Shapeways shenanigans

So last night, I got two separate packages from Shapeways. Yeah, I don't really get what the hell they're doing over there. UPS handles all their shipping, and since Shapeways seems like a small company, I guess it makes sense to step back and let UPS manage everything. But instead of, y'know, putting everything into one fucking box, they'll ship multiple items the size of a fucking thimble in separate boxes. Whatever, man...as long as the shit gets here, I guess I can't complain.

So anyway, just a couple news items this week--all stemming from printouts received. First of all, the Dairugger blazing sword prototype is looking mad tight with the latest modifications. Peep the images below [and again, sorry for the shittier and shittier photos...as my camera slowly makes its way across the river, Sanzu]. Oh, and just like before, I had to cut the blade off (and even hog out a bunch of material from the sides) because the shit's just too damn expensive.



Now, I just took a sharpie and scribbled all over different surfaces of the menuki (heh...a throwback from my Japanese swordsmanship days: menuki are hilt ornaments that function to improve your grip by providing a little extra ergonomic bulk for your hands). The result of the marker ink is pretty damn good, I think!



And just taking a step back, I think the scale and feel of the entire hilt is pretty on point.



And, of course, now the bad news: I just don't think this is gonna fucking work! The "white, strong, flexible" (WSF) material I printed this part in is already crazy-light, but it was still causing the arm to flop down at the shoulder. Can you imagine the full-length sword...done in a denser material?? I dunno. It's gonna be a tough one. We'll see what happens...

Anyway, next up is the "frosted ultra detail" (FUD; 3D Systems) AshuraShine. Yo, this shit is off the fucking hook!





Keep in mind, the toy above is 1-3/4"!! You can just barely make out the layer striations on the upper chest (because there's a subtle non-vertical slope to that surface). Pretty fucking wild. I mean, just look at how damn SHARP that Om and BN logo came out! This shit is real-deal. Click here for a nice close-up.

And just for comparison, here's a "transparent detail" (TD; Objet) printout of the Gin Gin MUSCLE:



This is just about the best Objet print I've ever gotten from Shapeways. Unfortunately, I've gotten other "detail" parts from them that looked aiight...but felt like they were made out of used chewing gum. Pretty fucked up. I'm not sure what they're doing wrong. I presume there's some post-processing step they're skipping or just doing wrong. Most TD parts definitely have some weird "gunk" all over them--whether it's just a slimy sheen or some actual clay-like crap that you need to scrape off yourself (the Gin Gin above was mad slimy, but after about five minutes with soapy water and an old toothbrush, it was straight).

Well, either way, that Gin Gin looks like money, but you can sorta tell the striations are less consistent and the edges and details are a bit softer than on the AshuraShine.

Anyway, there'll probably be another series of tweaks on these MUSCLE CAD designs before going to final FUD printed prototypes. More soon!

Situation normal: all fucked up

Well, some fairly big news for the Foe Gokin project this week...so I'll get right to it. We are actually converting to resin cast arms! So why the change? Well, the process of going from resin prototype arm parts to vulcanized rubber mold (for pewter casting) is an extremely hot one: at least ~250 degrees F. The prototype parts can't really withstand that for long, so the thin arm shields start to warp a bit. Those of you who picked up the Yojimbo Gin Gin release might have noticed a very slight wobble in the shields if you look at them directly edge-on.

The warping is mad subtle and hard to notice at all. Normally, I wouldn't give a shit...but here's the problem: that wobble is fucking the stickers! The stickers for the shield detail obviously need to lay down flat on the conic shield surface, but with the warping, the straight edges of the stickers now need to be scalloped a little to fit properly. That sucks.

So now, we're investigating getting just the arms produced by a local resin caster. Resin is dimensionally reliable, and all the shit will get painted the same way, of course. There should be no visual difference...except, I guess, for the lack of wobble. One nice benefit is that resin is MUCH lighter than pewter, obviously...so with lighter arms, there'll be a lot less stress on the shoulder joints (not that there was any arm-sagging with the all-metal figures...but whateva). But anyway, the stickers should be straight and ultimately, if ya think about it, the Popy STs had plastic arms, too...so now Gin Gin will be even more like his forefathers! Br-r-r-r-RAPP!!

