"MATCHBOX" copies etc.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

OK MOKOSEX, thank's for that, let you know the instant it arrives.

Thank's also for your pictures of that lovely collection of plastic 'friction' powered Hong Kong toys, aren't they just great, I love them all, I don't really know why, I guess they hold more memories of my Childhood days then even Corgi, Dinky or Matchbox!!!

The dark tyre marks on the roof of one of the white models, is very difficult to remove, it has been caused by another toys softer tyres, being in contact with the harder plastic body and a chemical reaction has softened the harder 'Styrhene' plastic. If you want to keep the model in as original condition as possible, you could work the areas with traditional modelling methods as if you were making an AIRFIX kit and gently rubbing it away with fine wet-n-dry paper, then polishing it to match the rest of the body, just my view.

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[nickjones]

This is a problem with much of the early plastics, there is a problem with the Matchbox Motorway which you should be aware of, The leads (or wires) on the hand (speed) controllers will melt the plastic of the roadway if they are left in contact with each other. I have seen the roadway completely melted through where it was packed away with the roadway and hand controllers making contact.

[matchboxkiwi]

I've noticed that! Why is this?

Cheers Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[MOKOSEX]

In triangs highway series the tinplate/diecast racing cars the tyres and wheels react with each other and some are really badly melted.
I would think that this reaction would give off a just has destructive gas so watch you models where sharing cases.
Lucky for me i have few mint models lol.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

"Plastics in all its various forms are living breathing entities", OK, that may be a little over the top, but pliable plastics like Acetones and Polythenes never stop breathing, that's as simple as I can explain it, they are not as stable as harder Styrene plastics, the bodies of Hong Kong toys, the total construction of many toys and games over decades of toy production, all your Scalextric, all your Switch-a-track etc, etc, so many otherwise mint toys are spoiled by this reaction between soft and hard plastics.

The very problem noted by Nick above, is typical and all my remote control models with attached wires, have to very carefully packed with the wires put into a seperate paper bag and then the whole lot put in another bag, the trick is to stop the soft wire insulation around the wire, from touching the harder plastic body.

The softer plastics tend to want to shed oils or chemicals and in doing so, literally eat away any harder plastic they may be touching.

Are there any proper plastics experts out there to comment on this, please...

GHOSTHUNTER.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

In triangs highway series the tinplate/diecast racing cars the tyres and wheels react with each other and some are really badly melted.
I would think that this reaction would give off a just has destructive gas so watch you models where sharing cases.
Lucky for me i have few mint models lol.

For a good example of this, look at the picture of exactly this process taking place in my "Matchbox" copies thread, its part of the 'CRAGSTAN' article.

Ghosty.

[Idris]

...like Acetones...

I think you mean acetates!

I'm not a plastics expert, but I am a chemical engineer with a passable understanding of materials, so here goes.
Plastics consist of a matrix of polymers (long chain molecules made up of a number of repeating smaller units - monomers - joined together). These polymer molecules should be stable under normal storage conditions. However, plastics have something called a glass transition temperature (Tg). This marks the temperature above which they are flexible and below which they are brittle (like glass). The Tg of a plasticcan be raised by adding plasticisers. These are shrt-chain molecules which can be thought of as providing lubrication between the polymer moelcules. The problem is that these plasticisers are both mobile and volatile, meaning that they can leach out of or evaporate from the plastic. As a result, the Tg of the plastic rises (which is why old plastic , such as car interiors, becomes brittle).
Now I'm no expert on plasticisers, but I can quite believe that the wrong sort of plasticer, or a localised excess of plasticser could easily lead to the melting phenomenon described above. In addition, although I think we eventually debunked it on the old forum, there is a theory that the tacky paint on some early SF models is the direct result of long-term storage in carry cases whose plastic contains excessive levels of phthalate platiciser which evaporates only to be abseorbed by the paint and thereby softening it.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Thank's idris, I knew someone one would come forward with a little more knowledge than me on this subject and described quite clearly.

My plastics knowledge comes from working in a resin and plastics based department during the late seventies and early eighties and fortunately, I do understand what you have said, just don't quote me on it at a later date, i'd have forgotten a lot if it's not written down in front of me, so thank's again for that.

P.S. 'TONES' and 'TATES' I always get them mixed up.

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[matchbox360]

I'm not a plastics expert, but I am a chemical engineer with a passable understanding of materials, so here goes...

Very informative, Idris, thanks for that. I've always wanted to know more about plastic's mysterious properties! Thanks also to all the others who've added their insights.

Ken

[Idris]

Having had the chance to reflect during the drive to work this morning, I think the 'melting' phenomenon previously described is the result of the plasticisers in the PVC insulation of the hand controllers leads migrating to the surface and then, since the two components are in contact, entering the roadway plastic. The latter is a different kind of plastic which is designed to have minimal flexibility. (It probably contains a smidgen of plasticiser just to prevent it being brittle.) The plasticiser from the PVC results in a localised excess in the harder plastic which then flows over time, giving the melted appearance.
My guess is that the PVC will also interact with the expanded polystyrene packaging, giving similar 'melting' symptoms.

To correct an earlier post, this is not really a chemical reaction. It is the result of adding one chemical (the plasticiser) to another (the hard plastic) which results in a mixture of the two chemicals with very different physical properties from the original hard plastic. Since there is no reaction, there is no chemical degredation and no byproducts (such as noxious or dangerous gases).