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TLAR Models 10 Year Anniversary Promotional Figure.

Rhino

Super Moderator
It all started back in June of 2015. Watching Forrest Gump put me in mind of making scale Shrimpin' Boats. The final few scenes of Overboard intrigued me with the USCG Point class 82-foot WPB. I wanted models of these vessels and I wanted another income source. What-to-do, what-to-do? :hmm:
The rest is history!

I wasn't planning to begin this thread for a while yet. We aren't quite to the 9th anniversary yet. Still, I had to plan something special to commemorate this milestone. A suitable premium to present to board members and repeat customers alike. What-to-do, what-to-do? :bm:
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In 2010, I asked an old friend that made a hobby of carving woodland critters for sale at the flea market, to carve a thoughtful Raccoon smoking a big, fat, stogie for me. Dave finished Rick Raccoon and presented him as a birthday gift that same year. (NOT Ranger Rick!) I was DELIGHTED!

Every board member, most of my friends and all my customers know Rick. He runs the TLAR Models show. He's a good listener, and even when things don't go well, he is respectful and reserved with his employees. He is depicted sitting on his island, by the ocean on almost every TLAR product.

Before I fell out of favor with Mike, he asked me to mold and cast Rick. As a member of the TLAR Board, I considered his idea carefully. Since my buddy Dave "Took his trip up to Heaven", I am hesitant to disassemble Rick and take any chances with his hand-painted finish. What-to-do, what-to-do?:frantic:

The TLAR "Ron's Bunnies" set was mastered in epoxy putty, with the same woodland critter theme of Rick Raccoon. (and a similar fat stogie) What a mess that made, and then sand/shape the cured Milli-put? Sheer folly! What-to-do, what-to-do?:ph:
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It bothered me that Rick wasn't doing anything with his right hand. Remember now, that Rick Raccoon is 14 years older than he was when Dave gave him to me. Why not give him a frosty beverage of unknown content to hang on to?
I've never mastered anything out of sculpted clay before. I bought some pure, sulphur-free clay a while ago to make 2-part molds. Would it react with the RTV mold rubber? Would it be a messy bastige to remove it form the mold?
Why not try it? I put the new raccoon's head and cigar in the mold with Francisco's 1/72 scale rescue boat to try it out.

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This first casting is a sacrificial part, to be shaped, filled and sanded to a less bear-ish looking shape. The more raccoon-ish it becomes the farther away from the original Rick's look it gets. We cain't have that!! I asked the little raccoon "What are ya in for Kid?" He had no comment.

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Sculpting clay takes a sharp eye and gentle touch. I am little out of my element with larger subjects and no blueprints. The "gentle touch" is an acquired skill.
At one point the new raccoon's body got REALLY chunky. It might have been brave, humorous and fitting to do a "body positivity" fat Rick Raccoon with a huge beer belly and a giant caboose, but I just couldn't do it. The new torso and tail will be cast in liquid polyurethane plastic, cleaned up, sanded and remolded as an LPP Master for a second go round of molding for the finished, final figure product.

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TLAR Models 10th Anniversary Rick Raccoon "less raccoon, more cartoon" head, cigar and bottle and the clay torso sculpture are almost ready for mold RTV.
Lots of work to do yet.

In other news,
Cap-Holder-O-Matic's 9-year old mold is starting to "chunk". Bits of RTV are pulling out with the castings. Cured castings are acquiring lumps and bumps. They will be remolded to remain a favorite item, among TLAR-ians of all ages body shapes and vintages.

Thanks for looking in!
 
Congrats on the successful adventure that is TLAR Models! :ro:
Fun article to read and some history of TLAR. Rick looks good and I'm looking forward to see him develop. If Rick will be for sale in the future I'll just have to get one for my bench as well.

:victory:

 
Congrats on the successful adventure that is TLAR Models! :ro:
Fun article to read and some history of TLAR. Rick looks good and I'm looking forward to see him develop. If Rick will be for sale in the future I'll just have to get one for my bench as well.

:victory:

The ambitious plan is to include the new Rick Raccoon, with beverage and cigar, with every TLAR purchase over $35.00 I will also post a for sale listing on tlarmodels.com Not before June of 2025! Board Members will receive their New Rick as they come out of the molds.
There is quite a lot more story to tell! A couple of the blog articles have more info in them. I haven't blogged in a minute. Getting the 1/350 Reliance class WMEC model finished and kits packed and ready to sell took precedence.