Oh, one more quick thing: I've finally settled on a packing system: I'm going with a memory foam blanket to cradle the figure inside the box. It's dope as hell! VERY classic Popy-style. Stay tuned for final packing images as they become reality...

Anyway, moving right along, check it out: Wave 3 of the mighty Throne of Chaos has arrived! I'm already in the midst of processing preorders, so they should be going out by the end of the week. Thanks to all who've ordered, of course, and THANK YOU for your patience. I understand these things take quite a bit of time to do right...and I've heard nothing but good things from those who've bought them!

So, get 'em while they're hot!

Next up, Blazing Sword news! I think I mentioned last time that I was getting a 3D print made of just the handle to test its fit in his hand. Well, I got the part last week...and, yo, it's pretty sick! Check out these pics!




The fit is CRAZY-rock solid. Even if this were somehow produced in diecast metal(!), it would be stable in Jumbo Dairugger's hand. Heh...who knows if his shoulder would be able to take the strain! Anyway, as it turns out, there's actually a tiny bit of expansion from CAD to 3D print (I used Shapeways' "white, strong, & flexible" or "WSF" material). Granted the expansion is only .22%, but it's there.




I had to tweak some dimensions and round some edges in the CAD model for aesthetic reasons, but this proof of concept makes this little project a LOT closer to reality. I've ordered another print, but this time with more of the hilt (actually, the complete sword guard and the first inch or so of blade). To keep shit cheaper, I hollowed out a lot of the part so it won't kill my wallet. Even with that, the updated handle costs $60!

Ouch...eh well. All this shit's for fun!

Let's see...all that's left is MUSCLE news. Well, as always, constant elevation, but not a TON to report. I'm actually waiting on some new prints from Shapeways using their new "frosted ultra detail" material (FUD)--which boasts a tolerance of .1mm (thus beating out their Objet "white detail" material's .2mm tolerance). This is that joint from 3D Systems I mentioned last time. Anyway, once I clock that FUD shit, I'ma go to work with the local resin casters I mentioned above and see what we can come up with for baby Gin Gin and AshuraShine!

There's a LOT more MUSCLE stuff in the works...but it's all conceptual at this stage. If shit pans out, I'll spill it here, of course. But that's all I've got this week. Easy.

Stuff is brewing

Okay, I'm trying to get back into a weekly update rhythm to prevent each post from becoming a fucking wall of text. We'll see how poorly I fare! :P

Aiight, so what's new? Well, a bunch of shit, as it turns out. And just for the fuck of it, I'm not keeping anything secret this week! So first off, I've made some progress in getting MUSCLE Gin Gin produced. I've had a chance to sample some custom resin MUSCLE figures on the market today, and I gotta say, them shits is tight! So like I said last time, for the sake of my homeboys I grew up with, I've decided I wanna pursue getting him done in resin just to be able to offer some shit heads can afford, y'knowmsayin?

A quick tidbit in terms of prototyping: Shapeways has rolled out a new machine (a ProJet HD 3000, I believe, from 3D Systems) that prints with better accuracy and supposedly smoother surface finish and stronger final product than Objet. Of course, the price has gone from $13 to $19, but that still ain't too bad. I've already ordered a MUSCLE Gin Gin 3.0, so we'll see how it looks in a week or so.

Now, on top of that, I've been working on another, more-traditional MUSCLE figure. Now, this may seem like a bite on The Godbeast and Jason Frailey's ClawShine--and I apologize for that--but I've always loved Sunshine and I've always loved Ashuraman. Sunshine is just a killer design--and I love how he can shape-shift into all sorts of other stuff. And let's face it--it's MAD simple to CAD him up and make him look legit! And Ashuraman? C'mon...y'all know I'ma throw down for my South Asian heritage. So peep this:

AshuraShine:


An Ashura (more properly Asura...or even Ahura if you're a real cunning linguist) is a class of demigods in Hindu mythology. The opposite of the Devas (who were sorta the "good guy" demigods), the Asuras were materialistic, egotistical pricks. Just like Ashuraman in Kinnikuman! ;)

So this is my Sunshine version of him. I've replaced the sun emblem on his chest with an Om (while keeping the sunshine mark on the foreheads).


