Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 09 March 2016, 11:42:31
Welcome to the Forge!
---------------------------------------------
Artisan Sale Thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.0 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.0)
This thread is the place for updates and news regarding upcoming sales, sweet sweet inside info, and help for those getting started with resin casting.
Feel free to ask any questions you might have! I want to help people getting started with casting and sculpting, so ask away!
More
Hey everyone! I've been a long time lurker on this site, and a few months ago I got pretty excited about making some of my own keycaps. I figured I would document my progress so that others can benefit from my mistakes. I've scoured this site and made a big compilation of notes from all the other images and tips that I've seen on this site, so a big thanks goes to you guys for the help and support.
A few weeks back, I started experimenting with some OOMOO silicone and clear resin. My first attempts weren't too bad, and I was able to replicate some stock topre keycaps with a little internal bubbling and an intact stem. After understanding the basic molding and casting process, I decided to get some sculpting materials so that I could start trying to make some designs of my own before attempting to cast anything.
First off...sculpting on keycaps is incredibly difficult. I've been sculpting for a while, but it's an entirely different game when you're trying to make sculpts on such a small scale. I set some rules for myself, like not building more than a few centimeters in height, and keeping a relatively smooth or flat top so that pressing the keycap is still satisfying.
The first attempts at sculpting on a keycap went like this:
[attach=1]
"Beardly" was a hideous monster, and I had to destroy him in the end. I was using some regular Sculpey, which is quite soft and not great for fine detail. All of my designs were too soft and lumpy, and I felt like I hardly had any control. I then decided to go out and get some Super Sculpey Firm, which I like quite a bit better. The results are good, but I still feel that the clay is soft for this fine of detail. It's difficult to smooth out tool marks when things are so small. However, it's much better than regular Sculpey for this kind of stuff.
My next idea was a "Legends of the Hidden Temple" kind of feel, but it wasn't progressing how I wanted, and I became frustrated and scrapped it.
[attach=2]
I decided to sculpt my own take on the good ol' fashioned skull as a test, which came out like this:
[attach=3]
However, the tool marks were pretty rough and I decided that it just didn't look quite right. I scrapped the eye patch idea, and decided to just get some practice smoothing things out and playing with the clay a little. The result was acceptable, but not what I was originally going for. I started to realize how difficult it is getting your ideas to translate to such a small surface. I decided to call him "Mulder" for a laugh (X-Files). I baked him (low temperature did not melt the keycap), and put him on my work keyboard for a day so I could feel it and decide how to proceed.
[attach=4]
I took a couple of days off, and decided to try to come up with something a little different. I decided that I wanted to keep my relatively low-profile rule, but I wanted to also expand around the sides of the keycap a little. I tried messing around with texture, and ended up deciding to sculpt a small sabertooth/lion head. I really liked the way it turned out, but there are definitely some imperfections and issues with proportions. He was dubbed "Saber" (super original, I know) and put to the side for a few days. I like to push myself hard in one or two sessions, and then put it aside and come back with fresh eyes to spot any imperfections that I might have missed before. I do the same with my cartooning.
[attach=5]
[attach=6]
I decided yesterday that I want to try my hand with some epoxy, so I ordered some kneadatite and dental tools. Hopefully I can get some finer detail and more control while using that. I'll update you guys once I start using it. I also decided to expand and order a vacuum chamber, pump, and a bunch of silicone and resin. I'm going to experiment with more complicated casts in the next week. Also, I'm starting to realize that I'm almost out of keycaps. Do you other Makers just order a keycap set and sculpt on extra keys? or do you cast new keycaps and then sculpt on those?
Post by: Bambino on Wed, 09 March 2016, 11:58:37
(2) I recommend a pressure tank over a vacuum chamber, if you have to choose.
(3) I'm interested in hearing how your venture into epoxy work turns out.
(4) As for sculpting bases, I have an old set of Vortex caps I use, but ordering new ones is probably worth it. If you want to sculpt with Sculpey or another bake-set clay, make sure your base cap is PBT because ABS will melt even at low temperatures. Also, consider using a lower profile cap as your base so that the addition of sculpting material doesn't make it super tall or wide.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 09 March 2016, 12:11:58
(1) Looking good man. Looks like you have some great sculpting skills already. Seems to me like each of your trials along the way are getting progressively better.
(2) I recommend a pressure tank over a vacuum chamber, if you have to choose.
(3) I'm interested in hearing how your venture into epoxy work turns out.
(4) As for sculpting bases, I have an old set of Vortex caps I use, but ordering new ones is probably worth it. If you want to sculpt with Sculpey or another bake-set clay, make sure your base cap is PBT because ABS will melt even at low temperatures. Also, consider using a lower profile cap as your base so that the addition of sculpting material doesn't make it super tall or wide.
Thanks! Means a lot coming from you. Any reason why you recommend pressure over vacuum? I've heard both, so I'm confused.
Post by: Bromono on Wed, 09 March 2016, 12:36:29
You have great skills but limited to sculpting on top of a cap.
With the $ynth you will be able to get a much lower profile so that it looks more natural and less bulky on the keyboard.
On top of that you wont have to worry about the stem or filling the bottom with clay for thickness.
All you will have to do is let the creativity flow.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 09 March 2016, 13:02:00
Post by: Zorberema on Wed, 09 March 2016, 15:22:53
I think you should definitely wait for the $ynth.
You have great skills but limited to sculpting on top of a cap.
With the $ynth you will be able to get a much lower profile so that it looks more natural and less bulky on the keyboard.
On top of that you wont have to worry about the stem or filling the bottom with clay for thickness.
All you will have to do is let the creativity flow.
The $ynth just got delayed though :/
Just like I said on Reddit, great job with the caps! I especially like the Saber, that scar over the eye looks really badass! :D
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 09 March 2016, 15:26:49
I think you should definitely wait for the $ynth.
You have great skills but limited to sculpting on top of a cap.
With the $ynth you will be able to get a much lower profile so that it looks more natural and less bulky on the keyboard.
On top of that you wont have to worry about the stem or filling the bottom with clay for thickness.
All you will have to do is let the creativity flow.
The $ynth just got delayed though :/
Just like I said on Reddit, great job with the caps! I especially like the Saber, that scar over the eye looks really badass! :D
Thanks for the kind words! Stuff like that gets me excited to come up with other designs. Maybe I'll try to sculpt one or two more caps that are related, and make it a themed set.
I'll have to keep watching the progress on $ynth and see what happens.
Post by: Bambino on Wed, 09 March 2016, 15:26:58
(1) Looking good man. Looks like you have some great sculpting skills already. Seems to me like each of your trials along the way are getting progressively better.
(2) I recommend a pressure tank over a vacuum chamber, if you have to choose.
(3) I'm interested in hearing how your venture into epoxy work turns out.
(4) As for sculpting bases, I have an old set of Vortex caps I use, but ordering new ones is probably worth it. If you want to sculpt with Sculpey or another bake-set clay, make sure your base cap is PBT because ABS will melt even at low temperatures. Also, consider using a lower profile cap as your base so that the addition of sculpting material doesn't make it super tall or wide.
Thanks! Means a lot coming from you. Any reason why you recommend pressure over vacuum? I've heard both, so I'm confused.
Pressure is more effective for preventing voids in your keycaps. Pouring vacuumed resin can still introduce bubbles into your mold in the pouring process, but pressure crushes them within the mold even after pouring. Ideally you use both for extra confidence, but in my experience pressure is more important. Also, pressure casting allows you to use faster-curing resins if you so choose.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 09 March 2016, 15:31:59
(1) Looking good man. Looks like you have some great sculpting skills already. Seems to me like each of your trials along the way are getting progressively better.
(2) I recommend a pressure tank over a vacuum chamber, if you have to choose.
(3) I'm interested in hearing how your venture into epoxy work turns out.
(4) As for sculpting bases, I have an old set of Vortex caps I use, but ordering new ones is probably worth it. If you want to sculpt with Sculpey or another bake-set clay, make sure your base cap is PBT because ABS will melt even at low temperatures. Also, consider using a lower profile cap as your base so that the addition of sculpting material doesn't make it super tall or wide.
Thanks! Means a lot coming from you. Any reason why you recommend pressure over vacuum? I've heard both, so I'm confused.
Pressure is more effective for preventing voids in your keycaps. Pouring vacuumed resin can still introduce bubbles into your mold in the pouring process, but pressure crushes them within the mold even after pouring. Ideally you use both for extra confidence, but in my experience pressure is more important. Also, pressure casting allows you to use faster-curing resins if you so choose.
Makes sense. Well the vacuum arrived this afternoon, so I'll try a couple of casts with it this weekend and if it's not satisfactory, I'll return it and order a pressure setup instead. Maybe I'll just keep both. Any tips on what pressure pot and compressor to get? I live in a condo, but I have a pretty large garage. However, my biggest worry is that the compressor is going to be super loud for hours while my molds and casts cure.
Post by: Bambino on Wed, 09 March 2016, 15:34:08
Find a quiet one. Mine's fine to use indoors. Also the compressor doesn't need to be on except while you fill the tank for ~60 sec. or less.(1) Looking good man. Looks like you have some great sculpting skills already. Seems to me like each of your trials along the way are getting progressively better.
(2) I recommend a pressure tank over a vacuum chamber, if you have to choose.
(3) I'm interested in hearing how your venture into epoxy work turns out.
(4) As for sculpting bases, I have an old set of Vortex caps I use, but ordering new ones is probably worth it. If you want to sculpt with Sculpey or another bake-set clay, make sure your base cap is PBT because ABS will melt even at low temperatures. Also, consider using a lower profile cap as your base so that the addition of sculpting material doesn't make it super tall or wide.
Thanks! Means a lot coming from you. Any reason why you recommend pressure over vacuum? I've heard both, so I'm confused.
Pressure is more effective for preventing voids in your keycaps. Pouring vacuumed resin can still introduce bubbles into your mold in the pouring process, but pressure crushes them within the mold even after pouring. Ideally you use both for extra confidence, but in my experience pressure is more important. Also, pressure casting allows you to use faster-curing resins if you so choose.
Makes sense. Well the vacuum arrived this afternoon, so I'll try a couple of casts with it this weekend and if it's not satisfactory, I'll return it and order a pressure setup instead. Maybe I'll just keep both. Any tips on what pressure pot and compressor to get? I live in a condo, but I have a pretty large garage. However, my biggest worry is that the compressor is going to be super loud for hours while my molds and casts cure.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 09 March 2016, 15:58:22
Find a quiet one. Mine's fine to use indoors. Also the compressor doesn't need to be on except while you fill the tank for ~60 sec. or less.(1) Looking good man. Looks like you have some great sculpting skills already. Seems to me like each of your trials along the way are getting progressively better.
(2) I recommend a pressure tank over a vacuum chamber, if you have to choose.
(3) I'm interested in hearing how your venture into epoxy work turns out.
(4) As for sculpting bases, I have an old set of Vortex caps I use, but ordering new ones is probably worth it. If you want to sculpt with Sculpey or another bake-set clay, make sure your base cap is PBT because ABS will melt even at low temperatures. Also, consider using a lower profile cap as your base so that the addition of sculpting material doesn't make it super tall or wide.
Thanks! Means a lot coming from you. Any reason why you recommend pressure over vacuum? I've heard both, so I'm confused.
Pressure is more effective for preventing voids in your keycaps. Pouring vacuumed resin can still introduce bubbles into your mold in the pouring process, but pressure crushes them within the mold even after pouring. Ideally you use both for extra confidence, but in my experience pressure is more important. Also, pressure casting allows you to use faster-curing resins if you so choose.
