What's my involvement with Mold-A-Rama??? Well let's see, hmm, I guess it's pure nerdy interest in one of the more complex classic coin operated devices. This machine has it all... it is an electromechanically operated injection molding machine which contains pneumatics, hydraulics, refrigeration and is all housed in one ultra cool modern 50's-60's jukebox style housing! Besides its ability to produce a souvenir to take home; it stimulates all of the senses to provide a great experience and fond memories.
Again, were do I fit in... well let me quote my old webpage:
"I, like many others, have very fond memories of these machines. A trip
to Como Zoo (the local standard zoo of the 1970's) just wasn't
complete unless I BEGGED to make one of these. Just like something out
of The Simpsons, "Can I get one! Can I get one! Can I get one! Can I get
one! Can I....". Also included in this little tirade would be, "I
promise I'll be good from now on!" or "I won't ask for anything else!",
"Pleeeeeeeease!".
Sometimes I would luck out and other times not. Then I could only hope
some other lucky kid would make one while I was standing there. The best
part for me was just watching the machine make the "toy". Just to watch
this mechanical thing with working gauges and lights was worth the
price.
Even as a child (not that I've grown up much) and well before I ever
thought I could OWN a Pinball machine ("People can own them?") or arcade
game I would think, "Someday I would buy a Mold-A-Rama machine!" Even
though my allowance was somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty-five or
fifty cents a week. Yes, I had "chores" to do to earn that!
I even had some similar childhood toys like the Creepy Crawlers or
Wiggly Weridies, but they just didn't have the cool mechanics thing
going on.
Not to mention "that" smell!"
Now with this afore mentioned knowledge and the fact that I love to
collect old coin operated devices to restore and more importantly a
continual burning desire to find out more about were these cool old
items came from. Remember, someone got paid (in theory) to design
these devices and in most cases someone else thought them worthy of making
money. So using the following links you can navigate through all
the stuff I've wasted pointless hours on... hopefully you may find some
of it interesting
too.
Click here to
find my other pages with more pertinent information regarding
Mold-A-Rama!
Feel free to drop me an email with comment or questions at
A beautifully restored Mold-A-Rama that is own and operated by The William A. Jones Co. can again be found at Como Zoo in St. Paul!!!
My son and I at Como Zoo 2007