And yes, I said foreheads, plural! I gave him three faces to go with the six arms, in keeping with how Asuras like Ashuraman are depicted:



I think it's kinda fresh, and would make a dope companion to the Gin Gin MUSCLE. Plus, it may win over some hardcore MUSCLE-heads, y'knowmsayin? ;)

Right now, I have the lower right hand in an open palm facing forward, as is traditional for depictions of divine character in Indian artwork...but I think that's gonna play havoc with molding this beast. We'll see what the experts think when I start looking into resin casting...

Okay, next up, FORM BLAZING SWORD!!

Oh fuck yeah. Toynami Jumbo Dairugger in the house. And peep this shit:



For all intents and purposes, it's a scaled up version of the Kikou Gattai sword (with the sharp tip restored). Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? The original toy's sword was dope, so why fuck with it? This shit's fire, yo! I'm getting a prototype of just the handle right now to test the fit.

Oh, all that weird shit on the handle is filler to accommodate the figure's hand geometry, which was obviously never designed for a sword. It looks dumb as hell separate, but if my CAD skills are worth a damn, it should make for a rock-solid fit that doesn't look bad at all when held in his hand. Prints have been ordered, so keep an eye out for my next update!

Unicron stands...yeah, remember those? Heh...the next batch should be en route, actually. I've got a lot of preorders to process, but other than those, they should be up for grabs!

And finally, that other toy I've been spending some time on: the Foe-Gokin Gin Gin! Y'all have been patient with this chooch, huh? :) Well, painting of the first couple figures has begun, and sticker fitting is almost complete. I'm hoping in the next week or two, I can at least show y'all some progress pics of this beast coming to life. MAD heads have been asking me about it...and I hate saying "a couple more weeks", "a couple more weeks" over and over again! So believe me--if y'all are psyched about this shit, imagine how I feel! ;)

I'd make a shitty father

Has it seriously been three weeks since my last post??? Hahaha...that's awful. I can just picture the baby crying 'cause he hasn't eaten all day. Wha??? He ate yesterday! Fucking free-loader... :P

Nah, yo, it's been a rough week, work-wise, but it's straight. I'm just happy to be where I'm at these days. The 9-to-5 is overall pretty chill, and the toy stuff progresses nicely. Well...you know what happens when I take too long between posts: y'all get slapped with a gigantic fucking update! So enough about all that other shit. Let's get down to it! Word is blonde...

So earlier today, Troy Stith, Man of the Hour, dropped his Kaiju For Japan charity sale. This dude deserves sick props for having had to deal with us tempermental, unreliable-ass "artist" goons! He organized this sale with the quickness and I'm sure he'd never want to take any credit for the work. To be sure, it's all about those who've suffered--and continue to do so--in the Tohoku region of Japan, but I just wanted to take a second to give my man a shout. Big ups.

Heh...I really shoulda been more active about pimping this sale before, but what can ya do? It's all good so's long someone pulls the trigger, knamean? Do it for the cause. Do it 'cause the toy's fucking DOPE. Finally...Tohoku Gin Gin:









The figure was painted at Walker's lab with a special blend of Monster Kolor formulated to mimick anodized aluminum. Shit's fresh! If the sun ever decides to peak out over the Bean this month, I'ma take some outdoor shots. Thing looks BLAZING! I wanted to go for a sort of Bullmark Hedorah color scheme...and I think we rocked it pretty damn good. Either way, this is the first full-color Gin Gin release ever! One of one and all that...you know what time it is...

So it's the same mold as the Yojimbo releases. Same two+ pounds of lead-free pewter locked together with rare earth magnets. You could drag this thing behind your truck, and after dusting it off, it would still sparkle...and maim intruders. And it features the same packaging as the Yojimbo's. This stuff will never be used again. The production figures will have slightly tweaked packaging and inserts...and most importantly, no hand-carved foam padding inside!