Makes sense. Well the vacuum arrived this afternoon, so I'll try a couple of casts with it this weekend and if it's not satisfactory, I'll return it and order a pressure setup instead. Maybe I'll just keep both. Any tips on what pressure pot and compressor to get? I live in a condo, but I have a pretty large garage. However, my biggest worry is that the compressor is going to be super loud for hours while my molds and casts cure.
Any tips on a good pressure pot?
Post by: Bambino on Wed, 09 March 2016, 16:00:27
Post by: QuickDelat on Thu, 10 March 2016, 06:57:20
(and I hope the will be an MX version)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 10 March 2016, 15:47:56
Small update!
Bambino got me staying up late and thinking about my setup, so I went ahead and picked up a pressure pot, compressor, and a few new tools to pair with my new vacuum chamber this morning. I've gotten some pretty good feedback about the Saber cap, so I'm going to start testing with the new equipment this weekend and see what happens. I'm trying to get the sculpt perfect before I cross the point of no return, and I've got a little more work to do before I feel it's ready. I'll probably finish up the fine details tonight and get it ready for casting tomorrow. Now all I need is a work bench...
I haven't been happy with the results of my standard wooden sculpting tools, so I picked up some rubber-tipped shaper tools and some dental picks and carvers. The carvers have been excellent for achieving finer detail in my sculpts, and the rubber tipped tools are amazing for smoothing out the tiny tool marks that seem to be prevalent in my sculpting. I also bought a set of magnifying glasses that dentists wear around their head in order to see things closer. It's pretty helpful, but I look like a complete mad scientist while wearing it. Actually...I look like a mad dentist. :o
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
I don't really need to use all of these tools, but it's nice to have options.
I really recommend the rubber shaper tools to anyone that is in sculpting. They're really, really useful. The glasses are really helpful, especially for cleaning up jagged edges. It also helps me see any spots that I need to smooth over. I've also found that it's easier to keep my hands steady when I can see the sculpt a little closer.
I'll get you guys an update on my process this weekend, and hopefully we see some great results! I'll post pictures of my work area once I get it set up.
Post by: Diokhan on Thu, 10 March 2016, 15:51:26
Love how cap makers help each other out here :)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 10 March 2016, 15:57:36
Good luck with your new equipment.
Love how cap makers help each other out here :)
Thanks! I got interested in this stuff because I saw other makers giving small tutorials, which pointed me in the right direction. Hoping that once I get more info on here, it will do the same for others.
That Saber is looking mighty fine. Looking forward to see your casts & progress.
(and I hope the will be an MX version)
Glad you like it! One of my goals next week is to get an MX version in the works!
Post by: heedpantsnow on Thu, 10 March 2016, 16:08:20
Would you mind posting what vac setup and pressure pot you ended up with? I'm always interested in what people are using.
Post by: Diokhan on Thu, 10 March 2016, 16:09:23
Cool! When I will have some more time and money I want to start making some of my own as well :)Good luck with your new equipment.
Love how cap makers help each other out here :)
Thanks! I got interested in this stuff because I saw other makers giving small tutorials, which pointed me in the right direction. Hoping that once I get more info on here, it will do the same for others.That Saber is looking mighty fine. Looking forward to see your casts & progress.
(and I hope the will be an MX version)
Glad you like it! One of my goals next week is to get an MX version in the works!
Whatever happens just remember to have fun!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 10 March 2016, 16:20:55
Wow very cool! Looks like you have great sculpting skills.
Would you mind posting what vac setup and pressure pot you ended up with? I'm always interested in what people are using.
I got a lot of help from some other geekhack artisan creators, who recommended a variety of equipment. Right now I'm using the following:
Vacuum Chamber: 1.5 Gallon Tall Stainless Steel Chamber (BestValueVacs)
Vacuum Pump: FJC 6912 Vacuum Pump 5.0 Cfm
Pressure Pot: Modified Harbor Freight Paint Tank (I turned it into a suitable pressure pot. I'll be testing with this and if I like it, I will move to a nicer pot)
Compressor: Small 3 gallon generic compressor
I don't claim to be using the best equipment, but it's suitable for the job. If I'm unhappy with the results of my current setup, I'll pick up some new stuff as I need it.
Post by: heedpantsnow on Thu, 10 March 2016, 16:23:54
Wow very cool! Looks like you have great sculpting skills.
Would you mind posting what vac setup and pressure pot you ended up with? I'm always interested in what people are using.
I got a lot of help from some other geekhack artisan creators, who recommended a variety of equipment. Right now I'm using the following:
Vacuum Chamber: 1.5 Gallon Tall Stainless Steel Chamber (BestValueVacs)
Vacuum Pump: FJC 6912 Vacuum Pump 5.0 Cfm
Pressure Pot: Modified Harbor Freight Paint Tank (I turned it into a suitable pressure pot. I'll be testing with this and if I like it, I will move to a nicer pot)
Compressor: Small 3 gallon generic compressor
I don't claim to be using the best equipment, but it's suitable for the job. If I'm unhappy with the results of my current setup, I'll pick up some new stuff as I need it.
Cool, thank you so much for sharing. Is your vac hitting a full -30?
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 10 March 2016, 16:30:45
Wow very cool! Looks like you have great sculpting skills.
Would you mind posting what vac setup and pressure pot you ended up with? I'm always interested in what people are using.
I got a lot of help from some other geekhack artisan creators, who recommended a variety of equipment. Right now I'm using the following:
Vacuum Chamber: 1.5 Gallon Tall Stainless Steel Chamber (BestValueVacs)
Vacuum Pump: FJC 6912 Vacuum Pump 5.0 Cfm
Pressure Pot: Modified Harbor Freight Paint Tank (I turned it into a suitable pressure pot. I'll be testing with this and if I like it, I will move to a nicer pot)
Compressor: Small 3 gallon generic compressor
I don't claim to be using the best equipment, but it's suitable for the job. If I'm unhappy with the results of my current setup, I'll pick up some new stuff as I need it.
Cool, thank you so much for sharing. Is your vac hitting a full -30?
It does! Takes a solid minute to get there, but it's not like I'm using a fast-curing silicone.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:33:34
It's been a long and exhausting weekend, but I can finally say that I've got some great results to share with you guys. I'll give you a sneak peek real quick of Saber 1.0:
[attach=1]
Pretty sweet, right? I'll give you guys a quick rundown of the process and some of the issues I ran into. I'll post a more thorough guide once I get the process down to a science.
I spent last week planning and taking notes on the process, and the new equipment. I have a journal and I've been keeping notes of each of my casting sessions, which has helped me greatly with my error margin. This was my incomplete first page, but I will release some more of my notes to you guys for reference pretty soon.
[attach=2]
I ran into some initial issues with the equipment that I was working with. First, my air compressor was complete crap and leaked like crazy. I couldn't get my pressure pot even close to 45 psi. I ended up returning it the next day and buying a much nicer one at Home Depot. It ran much, much quieter and didn't leak at all. Next, I found that the psi gauge on my pot did not function at all, so I sped to Home Depot to buy a new pressure gauge (got there about five minutes before they closed). After installing the gauge, it worked without an issue. Armed with my new air compressor, I then found that my pressure pot would not hold a steady pressure for more than an hour, which sent me back to Home Depot for some higher-quality thread tape and some pipe dope. The combination of the two stopped all leaks, and my pot was able to hold a consistent pressure.
My vacuum chamber was able to pull the right amount of vacuum to degass my silicone and resin. I'm really happy with the setup.
Here was my first workspace, which was basically an old coffee table with plastic over the top. I was still putting together the pressure gauge and other parts, so the pressure pot is a bit bare.
[attach=3]
After killing my back because the coffee table was so low to the ground, I upgraded my workspace a bit:
[attach=4]
Having a large workspace really helps when you're trying to mix up silicone, or multiple colors of resin. Now, lets move onto the actual casting process.
Per my original design, I decided to try to make a mold box that would produce a clean silicone mold. I figured I wasn't skimping on other things, so I might as well try to make my mold the best I possibly could with the limited tools that I had. First, I bought some hard foam board, a sheet of soft foam, and a hot glue gun. Due to the fact that the topre stem is longer than the keycap itself, I had to make a base that would let the keycap sit flat on the surface. I tinkered with a few ideas, and made my first mold. I scrapped it before testing it, as I didn't like the idea of tearing my mold apart each time and then trying to build it back up.
[attach=5]
I opted for a large piece of PVC pipe, which I cut and then used it for the walls of the mold box. It releases the mold easily, and can be used over and over again. The mold had almost no leakage, but I secured it to the base with some Super Sculpey. Then, I stacked the second half of the mold on top, added some stems for vents, and poured the second half of the mold.
[attach=6]
[attach=7]
I didn't take any pictures of the resin process, but I'll update you guys on that soon. Here are some finished keycaps, and some attempts at colors.
[attach=8]
[attach=9]
[attach=10]
[attach=11]
I had a great time making these, and I'm extremely satisfied with my casts. Saber 1.0 and Mulder 1.0 have been a great success. No bubbling, and the stems came out perfect (which I was really worried about). I'm going to be coming up with some additional ideas for sculpting, and then I'll update you guys in a day or two on my progress. Thanks for taking a look!
Post by: Diokhan on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:35:19
MASSIVE UPDATE!Great looking setup and caps!
It's been a long and exhausting weekend, but I can finally say that I've got some great results to share with you guys. I'll give you a sneak peek real quick of Saber 1.0:
(Attachment Link)
Pretty sweet, right? I'll give you guys a quick rundown of the process and some of the issues I ran into. I'll post a more thorough guide once I get the process down to a science.
I spent last week planning and taking notes on the process, and the new equipment. I have a journal and I've been keeping notes of each of my casting sessions, which has helped me greatly with my error margin. This was my incomplete first page, but I will release some more of my notes to you guys for reference pretty soon.
(Attachment Link)
I ran into some initial issues with the equipment that I was working with. First, my air compressor was complete crap and leaked like crazy. I couldn't get my pressure pot even close to 45 psi. I ended up returning it the next day and buying a much nicer one at Home Depot. It ran much, much quieter and didn't leak at all. Next, I found that the psi gauge on my pot did not function at all, so I sped to Home Depot to buy a new pressure gauge (got there about five minutes before they closed). After installing the gauge, it worked without an issue. Armed with my new air compressor, I then found that my pressure pot would not hold a steady pressure for more than an hour, which sent me back to Home Depot for some higher-quality thread tape and some pipe dope. The combination of the two stopped all leaks, and my pot was able to hold a consistent pressure.
My vacuum chamber was able to pull the right amount of vacuum to degass my silicone and resin. I'm really happy with the setup.
Here was my first workspace, which was basically an old coffee table with plastic over the top. I was still putting together the pressure gauge and other parts, so the pressure pot is a bit bare.
(Attachment Link)
After killing my back because the coffee table was so low to the ground, I upgraded my workspace a bit:
(Attachment Link)
Having a large workspace really helps when you're trying to mix up silicone, or multiple colors of resin. Now, lets move onto the actual casting process.
Per my original design, I decided to try to make a mold box that would produce a clean silicone mold. I figured I wasn't skimping on other things, so I might as well try to make my mold the best I possibly could with the limited tools that I had. First, I bought some hard foam board, a sheet of soft foam, and a hot glue gun. Due to the fact that the topre stem is longer than the keycap itself, I had to make a base that would let the keycap sit flat on the surface. I tinkered with a few ideas, and made my first mold. I scrapped it before testing it, as I didn't like the idea of tearing my mold apart each time and then trying to build it back up.
