Flexis

[BobK]

Mossboss
I am surprised by your negativity based on your previous posts about flexi discs. I thought you laid down the flexi disc challenge. Well these guys took it up.
I think the Pirates press guys are just trying to run their own business and probably havent really considered how it impacts on you or if you think its viable. Or maybe they do.
How about we wish them well.

[andybee]

I received some samples, very nice!
Good, to have this product on the world market again!
price is o.k. and it is more a gimmick than a real record...
mossy also sells re-granualted pvc expensiver then new
one, so

don´t believe the hype

[mossboss]

Thats Fair comment BobK To my defense I was not bagging the effort
It is NOT a case of NOT wishing them well at all
Not for Pirates press or the VF boys
It was rather a case of looking at the cost structure which I have done a lot of work on in the past from a commercial point of view
I do know where the cost's are
At around the 12-20 cents per sheet for the film Silk screening it or inkjeting it or offsetting it it gets it up there
You still need to cut and plate besides dealing with the start up rejects
All of these taken into account the product is priced about right if not on the low side
But that is missing the point Flexis have in the past being a give away item or something that could be inserted in a magazine or in the back of a consumable item
So No one wants to pay any more than a few cents for them
As a novelty perceived value item its ok it will sell some no doubt about it
As an ongoing product as a Flexi is known (to old farts like me) my views still stand
There is a rather long (boring) post of mine some two years ago on the matter a couple of years ago or so
I am sure a search here will dig it up
My views expressed there still remain as it is the hard reality of flexis from a commercial aspect? As a novelty? none of this applies
Andy B
Really do not understand this comment of yours I have never sold any regrind PVC I have offered it in an answer to a post requesting it here at half price of new material plus 10% Thats what the owener of that material wants to sell it for and I do not want it or use foreign regrind
Now I do know what price PVC compound is from most suppliers in the world
You obviously do not as you would not have made that stupid comment
If any one who knows about pressing who reads this comment of yours would have to assume you run your "my 45" show on 100% regrind
The last price a week ago for 5 Tonne of PVC compound in bulka bags was quoted at 1.48 Euro per KG
When I went to school half of that is about what the guy wants for his regrind plus a bit for the loss, labour and energy cost
Besides even if any one bought that regrind which REPEAT does not originate from any of our plants by the way It will still be better value than that German steam that you offer here Ha Ha
Cheers

[mossboss]

Flexi updates any one Have not seen or heard them as yet Any one?

[GeorgeZ]

Flexi updates any one Have not seen or heard them as yet Any one?

Hi Chris,

I have around 15 various flexi samples, but probably I'm not the right one to judge their quality, due to the fact I'm involved in their production... and I have no experience with the old era of flexi so I cannot compare old and new flexis.

In my opinion some flexis play very good with only a little noise (black ones, red ones - e.g. The Jons flexi serie), but the clear ones have more noise. The card-flexis are the noisiest of course, but they are mostly for fun not for serious listening. If the flexi sheet is flat, then the trackability is fine with a properly calibrated arm and cartridge. Warped flexis skip more.

We continue to help our Pirate friends to develop better flexis so probably the quality of their pressing will increase in near future.

I'm curious about some independent reviews for flexis...

[mossboss]

