO robot and the other version of it called MBO as I recall, there boxs can be seen below the bots. Then on page 30 you can see "walking robo" it is also radio controled with a gyro to keep it upright as it walks on 2 legs, then the Power marchers monster robot, same robot different body. I met a guy that said that they sold these robots as kits with see threw bodys in Japan back in the 1980's when they came but I have never seen it in person. Then there is the Robot Warriors from the 1970s I think, you can see them on the top shelf of page 36 of the Robot Hut colection they 3 and 4 from the right. The robot its self spins around with ball like hand/arms that stick out, the robots are the gyros and stand on there poined bottoms slaming into each other was the idea but as they are made of hard brittle plastic I would think that you could let them hit at full speed just once. There are also several versions of a pull cord type robot with a gyro in it, on page 26 the second shelf in front of the robot clock and TOBOR robots you can 3 differet colors of this little gyro robot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkrobotik Posted March 26, 2003 Author Share Posted March 26, 2003 [Just one general question, are there any other Brits on this forum??]YES! ME!...although i live in singapore now. That makes three of us then including Brian, there must be more. Come on men, stand up and be counted. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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