Hydra Studios  | 25 Oct 2015 10:11 a.m. PST |
Hi Everyone: I was looking at my collection of fantasy figures that are 30+ years old. All are lead or white metal and look exactly the same as when I painted them in my teens. I imagine they could easily last another 30 years with no physical change. However, I was looking at my classic toy collection and found that some softer plastics/vinyl parts have not fared so well over time. Since many of the newer products are being made from resin, do you fear that many these newer resin figures may degrade over time? Does anyone have an resin pieces that are older than 30 years? If so, how have they fared over time? Sincerely,
Matt Beauchamp
Hydra Miniatures
hydraminiatures.com |
| thorr666 | 25 Oct 2015 10:23 a.m. PST |
1. Plastic made in the 60's isn't the same as plastic made in the 80s or the 00s or now. Formulas change so I don't think the degrade time will be the same
2. I doubt I'll care in 30 years (that's a total lie) |
| MechanicalHorizon | 25 Oct 2015 10:30 a.m. PST |
Depending on the quality of the resin some resins can "separate" over time, usually the lower quality ones. You'll notice a clear "film" developing on the model, almost like oil or grease. Some resins can also become more brittle with age. You can sometimes take your finger and scrape parts right off the model and it will turn to powder. But again, it all depends on the quality of the resin. |
| Cosmic Reset | 25 Oct 2015 10:35 a.m. PST |
I have some "polyester glass" (per the labeling on the package) resin castings that are either 28 or 29 years old and don't really show any evidence of aging. They have always been extremely brittle though. I also have some Alumilite castings that are similar in age, maybe a year newer, and they are perfectly fine. I don't doubt that there is some aging process going on, but not such that there is any obvious problem with the castings. The superglue that holds some of my old miniatures together, both metal and resin, does seem to break down over time. I have had some joints fail after something around 22 years, though others seem to be okay. |
| GarrisonMiniatures | 26 Oct 2015 4:34 a.m. PST |
Some types of resin include plasticizes. With age, these migrate to the surface of the resin and are lost so that the resin becomes brittle. Other types of resin are broken down by sunlight – basically, sun's energy makes free radicals which degrade the plastic. Again, resin becomes brittle. So depends on lots of things. |
| MechanicalHorizon | 26 Oct 2015 10:50 a.m. PST |
Resin models will also last longer if you post-cure them, which most companies don't do. Resins don't reach their full specs until they've been post-cured, but that adds time to the manufacturing so most places don't post-cure their models. |
| Hydra Studios | 26 Oct 2015 4:54 p.m. PST |
Mechanical Horizon: Can you explain the post curing process? |
| Early morning writer | 26 Oct 2015 10:55 p.m. PST |
I have resin castings knocking on thirty years and no problems so far – but I do store them out of the light which I'm sure helps. |
| Mako11 | 01 Nov 2015 10:30 p.m. PST |
Yea, best to keep them out of the light, whenever possible, since the UV rays will break them down. |
 etotheipi | 02 Nov 2015 11:32 a.m. PST |
Other types of resin are broken down by sunlight – See? I knew there was a reason none of us ever go outdoors… |
| Great War Ace | 03 Nov 2015 11:13 a.m. PST |
Everything dead/undead likes the darkness. Paint. Glue. Skin. :)…. |
begins to think about terrain for Team Yankee.