Subject:
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Re: Is ABS plastic made with oil?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Tue, 12 Feb 2002 15:01:03 GMT
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Viewed:
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775 times
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Matt Griswold wrote:
>
> > I know nothing of plastics manufacturing or of injection molding • techniques...
> > ...but...
> >
> > The Lego companies _definitely_ use some type of oily product as a "mold
> > release" agent to allow for easy removal of bricks from the actual molds.
> >
> > I recently had email conversations with another AFOL over this very thing.
> > This person was concerned that washing Lego pieces (in an automatic • clothes
> > washer) removes these oils and thus makes the piece more difficult to put
> > together and take apart. I can confirm that this does happen, but it is • not a
> > concern of mine at all. I will continue to wash Lego as I prefer to build
> > with
> > and to sell clean Lego pieces.
> >
> > I am sure everyone has noticed how oily new Lego tyres are. And even • bricks
> > are a bit oily, too. This is the mold release agent that Lego uses. It
> > likely
> > prevents damage to the finished bricks and reduces wear and tear of the • molds.
> > And probably speeds production, too.
> >
> > But again, I know nothing of these things other than as a user of Lego
> bricks.
>
> Personally, I have never seen mold release on any bricks..I have seen
> something on tires that could be mold release..
> If TLC uses mold release in any large quantity I'd be very surprised....Mold
> release just stops the parts from sticking in the mold, that's it.. ..All
> the pieces I have looked at closely are polished very well(the mold they
> came out of is)...And have measured some with calipers and they do have
> draft on them...So, again, it's highly unlikely they use much mold release..
>
> Now, depending on how they lubricate their pins and bushings, grease could
> get on the parts from them falling and hitting ejector pins or leader
> pins..Or hydraulic oil from the molding machine..
>
> BTW I am a mold designer and was a molder, but never worked at TLC so it's
> hard to say what is common practice in their shop..But I can answer common
> practice/general mold questions...
Whether it is mold release or splattered lubrication, there is
definitely something coating new bricks. After finishing a bout of
sorting new sets, my hands always feel somewhat irritated. They never
feel this way after handling used bricks which have been washed.
Frank
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Is ABS plastic made with oil?
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| (...) Interesting....I'll have to pay closer attention to that when I buy another set...I know there was definitely something on all the tires I got from the Shell sets a few months ago.... Are you hands irritated like greasy? or like dried out?? If (...) (22 years ago, 12-Feb-02, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Is ABS plastic made with oil?
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| (...) techniques... (...) clothes (...) not a (...) bricks (...) molds. (...) bricks. Personally, I have never seen mold release on any bricks..I have seen something on tires that could be mold release.. If TLC uses mold release in any large (...) (22 years ago, 12-Feb-02, to lugnet.general)
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