How The Models are Created
At the core of Amalgam Fine Model Cars is a small, highly skilled team of modelmakers. The team takes around three months of painstaking research and development to create the master patterns for one of our 1/8th scale cars.
To start with a pattern is made for every component of the model, using a wide range of traditional engineering and pattern making skills along with leading edge techniques such as laser cutting and CNC machining. Epoxy pattern board, sometimes known as chemical wood, is used for the large components and we use cast acrylic or brass for the smaller items. The patterns are used to make 'soft' tooling from clear silicon rubber into which the prototyping quality resin will be poured to cast the components. These moulds faithfully reproduce even the most complex details and textures, providing superb levels of accuracy in the casts.
Our aim is to make the finest possible display models at 1/8th scale, which capture the beauty and spirit of the original, and which
have innate value.
For the suspension and some other small components, patterns are used to create a vulcanised rubber mould into which molten white metal (pewter) is poured under centrifugal force. The white metal components are carefully fettled and polished, or if they are to be painted they join the resin parts to be prepared for spray painting with the authentic manufacturer specified paints.
The model components are given several coats of primer, then a colour base coat, and finally several coats of lacquer. Lastly each model is cut and polished to achieve a really fine finish.
The manufacturers artwork is used to produce screen-printed decals to ensure absolute authenticity and compliance with the original logotypes. The tyres are modelled to the exact tyre type used by the original race cars and are cast in rubber. Finally a team of three to six skilled model makers assemble the cars, usually in batches of five or ten, each model taking around fifty hours to assemble.