Mold-a-Rama Machines are pretty much the coolest thing ever invented. Insert a few coins, and a magic machine makes you a toy out of hot plastic. Then it spits it out, still hot, for you to behold. It does this all right before your eyes. The smell of the freshly-squeezed plastic is quite heavenly. Not to mention the truck-like “hurkity-hurkity” sound it makes while it molds, attracting the attention of everyone around it. Chicago is lucky to have a load of these machines still in working order, mostly at the zoos and museums. I tried to hit them all, but I missed a few. Others are scattered around the country, where I will seek them out, one day. My love of these machines can really not be overstated. I might be a little too old to squee and jump up and down over a plastic toy, but I do it anyway. This one is the camel-making machine at the Chicago Zoo.
Everything, from dinosaurs to space ships, to busts of Abraham Lincoln.. can be yours.. the best and most affordable souvenir anywhere, even better than the flatten-a-penny machine.
Here’s some more pictures for your viewing pleasure:
This space-shuttle making one lives in a dark corner of the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago.
This one at the Field Museum makes a spiffy dinosaur! (It still says “Brontosaurus” though he’s been renamed, if I recall correctly.) The girl using the penny-smash machine is clearly missing out on the really good souvenir.
A multi-Mold-a-Rama kiosk at the zoo. Fun for all ages!
Here is an example of the finished product. Science!
Mold-a-Rama TRex attacks an elephant at the Field Museum.
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Allee Willis
I never had the patience to wait around for these things to do their thing though had I been more aware of the hyper percussive sound they make I probably would’ve been trying to sample them to use on my records. I did love what the finished product felt like though and, of course, would kill to have one of these machines out in front of my house!
Thanks so much for your excellent documentation of the Mold-A-Rama.
Mark Milligan
I didn’t even know such a thing exists! But I love that tractor, and now I’ll watch for them.
jack
I love those things. I have a couple of figures from them sitting on my shelves. They are a flamingo and an alligator from a trip to Florida. Those were the only two I have ever seen, but I would love to get more of them.
Nessa
Thanks everyone, I’m glad you like this. :) They are getting pretty rare. There are a couple of good websites out there about the machines and where to find various things.. and trading figures with other people. I heard that a new company is making these machines again. I’m not sure how current the sites are though.
Mark Blackwell
i love the mold-a-rama machines! they used to have one up at griffith park observatory, but i think it’s gone now after the recent renovations… i have a black mold-a-rama lion which sits on guard and greets visitors from inside the little window-door peephole thing in my front door, plus i have a blue t-rex…
Nessa
They are so fun. I feel like I need to get more of them, even if I duplicate them, just for that nostalgic hot-plastic smell.. hehe