the Key to Time?

[Darksyde]

The edges are realatively smooth as the tabs are more or less the same length as the thickness of the material. In order to try to mate whole segments into a cube it would definately need to be glued. The way they finaly desinged it some of the parts are actualy a bit smaller than I would have expected which actually ends up with a cleaner finished look but close inspection of some of the edges shows some odditys.

Because there are some size factors that involve the actual starting matierial it was an additional 30$ if it were based on a 6inch square. This is indeed five which brought it down to the 50$ range for a one off so they were nice enough to offer me their prototype package. It is usally based on by the piece so I feel fairly fortunate. Saddly another reason while I'll probly abandon this line construction.

But since all the work is complete and the information kept on their end if I wanted another of this piece it will only run 18 + shipping hense forth.

As I mentioned above the more complex segments I just can't see working well but this part came out better than I had hopped. Though it's hard to keep the finger prints off it

[exilea]

I'm waiting on a reply from a rapid prototype company. I don't know anything about this kinda thing, but I'm hoping they can do it in clear plastic. I'll send them the models in ".STL" format and they'll give me a quote. I'll let you know how that turns out.

[exilea]

BTW, if I ever get the money to do this right, i'm going to have a thin clear box made to hold the segments together. It will have the Tracer holes in it as well.

[exilea]

Well, here's the first reply:

We have a PolyJet machine that can build parts in a clear resin called FullCure 720. It has a brown/yellow tint, but with polishing the parts are transparent. There is also an SLA material we can use that is clear white.

I sent him the segments and asked him to quote both options for the 6" version. I expect it'll be an arm'n'leg price though...

[exilea]

Still waiting to hear back from another place, but the one I mentioned earlier quoted the tinted version at $259 for the whole thing!
I've emailed him back just to double check that this is going to produce a 6" cube when assembled.  If so, all things considered, that's a pretty good price!

EDIT: Knew that was too good to be true...he wasn't looking at it in the 6" scale  >. That price jumped to like $2800!

I've inquired further about making the segments hollow...but i'm not too hopeful this time 

Further edit: The hollowed out versions would be $900. Just can't justify it 

[Darksyde]

I've been trying to decide the best way to make parts from which to possibly cast from and how one would go about the casting process. Currently I have decided the simplest way to make the individual parts suitible for assembly and/or casting is to use foam board. I have gathered a few tools and ordered some 3" thick foam to attempt to make the first piece. This will probly require some jigs or other guides to keep the lines strait and crisp but it seems the best material to try and work with.

I have also narrowed my mold makeing options. This part seems to be a little on the spendy side if this actually makes it to that stage but once the mold is made correctly you don't have to make another. The best two options seem to be Silicone and Urethane.

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=32&;

The silicone is a little cheaper but it's a bit more of a pain to mix. The urethane is a simple 1 to 1 mix but one part dosen't keep well.

As for the final casting material I've run accross two options. There is clear apoxy and clear resin. The epoxy again seems simpler because it is a simple 1 to 1 mix and thus keeps things simple on the brain. The profesional casting resin takes a small amount of harder depending on weight of resin you are useing in the mold. I have however also found arificial water kits for use with artificial flowers that runs cheaper than official casting resin and may well be worth a try.

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=33&;

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/quicwat12ozs.html

There are some good mold makeing videos on youtube from the Tap guys and from another company cald smooth-on.

Well, thats about the closest I have to an update. My foam is on the way so cross your fingers that I don't get totaly frustrated with it.

Lates!

[Teletran]

I've been run off my feet with school so I haven't had time to post but my mum and I are considering pooling our resorces and buying a second hand kiln so a glass model wouldn't be out of the question.

[Sorvan]

I have however also found arificial water kits for use with artificial flowers that runs cheaper than official casting resin and may well be worth a try.

The big question to ask is how hard this stuff gets.  I would imagine that for silk flowers in a vase, you wouldn't need anything terribly durable - something even as hard as gelatin would be fine.

Colin

[Darksyde]

I'll know in a day or two. I just picked up a box of the stuff to give it a test run while I wait on the foam to arrive. I picked up a container for mixing and flexible container closeish to 6x6x3 as I could find at a low price for a test mold. (this being the absolute largest any once piece will be). I have already learned that I have absolutely no concept of volume. The basic kit is about 6$ for 8oz of material. Which fills maybe a quater of my mold. The price difference in the end may not be that big between this stuff and professional based on total volume needed. I"ll have to look into that at a later date.

[exilea]

I got my flatpack 5th segment in today. Seems to hold together quite well if you superglue a few of the joints together....i ran out, otherwise I would have finished the glue job.

Darksyde, I think that, with the pieces glued together, it would be possible to have a working Key in this fashion. It won't accommodate a Tracer rod and it's an inch undersized, but I would definitely be happy with this until someone comes up with an affordable 1:1 replica. How about you work on another segment and send me the quote.
In fact, I don't know how much interest there is for this project amongst the other members, but maybe me and 4 other members would be interested in footing the bill for the initial build on each remaining segment and let the others order under the discount like you did with the first one. We could also have clear box made to hold the pieces together.

Any thoughts anybody? 

[Darksyde]

At this time I just still can't see some of the pieces with more complexity holding together well or properly. But if you like I can ask. I'm currently still toying with foam replica and casting up some plastic versions. I just finished the first foam piece today.

So far it looks like it will work. I need to do some filling and sanding and I have decide to order a better hot knife but I am happy with this first part. It turned out to be easyer than I had thought though the other parts are far more complex.

Next is to order up some mold makeing supplys and testing to see if they are compatible with foam heh. I half expect this project to end in a gooy white foam mess but ya never know untill you try.

[exilea]

At this time I just still can't see some of the pieces with more complexity holding together well or properly. But if you like I can ask. I'm currently still toying with foam replica and casting up some plastic versions. I just finished the first foam piece today.

So far it looks like it will work. I need to do some filling and sanding and I have decide to order a better hot knife but I am happy with this first part. It turned out to be easyer than I had thought though the other parts are far more complex.

Next is to order up some mold makeing supplys and testing to see if they are compatible with foam heh. I half expect this project to end in a gooy white foam mess but ya never know untill you try.

Hope that works out!

As far as the flatpacks are concerned, i think they would hold together well if you glued all the right-angled joints first. I had a little trouble with segment 5 until i did that, then it was easy.

Did you make a drawing to send them or did you send them the 3d file and have them do it?

[The14thDr]

Sorry for reviving regenerating an old thread, but I couldn't resist.
Does anyone happen to have a copy of the card templates for the 6 segments of the Key saved on their computer? The link on page 1 of this thread has gone dead and I'd really like a completed key to display in my console room.

Kind regards, The14thDr

[galacticprobe]

14th (and all), with a little help from the Internet Wayback Machine I managed to find this link directly to the PDF file:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110516085101/http://welten.horus.at/wp-content/uploads/1994/08/key.pdf.

I'm not sure how long that link will be there, but for now once the page loads, just do a File>Save As...>Enter, and the file will save as "key.pdf". Then you can rename it if you like (or change the name while you "Save As...").

And if that link ever does go away, Future Members who will read this, provided that I'm still looking down at the daisies, shoot me a PM with your e-mail address and I can e-mail you a copy of the file. (You didn't think I'd go through all that trouble to locate it, and then not save a copy for myself while I was there, did you? <maniacal laughter like Renfield follows> )

Dino.

[The14thDr]

Thank you Dino! I don't think I'd have the courage to work out all the angles and measurements for all the segments myself, so these will be extremely useful. Thanks again!!

Kind regards, The14thDr