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I modeled this... radio


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Monday night we molded the radio faceplate and knobs in silicone

First we created the mold box for the faceplate:
zenix_sonix_01.jpg

Then mixed, degassed, and poured the silicone. You can see the bubbles rising up from the center of the speaker grill
zenix_sonix_02.jpg

We mounted the knobs and glued some familiar cylinders around them (can you figure out what they are?) and poured the silicone
zenix_sonix_03.jpg

The following night, I extracted the mold from the faceplate box, and it came out beautiful!
zenix_sonix_04.jpg

The knobs look great too!
zenix_sonix_05.jpg

Now to cast the resin
zenix_sonix_06.jpg

I forgot the resin I was using cured clear
zenix_sonix_07.jpg

It came out beautiful, and very nicely detailed!
zenix_sonix_08.jpg

Gigantic pictures available in the album here:
http://tk386.com/zenix_sonix_radio

I've got Smooth-On Task 2 resin on the way, and will continue to refine the casting process. Once I've got a bunch on hand, in about two weeks, I'll post a for sale Zenix Sonix Radio thread under the Project Orders forum. Yes, I will offer multiple options:
Full kit - faceplate, knobs, switches, and box
Just the faceplate and knobs
Just the faceplate
Just the knobs

No need to post an "I want one!" message here. I'll see you in the Project Order forum :)

Thank you very much for your patience during this whole project!

Charlie

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Hey, Charlie are you thinking of adding Thermalite to reduce the weight not

to mention cut down on the amount of resin you need.

Tim

Monday night we molded the radio faceplate and knobs in silicone

First we created the mold box for the faceplate:

Posted Image

Then mixed, degassed, and poured the silicone. You can see the bubbles rising up from the center of the speaker grill

Posted Image

We mounted the knobs and glued some familiar cylinders around them (can you figure out what they are?) and poured the silicone

Posted Image

The following night, I extracted the mold from the faceplate box, and it came out beautiful!

Posted Image

The knobs look great too!

Posted Image

Now to cast the resin

Posted Image

I forgot the resin I was using cured clear

Posted Image

It came out beautiful, and very nicely detailed!

Posted Image

Gigantic pictures available in the album here:

http://tk386.com/zenix_sonix_radio

I've got Smooth-On Task 2 resin on the way, and will continue to refine the casting process. Once I've got a bunch on hand, in about two weeks, I'll post a for sale Zenix Sonix Radio thread under the Project Orders forum. Yes, I will offer multiple options:

Full kit - faceplate, knobs, switches, and box

Just the faceplate and knobs

Just the faceplate

Just the knobs

No need to post an "I want one!" message here. I'll see you in the Project Order forum :)

Thank you very much for your patience during this whole project!

Charlie

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I put a full kit on the scale (with mounting screws), and it came out to 1 pound 4 ounces (580 grams)

The weight of the original vacuum formed faceplate is 3 ounces (90 grams) versus 8.8 ounces (250 grams) for the resin faceplate mounted to a sheet of plastic.

So, it will be an extra 5 ounces (160 grams). If you notice that difference, then you're probably related to that princess who couldn't sleep on the stack of mattresses with the pea underneath :lol:

I'm working on cleaning up the castings - There's some surface lines leftover from the 3D rendering process that need to be smoothed out. Then I will make new silicone molds and be ready for the production run.

I haven't worked up the ears yet. Do you have pictures of the ones you made Mike?

Charlie

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Have you thought about casting this in Onyx resin by Smooth-Cast? It is a heat and impact resistant black resin that would prevent the radio from having to be painted. Just a thought.

Fantastic job. I hope to have the chance to own one.

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The Smooth-Cast Onyx looks like some good stuff! It's the same Shore Hardness as Task 2, has lower viscosity so it will flow into the nooks and crannies, and it's already black without having to add pigment. Yup, I'll be ordering a one gallon set :)

Charlie

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I bought some of Smooth-On's black tint to make the last few radios I made black... actually if I mixed it just right, I could get that slightly off gray color. But yeah, that new Onyx stuff sounds really good.

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I actually bought some to mold and cast the large dial, which I have from the National Panasonic radio I picked up in an auction from Japan. This newest radio may make that effort redundant, execept maybe for local consumption. Hope it helps. As a "gold star" for the suggestion, could I make the list for the first run? Thought it couldn't hurt to ask ;)

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