Fabrication for Project 3

I have decided to turn my object created in Project 3 into a vase/pencil holder.  To do this I must create a watertight container.  I think that I will fabricate this piece out of brass.  I have also decided to chenier rivet this piece together using brass chenier, the contrast between the brass and black should be very aesthetically pleasing.  The chenier rivets will be similar to the ones used on the 2^nd project, flared out using a collet punch.

Failed Print

The wax print finished early this morning however the process of melting away the support wax destroyed the actual piece.  The walls were too thin and weak and the structure couldn’t support itself.  The wax print has failed.

Print Continues & Shapeways

I sent my Project 4 files to ‘Shapeways’ today just in case my wax print fails and I am unable to get the piece cast.  I ordered 3, one in the standard “Strong, White and Flexible”, one in “Alumide” (SWF infused with aluminium) and one in “Frosted Glass”.  These are expected to finish their print by the 28^th and hopefully will be here well in time for assessment.

Start of Print!!

Issues Resolved!

I went and saw Brad today with regard to my ‘Grasshopper’ splicing issues and to ask for help with my mesh problems.  The file fro Project 3 was very easy to splice, all I needed to do was ensure that I had put the right figures into the correct places.  5 minutes after I walked in the door, the third project was being laser cut.

The laser cut 3mm black acrylic turn out brilliantly except for one small problem; the circles that I had placed on my piece had been cut out slightly skewed.  The top and bottom circles were fine however which was all that mattered, they will cover the ones in the middle.

With the issues that I was having with Project 4, Brad and I tried to turn the “finished” piece into one single mesh in Rhino 5 however it too a very long time and was unsuccessful.  Instead we opened the file in a separate program called “Magiks” and by simply pressing FixWizard we managed to fix all of the problems and create a single mesh that could be 3D printed.

I brought the file to Jason so that it could be wax printed.  The initial file, in full scale printing at high quality was estimated to take 106 hours.  Understandable Jason was not so keen to have a print that would take so long.  To try and rectify the problem, we scaled down the piece by 30%, bringing the wall thickness to 1mm.  We also set the print to the lowest quality.  The estimated time on this print was 36 hours, a figure Jason was far happier with. 

Not Print Ready

I showed Jason what I thought was my final print-ready file however it seems that the object I have created cannot be printed in its current state.  The object is not one solid mesh; rather it is multiple meshes placed together.  I need to find a way to connect them all if it is to print successfully in the wax printer.

Project 4 Final Design

After Brad’s demo of ‘Grasshopper’ I have been trying to splice my piece however I am have a bit of difficulty.  It is quite a complex command and I am not 100% sure what commands goes where.

I have also come up with my final design for Project 4.  It is what I am calling the “net outline of a cyclone”.  It is basically the grid of a cyclone that is constructed out of ‘piped’ lines.  

The Cyclone Returns

I am building this piece partly based on my Project 2 Bracelet, while still being inspired by a cyclone.  After extruding the octagonal prism I have stretched and pulled parts of the shaft to create an irregular form based on an octagonal shape. 

            I have also decided to change the piece from a cuff to an object.  Once I started playing with the dimensions seriously I realized that the piece would not be appropriate to wear, it would be far too cumbersome and fragile.  

At the same time I have also started to work on my 4th Project, the 3D one.  Given the irregular shape of the 3^rd Project I wanted to create a piece that was more reminiscent of an actual cyclone or twister.  I have started to try and build a spiral/conical shape.