So, you just finished designing a sweet Water Elemental for World of Warcraft, Goblin from Skyrim, Zombie Mook for Half-Life 2, Mutant Bunny for Fallout 3, or whatever other game will give this Instructable a lot of Google hits.
What better way to celebrate than with some tasty, tasty gummies?
And what better gummies to eat than your own Zombie Ninja Robot Kitten Assassin?
Problem is, you're on a budget and can't afford the latest in gummy-tech. Although Rapid Prototyping Machines are coming down in price, it may still be beyond your price range. Now you have the sads...
In this handy, dandy Instructable we'll walk through the steps to prepare your model, transfer it to make a molding blank, form the mold, make a gummy, and then steal your soul. You are on your own for how to enjoy them. Did I say soul? Forget that.
The original inspiration was to make a Water Elemental. The elemental is based off of Hydross the Unstable. This has a complex shape, which was more difficult to produce.
As a fan of The Elder Scrolls, I wanted to start with a good starting monster, the rat. I made my own spin on it as a fun cartoon mouse. I wanted to use this as part of the example as it is easier to work with due to the simpler geometry.
For whatever reason I can't upload the Elemental into the 123D Gallery, but it is included with the mouse as an attachment to this step.
Once you have your idea, you will need the following tools (or equivalents) (see the last image):
What better way to celebrate than with some tasty, tasty gummies?
And what better gummies to eat than your own Zombie Ninja Robot Kitten Assassin?
Problem is, you're on a budget and can't afford the latest in gummy-tech. Although Rapid Prototyping Machines are coming down in price, it may still be beyond your price range. Now you have the sads...
Well, friend, this is not a problem!
In this handy, dandy Instructable we'll walk through the steps to prepare your model, transfer it to make a molding blank, form the mold, make a gummy, and then steal your soul. You are on your own for how to enjoy them. Did I say soul? Forget that.
The original inspiration was to make a Water Elemental. The elemental is based off of Hydross the Unstable. This has a complex shape, which was more difficult to produce.
As a fan of The Elder Scrolls, I wanted to start with a good starting monster, the rat. I made my own spin on it as a fun cartoon mouse. I wanted to use this as part of the example as it is easier to work with due to the simpler geometry.
For whatever reason I can't upload the Elemental into the 123D Gallery, but it is included with the mouse as an attachment to this step.
Once you have your idea, you will need the following tools (or equivalents) (see the last image):
- A block of wood at least slightly larger in all directions than your model. I prefer balsa wood as it is inexpensive and easy to carve.
- Access to a laser printer or photocopy machine. In a pinch try the local library for a copier.
- An iron (the kind you use to iron clothes)
- Tape (masking, duct, Scotch, etc...)
-
A wood cutting tool. I used a Dremel 565 Multipurpose Cutting Kit on my off-brand "Dremel Style" rotary tool. Alternates include:
- A router (or router attachment for your tool)
- A milling machine
- A router, end mill, or rotary tool cutting bit in a drill press
- Non-toxic acrylic paint
- Several bowls and spoons
- A paper plate
- Wire whisk or fork
- Corn starch
- A microwave
- Gummy candy in your favorite flavor (any shape)
- Light food oil (olive, vegetable, canola, etc...)
- Pearl nonpareils or other decorations
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Signing UpStep 1: Download Your Software Tools
In a few steps we will be slicing the model. Now, for a good gamer this has some horrible implications but the truth is far more boring.
Slicing creates a series of contours from the part along parallel planes. This makes a mapping like a topographic contour map. We will use the contours to guide our cutting of the blank.
Slicing is used extensively in Rapid Prototyping. STL files were in fact developed for use in Stereolithography, a type of rapid prototyping. Slicing programs are fairly common, including a few Freeware or Open Source applications.
Since we are working in the cheap here, free software is our friend. In particular we will be using two programs:
These are both really useful programs. These give up the options we want with the minimum of fuss and cost. We hardly touch the surface of their capabilities. After you are done here, I encourage you to get more familiar with these great systems.
Slicing creates a series of contours from the part along parallel planes. This makes a mapping like a topographic contour map. We will use the contours to guide our cutting of the blank.
Slicing is used extensively in Rapid Prototyping. STL files were in fact developed for use in Stereolithography, a type of rapid prototyping. Slicing programs are fairly common, including a few Freeware or Open Source applications.
Since we are working in the cheap here, free software is our friend. In particular we will be using two programs:
- MeshLab (http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/) will be used to process the mesh file. It is critical here that you do not use the latest version right now as the slicing function is buggy. You will need to use version 1.2.3, which can be found here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/meshlab/files/meshlab/MeshLab%20v1.2.3/
- Inkscape (http://inkscape.org/) will be used to process the resulting contour file.
These are both really useful programs. These give up the options we want with the minimum of fuss and cost. We hardly touch the surface of their capabilities. After you are done here, I encourage you to get more familiar with these great systems.
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http://sourceforge.net/projects/meshlab/files/meshlab/MeshLab%20v1.2.3/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/meshlab/files/meshlab/MeshLab%20v1.2.3/
Let me know if that helps! I hope to see some tasty pictures!