Toy Car and Pocket Reaper

Discussion in 'My Shapeways Order Arrived' started by WillLaPuerta, Feb 17, 2011.

  1. WillLaPuerta
    WillLaPuerta Well-Known Member
    I made a VW Beetle as an example for my students then decided to make a toy out of it. The wheels stuck in my print, but I put it in the freezer for a while and gave them a good wiggle or two they came free and now roll beautifully.

    [​IMG]

    I keep looking at it and giggling, for some reason. And I can't stop rolling it back and forth to see the wheels turn. I'm even more amused by this than by the Fokker I made during the last class.

    Here's the underside.

    [​IMG]

    Also got my Pocket Reaper. Wee little reaper to slip into your shirt pocket. based on a design I originally made for a shirt.

    [​IMG]

    Is that a Reaper in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

    [​IMG]

    This is actually my second print of this. The first version was too large and didn't leave enough space in my pocket for a pen. Hope to get it painted sooner or later.
     
  2. 9694_deleted
    9694_deleted Member
    Hey Will!

    You say you put the Beetle in the freezer? Interesting, why did that help the wheels to loosen up?
     
  3. WillLaPuerta
    WillLaPuerta Well-Known Member
    Things tend to contract when they're cold and expand when they're hot. I just hoped the axles and the holes in the car would contract away from each other. It seemed to loosen them up enough that I could get them moving.

    I've tried it on three prints and it's worked on two of them, so I figure it's at least worth trying.
     
  4. Kaetemi
    Kaetemi Member
    Theoretically, everything would contract by the same factor, in the same direction, so the size caused by the freezing would not really make a difference.
    More likely either the contraction and expansion caused stuck loose powder to loosen up a bit more. Or the cold made the axes less flexible, making it easier to apply force to loosen them.
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2011
  5. WillLaPuerta
    WillLaPuerta Well-Known Member
    I suspect that the geometry of the objects involved might make things a bit more complex than you're assuming, but I don't know enough about this subject to be absolutely certain of any of this. All I am certain about is my wheels roll and I'm happy about it!
     
  6. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member
    Freezing makes the parts contract by the same %, but as the material is porous, the air inside shrinks by a bigger % lose powder get compressed, and as the model warms again the parts become free of each other... or is it that as the parts freeze, water vapour condenses and pushes parts free?

    Either way, that's one cool VeeDub :)

    [edit] Pocket Reaper is very cool too!


     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2011
  7. WillLaPuerta
    WillLaPuerta Well-Known Member
    Thanks. It's palm sized!

    [​IMG]

    I don't normally describe my work this way, but I have to admit it's pretty cute.
     
  8. 9694_deleted
    9694_deleted Member
    @WillLaPuerta Cute is definitely the right word.

    Thanks for the post-processing insight, guys. ;)
     
  9. lensman
    lensman Well-Known Member
    SWF in the freezer, full colour sandstone in the microwave... whatever's next? :eek:

    Glenn
     
  10. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    I don't know since White Detail is not dishwasher proof...
    :D
     
  11. lensman
    lensman Well-Known Member
    Haha... from experience?

    Glenn
     
  12. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member
    [​IMG] Very hot water to bend Detail materials if you have asbestos fingers and don't mind a bit of pain ;)

     
  13. lensman
    lensman Well-Known Member
    Ouch!
     
  14. 9694_deleted
    9694_deleted Member
    Ouch, yes! But also pretty amazing to hear of some of the unexpected post-processing techniques people have unlocked.

    Do any of you guys know any other methods that people have discovered recently?
     
  15. rawkstar320
    rawkstar320 Member
    Cool project! I am going to try the freezer idea today. My most recent design SHOULD work according to the design rules, but its stuck...
     
  16. WillLaPuerta
    WillLaPuerta Well-Known Member
    I finally got around to painting and photographing my Pocket Reaper:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]