March 29, 2019

Farm Toy Manufacturer on Raiders Road is a Local Hidden Gem

For as long as there have been tractors and farm equipment there have been toys to mimic them. Although many of today’s farm toys are fairly realistic, they are not an exact replica of every model and option available.

Moore’s Farm Toys was born in 1994 out of Jeff Moore’s idea to create life-like miniature replicas of farm equipment and accessories for the toy collector community. That idea has grown into a family business that now operates out of the building that was once his father’s farm equipment dealership.

A huge part of their business is through wholesale to businesses throughout the country and parts of Canada. Sales from their website and toy shows – such as the National Farm Toy Show in November, keep them busy.

Their offerings vary from unique toy tractors with 100% of their metal parts cast right in their shop to the individual custom modules created to enhance an existing toy. Some of the accessories that can be found featured in their displays include three-point hitches, custom trailers, Degelman blades, sickle bar mowers, hay shoots, and loader bucket forks. Just about any accessory imaginable can be found at Moores Farm Toys. Even specific branded and custom painted parts. Kits with unfinished parts for assembly can also be purchased.

However, the options to customize toys does not stop there. Moore’s Farm Toys makes parts for trucks like ladder racks, dump bed kits, tool boxes, blades and hitches. Special requests for miniature replicas of commercial vehicles have been completed as well. Lawn and garden trucks, excavating equipment and even an ice cream truck with a lot of heavy decal work are among the list.

In the workshop are shelves towering with molds, workstations for assembly and detail work, and a spin casting machine among numerous materials and tools for the job. New parts are prototyped in plastic first and then created in brass to use as a master. The master is pressed into a fresh mold to create a cavity for the liquid zinc to pour into. The process of the metal transitioning from a solid to a melted liquid and flowing into the mold takes only a few minutes. After removing the mold from the spin casting machine and letting it cool for just a bit the parts are then separated. Anywhere from two to 24 parts can be formed in a single mold. There is little waste because what metal isn’t used in the final product is remelted and used again. With just some quick cleanup and sanding the product is ready to be painted, powder coated or decaled.

Jeff Moore’s passion for making toys has been passed down to other members of his family including his son-in-law, Blair Maxwell, and Blair’s eleven-year-old son, Coner, who more recently started making his own creations. Kendra Moore Hindel, Jeff’s sister, works in the shop in their distribution department. Her son used to help by making toys with his uncle Jeff.

You can learn more about Moore’s Farm Toys, a local hidden gem, by visiting their website at mooresfarmtoys.com or their Facebook page, facebook.com/farmtoybuilder.