I know $258USD is mad steep, but it's obviously for an important cause. Not a dime goes into my or Troy's pockets. Tell your people. Post it all over the world. This hobby may be fun and all that...but at the end of the day, it's about making a difference and trying to create a better tomorrow. 'Cause you know some people less fortunate than we could use it.

If you can't swing the price tags these things are going for--or if toys just aren't your thing--please consider donating to Second Harvest. They're a food pantry that serves displaced folks immediately. Japan isn't hurting for rapid-response tech or personnel. They're highly organized and relief workers are well-integrated with the communities they serve. But the immediate need of those who are hungry in the most chaotic areas still has to be addressed. Pantries like Second Harvest are going above and beyond right now.

...

Anyway, the light sensor on my camera's starting to go...so pics are gonna get progressively more and more grainy until I get off my lazy ass and pilfer a new one. Yo, I can't front, though: my shit's lasted for-fucking-ever. That joint was top of the line...in '93! ;)

Quick M.U.S.C.L.E. Gin Gin update. I completed "baby Gin Gin" 2.0 a few weeks ago because I wanted to tweak the proportions and some details. Got 'em printed through Shapeways...and I gotta say, they look mad fresh. I basically made the head a lot bigger so it's more in the M.U.S.C.L.E. style, pointed the toes out a bit, and enhanced some of the other fine details.

Check it (note the "BN" on the back actually stands out visibly now!):



The clear Objet print material ain't bad. I'ma have Walker hit it with his high-gloss clear coat to make it look extra glassy. Right now, if I dunk him in water, it looks like a fucking jewel: as usual with clear shit, the material may be "truly" clear, but the microscopic surface texture is what fucks everything up (think clear Chinese vinyl that looks mad cloudy because it has an "open grain" porous surface texture...versus clear Japanese vinyl that's SUPER glassy because of the closed, hard glossy surface).

Anyway, now that I'm getting more of these from Shapeways, I'm starting to notice more variation in their print quality. One of these came back looking like a lump of dog shit. Took a while to clean it up...and it's still got this weird slimy chemical feel to it. Eh...what can ya do? They're still $13!

I'ma do the final tweaks this weekend. The 3.0 version will likely be the final. "Final" what, you ask? I have no fucking idea! On the strength, I'd LOVE to get these produced in big quantities and in lots of different colors and styles. It's tough when my own homies are SO supportive of Gin Gin and all the sick shit we're doing...but likely won't be able to afford the damn things when they come out. I wanna make something that's flavor--that they have a real connection to--and that they can afford, y'knowmsayin? I'll keep y'all posted...

Quick Unicron stand update: got a call from my fabricator the other day--sounds like wave 3 is just about ready to roll! This will be a bigger order, so hopefully, maybe a few will actually remain in stock for more than a few days! I've already taken a bunch of preorders, so we'll see how it goes. I sound like a broken record, but I just love hearing how people are REALLY feeling the stand! I'm not some egomaniac (WHAT!?) who thrives offa pats on the back, y'knowmsayin? I'm a fan, first. I consider my "customers" my peers: so if fellow fans think my shit's dope, then that means a lot to me!

And finally...some really fresh news...a new project. Check it. Most of y'all probably aren't aware, but I'm a HUGE Voltron I fan. Yes, the superior Vehicle Voltron Force. Yeah, I said it. WHAT!? I challenge any of y'all to go back and try to watch either show--neither is Shakespeare, but after two or three episodes of lion, you'll be ready to end your life with a bullet. The vehicle joint actually had a plot...in fact, as a wee pea, I saw it as "Starblazers light"! There was politics and war...and yet it wasn't so GODS-DAMNED depressing as fucking Starblazers...

Whatever--if y'all disagree, we'll go toe-to-toe some other time.