(Attachment Link)
I opted for a large piece of PVC pipe, which I cut and then used it for the walls of the mold box. It releases the mold easily, and can be used over and over again. The mold had almost no leakage, but I secured it to the base with some Super Sculpey. Then, I stacked the second half of the mold on top, added some stems for vents, and poured the second half of the mold.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I didn't take any pictures of the resin process, but I'll update you guys on that soon. Here are some finished keycaps, and some attempts at colors.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I had a great time making these, and I'm extremely satisfied with my casts. Saber 1.0 and Mulder 1.0 have been a great success. No bubbling, and the stems came out perfect (which I was really worried about). I'm going to be coming up with some additional ideas for sculpting, and then I'll update you guys in a day or two on my progress. Thanks for taking a look!
Post by: Bambino on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:38:01
Post by: Bromono on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:38:33
MASSIVE UPDATE!
It's been a long and exhausting weekend, but I can finally say that I've got some great results to share with you guys. I'll give you a sneak peek real quick of Saber 1.0:
(Attachment Link)
Pretty sweet, right? I'll give you guys a quick rundown of the process and some of the issues I ran into. I'll post a more thorough guide once I get the process down to a science.
I spent last week planning and taking notes on the process, and the new equipment. I have a journal and I've been keeping notes of each of my casting sessions, which has helped me greatly with my error margin. This was my incomplete first page, but I will release some more of my notes to you guys for reference pretty soon.
(Attachment Link)
I ran into some initial issues with the equipment that I was working with. First, my air compressor was complete crap and leaked like crazy. I couldn't get my pressure pot even close to 45 psi. I ended up returning it the next day and buying a much nicer one at Home Depot. It ran much, much quieter and didn't leak at all. Next, I found that the psi gauge on my pot did not function at all, so I sped to Home Depot to buy a new pressure gauge (got there about five minutes before they closed). After installing the gauge, it worked without an issue. Armed with my new air compressor, I then found that my pressure pot would not hold a steady pressure for more than an hour, which sent me back to Home Depot for some higher-quality thread tape and some pipe dope. The combination of the two stopped all leaks, and my pot was able to hold a consistent pressure.
My vacuum chamber was able to pull the right amount of vacuum to degass my silicone and resin. I'm really happy with the setup.
Here was my first workspace, which was basically an old coffee table with plastic over the top. I was still putting together the pressure gauge and other parts, so the pressure pot is a bit bare.
(Attachment Link)
After killing my back because the coffee table was so low to the ground, I upgraded my workspace a bit:
(Attachment Link)
Having a large workspace really helps when you're trying to mix up silicone, or multiple colors of resin. Now, lets move onto the actual casting process.
Per my original design, I decided to try to make a mold box that would produce a clean silicone mold. I figured I wasn't skimping on other things, so I might as well try to make my mold the best I possibly could with the limited tools that I had. First, I bought some hard foam board, a sheet of soft foam, and a hot glue gun. Due to the fact that the topre stem is longer than the keycap itself, I had to make a base that would let the keycap sit flat on the surface. I tinkered with a few ideas, and made my first mold. I scrapped it before testing it, as I didn't like the idea of tearing my mold apart each time and then trying to build it back up.
(Attachment Link)
I opted for a large piece of PVC pipe, which I cut and then used it for the walls of the mold box. It releases the mold easily, and can be used over and over again. The mold had almost no leakage, but I secured it to the base with some Super Sculpey. Then, I stacked the second half of the mold on top, added some stems for vents, and poured the second half of the mold.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I didn't take any pictures of the resin process, but I'll update you guys on that soon. Here are some finished keycaps, and some attempts at colors.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I had a great time making these, and I'm extremely satisfied with my casts. Saber 1.0 and Mulder 1.0 have been a great success. No bubbling, and the stems came out perfect (which I was really worried about). I'm going to be coming up with some additional ideas for sculpting, and then I'll update you guys in a day or two on my progress. Thanks for taking a look!
You most def went all in. This is great!
Love the note pad lol. Just your notes is 100% more artistic then anything I can do. Hence I stick to blanks =/
Love the work man. I am excited to see what you make when you get the synth.
Keep it up!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:42:18
Good stuff man. Did you have any gates for your stem? Or did you only have the two shown for the entire key cap?
Only the two gates. I thought about having one for the stem, but I was able to make it work by using a small brush and painting release and then resin into the cavities. In a future mold I will most likely add a gate.
Post by: Bambino on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:44:26
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 14 March 2016, 12:52:08
Interesting process. You could potentially save yourself a lot of time by adding more small gates around the bottom perimeter. No need to pre-prime the mold with resin or release. Just something you could try.
Appreciate the advice. I'll try to implement it into my next mold!
Post by: romevi on Mon, 14 March 2016, 13:12:48
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 14 March 2016, 13:18:40
Very nice and detailed process. Are you going to try your hand at other designs? Couldn't help but notice they're eerily similar to other designs already out there. :thumb:
I'll definitely be attempting other designs, however, I don't feel that these keys are copies of anybody else's work. Mostly these keys are test designs to get the process down, and then I will move to entirely different sculpts once I feel comfortable.
Post by: Binge on Mon, 14 March 2016, 14:43:10
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 14 March 2016, 14:44:06
RIP Beardy. My favorite.
He lives on in your heart.
Post by: livingspeedbump on Mon, 14 March 2016, 15:09:41
RIP Beardy. My favorite.
:-[
Post by: heedpantsnow on Mon, 14 March 2016, 20:18:06
And +1 about that awesome notebook. So much more artistic than anything I could ever do.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 14 March 2016, 20:26:54
Wow what a great update! Thank you so much for all the details of your process.
And +1 about that awesome notebook. So much more artistic than anything I could ever do.
Thanks for the support! I appreciate it. The notebook has really helped out my process and not forget things (which I tend to do all the time).
Post by: QuickDelat on Tue, 15 March 2016, 02:57:15
Do you have any plans for an MX version? Or am I going to have to buy a topre board?
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 15 March 2016, 09:45:47
wow, nice update, really like that you show your whole set-up and that notebook looks amazing.
Do you have any plans for an MX version? Or am I going to have to buy a topre board?
MX version is being developed right now and will be available. But to answer your question...you need to buy a topre board. Just because.
Post by: QuickDelat on Tue, 15 March 2016, 09:58:55
wow, nice update, really like that you show your whole set-up and that notebook looks amazing.
Do you have any plans for an MX version? Or am I going to have to buy a topre board?
MX version is being developed right now and will be available. But to answer your question...you need to buy a topre board. Just because.
This is amazing news. Already eagerly awaiting your first sale!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 15 March 2016, 15:00:46
What's the best way to eliminate the keycap altogether, and make my own base to sculpt on? I'm really limited on space because of the fact that I have to work around an existing keycap. Anybody have ideas of how I can free myself from the bondage of the keycap canvas?
Post by: Bambino on Tue, 15 March 2016, 15:32:10
Got a question that maybe somebody with better artisan skills can answer:
What's the best way to eliminate the keycap altogether, and make my own base to sculpt on? I'm really limited on space because of the fact that I have to work around an existing keycap. Anybody have ideas of how I can free myself from the bondage of the keycap canvas?
Somebody get this man a :-$ynth already.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 15 March 2016, 15:46:04
Got a question that maybe somebody with better artisan skills can answer:
What's the best way to eliminate the keycap altogether, and make my own base to sculpt on? I'm really limited on space because of the fact that I have to work around an existing keycap. Anybody have ideas of how I can free myself from the bondage of the keycap canvas?
Somebody get this man a :-$ynth already.
I'm sure I'll pick one up when they release...in the meantime I guess I'll have to design my own shoddily-rigged system :(
Post by: Zorberema on Tue, 15 March 2016, 17:02:02
Got a question that maybe somebody with better artisan skills can answer:
What's the best way to eliminate the keycap altogether, and make my own base to sculpt on? I'm really limited on space because of the fact that I have to work around an existing keycap. Anybody have ideas of how I can free myself from the bondage of the keycap canvas?
Somebody get this man a :-$ynth already.
I'm sure I'll pick one up when they release...in the meantime I guess I'll have to design my own shoddily-rigged system :(
Check out Eat_the_food's thread on how he does it! Basically, take an existing mold and just re-make just the bottom of it. Then sculpt the cap around this mold. It is basically the same thought as the $ynth. Picture of what I mean:
More
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Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 15 March 2016, 17:39:32
Got a question that maybe somebody with better artisan skills can answer:
What's the best way to eliminate the keycap altogether, and make my own base to sculpt on? I'm really limited on space because of the fact that I have to work around an existing keycap. Anybody have ideas of how I can free myself from the bondage of the keycap canvas?
Somebody get this man a :-$ynth already.
I'm sure I'll pick one up when they release...in the meantime I guess I'll have to design my own shoddily-rigged system :(
Check out Eat_the_food's thread on how he does it! Basically, take an existing mold and just re-make just the bottom of it. Then sculpt the cap around this mold. It is basically the same thought as the $ynth. Picture of what I mean:MoreShow Image(http://i.imgur.com/NONEgur.jpg)
You...are amazing. Thank you. Here I was drawing up plans when the easy way is right in front of me.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 17 March 2016, 17:21:20
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.
- Move Saber 1.0 to 1.2
- 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)
- OOMOO 30 Silicone - 100A : 130B
- Smooth-Cast 300 - 100A : 90B
- Smooth-Cast 325 - 115A : 100B
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
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- Pepto Pink
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- Mint Meringue
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- Plum Wine
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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!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 21 March 2016, 14:26:51
Over the weekend I started having some trouble with my Harbor Freight pressure pot. :( The outside metal started developing small waves and ridges, almost like stretch marks! It really freaked me out, seeing as how so many people have had explosions and stuff while using the Harbor Freight pot. I decided to retire the pot and order something that was higher quality, simply because I'm pretty fond of my fingers and toes. I ordered a CA Technologies pressure pot today, which is almost five times as expensive as the Harbor Freight pot. However, it's a much, much better quality piece of equipment that I think will be a solid investment.
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The lighting in the pictures really don't do it justice, but the ridges become alarmingly deep while under pressure. The surface was very smooth when I bought it, but not anymore. At first I thought I was crazy, but then I marked the tank and watched as the ridges spread and eventually were around the whole thing. The stress of worrying about the tank exploding is enough to make me go ahead and buy something better instead of just trading it in for a new one.
I'm quite disappointed with the situation, but I suppose you get what you pay for. However, I would still recommend Harbor Freight route for a beginning artisan that is looking to make a few caps on a budget, or test the waters. It seems like the defect that is happening with my pot isn't a common one at all, so it's a safe bet that you probably won't run into that issue if you decide to grab one. I've been casting several times a day in that pot, so it's probably a good idea for me to get something more solid anyway.
This situation will set me back about a week while I wait for my new pressure pot to arrive, but it should give me some time to reflect on my notes and refine my process. I'll also get to working on some new designs if I have time. I get some non-casting updates to you guys soon!
Post by: Diokhan on Mon, 21 March 2016, 14:52:29
Post by: nubbinator on Mon, 21 March 2016, 16:03:59
This is something mentioned in thread after thread after thread. It is never worth cheaping out on a pot. Even if it doesn't maim or kill you, if it goes, it can cause substantial property damage. The risk to yourself is not worth the cost savings. If you can't afford a proper pot, explore other options.
Post by: Binge on Wed, 23 March 2016, 11:23:55
DO NOT EVER RECOMMEND A HARBOR FREIGHT PRESSURE POT.
This is something mentioned in thread after thread after thread. It is never worth cheaping out on a pot. Even if it doesn't maim or kill you, if it goes, it can cause substantial property damage. The risk to yourself is not worth the cost savings. If you can't afford a proper pot, explore other options.
