Just got my first builds in the mail today, 2 prints in dyed WSF, fantastic! Some minor tweaks needed to improve the mechanical function but overall I'm very pleased (love the colours!) Also: New guy here (thought I'd kill two birds with one stone), technical designer by day & crackpot inventor by night. I'm fascinated by 3D printing and the potential it holds, was thrilled when I stumbled upon Shapeways and look forward to placing many orders in the future. Howdy ya'll!
Welcome aboard - those are so cool! I take it the spring mechanisms are just salvaged from standard washing pegs? Andy
Cool. How do they hold up to squeezing to open? I would have thought WSF was a bit too bendy. Plans for other animals? Dog? Cat? Pig?
How flexible it is depends partially on the thickness. If you've got a flat plane not much over 1mm thick, it will flex. If the model's thicker and has support in different directions like this, it probably won't flex that much. Andy
Wow! thanks for all your comments and kind words! I was quite surprised at exactly how flexible the WSF material was (hence the design changes required) should get the new model up and public this weekend. Yes you have to ninja a spring from another clothes peg, I had to bend mine apart slightly to make fitting it easier (plus I didn't want to put undue stress on the parts, nothing more annoying than getting your hands on a freshly made prototype only to accidentally break it moments later!)
Hi Noodles, Completely agree - try and get it perfect before you bring it out in the world. Give Shapeways, and yourself, a good name! Keep up the good work - Michiel
Nice! those look amazing! I cant wait to get my order..I finally am trying out the colors... I feel for you on the "breaking your brand new prototype" issue. My first rendition of my Custom Case for the iPod Touch was a little off, so within 10 minutes of getting it in the mail - I was using the bandsaw to cut the WHOLE thing into little peices so I could varify the problem. It was a little bit depressing.... But hey, Thats what prototyping is for right?