SMALL UPDATE!
This week I had two goals, and I'm happy to say I'm making great progress. I'm pleased to announce that this weekend we'll be moving to Saber 1.2, which will bring a slimmer side profile, a more accurate mold for replication, as well as the creation of a beta MX mold. The face and general look of the Saber master has been retained, but I've added a few small details and faded the fur on the sides a bit for a better fit. After casting, I might potentially make more changes to the master if I'm unhappy with how it comes out. Photos of the newly-cast Saber will be posted in a couple of days.
Here's a list of my goals, and progress this week.
- Fix Saber Master - slim down sides a bit, ensure better fit all around (COMPLETE)
- Add more fur detail, especially around neck (COMPLETE)
- Taper down detail on sides to blend better with cap (COMPLETE)
- Pour a new mold and move to Saber 1.2 (In Progress)
- Create MX version of Saber 1.2 (In Progress)
- Refine silicone and resin process
- More accurate measurements (COMPLETE)
- Firmer, less tacky resin and silicone (COMPLETE)
- Record and reproduce accurate results (COMPLETE)
- Pour silicone bases to sculpt the next low-profile design (In Progress)
I altered the master to be a better fit on the keyboard, and tapered down the fur on the sides to blend better. I added some fur under the chin and sides, which I feel makes the key look more substantial. I poured a new mold, which will take us to Saber 1.2, and that much closer to a finished product.My next challenge was to refine my casting process as a whole, as my molds were not coming out 100% consistent in terms of color and hardness. I called up Smooth-On, and got some more information. They recommended that I pour OOMOO 30 by weight if I want more consistent results, and they helped me out with ratios for my resins as well. Here's a those ratios, if you're interested.- OOMOO 30 Silicone - 100A : 130B
- Smooth-Cast 300 - 100A : 90B
- Smooth-Cast 325 - 115A : 100B
After knowing these ratios, I got much, much better results. My first keys had a very slight tackiness to them, and you could actually make small marks if you pushed hard enough with your thumbnail. Now they're much harder, and the silicone that they came from was much more firm. Extremely happy with the results. If any of you are having issues with the above materials, mix them according to the ratios. Even if you're eyeballing it, you will have much better results if you keep the ratios in mind. I was able to pour several successful molds both by weight and by eye that were much better than my previous attempts.
I'm also pleased that I've consistently able to produce working Topre stems and keys without any bubbling or imperfections of any kind. Casting isn't exactly time-consuming if you have a system down, but the preparation and planning is what makes it go smoothly. I haven't wasted a drop of silicone or resin, as each mold and key has taught me something big about the casting process. I've also begun making some silicone bases in order to sculpt my future designs in a much lower profile and a variety of shapes. Big shoutout to Zorberema (making me aware it was a thing) and Eat_the_food (for making the thing).
In closing, I was able to make a ton of headway this week, and MX testing should start next week so that they're up to standard and fit well on a variety of boards.
I will post photos of the completed Saber 1.2 once I get some time to pour resin tomorrow evening. I'm going to further experiment with colors and see how it goes. So far I've been able to create and replicate the following colors, and I've tried my best to match the colors online (Not perfect, but close enough) :
- Blueberry Sour Cream
(Attachment Link)
- Pepto Pink
(Attachment Link)
- Mint Meringue
(Attachment Link)
- Plum Wine
(Attachment Link)
Let me know what you think. We're making great strides towards a small Saber sale, so thanks for your continued support! I'll update you guys in a few days!
u mentioned that you are weighing your part a and part b, but aren't we talking about milliliters? what kind of scale are you using that is that precise? I've just been using syringes, and measuring volume 1:1 like the smooth cast instructions direct. I've had a few caps come out tacky like you said, but after a few days everything has become hard as a rock. just curious. you're the master. I'm the student, so if there is a better way to do this then I want to learn now before i keep going further down this resin obsession rabbit hole.
you just need a small baking scale or other small scale. Put your container on it, zero it, then pour your part A, find the weight, then either do the same for your part B in a separate container or just rezero the container and pour your part B in the same one. You need to make sure you read your resin specs as some resins are 1:1 mix by volume and others are 1:1 mix by weight.
