In order to better educate myself, I would love to read a single topic/thread/wiki/whatever that covers the process of the figure manufacturing and I guess the distribution processes entirely.

If a topic or site or wiki or whatever exists somewhere, can someone please point it out to me?

I have seen a few generic ones here and there across the web as I googled here and there.
I have gleamed a ton of insight reading the likes of the Lili Ledy and POCH discussions, but nothing that encompasses everything generically Kenner first and then to licensed partners.

I am just looking for the really big picture; the 10,000 foot overview kind of material relating to Star Wars figures only.
I hope that makes

I would love to know:

1. how moulds are first created
   I can understand better about today's technology, but back then?
   How the heck did they pull that off?
   
2. More importantly, how were they distributed?
   one mould per plant?
   multiples per plant depending on figure's popularity?
   
3. if multiples, are they 'exactly the same' or did they have subtle differences?
   (most likely slightly different because it was the 70s & 80s would be my guess - goes back to #1 I guess)
   
4. for a generic figure that has a torso, a head two arms and two legs, how were the moulds created?
   All in one block?
   a block for the head and torso and another for the limbs?
   
5. why would pairs (limbs/head and the torso) get separated?
   
6. what exactly are overstock parts?
   I get the word 'overstock' of course, but how does this happen in such mass quantity that they could provide enough supply to another manufacturer?
   Or does overstock possibly mean that parts were made to order but just shipped all willy-nilly to the other manufacturer?
   
7. why can parts get mis-matched with different moulds?
   i.e. the exact same COO stamp but the torso and head can be drastically different?
   Overstock is possible, but in the case of Leia Bespin, I must have a ton of figures that had overstock parts, but I highly doubt that.
   It is most likely the plant used the limbs mould from one pair and the head and torso from another (think crew and turtle necks). I guess I really need a definitive answer to #4.
   
8. why a COO on just the one leg would be different, but the rest of the figure (all other limbs, head and body are exactly the same?!) - the exact opposite of #7
   The example I have so far is a Luke Farmboy COO I just stumbled across that is almost the same as COO#1, but that is the only difference I can see aside from slight under/over paint spray applications.
   

Those are just off the top of my head and I am sure I have more, so if anyone can point me to where I might really gain a better understanding of it all, I would REALLY appreciate it!
It seems so overwhelming.

Oh, and this is a LOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGG shot..... is there a video (a PR kinda video perhaps) that may actually show a Kenner plant making Star Wars figures back in the 70s or 80s?
I would absolutely LOVE to see one it if exists!


Anyway... as always, thanks in advance and sorry for the long winded topic!

cheers!

12back.com is a good place to start for some of your questions.http://www.12back.com/features/creation/creation.php3

orangpendek wrote:

12back.com is a good place to start for some of your questions.http://www.12back.com/features/creation/creation.php3

I love that site and use it a bunch but missed that!

I will start there next!

Thanks!

Not the Kenner plant, but here are two great videos showing Palitoy factory production of SW at the Coalville, Leicester, UK plant. These may not answer any of your questions but does give some insight of how the production lines looked back in the day

Thanks for the videos... gonna watch those in a bit.

Between the The Making of an Action Figure - 12back.com article and an article by Wolf on the Introduction to COOs on the Star Wars Space Club site, most of my questions are basically answered.

It is funny though, after reading both those articles this morning, I realized I read them back in January but at the time, they were just words on a page.

Now a few months later, starting two figure foci and reading all sorts of things here, it makes soooo much more sense now.
I bookmarked them and plan on reading them again to really let them saturate into my brain.

But wow, what a difference a few months can make!

Thanks again for the links and vids!

When I start documenting my foci, I am sure I will have more pointed questions, but that is for another day.
My brain hurts, but it is a good hurt!

cheers!