http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php Shapeways: Bring your creativity to life in 3D http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=44800&th=8450#msg_44800
I'm from Chicago & have a decent amount of experience with tools like 3DSMax, Modo & Sketchup.

I was looking around for a re-usable lunch box and couldn't find anything that fit my needs and decided that perhaps it would be a good project to get my 3D prototyping on.



Here's what I was looking for and realized they didn't fit my needs.

This is the closest I've seen but it's still a little too tall. 
http://fokal.com/f-0974/box-appetit-from-black-and-blum

Tiffin Lunch Kit - Love the thinness of this one and the design but too vertical and round. 
http://sinclairedesign.bigcartel.com/product/tiffin-lunch-ki t

Here's what I'm imagining instead. A 1/2 sheet sized box (think 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.5 box with a sealable lid. Interior volume is divided into two compartments (2/3 and 1/3). I think I'd like the material to be the same as the tiffin lunch kit (thin walled ceramic) but I'm open to other suggestions as well.

Couple of questions.

1. ANy suggestions on which tool works better for creating objects like lunch boxes?
2. What material do you think would work well - I would need it to be microwaveable?




]]> sthodla 2012-03-02T18:54:03-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=44810&th=8450#msg_44810 I'm a fan of the Tiffen lunch box design too.

You can do ceramics with Shapeways:
http://www.shapeways.com/materials/ceramics

It's not as thin as the Tiffen, but you can get some nice results.

Then you can make a lid out of the White Strong and Flexible Polished.
http://www.shapeways.com/materials/white_strong_flexible

I suggest that with two materials, you order the ceramic first, and then take measurements from that to make the lid.
(ceramic print measurements can vary, but the plastic is accurate to under 1mm)
The slight flexibility in the plastic will help it fit snugly.

You could also use the plastic to make custom inserts for a store-bought box.

Hope to see what you do!]]> Mary.Huang 2012-03-02T22:27:25-00:00