The 15" Matchbox combiner based on the venerable Popy DX "Kikou Gattai" Dairugger set was, like, my favorite shit in the world as a kid--even though my family could never afford to get me one! A friend of the family had one (heh...a kid I didn't even like), so whenever we were forced to go over there for dinner or whatever, I would just make nice in order to rub my love-stink all over that toy! Anyway, what was the biggest problem with the Matchbox release? No fucking Blazing Sword.

And now, George Sohn of Toynami has given us Voltron I/Dairugger fans something fresh to lose our shit over like when we were kids: a genuine "Shogun Warriors" Jumbo Dairugger XV. Holy hell--the fact that such a thing exists makes my head swim. A bunch of us were partying at JoshB's last weekend and I got to fondle this thing inappropriately in person. What's it's biggest problem? No fucking Blazing Sword.

What the fuck...really? Gonna do me like that AGAIN??? That shit ain't right. But wait--I'm a CAD jockey and with so many avenues of rapid prototype and manufacture at our disposal these days...could we actually make something happen???

Stay tuned.

;)

I need sleep...

Damn, yo...been a minute since an update. I'm hurting as a motherfuck, but I really wanted to let y'all know what was up.

Well, I got in at almost 4AM last night (this morning?). Then right back up for work around 8. As usual: toy shit. It's a monstrous schedule, but most every Wednesday night, I find myself at the master's lab. Matt Walker. Chooch extraordinaire. TDF for life. My wild, wild west whitey n**ga.

This man, like Matt Doughty before him, makes shit happen. And his motivation is infectious. Without him, you likely wouldn't be reading this. There wouldn't be a Gin Gin. So every Wednesday, with no hesitation, I take a nap under my desk at work, Costanza-style. Around 8, I schlep about an hour straight to the lab, get my grub on, and meet Walker around 10. Then, into the wee hours, we make shit happen.

And that's exactly what's going on right now. Shit happening. The FINAL METAL GIN GIN FIGURES ARE IN. Production. They're being processed down at the lab as I type this. Acid etching, priming, sanding, stickers being cut. It's on now. Packaging is undergoing final tweaks. Shit is lovely!

And I'm ready to pass the fuck out!

Anyway, on top of the production figures, I'm working on my entry into Troy Stith's Kaiju For Japan, a great little way we can get together as Japanese toy enthusiasts and try to raise some money for those hit hardest by the Tohoku quake and tsunami.

I'm not revealing much about it now, but stay tuned...there will be hot shit!

And one more little tidbit...remember "baby Gin Gin"? That's what Joshb calls the deformed M.U.S.C.L.E.-style Gin Gin figure I had prototyped before. Well, for the longest time, elite CAD modeler, Mike de Coninck and I have been wondering about getting quick, dirty prototypes done by Shapeways, a company that encourages CAD modelers to "lease" their designs to consumers on the site by having the company print the ones they like in a variety of materials. Interesting concept...I guess. I mean, I kinda don't care, but it is what it is. As far as we're concerned, it's a fairly cheap way to get your prototypes done.

Well, compare this baby Gin Gin with the "chiisai" pics I posted at the beginning of the month:



Ain't too bad.

Almost as good as what my prototypers came up with...but then again, we're just talking hardware at this point. See, Shapeways just prints shit out for people. My prototyper goes dimensions beyond that, with layers upon layers of post-processing available. Through their efforts, a simple printout can transcend even the quality of the original STL file you supply them with! Heh...and naturally, they charge a good ten times more...but I guess it's not entirely fair to compare a professional toy prototyping company that's worked with the likes of Hasbro to a company that just churns out raw 3D prints for consumers. I mean, what you get from Shapeways isn't actually *usable* in any realistic molding process: they don't clean up the print layer lines, let alone do gloss coating, resin-casting, wet-sanding, etc...

So what's good about 'em? Well, that baby Gin Gin cost me a little over $13! Yes, thirteen fucking dollars, US. Ya kinda can't fuck with that. It's inspired me to work on some more M.U.S.C.L.E.-style figures and see what kind of shit I can come up with. I mean, if prototyping them is THAT ridiculously cheap, why the fuck not, y'knowmsayin? The only thing you gotta watch your back about is size. Shapeways charges strictly by volume of your part. Baby Gin Gin is only around 5 cubic centimeters...but parts for average-sized toys can get massive quick.

