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crashmann

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Posts posted by crashmann

    I need a new morter tube...Crashmann, help!

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    It sounds like you've got it sorted out Marcus. I checked several plumbing supply stores in my area for black ABS pipe, but they did not carry it - something about local building codes prohibited plumbers from using it :wacko:

    My intent for the clear pipe was to choose something lightweight for the pack, as every little bit adds up during a long troop. I'm sorry to hear folks have been having trouble with the pipe. I'll go digging to find another source for the black ABS pipe again.

    Charlie

    Muppet's AM TD build

    in Sandtrooper Armor

    Posted

    Hi Ken and congratulations on choosing the sandy side of the Empire!

    I don't know the best way to handle covering your butt, however I would strongly recommend digging through PandaTrooper's AM build thread on FISD:

    http://forum.whitearmor.net/index.php?showtopic=10434

    Tons of great information and recommendations to modify the plastic to create the custom fit you are looking for. You don't have to implement everything presented, but it certainly offers lots of good ideas.

    Good luck!

    Charlie

    The Woodchuck and Mr. Crashmann are the BEST !

    in Off Topic Cantina

    Posted

    Thank you very much for the endorsement John! My first question when I joined up with the Old Line Garrison over 5 years ago was "who has a vac table?" Since no one spoke up, I built one based on TK560's website, and what an adventure it has been! Here's a video of the vac table in action:

    http://tk386.com/video/Sandtrooper_Backpack_Vacuum_Forming.wmv

    It is a pleasure and an honor to serve the members of the Legion the finest melted plastic on the planet :D

    Charlie

    I modeled this... radio

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    The parts were printed using Somos 11122 and cast in Mold Max 40 silicone. I think because of the way the parts are grown, one micro-thin layer at a time, this creates ridges on the vertical surfaces, and if it is not sealed with paint, then the silicone grips onto it.

    This past weekend I continued plucking, scraping, and cleaning the little bits off the faceplate. Sanded the edges and valleys with 320 grit sandpaper. Then I hit it with Testors gray primer and sanded with 600 grit between coats. Once the primer was cured, I put on a couple layers of Rustoleum Satin Black.

    Warning - Do not put 3D printed parts in your hot car to cure the paint!

    Funky warping and craziness will ensue!

    So I wrestled to get that straightened out...

    I layed on two coats of Mann's Ease Release and used a medium paintbrush to ensure it got into all of the corners. Mixed up the remainder of the Mold Max 40 and de-gassed it on the vac table:

    Posted Image

    I carefully poured the silicone onto the radio faceplate and started the 24 hour clock, waiting for it to cure.

    This evening I was very pleased to find the silicone mold separated from the faceplate with ease, and every detail was captured!

    Posted Image

    Time to pour some Black Onyx!

    Supposedly it has a pot life of 2 1/2 minutes. But at 87 degrees Fahrenheit, it's only 90 seconds!

    Posted Image

    Fortunately, it came out of the mold very easily. Take two turned out this beauty:

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    Posted Image

    So, the faceplate mold is good to go, and I can ramp up and make a bunch of them. However, the big knob did not survive the sticky silicone extraction, so we have to get that one printed again :(

    Depending on when the big knob arrives, I should have kits ready to go in two weeks!

    Charlie

    I modeled this... radio

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    The new faceplate looks amazing in person. Because it is printed in a translucent material, pictures don't do it justice, but here goes:


    Zenix_Radio_Master_03.jpg


    Zenix_Radio_Master_01.jpg


    Zenix_Radio_Master_04.jpg


    Zenix_Radio_Master_02.jpg



    The ribs on the side of the knob came out perfect!


    Zenix_Radio_Big_Knob_01.jpg



    I mounted the parts to styrene, built a box to cast them in silicone, and poured the warm sticky goo all over the parts. I waited a little longer than 24 hours to ensure it was completely cured. Then began the extraction - which was met with a great deal of resistance. What's going on here? I used a light coating of Ease Release...


    Oh noes!!!


    Zenix_Radio_Master_05.jpg


    Zenix_Radio_Big_Knob_02.jpg


    Apparently, silicone likes to stick to the edges of 3D printed parts. So I've been gently scraping, poking, digging, and doing my best to clean up the parts in preparation for another casting.


    Hopefully my next posting will be fully cured black resin reproductions :)


    Charlie

    TD-6908's field pack

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    Wow, that looks great Lou!

    Nice job joining the Tupperware hamburger stackers with the cistern from Gordonator. The best of both worlds :lol:

    I'd wager that if there was a 6th backpack during production, it would look just like this configuration with the Tupperware Stow-N-Go container on the top left. Remember, when the prop guys were putting together the original backpacks, they would just look around the shop and grab random parts to cover up the blank spots.

    Get some 3/4" PVC for the shotgun shells, a little mud on the tires, and you'll be golden!

    (I just saw Brad Paisley last weekend :D )

    Charlie

    I modeled this... radio

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    Hey Charlie...any news on the status of these beauties!

    Why yes, as a matter of fact :)

    We had a good session on Friday night tweaking the size of the panels around the speaker grill so they line up just right. Then we modified the big knob so the middle layer actually angles down rather than just being a flat surface.

    Next, we will hollow out the radio faceplate from the back to reduce the amount of material required to print the radio in 3D = reducing cost :)

    Almost there...

    Charlie

    I modeled this... radio

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    We had a very good session last night. First we converted the CAD drawing to use metric for the units of measure - it's a lot easier to use millipedes than fractions of an inch :)

    We worked on the details in the upper boxes - adding the ring around the dial, the depression for the big knob, the ring around the slide switches, and we moved the dimples in the corners. Todd also separated the radial lines from the inner circle of the speaker grill.

    Our next session will focus on the rest of the speaker grill. There's a lot of trim line detail to adjust in the four panels :blink:

    Thanks again for your patience!

    Charlie

    Do you have one of these?!?

    Posted Image

    I modeled this... radio

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    Thank you all very much for your support of this project, and I am sorry of the continuing wait. We had a decision to make when the new picture was made available of the found Sonix radio - Do we continue with what we have produced, knowing that a better version would be in development? Or, do we go back and modify the CAD drawing to add in new details, but make people wait another month?

    I had to look at it from a customer point of view. Yes, it would be great to get a beautiful looking radio, but to hand over my hard earned money to buy something that would be replaced with an improved version less than 6 months down the road just would not be right.

    My name is not GL, and I'm not going to sell you the same thing 5 times :)

    - Is there anyone that is not going to buy Star Wars on Blu-Ray when it's released? I'll be adding the Blu-Ray box set to my collection, right next to my VHS Platinum Trilogy, individual Star Wars DVD's, and snuggled up against the Collector's Edition box set DVD's :rolleyes:

    So, Todd and I are going to work on the CAD drawing a little more, and by the end of May, we will have the radio ready to go!

    Thanks again for your patience :duim:

    Charlie

    I modeled this... radio

    in Field Backpack

    Posted

    Hey Crashmann,

    could you please give me the exact measurements of the faceplate, cause I have some boxes to build and that's why I want to have everything ready before your faceplate releases. :)

    The faceplate is 6.5" wide by 8.3" tall, but don't build your boxes just yet. With the new details from the high resolution photo, we may rework the faceplate.

    Charlie

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