Heavy/Scratch: Adventures in 3D Printing: Mystery WIP

Discussion in 'Radicons Customs' started by destrongerlupus, Jun 7, 2012.

  1. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    Update 7/5

    I kept playing with the settings, and a few different part orientations, and I was able to get both clean prints for the balls as well as the sockets, and so now she has COMPLETELY native hip joints

    [​IMG]

    Still totally compatible with the Bowei Blocks though, which will be iconvinent as I keep working on DrillPress

    D/L

    7/4/12 Minor Update:

    Put some time in with the kitty mode v.2, and finally got the hip-shoulder connections worked out to where I'm happy.

    I still can't get a clean enough ball to print (I think it's entirely the fault of the cheapo ABS, I got some really clean ones from the original spool), but I did get a hip joint designed that works perfectly, and I mean PERFECTLY with a Bowei Blocks ball joint. I've got bags full of them, so that'll work just fine.

    [​IMG]

    Update 7/4/12 (Happy Independence day to the US fans!)

    And back to work.

    [​IMG]

    The slightly lower quality of the spool I bought (trying to save a few bucks) is really hurting the quality of the prints, the next roll will be official, for sure.

    [​IMG]

    Anyway, made some progress on the robot mode today, head is still a big WIP, but it's coming along. More importantly though, I've sorted out how to assemble and articulate her, took a VERY old school approach, but it totally gives her the level of coy femme posing I need from her.

    [​IMG]


    6/27/12 Tiny Update:

    I shared the completed v1 prototype cat mode with the artist who originally designed her tonight over dinner.

    She was thrilled to see one of her drawings come to life, and gave me her full blessing to "borrow" CatFight for my film project.

    [​IMG]

    I've got a initial print of the robot mode torso, and am getting to work on that now, while printing up parts for the v2 Cat mode.

    [​IMG]


    Update 6/24/12

    So the detailing on V1 is just about as done as it's going to be. I'm meeting with her "mother" next week, and hopefully I'll be able to share her identity with you all then.

    I'm also due to be re-supplied with ABS on Tuesday or so, so I should be able to get back to printing the V2 cat mode and start in on the robot mode.

    Hanging out with her clients:

    [​IMG]

    That's a completely unsupported pose, her wings work great as counter balances.

    I can haz my monies nao?:
    [​IMG]

    She doesn't actually speak in Lol-cat, but she is adorable enough to inspire the captions IMO.

    Decapitating rodents is her specialty:
    [​IMG]

    I'm breathlessly happy with the progress so far, it's unreal seeing this design in PLASTIC after all these years. Can't wait to get rolling on the next phase and really produce a perfectly finished version.

    D/L

    Update 6/19/12

    Ran out of plastic :/

    So while the cleaned-up V2 model is coming along, I can't print any more parts, so I started doing some finishing work on the prototype. She may have to be good enough for a few weeks....

    [​IMG]

    Update 6/16/12 Cat mode is basically done. I'm actually printing a second copy of all the parts which have been adjusted to incorporate the manual tweaks I made while assembling this one. Hopefully she'll be that much better in V2 :) 

    [​IMG]

    Moving onto the Robot Mode next, which should go much more quickly, only 2 unique parts and some re-proportioning of the bits from cat mode.


    Update 6/12/12.2
    Altmode is ALMOST done, still a few critical parts to go....

    [​IMG]

    Update 6/12/12

    Working on the head, this was a test-fit of v1, a little too small, and too many lost details. V3 is printing as we speak.

    [​IMG]

    I had to share this pic though, my buddy did a bunch of adorable pics whith her while I was at the office, too funny!


    Update 6/10/12:

    Alt-Mode is getting closer, lots of finish work to do still, but functionally we're looking pretty solid!

    [​IMG]


    As some of you may know, I've been using my desktop 3D printer to help out WheelJack on his Swerve project:

    http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/radicons-customs/601530-deluxe-ratchet-into-swerve-wip.html

    But, of course I bought this puppy for my own projects. I've got some add-ons in the works that I'm hoping to share with community, but the first thing out of the gate is a full figure printed entirely from scratch.

    [​IMG]

    For various reasons I can't reveal the identity of this character yet, but I'm having a ton of fun working on it.

    Got the ball-joint ankle working tonight, and just had to share!

