Well, it looks like silicone molds will work out great with the casting plastic I’m playing with these days. Unfortunately, silicone isn’t cheap, and it takes a ton of it to make a sword mold. I made the smaller Ryo katana for now (the masquerade version). I think it’s time to get back to the vacuu-form table, that should let me make cheap molds quickly, at least compared with silicone casting. Just need to wait for the plastic sheets I ordered to arrive… and work with the silicone I have for now, of course.
Ryo Update – Katanas
Apr 22
After much internal debate, I’ve decided to go with two different sets of katanas for my Ryo costume. It’s sort of based on what I hear they do for movies – standard blades for regular use, and “hero” blades for closeups.
In this case, it means that I’ll have one set of blades that fit in my scabbards, which I can (hopefully) draw while in costume, and a second set, which are larger and look better in close-ups for while I walk around conventions.
So, I’m making more molds for casting… guess I’ll need to take two sets of each (total 8 swords) in case of breakage. Maybe just 2 hero sets, since the others are just for masquerade…
Ryo Update – Feet
Apr 15
Wrapped up carving the foot armor today.. need to fiberglass, paint, and bond to the shoes. Things are moving along…
Been sick lately, but I’ve slowly gotten back to work on Ryo, in between other projects and work. Just updated the hand armor (which is meant to be different for each hand):
And the lower leg / knee armor…
Things are coming along, I think. Still need to create the side armor, crotch armor, foot armor, and scabbard mounts. Other than that, just sanding and painting, then I should be finished.
Just Crazy Enough to Work?
Mar 13
Looks like the 5.5 HP shop vac I picked up for the vacuu-form table might actually work. I was rather worried that it wouldn’t be powerful enough, but a test run of the vacuum today showed that it was plenty strong, even for such a large surface area. In fact, I may not have put enough supports inside the table to keep it from collapsing, as the pegboard surface bowed inwards rather significantly, even when I didn’t have a perfect seal on the drop sheet plastic I was using for my test. I think it’ll hold well enough, but it was really surprising to see how much it bowed the surface when I turned the vacuum on.
Current progress – everything is built and mounted at this point, just need to sand down some edges on the rack I use to hold the plastic for heating, and figure out a way of holding it in place while it gets heated, then I’m good to go for a first run – should happen sometime tomorrow.
I’ll post pictures as soon as it’s fully functional, along with instructions on how it was built.
This is a project I’ve been putting off for far too long. It’s finally time to start making a plastic sheet vacuum forming table for armor and molds.
The basic idea is pretty straightforward. You need some kind of heating element, to warm the plastic. Some kind of frame to hold the plastic while it is heating, and to pull it down to the table. A vacuum. And a table, which is a shallow box with the vacuum plugged into it on one side, and holes in the top to pull the plastic.
For my table, it will be mostly wooden. A 1/2″ oak base, with 1″x2″ pine planks forming the sides. Pegboard for the top of the table, to diffuse the vacuum. A 5.5 HP shop vac will provide the suction, and cheap electric skillets from Wal-Mart will be the heating elements.
There are a few unknowns here. For one, my table will be rather large, 2′ x 4′. I’m not sure the vacuum will be strong enough over that area, but I can block unused areas of the pegboard to focus the vacuum, or add additional shop vacs if needed. For another, the heating elements are very non-standard. They should work, but… time will tell. If not, I can go with the expensive heating elements that are designed for use in vacuu-forming tables. Those are quite a bit more expensive, though, so I’d really rather not.
Current progress – building hollow box for table.
Updating…
Feb 23
In the process of updating this website, so things may get shuffled around for the next day or three.
Diabolical Use
Feb 20
One of my problems, which I think most programmers share, is that I tend to use my programs in the way I built them. My assumptions drive the way the program is written, which works out, because that’s the way I tend to use the program. But, it also hides issues that I don’t think of. I try to work against how I design the program, but that only goes so far.
So, I’m offering to use the Diabolical Device for others. That helps me see how they’d use it, which I hope will make its controller a better program in the long run. So far, I’ve seen some features which would be really handy, and found a handful of bugs that need to be fixed.
Every little bit helps. Brings the Device that much closer to world domination. And I’m having a ton of fun along the way.
Work in progress
Feb 17
One of Saber’s swords from the anime Fate / Stay Night – still in progress.
Some of the little modelling tools I’ve written to help out are certainly getting a workout these days..
Recent carvings
Feb 4
Had some fun over the past couple of weekends… a new Master Sword (Zelda: Twilight Princess), Sword of Omens (dagger, Thundercats), and a katana for Ryo (Samurai Troopers / Ronin Warriors).
Now to do some light sanding and painting…