Hello George
Mate If the thing goes around and plays it is fine
There has never been a case of quality on Flexi's in the past It may be an issue now days as people may expect more than the medium can deliver
So I would not be over concerned about sound quality on the following proviso
Quality can only be related to price which was my point in a number of post's on the subject
If a client is to pay $1000 for a run of say 4,000 units at say .25 cents each so as to give away I do not see a big issue as it is a promotional item
However if he is to pay his $1K for a run of 1000 units at $1 each hell be looking for quality which will never transpire as the material is far to thin Than it is sitting on a turntable with an uneven surface grooves may be a hole in the center to pop out so as to play dinked 45's on it, dips and hollows you name it is there
The cartridge will pick all these up regardless of how good the flexi is pressed
In days gone past 10,000 units was minimum order run
The rotary machine rolled them out at very high speed 2 to 4 across
They got guillotined dropped on a stack in a box and out the door
Cost at the time about 5-8 cent each or even less
Output per day on a single machine on an 8 hour shift 10,000 units
Heat press machines doing one at a time where quite common for smaller runs
Operator did one at a time cost was higher quality about the same for obvious reasons
Any one wants to do these things today all he needs is A hot foil stamping machine and an air compressor
These machines come up quite often for sale on ebay
Older machines ex plastic plants The are priced at around $1000
Hard Silicon rubber at the bottom and a decent lump of aluminium at the top with adjustable heat output
Glue the stamper on the top plate way you go press to your hearts content on square cut plastic pvc film
Want better quality? use Mylar film
Higher temperature longer "pressing" time better result
Cost about 30 cents a sheet if not more
Hobby YES commercial no way
The film alone will cost 10-15 cents each or 30 cents and more
So where do you go from there?
Cutting and metal work added it makes it a costly exercise indeed
Any way good luck to any one doing this
I am not convinced that it is a viable proposition for any one to get involved commercially in Flexi's
Happy to be shown/convinced otherwise but until than!!
Cheers

[d]

hey,

i have some very old russian made flexis. light blue in color. if you really want to hear I can probably rip to mp3 or similar to listen to.

all flexis that i have are used... most of them from the magazines and books.

i have one red colored from the book about space where Yuri Gagarin is lifting off and news are broadcasted about it. nice stuff heh

best wishes

[gauze]

bumping old thread, "oops".

ah the soundsheet, a rarely understood often maligned format.

flexis had a life in japan where a lot of small run hardcore punk stuff was pressed and sold (I have around 150 of them). Some of them cost hundreds of dollars now (one tops out at about $3000). The japanese flexis seem better quality than most evatone sound sheets I have for the record.

you CANNOT roll them up mail them and expect them to lay flat again for the record (re: one poster above)

[ArchaicRecords]

My flexi collection includes several 3" Hip Pocket Records sold by Ford/Philco in the late 1960s, some Trouser Press flexis, Bob Magazine, and used to have a collection from the back of cereal boxes. I had a flexi from a National Geographic issue put out in early 1972, but lost the flexi, and whenever I see these used mags in thrift stores, naturally the record is nowhere to be found.

[tragwag]

i've been exploring thin plastic sheets such as duralar, and things similar to x-ray film. these are flexi like materials, that are alright for cutting. obviously depth is an issue. im trying to get different thicknesses and even adhere them to cardboard or something (though thats not looking so good). more later!

[Angus McCarthy]

My flexi collection includes several 3" Hip Pocket Records sold by Ford/Philco in the late 1960s, some Trouser Press flexis, Bob Magazine, and used to have a collection from the back of cereal boxes. I had a flexi from a National Geographic issue put out in early 1972, but lost the flexi, and whenever I see these used mags in thrift stores, naturally the record is nowhere to be found.

I've been pleased to find several flexis in my scrounges of thrift stores. Most are samplers from various music publishing companies. A couple are more interesting; Nat Geo's "Sounds of the Space Age" and a manufacturer's sample disc of various duck calls. Suprisingly, I've gotten one disc which has a pronounced crease right through it to play without skipping.

I agree with mossy, that the time of mass-producing flexis as giveaway promotions has long since passed, and the viability of selling them on their own is questionable. However, bundling a flexi with a normal disc as a special release would be an excellent idea.

You have to get creative. What about an EP on flexi which comes in a special mini-magazine, for the retro factor?

[Steve E.]

In the 1970s, Time/Life records sent out a constant barrage of these things in junk mailings, to encourage sales of their record sets. As a kid, I saved them all. I doubt I tossed them. If need be, I can probably find and send some. Let me know.