Interview with John Stengel Jr

Bill Nevins past along this interview he did with John Stengel JR. yesterday and I hope it gives you more information what John is doing with his figures.

Hi Paul,   Even though I have no interest in  WW 2 or Vietnam, I did see that readers here were interested in what John  Jr. was doing. What follows is my interview with him. Feel free to use  it…….Bill
 
I went to the Long Island Military Miniatures show in  Freeport Long Island yesterday and sought out John Stengel, Jr. John Sr. and I go  way back to the beginning of his involvement in the toy soldier business. We  became friends
immediately and I’ve visited his home on numerous  occasions.
I always love going to John’s huge storeroom and poking around  his treasures.
He’s given me plenty of his prototypes and test shots over the  years, and we’ve always enjoyed exchanging conversion possibilities and new  ways to create figures.
I’ve seen John Jr. grow from a child into a bright,  articulate, talented adult.
I started off by asking him about his process for making his  one of a kind creations. John sculpts the master using a small armature and a  type of polymer clay, that he bakes in the oven upon completion. He then adds an  epoxy putty (Green Stuff) and sculpts the details onto his figures. He said that  he uses sheet styrene plastic on straps and things that need hard  edges.
 
I asked him about his process and he told me that he has  graduated from single piece castings, like his VC and German Para’s, to  multi-part figures.
His new Norman vs Viking piece include the Viking being a 5  piece multi part figure. He explained that the cape alone would have made a  single piece sculpting impossible.
 
We moved onto the molding process, which John also does. He  use an Aluminite type of material for the actual mold which is made in two  parts, just like an RTV rubber mold. Once the mold cures, he cuts it and begins  the work of
placing air vents in their proper places so that the pour will  produce a complete casting. If air is trapped in the molds extremities, the  casting will be incomplete.
Once the vents are cut in, it’s time to pour.
 
John went on to explain that he studied chemical compounds for  over 6 months looking for the right type of material to cast his figures in. His  figures are not resin, he said. Resin is an organic compound. What John uses is  a synthetic compound (man made) and he refers to it as “cold pour  plastic.”
 
Right about here, he lost me, as chemistry and I never got  along.
 
Being an old rubber mold caster, I asked about the failure  rate among his pours. John said that he gets about  4 out of 5 good  castings and that he uses the failure for parts to save on materials.  At this point, he had to excuse himself to help some  customers.
 
I went back and spoke to John Sr. for a bit. We caught  up on things and it was obvious to me how proud he was of his son and the  success that he has found following in the “old mans” footsteps. John Sr. is/was  an accomplished sculptor and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. John Sr.  and I made plans for me to take a trip to Chez Stengel. I’ll have more for you  then when I actually see the operation.
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11 Responses to Interview with John Stengel Jr

  1. ERWIN says:

    Well, nice interview and interesting information detail; but all I can see is he is way too far yet, look to me like a very similar to “plastic underground “figures type, were limited run cast and that is it ..Remain me also of how old composition elastolin were done too. He is a very enthusiast character and wish best but advise cautions too.
    About resin made of organic ,it also non organic resin too :Here is a simple data from (wiki) The word “resin” has been applied in the modern world to nearly any component of a liquid that will set into a hard lacquer or enamel-like finish. An example is nail polish, a modern product which contains “resins” that are organic compounds, but not classical plant resins. Certain “casting resins” and synthetic resins (such as epoxy resin) have also been given the name “resin” because they solidify in the same way as some plant resins, but synthetic resins are liquid monomers of thermosetting plastics, and do not derive from plants.
    So I hope he get to the right way to do it soon or time /money will consume his budget a lot. Also price on figures done with so a complicate process will be high too. Making figures is a very high value cost for a limited market. You may have a great desire and heart but need to focus also in what profit will bring to you at the end. Otherwise it will ruin you or make you stop very quick before even get to second run.

  2. TD Barnecut says:

    Enjoyed reading about the Stengels & look forward to seeing more about their efforts. Nice, creative work!

    • Don Perkins says:

      Nice interesting interview. The Stengels are just great dealers in our hobby, and I’m hoping this venture into new production will be completely successful for them. John Sr. especially is such a pleasant personality and so conversant in so many phases of plastic toy soldier collecting, I actually find myself already looking forward to seeing him and John Jr. again in April at the next Indy show.

  3. Ed Borris says:

    I agree John Stengel Sr is one of my favorite characters to hang with at the shows. It all stems back to the first Texas show and we were getting loaded at Mad Dogs. Before we knew it we were the only two guys left and only had vague recollections of how to get back to the motel. Needless to say we both made it back alive. Good times, good memories.

  4. Wayne W says:

    I remember years ago before the internet took off I called up the Marxman to order some of their ACW figures and ended up talking toy soldiers with Mr Stengel Sr. for over an hour but seemed like minutes as we discussed about every facet of the hobby. I went to the first Texas Show and didn’t realize he was there until after I returned. Regretted not getting to see him in person. Missed you, too, Ed, but there were so many folks I didn’t really get to know until later.

  5. Ed Borris says:

    Wayne,

    I remember meeting you at one of the Texas shows., or at least I think it was you. Didn’t you go to the show at the Menger one year? John Stengel does not do the Texas show anymore unfortunately.

  6. Don Perkins says:

    TSSD’s website now projects the Vietnam figures to be available for shipment “in early 2015”.

    • admin says:

      Don
      Sorry to hear of another delay, it always happens when you are working with a new process or technique you have never done before.

  7. Don Perkins says:

    Bill Nevins, I just re-read your interesting report from the Long Island Military Miniatures Show. I’m looking forward to your update after you visit the Stengel home and see the new operation first-hand.

  8. Wayne W says:

    Yeah, Ed. I’ve been to three or four of the shows. I know I talked with you at the one at La Villita in 07 and we shot the breeze at the first Menger show. I always had a conflict of interest when I was still teaching because our Graduation was always on Memorial Day weekend. Since I’ve retired it’s been easier though this year I was at Ft Bragg for a mini-reunion of some Army buddies. The wife and I hope to make it back again this coming year. For us it’s more than the show (though that’s a major attraction) we both love San Antonio and have our favorite places to visit – not to mention every visit we find something new to explore.

  9. Ed Borris says:

    Phew, I think I met you and Robert who used to post of the Hobby Bunker forum, the same year. I do remember some things, that’s a good sign.

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