+1
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 23 March 2016, 11:28:19
DO NOT EVER RECOMMEND A HARBOR FREIGHT PRESSURE POT.
This is something mentioned in thread after thread after thread. It is never worth cheaping out on a pot. Even if it doesn't maim or kill you, if it goes, it can cause substantial property damage. The risk to yourself is not worth the cost savings. If you can't afford a proper pot, explore other options.
+1
Yeah, you guys are right. I've retired the pot and won't be using it again, but I'm looking forward to my CA Tech pot. It's going to be a great feeling not constantly worrying about explosions. Thanks for the advice guys!
Post by: tigersharkdude on Wed, 23 March 2016, 11:50:52
Subd for progress
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 23 March 2016, 11:54:52
That Saber cap is so nice.
Subd for progress
Hey I really appreciate that! I was starting to get the feeling that people on this site aren't too interested in my work, but it's awesome to hear some positive feedback. I'm going to keep refining the Saber, and there will be a new design coming soon as well. Thanks for the support!
Post by: tigersharkdude on Wed, 23 March 2016, 12:24:46
That Saber cap is so nice.
Subd for progress
Hey I really appreciate that! I was starting to get the feeling that people on this site aren't too interested in my work, but it's awesome to hear some positive feedback. I'm going to keep refining the Saber, and there will be a new design coming soon as well. Thanks for the support!
It seems not too many people come to this sub, I'm pretty bad about it too. I so often look at 'new replies to your posts' instead of 'unread topics'.
Your work is really nice though, I'm interested in picking a few up once you get some in MX
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 23 March 2016, 13:44:32
Can anybody give me some tips on the cleanest way to mount my master key to the bottom of the mold box? Right now I'm just using modeling clay, but I'm unhappy with the results and the parting line. I want to mount it to the bottom so I can get cleaner parting lines, but I'm having a hard time figuring out a good way to do it. It has to prevent silicone from entering in from the bottom of the cap. Any ideas would be really helpful.
Post by: Binge on Wed, 23 March 2016, 14:40:58
DO NOT EVER RECOMMEND A HARBOR FREIGHT PRESSURE POT.
This is something mentioned in thread after thread after thread. It is never worth cheaping out on a pot. Even if it doesn't maim or kill you, if it goes, it can cause substantial property damage. The risk to yourself is not worth the cost savings. If you can't afford a proper pot, explore other options.
+1
Yeah, you guys are right. I've retired the pot and won't be using it again, but I'm looking forward to my CA Tech pot. It's going to be a great feeling not constantly worrying about explosions. Thanks for the advice guys!
I would suggest a Binks pot. CA-tech is a decent company, but I would rather see people go for maximum safety instead of cost effectiveness.
Post by: Zorberema on Wed, 23 March 2016, 16:29:38
Quick question for everybody (especially the artisans)...
Can anybody give me some tips on the cleanest way to mount my master key to the bottom of the mold box? Right now I'm just using modeling clay, but I'm unhappy with the results and the parting line. I want to mount it to the bottom so I can get cleaner parting lines, but I'm having a hard time figuring out a good way to do it. It has to prevent silicone from entering in from the bottom of the cap. Any ideas would be really helpful.
I'd recomment not placing the cap directly down onto a surface; place something under to make it go up a little. Placing it in the same level as the "cut" in the silicone makes the air go out on the sides instead of the dedicated air holes; this can result in more bubbles if you press too hard. I've experimented with 3d printed mold-boxes recently, but I've used lego with just the small blank legos as a little jump upwards.
I'm using adhesive(if that's what it called; here's what I mean
More
(http://lcnet.dk/cchobby/standard/24687_10.jpg)
) to get it to stick. Find out what works for yourself, these are just some tips that works for me! :)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 24 March 2016, 10:35:50
DO NOT EVER RECOMMEND A HARBOR FREIGHT PRESSURE POT.
This is something mentioned in thread after thread after thread. It is never worth cheaping out on a pot. Even if it doesn't maim or kill you, if it goes, it can cause substantial property damage. The risk to yourself is not worth the cost savings. If you can't afford a proper pot, explore other options.
+1
Yeah, you guys are right. I've retired the pot and won't be using it again, but I'm looking forward to my CA Tech pot. It's going to be a great feeling not constantly worrying about explosions. Thanks for the advice guys!
I would suggest a Binks pot. CA-tech is a decent company, but I would rather see people go for maximum safety instead of cost effectiveness.
Great suggestion. I actually got to see a Binks setup in person, and the pot is really high-quality. If I have need of a second pot in the future, I will definitely go with one of those for the higher pressure rating.
Quick question for everybody (especially the artisans)...
Can anybody give me some tips on the cleanest way to mount my master key to the bottom of the mold box? Right now I'm just using modeling clay, but I'm unhappy with the results and the parting line. I want to mount it to the bottom so I can get cleaner parting lines, but I'm having a hard time figuring out a good way to do it. It has to prevent silicone from entering in from the bottom of the cap. Any ideas would be really helpful.
I'd recomment not placing the cap directly down onto a surface; place something under to make it go up a little. Placing it in the same level as the "cut" in the silicone makes the air go out on the sides instead of the dedicated air holes; this can result in more bubbles if you press too hard. I've experimented with 3d printed mold-boxes recently, but I've used lego with just the small blank legos as a little jump upwards.
I'm using adhesive(if that's what it called; here's what I meanMore) to get it to stick. Find out what works for yourself, these are just some tips that works for me! :)Show Image(http://lcnet.dk/cchobby/standard/24687_10.jpg)
That makes perfect sense. Thanks so much for the ideas!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 07 April 2016, 10:47:20
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Post by: Diokhan on Thu, 07 April 2016, 10:48:45
Sweeeeeeeeeeet
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Post by: romevi on Thu, 07 April 2016, 10:52:54
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Holy mole! Those are so clean!
Sent from my computah using gh website
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 07 April 2016, 10:55:42
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Holy mole! Those are so clean!
Sent from my computah using gh website
Thanks! There's still some work to be done, but I feel like I've made some real progress in the past couple of weeks.
Post by: -musubi on Thu, 07 April 2016, 11:02:02
That's some amazing progress, keep up the great work
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Holy mole! Those are so clean!
Sent from my computah using gh website
Thanks! There's still some work to be done, but I feel like I've made some real progress in the past couple of weeks.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 07 April 2016, 11:03:51
That's some amazing progress, keep up the great work
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Holy mole! Those are so clean!
Sent from my computah using gh website
Thanks! There's still some work to be done, but I feel like I've made some real progress in the past couple of weeks.
Thanks! :)
Post by: icyskyz on Thu, 07 April 2016, 12:22:23
Looking forward to the final work! :thumb:
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 07 April 2016, 12:38:26
Love those Saber caps! They look so niceee!
Looking forward to the final work! :thumb:
Thanks for the encouragement! Things are coming along nicely!
Post by: Waateva on Thu, 07 April 2016, 12:50:29
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Need one of the black ones plz.
Post by: QuickDelat on Thu, 07 April 2016, 13:44:12
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nice to see mulder in the background :D I think he might be the only skull design artisan I really like.
Did not expect I would ever say this but thos pink sabers look really nice (and I don't like pink at all!)
They work really well in bright (solid) colours, it shows of the details better than the transparant red one (and I really like red)
Did you make any new notes? Really loved seeing your notebook & drawings last time.
Post by: dgneo on Thu, 07 April 2016, 14:29:55
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Great work! Really digging that pink/purple colorway, and the sculpt is looking fantastic.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 07 April 2016, 15:23:47
Need one of the black ones plz.
Blood Cabernet, to be specific ;)
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nice to see mulder in the background :D I think he might be the only skull design artisan I really like.
Did not expect I would ever say this but thos pink sabers look really nice (and I don't like pink at all!)
They work really well in bright (solid) colours, it shows of the details better than the transparant red one (and I really like red)
Did you make any new notes? Really loved seeing your notebook & drawings last time.
Despite the mixed reception, Mulder has been a ton of fun to play around with. It's a simple design and it's easy on the mold, while giving me a fresh take on the colors that I'm pouring for the Sabers. The Blood Cabernet color I've been experimenting with has made me want to do a short run of Mulders that would only ever be available in that color. Glad to hear that you like it, as I immediately regretted posting it in this thread due to Clacks being as popular as they are. It looks like a blood-stained ruby gem or something. The pink has been an interesting color, and I'm enjoying the color blending.
My notebook is slowly growing, and I'll release some screenshots when I get time. Mostly it's turned into a journal, and I'll try to leave out the "Dear diary, today I ruined all my keycaps and life isn't fair" type of stuff. Glad to hear you enjoyed that aspect of this project. It's been really fun to write in my notebook and keep a log of all the things that I've learned along the way.
Again, thanks for the support!
Great work! Really digging that pink/purple colorway, and the sculpt is looking fantastic.
Thank you! I'm really excited about the progress. I didn't think I would like the pink/purple, but it's really growing on me and has a galaxy type feel to it. I'll most likely add more color depth and add some swirls of color to make it interesting.
Post by: calvinhousecat on Mon, 11 April 2016, 17:12:30
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These look amazing! Good job! :thumb:
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 11 April 2016, 17:31:56
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These look amazing! Good job! :thumb:
I appreciate it! We're hard at work improving things. Can't wait to post more updates for you guys!
Post by: UTEster750 on Tue, 12 April 2016, 08:04:00
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 12 April 2016, 11:13:16
Had seen some of your keycaps around and I'm glad I stumbled upon you! Keep up the good work you are making some awesome stuff! :D
I appreciate the kind words! It's an awesome feeling when people see something that you've made and love it!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 14 April 2016, 18:53:32
Wanted to give you guys a quick update and show off some of the progress on the underside of the MX key. It's coming along nicely, but there's still work to be done. The bottom is a little too rough for my liking, so I'm going to tweak it and remake the mold, as this was just a test to get an idea how my new materials are working. By working with faster setting materials, I'm able to get a lot more done in a day. My "research and development" is booming, and I'm learning a ton of new things.
I've been extremely happy with the keycap results, and I was even able to figure out a simple maker's mark to put underneath my cap. Nothing too special, but to my knowledge it's not too similar to anybody else's. If I'm wrong, I'd appreciate somebody pointing it out.
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I recently starting making an Alps mold, so there will be limited edition Alps artisans available to those that are interested. More to come on that, but for now just know it's in the works.
I did some simple work on a logo for KeyForge, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. It's been a few years since I've used Illustrator, but I've got a few designs that will be shown as we start to closer to a finished product. Let me know what you think, and if you love it or hate it.
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I'm going on a much-needed vacation starting today, and I'll be back after the weekend. Time to relax by the beach and get some sun on my pasty white body. I have a really interesting new idea that I'm hoping I can share with you once I get back... so stay tuned! Have a good weekend everybody! ;D
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 14 April 2016, 19:40:11
Post by: ccarlitos2 on Thu, 14 April 2016, 20:09:07
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 28 April 2016, 12:33:41
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With the help of a colleague, I've been designing a new prototype mold box that will be used in future production. This will be an improvement over the current production boxes that I'm using for my molds. We're working on the V2 prototype, which will then be machined and branded for KeyForge.
My wish is to have an easy to use mold box that will not require any additional parts, such as legos or other systems to cast. It will not require additional walls that you have to rebuild every time you cast silicone. It will be modular with a simple locking mechanism, so I will be able to unlock and swap a single piece to change stems. The mold box is also used to pour resin. This will not be something that I plan on releasing or selling to the public, simply because Binge has a great consumer design with his Synth. This will be for KeyForge alone, and just make my existing work easier with less silicone and resin waste. Once I have a prototype, I will release some images.