Oh, last thing before I forget--the Unicron stands are sold out AGAIN! Thanks to all who ordered them; y'all should have 'em by now. They actually sold out a couple weeks ago and I've already started taking preorders for the third batch, which was ordered early this week. So...same rules as before:

"So if you want a stand, you have a couple options right now: 1) you can contact me and pay for a stand now, which would *guarantee* one from the next wave, and it would be shipped immediately upon receiving them from our distributor (in a month or so), or 2) you can simply watch the blog for my announcement of the next wave's arrival, and just place your order then. Either way is fine me, so go with whatever makes sense for you"

Thanks again, y'all!

Home stretch?

Two quick updates today...

First, the second shipment of the mighty Throne of Chaos has arrived! All the preorders have finally been shipped; some even received, according to the very kind comments I've gotten from fellow fans. There are, in fact, a few pieces left, so get 'em while they're hot, y'all.

Second...Gin Gin. Well, rather than spit the usual verbal diarrhea, I'll let a picture say a thousand words:

Chiisai!!

What's happening, y'all? Just some fun experimental stuff to share with ya this week. Last night, I just got back a 3D print of the Gin Gin M.U.S.C.L.E.-style figure I was showing off last time. On the real, I really wasn't expecting much...but as it turns out, I'm actually pretty impressed with how nice it came out! Now, my prototyper warned me that 20 mils (.02") is generally the lower limit on 3D printed detail from their Objet printers. Anything under that will likely get lost...or end up looking like a pile of dog shit.

I didn't dumb down the Gin Gin design before I sent it, so all the tiny/sharp detail's still in there. But amazingly, most everything came through okay.



Now, as y'all have noticed by now, my camera work's aiight...if it were 1993. But on top of that, there's just something about the surface texture on that Objet print material ("VeroWhite") that makes it damn near invisible to my camera! Hell, even my early full-size Gin Gin printout shots look the same...



Anyway, rest assured--the majority of that surface detail is there.

I'ma send this lil dude to Joshb of Sharkfist Designs to see if he can resin cast it. He seems pretty confident based on the pics, but I dunno. Yo, it's mad small...and kinda delicate. We'll see. Anyway, it's all good--I was just fucking around with this whole thing. I really just wanted to have an example in my hands of what kind of resolution these machines can deliver.

As it turns out, in the next few months, my prototyper's actually looking into getting a new printer that's optimized for smaller, high-detail parts. Perfect for joints like this, y'knowmsayin?

And this may just be a pipe dream right now, but I've been considering getting a 3D laser scanner. The idea is that we can start developing hybrid CAD/hand-sculpted designs. Like, say you wanted to make a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure, right? Well, sculpting at that scale is nightmarish. Imagine being able to sculpt at a 2UP or even 4UP scale, 3D scan that shit, and pull the data into CAD. You could then add geometry that's a pain in the ass to hand sculpt like primitive shapes or other mathematically-precise shit...then ultimately scale down the data to true M.U.S.C.L.E. size.

And of course, that's where having a reliable prototyper who can come through with the sharp 3D print outs! See where this is headed? Some hot shit, right here...

More later.



Now update time, as usual!

The real Gin Gin is chugging along. In fact, I just got a call from my metal caster the other day: a sample of what could very well be the final figure is on it's way as I type this! She sounded pretty confident, so I'm cautiously optimistic. The next step--IF I approve it--would be to measure up the figure for fitting the stickers and do a final paint color test. Word the fuck up!

And lastly, all you poor transfans waiting patiently for an update on the next round of Unicron stands...FEAR NOT!! The fabricator I work with is notoriously slow, but as many have seen, their quality is always on point...and, of course, their prices are thankfully sane. Anyway, I got word from them last week that the stands are ready to ship. Only a matter of time now! As soon as they arrive, I'll immediately start processing the dozens of preorders I've received before announcing their general availability publicly. Heh...I have a feeling I'm gonna have to place another order for a new batch pretty damn soon...