2010 Gemmy Pumpkins - Paint Issue

[St0ney]

In case you all did not notice yet.

Micheal's is now carrying a new replacement Gemmy foam pumpkin.

The Good News - the Black line is GONE. = BONUS

The Bad News - a lot (make that every) Carver that has carved one of these new foam pumkins, is having a problem with the orange paint coming off. not chipping, more Like tearing/pealing off.

Now I don't know if this is a problem yet, with carving a cut-out pattern. So far the ones that have had a problem, have carved a shaded pattern.

And don't think a full cut-out pattern/carve has been tested.

The Paint is also mucking up the dremel bits.
the Pits get caked up with the paint, and it's a lot of stop and go.

Carve, Stop clean Bit, Carve, Stop clean Bit.


So this is a Huge Problem / Issue.
for the foam pumpkin carver.

And we need to work out how to fix it.

NOTE: the carvers that carved these live in different states, West Coast to the East Coast, so it's not just a bad batch.

My thought is maybe someone from Gemmy or Micheal's read on our carving boards, that the black line was an Issue? and fixed it?

So maybe if we post about the new Issue, it will be fixed too.
One of the carvers on my site, wrote them a few months back.

and the reply was:

"that they don't accept unsolicited suggestions."

Yea it would be crazy to listen to your top consumers.

Think how many of us carvers buy these things.
I know some guys that buy 50 to 100 at a time.
Heck I have 30 from last year sitting on my shelf now, un-carved.

Sooooo Post your problems and fixes on this thread.
Maybe we can get them to fix the paint Issue.

Or find a new techniques in carving them.

[Nightwatchman]

I wonder if the problem might be that there hasn't been enough cure time for the paint and as the paint cures further the problem might decrease.

[CombichristGirl]

wow! will keep an eye out for that. i need to find a micheals and grab soem up and try. but the black line being gone is great. im wondering if they are like the gemmys that patcatans sold last year hmmm...... wonders off

[GUS]

It will (I anticipate) be down to how the paint is thinned prior to being loaded into an commercial shop airbrush.

[St0ney]

I have not tried the new foam kin yet.
Don't have one.

I have No car (crying)
zigged when I should have zagged = Fender bender.

I'm calling it a fender bender - but they had to remove the engine. so it's still in the shop.

Nightwatchman - that's a good point.
maybe that's it? and maybe we can help cure the paint.
blow dryer / heat gun ?

I've had this problem with a few of the old ones, a few years ago.
Just on the bottom, where they place that silver warning sticker.

Pulled the sticker, and paint came off with it.
It makes sense now from your post, most likely they put the sticker on before the paint fully cured.

[Nightwatchman]

Another thought, Gemmy may have reformulated the paint to a more flexible paint, in order to accomodate the loss of wall stiffness when they removed the black line.

[GUS]

Not that i've ever carved another type of foamy, however possibility / limiting paint flake is why I go round each patttern with an exacto to initially reduce flake chances when sawing, it adds alot of time (probably doubles carve time) however it's my approach..

[St0ney]

Not that i've ever carved another type of foamy, however possibility / limiting paint flake is why I go round each patttern with an exacto to initially reduce flake chances when sawing, it adds alot of time (probably doubles carve time) however it's my approach..

Yea this is a different Issue, the paint is not chipping or flaking off.

It's tearing off, pulling off the Kin.
Like coming off like a piece of vinyl (or similar)

Hmmm how to explain it, okay Got it !

You know when you place a frog in a boiling cauldron
the skin just pulls right off.

Or when you put school glue on your hand and let it dry.
When you remove it, it tears away from your hand.

this is what the paint is doing.

[GUS]

Oh, vey! that's not good

makes me think a latex paint peel...
does it also suffer from bloom spots?

[St0ney]

From what I've seen of them - there is no Spots.
The paint looks evenly coated, but this is going off of Photo's.


Here's one a member just posted on my board.
I'm posting it to show, you can still get great results.

But the paint thing needs to be fixed.


The Carver "Starvin'Carvin'" had many Issues with the Paint.


Lighting, Shaving, and Photo Taken is all Perfect.

[St0ney]

Here's what the New ones Look like
(Uncarved)

Photo Credit: Carver - Liz Looney.

[Zombie Pumpkins!]

I was at Michael's today and immediately noticed the different look of the pumpkin. First I spotted the longer stem, then noticed a slightly different shape than what I was used to.

I didn't pick one up, as I currently have a few uncarved 'kins of the old style to use first, and I don't do many foams each year. But I'm sure I'll pick up a couple during a sale, and give them a try.

Interesting to hear about this paint issue. Sounds similar to the carvable foam eggs they sold around Easter. With those, I noticed the paint would peel back, like a skin of latex paint. Doesn't sound too encouraging.

[St0ney]

Yep !

I missed out on the egg thing, didn't buy one.
And read many issues with those also.
The problem sounds the same as these new kins.

When I get my wheels back, hopefully tomorrow (fingers crossed)
I'm going to pick one or two up, and basically Just run a bunch of test on them. and see how to work around the paint Issue.


Also Off topic :
but thought I'd add something more on the carve above.
I'm still floored by seeing it.

After talking to the carver:
This is a new style of carving. and the credit goes to the carver
"Starvin'Carvin" who took a chance tried something new, and created an eye popper of a carve.

The reason the carve came out the way it did,
besides him being an expert carver.
(the photo speaks on his carving ability)

The entire carving is 100% shaded. (not one shape cut-out)
What he did was for the cut-out sections on the pattern, he shaded deeper. than the shaded area's on the pattern.

[St0ney]

Okay I have my Test Pumpkin in the Sink, Should be able to pull it in about 15 minutes.

My First test was the heat gun = FAIL
The gun is still good to dry the glue more quicky so you can start carving in 10 minutes instead of waiting over night.

But for the Paint Issue = FAIL


Test 2 - and what I'm waiting to check after I pull it from the sink.
is I sprayed (2) Coats of KRYLON Crystal Clear on the carving side.

Don't know if this will work for the Problem is between Paint and foam Kin, so adding the coating on top of the paint, may not help.

Well see later tonight.

[St0ney]

The Clear Coat was also a FAIL.
It was a little better - but Not that much Better.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the next step - we'll give it a month to see if anyone else finds a workable fix.

If NOT................................

And I would want Ryan to chime in.

Before the season Comes and Goes.

I would Like to setup some type of Web Form.
(Beginning of OCT)


Have Carvers Fill it out - How many Foam kins you Buy, and the Problems you experience with the new Foam Kin.
If you Sell the carved Kins - and similar type questions.


You have My Word - Your email - or contact information
will only go to Micheal's with a cover Letter.

I do think if we hit them at once in Volume - they may re-design and make the Perfect carving Pumpkin for us to carve.

Also Planning on sending Photo's that show the problem (s).

One of the carvers on my site "Andretti" Said it best.

They Fixed one problem (the Black Line)

But caused more problems.

1) Paint Issue
2) The Kin is thicker - so cut outs are a little harder to get out.
3) The Shape is more Narrow than the older design
4) They added a Dent in the design for whatever reason

So lets see if anyone else comes up with a fix.

If not what do you think of Plan B ?

I'm sure we can't fix this for this season.
There's probably 1000's of these sitting in warehouses.
to restock stores.

But we sure can try for next season to have a better product.

Like I said at the start of this thread, Between our sites
we have a lot of members that buy these things.