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This is my bench and my CA Technologies pressure pot after a long day of casting and preparation for the upcoming sale. I realized I never showed it off to you guys, so I need to take some photos and do a quick review. I'm drawing up some plans for my future workbench, which has a hole cut in the top of the bench so I can mount my pressure pot inside. Basically, half of the pot will be inside of the workbench, which will make it sturdier and prevent it from moving while I secure the lid. Also because it will look sweet. I'm going to do another hole for the vacuum chamber, so that when you look at the bench you'll only see the lid of the pressure pot on the top of the table. I'm pretty excited for the workbench, but I'm taking my time with it. I want it to be awesome. I'm being really picky about the pieces of walnut that I'm choosing, so it could be a while.
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Here are some color tests on the non-production molds, so please excuse the flashing and imperfections. I like to use my retired molds to test colors and new ideas. The top two are the triple-shot Sabers, one light brown and the other dark. These will be available in limited numbers for MX and Topre.
Right now I am hard at work producing triple-shot Sabers for the sale, and then I will choose some final additional sale colors once I finish with those. If anybody has any preferences, speak now or forever hold your peace.
That's about it for today! I'm going out of town this weekend, so I'm going to take a break from sale production. Thanks for all your kind comments and to all of you that have been following this process from the beginning! :thumb:
Post by: romevi on Thu, 28 April 2016, 12:37:10
Post by: Diokhan on Thu, 28 April 2016, 12:44:06
Hey guys! Things are coming along great! Thought I would drop a few pictures off:Nice work man! Looking forward to your sale!
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With the help of a colleague, I've been designing a new prototype mold box that will be used in future production. This will be an improvement over the current production boxes that I'm using for my molds. We're working on the V2 prototype, which will then be machined and branded for KeyForge.
My wish is to have an easy to use mold box that will not require any additional parts, such as legos or other systems to cast. It will not require additional walls that you have to rebuild every time you cast silicone. It will be modular with a simple locking mechanism, so I will be able to unlock and swap a single piece to change stems. The mold box is also used to pour resin. This will not be something that I plan on releasing or selling to the public, simply because Binge has a great consumer design with his Synth. This will be for KeyForge alone, and just make my existing work easier with less silicone and resin waste. Once I have a prototype, I will release some images.
(Attachment Link)
This is my bench and my CA Technologies pressure pot after a long day of casting and preparation for the upcoming sale. I realized I never showed it off to you guys, so I need to take some photos and do a quick review. I'm drawing up some plans for my future workbench, which has a hole cut in the top of the bench so I can mount my pressure pot inside. Basically, half of the pot will be inside of the workbench, which will make it sturdier and prevent it from moving while I secure the lid. Also because it will look sweet. I'm going to do another hole for the vacuum chamber, so that when you look at the bench you'll only see the lid of the pressure pot on the top of the table. I'm pretty excited for the workbench, but I'm taking my time with it. I want it to be awesome. I'm being really picky about the pieces of walnut that I'm choosing, so it could be a while.
(Attachment Link)
Here are some color tests on the non-production molds, so please excuse the flashing and imperfections. I like to use my retired molds to test colors and new ideas. The top two are the triple-shot Sabers, one light brown and the other dark. These will be available in limited numbers for MX and Topre.
Right now I am hard at work producing triple-shot Sabers for the sale, and then I will choose some final additional sale colors once I finish with those. If anybody has any preferences, speak now or forever hold your peace.
That's about it for today! I'm going out of town this weekend, so I'm going to take a break from sale production. Thanks for all your kind comments and to all of you that have been following this process from the beginning! :thumb:
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 28 April 2016, 13:21:15
Post by: ClackityClack on Thu, 28 April 2016, 13:57:37
Sent from my HTC One M8s using Tapatalk
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 28 April 2016, 14:29:33
Dude, those are super detailed and colored really well!
Thank you! Detail has been one of my primary focuses, as some materials don't capture detail as much as I'd like. I've tried several different silicones and resins until I found what I was looking for.
Oh man those multi-shot pieces look incredible (http://yoursmiles.org/ksmile/snail/k4711.gif) (http://yoursmiles.org/ksmile/snail/k4711.gif)
Thanks!! I'm really excited that you like them. They're coming along great, and will be available soon.
I thought artisans must 3d print the keycaps from a stl or 3d design file. I was thinking of maybe customising my own keys by going down that route
3D printing is one way to do it, but I really prefer making them by hand. It gives them a nice character and unique feeling that is harder to capture in 3d printing.
Hey guys! Things are coming along great! Thought I would drop a few pictures off:Nice work man! Looking forward to your sale!
[attach=1]
With the help of a colleague, I've been designing a new prototype mold box that will be used in future production. This will be an improvement over the current production boxes that I'm using for my molds. We're working on the V2 prototype, which will then be machined and branded for KeyForge.
My wish is to have an easy to use mold box that will not require any additional parts, such as legos or other systems to cast. It will not require additional walls that you have to rebuild every time you cast silicone. It will be modular with a simple locking mechanism, so I will be able to unlock and swap a single piece to change stems. The mold box is also used to pour resin. This will not be something that I plan on releasing or selling to the public, simply because Binge has a great consumer design with his Synth. This will be for KeyForge alone, and just make my existing work easier with less silicone and resin waste. Once I have a prototype, I will release some images.
[attach=2]
This is my bench and my CA Technologies pressure pot after a long day of casting and preparation for the upcoming sale. I realized I never showed it off to you guys, so I need to take some photos and do a quick review. I'm drawing up some plans for my future workbench, which has a hole cut in the top of the bench so I can mount my pressure pot inside. Basically, half of the pot will be inside of the workbench, which will make it sturdier and prevent it from moving while I secure the lid. Also because it will look sweet. I'm going to do another hole for the vacuum chamber, so that when you look at the bench you'll only see the lid of the pressure pot on the top of the table. I'm pretty excited for the workbench, but I'm taking my time with it. I want it to be awesome. I'm being really picky about the pieces of walnut that I'm choosing, so it could be a while.
[attach=3]
Here are some color tests on the non-production molds, so please excuse the flashing and imperfections. I like to use my retired molds to test colors and new ideas. The top two are the triple-shot Sabers, one light brown and the other dark. These will be available in limited numbers for MX and Topre.
Right now I am hard at work producing triple-shot Sabers for the sale, and then I will choose some final additional sale colors once I finish with those. If anybody has any preferences, speak now or forever hold your peace.
That's about it for today! I'm going out of town this weekend, so I'm going to take a break from sale production. Thanks for all your kind comments and to all of you that have been following this process from the beginning! :thumb:
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Thanks! I'm really excited about it. I think it's going to be great. I can't wait to see Sabers on people's keyboards.
Post by: QuickDelat on Thu, 28 April 2016, 15:55:13
I really like that you show us stuff like your workbench and the moldboxes. The caps are great of course, but it's really nice to see the effort you put in this and how you try to perfect everything. Can't wait to see the new workbench, description already sounds real cool.
As for colors, I think I mentioned it before, but I'm quite partial to red. Hope I'm getting the names of the hue right as non native speaker: crimson or scarlet.
But I have to say that the mint? green from the last update is already growing on me.
Emerald green is also growing on me as a color as it's my girlfriend's (almost fiancé, but she doesn't know that yet ;) ) favorite.
That's it for colors. Look forward to your next update, enjoy the weekend!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 28 April 2016, 16:27:54
another great update from the Forge. You're making this more and more difficult to choose when you'll finally do a sale!
I really like that you show us stuff like your workbench and the moldboxes. The caps are great of course, but it's really nice to see the effort you put in this and how you try to perfect everything. Can't wait to see the new workbench, description already sounds real cool.
As for colors, I think I mentioned it before, but I'm quite partial to red. Hope I'm getting the names of the hue right as non native speaker: crimson or scarlet.
But I have to say that the mint? green from the last update is already growing on me.
Emerald green is also growing on me as a color as it's my girlfriend's (almost fiancé, but she doesn't know that yet ;) ) favorite.
That's it for colors. Look forward to your next update, enjoy the weekend!
I appreciate it! Honestly what drew me to this hobby was the process itself. I love figuring out all the issues and solving them, and creating new ways to do things. It's given me a lot of respect for the other keymakers, because it's a very time-consuming hobby. It requires a lot of patience and critical thinking, which is why I like it so much. More than anything, I've tried my best not to settle for mediocrity when it comes to the casting process, and I've put in a lot of time in order to set myself up correctly and not backtrack too much. If a mold produces results that are not up to my standard, it is tweaked and recast. Quality is something that I really want associated with KeyForge, because I put hours each day into everything. I want people to have a piece of those hours and know that it wasn't just an overpriced piece of plastic stamped out of a machine.
Thanks for the color suggestions. I've been working on different shades of red this past week (which is a color that is surprisingly hard to get right), and I think you'll be pretty happy with the result. I've always been partial to Mint and Charcoal, so they will also be produced (maybe not this sale). I'm going to keep the colors limited, as I don't want to spread myself too thin and I want uniformity with the colors. I'm taking a couple of days off from the office to produce a ton of final single-shot caps next week, so I think we'll be ready to roll soon. Colors are going to be finalized this weekend, and then it's full steam ahead.
There will also be a mystery key, which will only be produced once. A single person will be chosen to receive it in this sale, as there will only be one made. I'm pretty excited about it.
The sale will definitely be in May, hopefully two weeks from now (if no major production issues arise). I'll update you guys when I have a firm date, but it's definitely getting closer. Right now I'm working on graphics and I have photography scheduled so you guys can get some creamy bokeh-filled pictures to get you excited.
Prepare thy wallets :D
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 11 May 2016, 12:40:15
I’m very close to a sale, but I realized that I wanted a higher-quality packaging than what I had originally planned. I refuse to cut corners with this project, and I realized that I could do better in the packaging department for you guys. I paired up with one of my design buddies and ordered some custom materials that should be pretty awesome and unique. I’m not going to rush things out of excitement, but I’m very close to being finished with keycap production and packaging assembly will begin once I get all of the materials. I want to have everything ready prior to the sale, so you guys can get your keys as fast as possible.
In the meantime, I thought I would give you guys a couple of quick updates on what's been going on in the forge!
Air Compressor
I got a new California Air Tools air compressor. I can't even tell you guys how excited I am about this new addition to the shop. I typically cast 5-6 hours a day, and sometimes 10+ on weekends. My old compressor was driving me insane, and making all my neighbors want to kill me. Before I get into that, let me give you a little history.
My first air compressor was a small Harbor Freight hotdog compressor. Words cannot express how much I hated that piece of junk. It was the worst item I've ever purchased from that store. It was ridiculously loud, had a ton of vibration, and leaked air like crazy. I returned it after a day of use. My second compressor was a little better: a small HDX pancake compressor from Home Depot. It was a definite upgrade over the HF compressor, but it was still quite loud and the tank wasn't big enough for my new CA Technologies pressure pot. Then I stumbled upon California Air Tools at a convention, and I realized that I had to have one. I ordered the 5510se model, and it's amazing. For the first time in my life, I don't mind my air compressor running. Go take a look at some videos on youtube and you'll see the sound difference. It sounds more like a refrigerator than an air compressor.
You see, I live in a condo, and my neighbors don't take kindly to extremely loud noises coming from my garage for hours every single day. I would have to shut my garage door every time I needed to pressurize my pot, which was just another loud noise that I was making. I also probably look like I'm making meth in my garage in the middle of the night when people see me wearing my mask and mixing fluids together, so I was just waiting for the police to show up with dogs or something.
[attach=1]
I placed it under my work table, and it's dramatically increased my productivity by having a quiet and constant source of compressed air. It also lets me have a normal conversation with people and hear myself think when I need to. I'm casting much more now because I no longer dread the noise of pressurizing my pot.
