Concept (Where in the light goes off in Forrest's brain)
Drum Corps Miniatures began sales of miniature drum corps figures in 1999 after several years
of research and planning. I have often been asked how I came up with the idea for the company.
Drum Corps Miniatures was a natural combination of two of my interests, collecting old lead toy
soldiers and Drum and Bugle corps. As my toy soldier collection grew I started thinking that
the old toy soldier type of figure, but reflecting the style of contemporary drum
and bugle corps, would make great collectable figures. I looked around at some shows and
websites and realized nobody else was doing it, and I was just crazy enough to try it.
So here I am in 1996-1998 with a great idea but I had a few problems. I didn’t sculpt,
I didn’t paint and I had no idea how these things were made. Ok, 20 years ago that would
have been a problem, but the old internet is pretty good for information so I went searching.
After talking to several very helpful people in the toy soldier trade, I found a sculptor in
England who was interested in my concept. He knew little about drum corps so I sent him some
videos, books, programs, etc so we both had a set. I had to educate him somewhat about drum
corps and he helped me on casting and painting. We started a relationship that stands
to this day. We have never met, he doesn’t have the internet but his work is outstanding
and over the years we have made it work. I hope to add a page with his
profile at a later date.
Trial and Error (Where in Forrest just dives in wild eyed and starts a company)
Ok, I mentioned that I knew nothing about the process of producing toy soldier
style figures. Let’s see, I found out I needed:
A spin caster...
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A melting pot...
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An air compressor...
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Pewter/metal...
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Metal ladles...
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Dross skimmers...
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A mold maker...
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And the most important part that drives it all...A top notch sculptor.
Also, a website, mailing boxes, labels, office supplies, accounting software,
bank accounts, credit card machine and a company to process transactions…,
well, you get the idea. As I mentioned, I started with finding and educating a
sculptor, a continuous process. Then I ordered all of the production equipment I
would need although I didn’t really know how too use it yet. Several people
walked me through the process but it was basically get your hands dirty and
learn on the job!
Initial Success (Where in, Forrest finds out this idea
was great but the company was running him instead of the other way around)
Many people have told me that sometimes success is as hard and stressful on a business
as failure. It is a tough problem to have but the alternative is worse.
I hit the road in 1999. Living in Florida and driving all over the place,
then coming home to produce enough figures was hectic and not the best way to
utilize my time, but I did it for several years. I did get to put my product out in
front of drum corps fans and I learned a lot from everyone I met. Production wasn’t
too bad at first as I only had about 10 variations of 3 to 4 different figures.
As my figure line increased however, 20 to 30 variations of 12 different figures,
the production side took over my house.
HARD PHOTOS 1 & 2
Here are two photos of my living room, also so know as the“Production Floor”, no hard
hats needed! This is where I struggled to paint and assemble figures, fill orders,
and produce inventory for the road.
HARD PHOTO 3
The “Shipping Department”, actually the other side of my living room,
uh “Production Floor”. I do not have a photo of the “Casting Department”,
which was my kitchen. One room out of two was the “Company/Administration Department”,
also known as the “Home Office”. No staff of secretaries or production managers,
or accounting department, just me!
Middle to Long Pause (Where in Forrest continues running around until……)
During my initial 3-year stretch I produced over 40 different styles of figures
representing over 7 different drum corps. I learned a lot during this time frame
about production. It gets better as you learn and you can only learn by trial and error.
I made a few mistakes, (Super Glue is OK, 2 part epoxy is better but requires clamps to
hold pieces, now thank God for the best, Contact Cement!!) Going on the road when gas
was $2.00+ per barrel, big mistake. On the road, drive 6 hours, set up tables and tent.
Display inventory. Set up before the show, stay until after the show. Take down and pack
all gear. Drive a few hours. Find a place to stay. By now it is 1 AM which
means…White Castle because that was usually the only place open to eat.
Go to sleep. Get up early and do it all over again. Lots of corn in this country.
Other lessons. Round pegs in round holes don’t hold. Things break during shipping…how
dare the Post Office. Boxes with labels look great but unless someone else is doing
them they take up a lot of time. The list goes on.
I also learned a lot about drum corps managers, participants, show sponsors, parents,
and general fans. I learned there are a lot of opinions to go around for everyone.
Some good, some bad, some crazy!! I learned that some people were not interested
in any type of figure unless it was THEIR CORPS, THEIR YEAR, THEIR UNIFORM, AND
THEIR INSTRUMENT, RIGHT DOWN TO HAIR AND EYE COLOR!!! Read
How
They're Made and you will see why this was/is impossible.
I went into this business thinking that all drum corps people were overall fans
I was. I never marched so I guess I had no real loyalties. I just knew what I
liked when I saw it. I know now that most people who marched with a corps are
still attached to that corps and are not interested in any other corps.
Over all collectors are like me and usually spread their collections among
several different corps. See the Collections page for photos of some of these
collections.
I continued to run around like that until 9/11/2001. I realized then that it was
a matter of time before I was recalled to active duty with the Marine Corps and
in March of 2002 I was off to the Corps for 2.5 years.
Return (Where Forrest returns and reorganizes his thoughts)
Returning in the summer of 2005, I took some time off and then started to build
inventory of the North Star “Chrome Wall” snare line which I had commissioned before
I left. This set is currently in stock. I also took a new direction for Drum Corps
Miniatures by commissioning a larger more collectible type figure mounted on a walnut
base. A 60th anniversary figure of the Cavaliers “Standing Man” was my first project
and it turned out as one of my best figures.
Moving a couple of times coupled with some family and personal physical problems,
delayed me getting reorganized but I started producing and selling again in the
summer of 2007.
I'll soon be posting my personal profile to the website where you'll be able to read about
many of the Drum Corps Miniatures adventures I went during during all this time.