The first castings are in the 'pot right now. "Successful Adventure"? Thanks Eric! Sales paid the bills for the website in 8 months of last year, (not much else!) but you walk before you run, right?! A savvy businessraccoon might not approve, but since I still work a "real job" I remind Rick that we're really doing this to for the fun of the hobby!

One day, I'll wander about the boatyards at Northrup/Grumman, Conrad Orange, Midnight Express and Wheeler Yachts, (after I finish my Nautical Architecture degree) looking at vessels in my signature Keen sandals and combat shorts. B/S with the engineers and the shipwrights to get new drawings for TLAR projects. I'll still Master everything and build the completed kits and write instructions, but Frank and the staff at the factory will handle most everything else. We'll market high quality, American-made kits, in the thousands, rather than limited quantities of 50 or less.

I'll be "The Guy" for the US Coast Guard. Ride the new cutters and aircraft. Chat with the skippers and crew, Take notes. Offer suggestions, bring Iowa beef to the galley, promote their efforts and produce models of any boat, cutter or lighthouse tender any modeler could wish for.

Such thing are what my dreams are made of.
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I thought I might post a picture of the New Rick's head Master.
Thanks you guys for looking in!
I do NOT expect you to do so for a whole year!
:notworthy
 
Rick is looking mighty good!
I'm not much into things that float, having never learned the dog paddle. But I need to check out the ol TLAR website...who know I might find something after all.
:victory:
 
Rick is looking mighty good!
I'm not much into things that float, having never learned the dog paddle. But I need to check out the ol TLAR website...who know I might find something after all.
:victory:
Your pleasure is my business, sir. :yipee:
 
I got a crack in mine also.
THAT is FUNNY!:lol: I hope no smart SOB is trying to fill it! :lol: How big will your mold be? :lol:

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His butt-cheeks are different sizes. I'm trying to balance the size of his haunches. maybe not. A Cartoon Raccoon should be less than perfect.
 
I often wondered what the story was behind that little critter.
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"Why Rick Raccoon?" was a subject of one of my blog posts on tlarmodels.com
The model kits I produce that are unlike anyone else's, so I needed a trademark in the same vein, Something different, a gimmick, if you will, to incite curiosity and create interest.

I try to write entertaining and informative blogs to give you guys another reason to visit the website.

I wondered if the "Woke Mob" would attack my cigar-smoking Raccoon and say he was racist or misogynistic.
They haven't gotten around to that yet.
 
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The new Rick Raccoon torso mold performed as expected and Monday castings went dandy! Even though production will be limited, I expect to produce 25 or so of the new Rick before the 2025 anniversary date arrives. Board Members, (You know who you are!) will be receiving your new raccoon kit as soon as possible. Instructions are forthcoming.
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The original Cap-Holder-O-Matic mold, at just 8 years of age, has yielded her las pair of the "handiest and dandiest modeling tools the World has ever seen". This final casting saw chunking, sticking and a near perforation. The service life of Smooth-on MoldMax 10 molds has been established. Rest well, good and faithful servant. More than 80 castings were made with this one!
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Don't worry, Fellows! The smarter, smaller, spank-brand-new Cap-Holder-O-Matic mold is in action producing crisp, high quality castings of the most popular of TLAR Models item I ever dreamed up.

That's all for now! Thanks for you kind attention!
 
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The coolest thing about being CEO, is that I get to play with anything I make BEFORE everybody else!

There isn't that much " assembly process" to bang endlessly on about with the 10th Anniversary Rick Raccoon figure. He's not quite 3 inches tall. He's a bit slimmer than his predecessor. I referred to actual raccoon pictures for the color scheme. A wisp of cotton bud for smoke will finish this off.
Chopping off the bottle seemed better than drilling out Rick's hand to hold it.
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Sea N' Sky board members will be receiving their anniversary Rick figures in the unpigmented cream/white resin that was common 9 years ago. (You know who you are.) TLAR Models customers and raccoon mascot purchasers will be entertained with the gray colored polyurethane plastic, you see here. Limited production will continue until the molds begin to chunk and split.
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The add-on/bonus waterline polar bear came out swell! Seals and marshmallows beware!
As the year speeds by, the mixing drill will be whirring, the compressor will be chuffing along, and mold will be cleared to produce enough castings to support my anniversary promotional idea.

Thanks you Men for looking in!
:oldguy:
:salute:
:lol:
 
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I fired up the cheesiest photo booth in the world tonight for artwork.
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I consulted with my most trusted advisor about which photo to use on the anniversary Rick Raccoon packaging.
Different angles, more sea or more sky.
The B/W one is cool, but in 2015 most pictures were color.
What do you guys think?
 
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