Pressure Pot
Right now I’m using the C.A. Technologies Resin Casting Pot, which I got from Finish Systems. They had resin casting in mind with this model, as the feed tube that is present on most paint pots has been removed. I recommend buying this model simply because using a paint tank for pressure casting often voids the warranty, since it’s not being used for it’s intended purpose. With this pot you don’t have that issue. Pressure gauge is included, and the only addition that I had to make was a ball valve and male connector, as well as a small cap on the other side. I'll most likely put a bigger ball valve on the intake and release, but for now it works.
So far, I’ve been extremely satisfied with this pot.The large wingnuts are easy to turn by hand, and they’re so smooth when tightening. In fact, I can spin them and they glide down the thread all the way to the bottom. The lid design means no more grinding bolts directly into the lid, which means less worrying that I'm going to blow myself up at any given moment in time.
PRO TIP: I put a square silicone mat on the inside bottom of the pressure pot. It catches any spilled resin or silicone and makes cleanup easy. I like having nice, clean, happy equipment.
After many hours of casting in this pot, I thought I would let you know that this pot is really suited best for quicker setting materials. These pots tend to have a slow air leak of 5-7 psi an hour, so you’ll need to have the pot hooked up to your air compressor in order to leave resin in there for 6+ hours. At first, I was concerned about the slow leak. I called and spoke with reps from Finish Systems and CA Tech, and they each let me know that a slow leak like that is normal, and to hook it up to the air compressor to keep a constant PSI over many hours. Leaving my air compressor hooked up kind of made me nervous, so I switched to a much faster-curing resin and silicone, and the leak doesn’t really matter anymore. Just a disclaimer for you up-and-coming casters. It’s a terrific pot, and I would still recommend it to anyone. I'll most likely replace the gasket on the lid for less air leakage in the future, but for right now it's really not a concern.
For the new guys, you pretty much NEED a pressure pot and air compressor. It’s an important piece of equipment if you want to have bubble-free casts. If you pair it with a vacuum chamber and pump, you’ll almost never see a bubble again. Without a pressure pot, your keycaps will be riddled with small holes and you’ll go to backbreaking lengths trying to get them out (like vibrating curing molds on the washing machine). Get the pressure pot, and then get a vacuum setup later if you can’t afford it up front.
[attach=2]
Vacuum Chamber/Pump
As a beginner, it was hard for me to understand what exactly I needed to be looking for in these two items, as I had never worked with them before. Basically you need one so you can pull as much air out of the resin or silicone as possible before pouring. If you can only afford one setup, I recommend getting a pressure pot first and then a vacuum setup later for best results.
I really saw the bubbles being pulled out when I switched to a viscous transparent silicone, where you can see loads of bubbles after mixing the two parts together. After vacuuming, they were pretty much all gone and it poured very smooth.
People told me that I needed a pump that pulled at least 30 inches of mercury, and that was about it. I did a ton of research, and finally stumbled upon Best Value Vacs. I was really skeptical at first, simply because of the bright orange color and ugly graphics. I mean I was looking for a vacuum system, not a toy. I ended up grabbing a small 1.5 gallon chamber and a 5cfm single-stage vacuum pump after talking with their reps to find what worked for my setup. When I opened the box, I was really surprised at the quality of the chamber and the helpful instructions. There’s a lot of ways that you can do the vacuum setup, but I have no regrets about buying a quality chamber and pump. The chamber is really small, but it’s perfect for my needs and I’m able to pull down vacuum very quickly.
PRO TIP: My vacuum chamber is stainless steel, so I poured a layer of silicone onto the inside bottom and let it cure. Like the pressure pot, it just keeps spills from getting stuck to the metal and makes cleanup easy. I can peel it out and pour more in there if it gets too dirty.
You don’t absolutely NEED a vacuum chamber, but you’ll get much more consistent results if you have one. It really helps get the initial bubbles out before putting everything under pressure. It’s worth noting that if you only have a vacuum chamber and not a pressure pot, you will still get bubbles, especially if your sculpts are rough or have jagged edges. I tested this several times and I almost always got bubbles when only using a vacuum chamber.
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
[attach=5]
Congrats to the guys that made it all the way though this boring post! I'm happy to answer any questions about the equipment, and any feedback is appreciated (as always).
I should have some more updates for you guys soon, once I get all the packaging materials together and finalize the upcoming sale details. There will be some pre-sales photos coming soon that should give you all a good idea of the colors that will be offered in this sale. Also, I'll let you guys in on a little secret: for this first sale, users will only be allowed to win a single Saber. You'll be able to enter the raffles for any of the colors and switches, but you'll only be able to win a single key. I want this to be as fun as possible for everyone, so I'm brainstorming ways to keep the sale extra-exciting. Stay tuned everyone!
Post by: Waateva on Wed, 11 May 2016, 12:45:08
Post by: QuickDelat on Wed, 11 May 2016, 14:42:28
It's really insightful and now I'm curious about the packaging, always nice to get something special like the box with the gold bags from E_t_F or the little pots from Bambino.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 11 May 2016, 16:34:48
Thanks for update, and as someone who is contemplating making some keycaps myself the information is very useful :thumb:
No problem! If you ever need info or have questions in the future, don't be afraid to ask.
boring is about the last thing that comes to mind reading your posts!
It's really insightful and now I'm curious about the packaging, always nice to get something special like the box with the gold bags from E_t_F or the little pots from Bambino.
Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the process! I really appreciate your feedback. As to the packaging, my original idea was to just seal them in black foil bags...but I decided that after all the time I've spent creating these keycaps, they deserve better packaging that reflects the quality that I'm aiming for. The packaging will definitely evolve and get better, especially for the special mystery keycaps. But for now, I have some rugged packaging that is definitely fitting for the KeyForge brand, and I'm excited to share it with you guys. Pics of packaging will be released prior to the sale opening, as I should have all the materials then.
Post by: DAVYtm on Wed, 11 May 2016, 17:41:01
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:09:34
The triple-shot Saber caps are incredible. Awesome work, really love seeing so many talented makers enter the artisan scene :)
Thanks for the kind words! I'm excited to let people get their hands on them!
Post by: romevi on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:19:03
Post by: DAVYtm on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:19:57
The triple-shot Saber caps are incredible. Awesome work, really love seeing so many talented makers enter the artisan scene :)
Thanks for the kind words! I'm excited to let people get their hands on them!
Woo sale TBA! Do you know if you plan on raffle or FCFS? Guess it'll show up in the artisans subforum, just excited :cool:
Post by: romevi on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:21:38
The triple-shot Saber caps are incredible. Awesome work, really love seeing so many talented makers enter the artisan scene :)
Thanks for the kind words! I'm excited to let people get their hands on them!
Woo sale TBA! Do you know if you plan on raffle or FCFS? Guess it'll show up in the artisans subforum, just excited :cool:
Pretty sure it's gonna be RCFS.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:34:18
The triple-shot Saber caps are incredible. Awesome work, really love seeing so many talented makers enter the artisan scene :)
Thanks for the kind words! I'm excited to let people get their hands on them!
Woo sale TBA! Do you know if you plan on raffle or FCFS? Guess it'll show up in the artisans subforum, just excited :cool:
Sale is going to be raffle style, but you may only win a single key (to keep things interesting). You will be able to check any of the boxes to be entered into the raffle pools for the different keys, but you'll only be able to win once. Pools will be drawn at random until all keys have been won. There will be three color choices for MX, and three for Topre (A triple-shot and two other single-shot colors for each stem). All keys will be the same price regardless of how many shots, and as a result shipping will be free for everyone in the US (and possibly international, still looking into it). You won't know what key you've won until you receive it, so your family can watch you tear open the package and scream in delight (and then question your life choices and judge you).
There's also going to be a Mystery Key that one lucky user will win, and will come in special packaging. More on that when the sale is announced officially, should be soon.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:35:10
The triple-shot Saber caps are incredible. Awesome work, really love seeing so many talented makers enter the artisan scene :)
Thanks for the kind words! I'm excited to let people get their hands on them!
Woo sale TBA! Do you know if you plan on raffle or FCFS? Guess it'll show up in the artisans subforum, just excited :cool:
Pretty sure it's gonna be RCFS.
It's official, sale format is Romevi Come First Serve.
Post by: suicidal_orange on Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:43:00
Probably too late but if you're still looking for colours orange is always popular ;)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 11 May 2016, 21:44:24
You've come a long way since I last checked this thread, very impressive!
Probably too late but if you're still looking for colours orange is always popular ;)
Thank you! That means a lot. Orange IS the new black...
Post by: romevi on Wed, 11 May 2016, 22:50:07
It's official, sale format is Romevi Come First Serve.
Aww, yeah!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 12 May 2016, 16:06:34
[attach=1]
This is what happens when you only use a vacuum chamber. There are ways to get better results than this, but this is pretty standard if you aren't using pressure. A vacuum chamber can be a decent investment, so you'd probably expect better results.
[attach=2]
This second photo is using vacuum AND pressure. This is why I highly recommend beginners getting a pressure system.
Anyway, back to production for the sale ;D
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 12 May 2016, 16:15:10
Just wanted to show you guys something interesting. I dug up some of my old Saber test keys so I could show you the difference between using only a vacuum, and using a vacuum and pressure together.
(Attachment Link)
This is what happens when you only use a vacuum chamber. There are ways to get better results than this, but this is pretty standard if you aren't using pressure. A vacuum chamber can be a decent investment, so you'd probably expect better results.
(Attachment Link)
This second photo is using vacuum AND pressure. This is why I highly recommend beginners getting a pressure system.
Anyway, back to production for the sale ;D
I really appreciate the write-up of your process. It pains me to no end that I can't have one of those Sabers but Smilodon rarities are worth the wait :)
Post by: Mattc777 on Thu, 12 May 2016, 19:00:31
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 20 May 2016, 14:39:40
Just wanted to give you guys one of the final updates before I open up a new thread in Artisan Services, in preparation for the sale. I'm giving you all a sneak peek of the final details, just because you guys are awesome.
What's Going On?
- We're almost ready to go. I've created the sale stock, and then sifted through the Sabers to make sure that the colors were matching. I had to redo some, and right now I'm hand-finishing each key to get rid of sprue marks and any small bits of flash. Keys that are not up to standard are removed from sale stock. I have zero tolerance for bubbles or imperfections, but thankfully there isn't too much of that due to the equipment and precautions I take during the process. But the keys are done, and waiting for a loving home.
- I ran into an issue with the Topre stems a little while back. They just didn't have that satisfying click when pushed down into the keyboard and locked into the slider. It fit on the keyboard just fine, but it just didn't feel right when you put that key on for the first time. I made some major modifications to the stem, poured some new molds, cast new Topre keys, and now they're perfect! I feel really great about the Sabers that I've created, and I haven't cut corners to get there.
- There are three colors of Topre Sabers, and three colors of MX Sabers. One of the color choices for each stem will be a Triple-shot. The colors will be shown when the sale photos are released :)
- I had hoped to include a line of Alps keys, but that will have to wait until the next sale. I've drawn up the plans for the Alps molds, but I also want to include something special for the Alps people out there.
- Packaging is being put together. Each day more are completed, and I should have them all finished over the weekend. It's looking great! I think you guys will all be pleased with what you get in the mail.
- Sale photography was postponed to due bad weather, and other things came up. Photos will be finished this weekend, and the Artisan Services thread should go up with a sale announcement on Monday or Tuesday.
When Is The Damn Sale?