    D/L
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Rexidus

    Rexidus Autobot

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    Do you have ANY GODLY IDEA how much I want to kill you and wear your skin right now? :D 

    Yeah that didn't come off as creepy and psychotic...


    I wish I had a 3D printer and the skills to make my own figures. I feel like a starving child pressed against the window staring at a loving family enjoying Christmas dinner while I am shivering in my rags. :p 
     
    • Like Like x 1
  3. benclark1982

    benclark1982 Well-Known Member

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    You said that you have a few projects in the works for Prime figures, would one of them be new thigh parts for RID bulkhead to give him a bit more hight? I think that he justs needs to be a bit taller thats all.
     
  4. Treadshot A1

    Treadshot A1 Toy Designer

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    Neat bro. But the print quality...i guess maybe the flash and the metal rod are confusing me.
     
  5. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    It's the fulfilment of a 12 year dream-journey, you can't imagine how much I'm enjoying this thing!

    I never specified Prime, but that might be a cool idea, not near the top of my list however.


    It's got nothing on Shapeways for resolution, but for larger parts it does just fine (and it's ABS, so BIG and PLASTIC have some points on Shapeways), the part here is fresh off the machine with the support material only partly peeled off and no clean up done yet.

    Definitely needs more manual intervention than Shapeways, and again, I can only print so small without losing fidelity, but the speed and savings far outweigh the short comings IMO :) 

    D/L
     

    Attached Files:

  6. zodconvoy

    zodconvoy Well-Known Member

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    I'm getting a Impactor vibe from that leg.
     
  7. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    I can see it, but no, right "vibe" wrong everything else. And in fairness the "guessing game" really won't work on this one (still could be fun though!) the character is entirely too obscure for anyone to guess.

    As I continue to build it out we'll see what people think :) 
     
  8. Treadshot A1

    Treadshot A1 Toy Designer

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    Eh, looks neat either way. That should be one awesome toy when it's done. If you need any help with it, you know where the find me. :) 

    Oh, and did you factor in a transformation? Or is this an Action Master to get your joints working?
     
  9. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    This figure is having character-model accuracy prioritized over functionaility, so while there are 2 modes, because the design cheats, kind of a lot, I'm doing a dual-mode action master, basically.

    I may eventually take the time and tweak all the parts to enough of a "middle state" to allow for a transformation, but that's a long term goal :) 
     
  10. Big Hache

    Big Hache Perfect

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    Are you using a filament based printer? I was looking at those recently and they're stupid cheap. Resolution is not as good as Shapeways et al but to be able to do that at home... the time alone you save...

    Great looking work, can't wait to see more.
     
  11. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    Yup I'm using an ABS Stepstruder, it was by rapid-prototyping standards stupid cheap, about $2K.

    The time savings are AMAZING, I've run through dozens of iterations of parts, just a few minutes waiting for it to print, and I can test right away. if I was a better designer I'd need fewer iterations, but hey, this lowers the barrier to entry, which is great for me :) 

    Not to mention the cost and shipping expense of Shapeways etc. Resolution isn't on par, but it's not BAD by any means, I can get down to about the scale of a DLX head with passable fidelity, and anything bigger than that with great fidelity, albeit some tooling marks that need to be cleaned.

    Thanks for the compliment, I'm loving working on this kind of thing!\

    D/L
     
  12. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    Update 6/10/12:

    Alt-Mode is getting closer, lots of finish work to do still, but functionally we're looking pretty solid!

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Thebricklord

    Thebricklord Well-Known Member

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    Leobreaker
     
  14. destrongerlupus

    destrongerlupus Well-Known Member

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    You've got the species close to right, but this is a super obscure character, so no need to play the guessing game. My reasons for keeping the identity secret is because this is a surprise for an artist friend who doesn't know about it yet.
     
  15. Big Hache

    Big Hache Perfect

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    This is looking wicked sweet. *sits down with popcorn*
     
  16. tffan1194

    tffan1194 Well-Known Member

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  17. Unfall

    Unfall Shattered Glass

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    Is it Sky Lynx?
     
  18. batmanprime

    batmanprime Omega-con

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    If this is who I think it is I definitely want 1
     
  19. Anti-Venom

    Anti-Venom Well-Known Member

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    Is is CatSCAN?
     
  20. zodconvoy

    zodconvoy Well-Known Member

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    Pounce.