- In case you guys haven't noticed, there's been a lot of artisan sales lately. The past couple of weeks have been really busy in the artisan community, and I didn't plan for that. I've seen several comments where people are unable to afford to get in certain sales because everybody is having one all at once. I feel your pain, and I decided I shouldn't throw another one on top of the pile. I mean hell...I don't have any money either. This is my first sale, and I want to give everyone the chance to get into the raffle.
That said, I think that Wednesday, June 1st would be a good time to open the sale. That gives everyone a couple of weeks to recover from the last artisan wave and get excited. Note that it will be announced Monday or Tuesday of next week. I will post on Reddit and make an Artisan Services thread
Okay, Any Details I Should Know?
- The sale will be raffle-style.
- You will be allowed to win two keys in this sale, but not two of the same key.
- Shipping will be cheap for the US, and will be calculated for international depending on where you live.
- All keys will be the same price, even the Triple-Shot Sabers. This may not be the case in the future, but for this sale I want everyone to be able to win any of the keys.
I want to thank you all for your support through this process. It's been a really fun and rewarding hobby, and I'm happy that I've been able to share it with you and receive such great feedback. Let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them!
Post by: biocalves on Fri, 20 May 2016, 14:49:24
Despite my wallet taking a beating, I cannot wait until June 1st to come around! Will be looking out for your thread in the Artisan section.
Good luck on your first sale and count me in for your raffle!
Post by: DAVYtm on Fri, 20 May 2016, 17:28:09
Post by: QuickDelat on Sat, 21 May 2016, 01:48:25
Everything sounds well prepared. Good luck everyone, I have no doubt this will be an awesome sale.
Post by: audax989 on Mon, 23 May 2016, 04:38:17
Post by: UTEster750 on Wed, 25 May 2016, 05:34:02
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 26 May 2016, 11:20:17
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
[attach=5]
[attach=6]
[attach=7]
Artisan thread is pending mod approval. Here's a sneak peek for you guys :)
Post by: romevi on Thu, 26 May 2016, 11:32:41
Post by: Waateva on Thu, 26 May 2016, 12:27:54
Post by: Kenda on Thu, 26 May 2016, 12:29:25
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 26 May 2016, 16:24:45
Post by: biocalves on Thu, 26 May 2016, 16:41:35
Although I like MX artisans for its' versatility the care that went into the Topre caps makes me want to enter the raffle for those caps instead.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 26 May 2016, 17:01:58
I think the detailed underside of the Topre caps are a marvel. The imprint of the slider on the inside of the cap shows the level of attention you've paid not only towards the general artistry of the cap itself, but the entirety of the Saber cap.
Although I like MX artisans for its' versatility the care that went into the Topre caps makes me want to enter the raffle for those caps instead.
Thanks for noticing! The Topre keys had a TON of work go into them. They're my pride and joy, since I mainly use my two HHKBs and a Realforce. My goal was to create a well-fitting keycap for Topre users...something satisfying to put on your board, as I've been a tad disappointed in other artisan designs when it comes to Topre.
Initially the stem design was simple, but I just didn't like the look. They stayed in place okay, but it wasn't solid like a keycap should be. I reworked the molds, and produced a stem similar to what is shown in the photos, but it was missing a tactile click when pushing the key into place. I then completely reshaped the master stem from scratch and it came out beautifully, even the maker's mark. The slider imprint fits exactly, and the result has been very satisfying.
All of the work done on these keys has shaped the way for future designs. I now have a stem template, so all future keycaps will have the same Topre and MX stem as the ones in the photos.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 27 May 2016, 11:23:41
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.msg2181227#msg2181227
Please move any sale questions or discussion over there, and we'll keep this thread focused on the casting process and new announcements. Thanks everyone for being so awesome and hanging out in this thread like you have!
Post by: romevi on Sun, 29 May 2016, 22:26:51
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 01 June 2016, 08:06:31
GO GO GO GO GO GO
Entry form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aExeckefNhmvMLD_oui9ZY74PX5_WL7hRkXDPPfzW0k/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aExeckefNhmvMLD_oui9ZY74PX5_WL7hRkXDPPfzW0k/viewform)
Welcome to our first sale! After many hours of hard work, I'm excited to release the Saber into the wild.
- This is a RAFFLE-style sale. Pick the keys you want, cross your fingers, and hope for a win!
- Sale is open NOW. I will close the raffle entries on Friday, June 3rd, at 7pm MDT.
- Winners will be drawn and invoices will be sent over the weekend.
- New to artisans? Need some help? PM me, I'm happy to help!
Post by: UTEster750 on Wed, 01 June 2016, 08:15:36
SABER SALE IS NOW LIVE
GO GO GO GO GO GO
Entry form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aExeckefNhmvMLD_oui9ZY74PX5_WL7hRkXDPPfzW0k/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aExeckefNhmvMLD_oui9ZY74PX5_WL7hRkXDPPfzW0k/viewform)
Welcome to our first sale! After many hours of hard work, I'm excited to release the Saber into the wild.
- This is a RAFFLE-style sale. Pick the keys you want, cross your fingers, and hope for a win!
- Sale is open NOW. I will close the raffle entries on Friday, June 3rd, at 7pm MDT.
- Winners will be drawn and invoices will be sent over the weekend.
- New to artisans? Need some help? PM me, I'm happy to help!
Entered! Good luck everyone! :D
Post by: Potatoes on Sun, 05 June 2016, 00:09:47
Post by: Marshal on Wed, 15 June 2016, 16:57:24
Post by: meowizzle on Mon, 20 June 2016, 22:38:38
First off I love your work. You have progressed and learned so much during this adventure it seems, which is a lot of what having this type of hobby is about. I am just starting to learn the process of creating artisans, and I have been looking at your work as an inspiration. I have been roaming around the site and found your work and detail incredibly useful, along with a few other threads. I hope to be able to make as good of a first start as you. If you have any good threads to check out that might have helped you along the way I would appreciate any help or advise considering your newly gained experience.
I wish I could have gotten in on the first sale but I missed the opportunity due to a busy life. I hope you have another sale soon. I am sure that the next key you design will be great.
Best Regards,
Post by: garrrgoyle on Tue, 28 June 2016, 15:11:26
(http://i.imgur.com/vq747cF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/VJfI63A.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/bCa2I8J.jpg)
(http://imgur.com/IOf1mUq.jpg)
(http://imgur.com/VEWXU7B.jpg)
Post by: Raenbo on Mon, 11 July 2016, 03:48:18
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Sun, 24 July 2016, 13:35:08
Hi! May I ask what you use for coloring your caps? Like a dye or pigment? The colors on your Sabers look really nice and solid. Also, looking forward to what new colors you put out in the future!
I'm using various smooth-on and alumilite colorants. Thank you!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Sun, 24 July 2016, 15:43:01
Hey everyone! I've been away for a while, working on various projects and some new super-secret stuff for the Forge. I'm going to break down some of the stuff that is coming, without revealing too many details until it's time.
TOOLS
First, I've made a big upgrade to my sculpting tools that has allowed me to have so much more control over the detail of my sculpts. I had them custom made, and so far I've been really happy with the results.
[attachimg=1]
For reference, the tool on the left is what I used to sculpt about 90% of the Saber. It felt natural to use and I enjoyed the things I was able to do with it, but I was always frustrated with the fact that I couldn't create intricate details like I wanted. It was like trying to use a broom to create a small landscape painting. The new ones are great and much more comfortable to use.
WORKSHOP
Due to the crazy heat here, I was forced to move my entire workshop inside my house so that I didn't die. I was previously using an old wooden bench for sculpting and a plastic table for casting, but I've been able to make a few adjustments to my work area now that it's inside. I would highly recommend that you try to keep an organized work area and separate your casting and sculpting, if possible. A good source of light is also necessary, and I found a work lamp that rotates so I can view my resin/silicone as it bubbles in the chamber, and then rotate it to the casting area so I can pour and actually see what I'm doing.
[attachimg=2]
I've also organized everything, like my pigments, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, gloves, etc. It makes things so much easier when casting and working. I know this seems like a post that your mom would make, telling you to clean your room. But it really has made me more productive. Finally, a good digital timer is recommended so you can glance up and see how much pot life you have without any guesswork.
FUTURE PROJECTS
I have been working on four new designs, two of which are complete and undergoing testing and will be revealed soon.
Here is an early sneak peak at one of the newest keys, the Shishi. The key has since been completed, but won't be revealed until I get it out for a proper shoot. Also I like keeping you guys in suspense.
It's one of my favorite designs, and will most likely be part of a themed set. And yes, it will be available in a Jade color.
~~~~~~~~~~
The second project that I'm working on is pushing out the Saber in several doubleshot colorways, such as Carbon, Miami, Sky Dolch, etc. I would be very interested to hear if there is a demand for this, as I kept my initial Saber colors very simple. If you're interested, leave a comment and let me know what colors you'd like to see. The most requested will be the ones that are chosen and available for sale.
Post by: tomboy on Sun, 24 July 2016, 15:49:19
I'd love to see Saber in red, like this lycan for example:
(https://d2lraglvfaoc4l.cloudfront.net/uploads/bro_product/image/4/5f17a77219cc3abf2e171b058275d1f0.jpg)
Post by: Bambino on Sun, 24 July 2016, 15:51:35
Hey everyone! I've been away for a while, working on various projects and some new super-secret stuff for the Forge. I'm going to break down some of the stuff that is coming, without revealing too many details until it's time.
TOOLS
First, I've made a big upgrade to my sculpting tools that has allowed me to have so much more control over the detail of my sculpts. I had them custom made, and so far I've been really happy with the results.
(Attachment Link)
For reference, the tool on the left is what I used to sculpt about 90% of the Saber. It felt natural to use and I enjoyed the things I was able to do with it, but I was always frustrated with the fact that I couldn't create intricate details like I wanted. It was like trying to use a broom to create a small landscape painting. The new ones are great and much more comfortable to use.
WORKSHOP
Due to the crazy heat here, I was forced to move my entire workshop inside my house so that I didn't die. I was previously using an old wooden bench for sculpting and a plastic table for casting, but I've been able to make a few adjustments to my work area now that it's inside. I would highly recommend that you try to keep an organized work area and separate your casting and sculpting, if possible. A good source of light is also necessary, and I found a work lamp that rotates so I can view my resin/silicone as it bubbles in the chamber, and then rotate it to the casting area so I can pour and actually see what I'm doing.
(Attachment Link)
I've also organized everything, like my pigments, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, gloves, etc. It makes things so much easier when casting and working. I know this seems like a post that your mom would make, telling you to clean your room. But it really has made me more productive. Finally, a good digital timer is recommended so you can glance up and see how much pot life you have without any guesswork.
FUTURE PROJECTS
I have been working on four new designs, two of which are complete and undergoing testing and will be revealed soon.
Here is an early sneak peak at one of the newest keys, the Shishi. The key has since been completed, but won't be revealed until I get it out for a proper shoot. Also I like keeping you guys in suspense.
(Attachment Link)
It's one of my favorite designs, and will most likely be part of a themed set. And yes, it will be available in a Jade color.
~~~~~~~~~~
The second project that I'm working on is pushing out the Saber in several doubleshot colorways, such as Carbon, Miami, Sky Dolch, etc. I would be very interested to hear if there is a demand for this, as I kept my initial Saber colors very simple. If you're interested, leave a comment and let me know what colors you'd like to see. The most requested will be the ones that are chosen and available for sale.
Interesting new design with the Shishi, SP. It's reminiscent to me of a Chinese lion. Guess that goes along with the theme of your Saber too :)
Stay cool! Maybe you can experiment with using the heat to influence cure times for some of your casting and mold making.
Post by: xtrafrood on Sun, 24 July 2016, 16:09:48
Post by: Raenbo on Sun, 24 July 2016, 19:15:57
Post by: romevi on Mon, 25 July 2016, 00:32:54
Shishi.
:eek:
Post by: QuickDelat on Mon, 25 July 2016, 02:41:28
Post by: SBJ on Mon, 25 July 2016, 03:02:39
Wow man, you just keep stepping your game up.
Hey everyone! I've been away for a while, working on various projects and some new super-secret stuff for the Forge. I'm going to break down some of the stuff that is coming, without revealing too many details until it's time.
TOOLS
First, I've made a big upgrade to my sculpting tools that has allowed me to have so much more control over the detail of my sculpts. I had them custom made, and so far I've been really happy with the results.
(Attachment Link)
For reference, the tool on the left is what I used to sculpt about 90% of the Saber. It felt natural to use and I enjoyed the things I was able to do with it, but I was always frustrated with the fact that I couldn't create intricate details like I wanted. It was like trying to use a broom to create a small landscape painting. The new ones are great and much more comfortable to use.
WORKSHOP
Due to the crazy heat here, I was forced to move my entire workshop inside my house so that I didn't die. I was previously using an old wooden bench for sculpting and a plastic table for casting, but I've been able to make a few adjustments to my work area now that it's inside. I would highly recommend that you try to keep an organized work area and separate your casting and sculpting, if possible. A good source of light is also necessary, and I found a work lamp that rotates so I can view my resin/silicone as it bubbles in the chamber, and then rotate it to the casting area so I can pour and actually see what I'm doing.
(Attachment Link)
I've also organized everything, like my pigments, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, gloves, etc. It makes things so much easier when casting and working. I know this seems like a post that your mom would make, telling you to clean your room. But it really has made me more productive. Finally, a good digital timer is recommended so you can glance up and see how much pot life you have without any guesswork.
FUTURE PROJECTS
I have been working on four new designs, two of which are complete and undergoing testing and will be revealed soon.
Here is an early sneak peak at one of the newest keys, the Shishi. The key has since been completed, but won't be revealed until I get it out for a proper shoot. Also I like keeping you guys in suspense.
(Attachment Link)
It's one of my favorite designs, and will most likely be part of a themed set. And yes, it will be available in a Jade color.
~~~~~~~~~~
The second project that I'm working on is pushing out the Saber in several doubleshot colorways, such as Carbon, Miami, Sky Dolch, etc. I would be very interested to hear if there is a demand for this, as I kept my initial Saber colors very simple. If you're interested, leave a comment and let me know what colors you'd like to see. The most requested will be the ones that are chosen and available for sale.
I can't wait to see what else you have in store for us!
(Still enjoying my Saber caps immensely!)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 25 July 2016, 10:40:10
I forgot to mention above that I also swapped out my pressure pot hardware and went from a 1/4" ball valve to a 3/8", which is much, much quieter when releasing the pressurized air after casting. The 1/4" was extremely high pitched when releasing, and I had to install a silencer filter on the release valve just so I didn't go deaf while casting all day. The 3/8" valve really eliminates the need, so if you're shopping for hardware, I highly recommend you go with the 3/8".
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 25 July 2016, 21:32:54
[attachimg=1]
Post by: QuickDelat on Tue, 26 July 2016, 02:02:06
These came out interesting...:eek: nice!
(Attachment Link)
Post by: tomboy on Tue, 26 July 2016, 02:13:56
These came out interesting...
(Attachment Link)
WOW!
Post by: thaddeus on Tue, 26 July 2016, 02:30:50
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 26 July 2016, 10:54:45
Post by: tomboy on Tue, 26 July 2016, 11:54:58
Thanks guys! I'm still working on colors, so the green/black most likely wont' make it to production. But we'll see what happens.
You can save the for giveaways ;P
I can't wait to see more!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 26 July 2016, 14:23:47
Thanks guys! I'm still working on colors, so the green/black most likely wont' make it to production. But we'll see what happens.
You can save the for giveaways ;P
I can't wait to see more!
Ooooooo good idea. Might need to have one of those pretty soon
Post by: SoftKeys on Tue, 26 July 2016, 21:51:46
Maybe I'll be able to get another one of your caps in a future sale :D
The green/black colorway looks pretty cool, can't wait to see more of your stuff.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 27 July 2016, 11:22:48
Hey Sneaky Potato, I managed to get one of your Arsenic Sabers second hand, and I just wanted to say its a great design. Love it!
Maybe I'll be able to get another one of your caps in a future sale :D
The green/black colorway looks pretty cool, can't wait to see more of your stuff.
Hey I'm glad it found a good home! I appreciate the compliment, and I hope to see you in future sales. I should be having another one pretty soon once I get my newest sculpts finalized and some production molds made. I don't want to keep ramming the Saber down everyone's throat until I get some new colors perfected.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 29 July 2016, 23:12:50
Post by: romevi on Fri, 29 July 2016, 23:23:52
(Attachment Link)
The hypenong.
Post by: biocalves on Fri, 29 July 2016, 23:37:53
(Attachment Link)
Who took the picture?!
Love it!
Post by: SBJ on Fri, 29 July 2016, 23:53:07
Looking forward to your next creations!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Sat, 30 July 2016, 17:32:51
Post by: Kenda on Sat, 30 July 2016, 17:34:03
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 03 August 2016, 18:11:12
[attachimg=1]
Post by: romevi on Wed, 03 August 2016, 18:20:07
(Attachment Link)
What on earth...?
Post by: thaddeus on Thu, 04 August 2016, 01:51:40
(Attachment Link)
What on earth...?
Texture goodness. Banana for scale?
<3
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 04 August 2016, 01:57:29
(Attachment Link)
What on earth...?
Texture goodness. Banana for scale?
<3
can't find banana :-[
(https://media.giphy.com/media/jZFfg0ONX093i/giphy.gif)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 05 August 2016, 21:03:28
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 10 August 2016, 09:42:25
Post by: heedpantsnow on Wed, 10 August 2016, 14:19:27
Post by: Raenbo on Wed, 10 August 2016, 15:21:35
Show Image(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160810/3e491a81b3313688c346764643033e11.jpg)
That's pretty hype. Can't wait to see how you do kintsugi-themed caps. Need me that shishi
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: QuickDelat on Thu, 11 August 2016, 01:18:15
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 11 August 2016, 11:31:05
have we seen the saber logo before? It looks really good man, I'd love some stickers with that logo :)
Not a bad idea. I'll have to look into it.
Show Image(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160810/3e491a81b3313688c346764643033e11.jpg)
That's pretty hype. Can't wait to see how you do kintsugi-themed caps. Need me that shishi
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks man. Shishi will not be a part of this sale, as it's still under development (along with a few other sculpts). The Kintsugi sale will be small and limited, but kintsugi colors will be available for all future sculpts as part of limited edition sales. I'll be giving you guys a sneak peek of the sculpts after the sale ends.
Post by: SBJ on Thu, 11 August 2016, 23:27:13
have we seen the saber logo before? It looks really good man, I'd love some stickers with that logo :)Oh yes sign me up for stickers as well!
Post by: romevi on Thu, 11 August 2016, 23:29:54
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 18 August 2016, 13:52:53
I picked up a soft brush that I use to smooth things out, it really makes a huge difference in creating a clean look and erase any fingerprints or imperfections in your sculpts.
I bring this up because I noticed that my brush that I have been using has started to become clogged from using it against Super Sculpey. I might try some solvent later to see if it cleans the brush, but it's a good reminder to keep your brushes fresh.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 23 August 2016, 10:58:58
(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160823/aa99b40710f58c3ae11b53a6ed406ca3.jpg)
Post by: Waateva on Tue, 23 August 2016, 11:00:32
Not related the the upcoming sale, but thought I would ask for some feedback on my "Damascus Steel" Topre blanks. Any thoughts?Show Image(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160823/aa99b40710f58c3ae11b53a6ed406ca3.jpg)
I think they look awesome, but I've got a weak spot for Damascus steel stuff :)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Tue, 23 August 2016, 11:10:05
Not related the the upcoming sale, but thought I would ask for some feedback on my "Damascus Steel" Topre blanks. Any thoughts?Show Image(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160823/aa99b40710f58c3ae11b53a6ed406ca3.jpg)
I think they look awesome, but I've got a weak spot for Damascus steel stuff :)
Thanks! So do I...metals have been a big inspiration of mine as of late.
Post by: heedpantsnow on Tue, 23 August 2016, 12:22:25
Not related the the upcoming sale, but thought I would ask for some feedback on my "Damascus Steel" Topre blanks. Any thoughts?Show Image(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160823/aa99b40710f58c3ae11b53a6ed406ca3.jpg)
Oh man, I love damascus blades. Any plans for making some in MX? Pretty please?
Post by: Bambino on Tue, 23 August 2016, 12:51:22
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 23 August 2016, 12:55:47
Steel newb here- I thought Damascus has darker veins, not lighter veins. Is that wrong?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I thought it was just randomly swirly - some bits more dark others more light.
Looks cool whether it's accurate or not :)
Post by: heedpantsnow on Tue, 23 August 2016, 17:32:45
Steel newb here- I thought Damascus has darker veins, not lighter veins. Is that wrong?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I thought it was just randomly swirly - some bits more dark others more light.
Looks cool whether it's accurate or not :)
"traditional" is wavy alternating lines (well to get real technical none of what you buy now is true traditional since the process was lost :rolleyes:). Could be dark with light waves or light with dark waves. There have recently been many innovations in how they cut and stack the layers that come out with chevrons, waves, circles, etc. Almost all for aesthetic purposes, but cool none the less.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 01 September 2016, 08:39:41
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6eNiIV9NPU1pfGBizHO_5y70-ouB0SxQYZJsG8tFxLCV2pg/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6eNiIV9NPU1pfGBizHO_5y70-ouB0SxQYZJsG8tFxLCV2pg/viewform)
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 01 September 2016, 08:43:37
Hey just a heads up everyone, the Kintsugi Sale is now open here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6eNiIV9NPU1pfGBizHO_5y70-ouB0SxQYZJsG8tFxLCV2pg/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6eNiIV9NPU1pfGBizHO_5y70-ouB0SxQYZJsG8tFxLCV2pg/viewform)
(http://img.pandawhale.com/post-27873-joey-from-friends-eyes-wide-op-gcTr.gif)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 12 September 2016, 14:53:43
I posted this over in the sale thread, but this is really the more appropriate place for it.
[attachimg=1]
I spend several hours a week in front of a whiteboard, asking myself what I can do better. I do this for everything about KeyForge, and the ideas that are good end up being developed and the ones that suck get put in a pile for brainstorming later.
I've changed up my product packaging a little, and I'll be looking forward to the feedback of those who received keys this sale. The goal was to find better, stronger packaging that was a little more reusable if you plan storing or trading your keys, as well as being more durable than my previous designs. The larger brown stamped bags will be standard key packaging, and they will be completely sealed. Once the bag has been opened via the tear notch on the top, it can be resealed with the ziplock on the inside. The smaller brown stamped packages ended up looking cool, but were a bit too small for my liking. I now have hundreds of these things and I'm honestly not sure what to do with them. I guess I could sell drugs in them. Or those little tiny baby corn cobs that you find at salad bars. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if those things are actually corn cobs.
The golden bags are reserved for special mystery keys that will be included in random packages. They are also heat sealed, but cannot be resealed once opened. This is by design, as sealed mystery bags could potentially be interesting trade items. I know that other artisans use the gold mystery bag idea, so this will most likely be developed further and taken in a different direction over time.
I have removed the sarcastic "Our Story" print from the back of the packaging, for various reasons. There will most likely be something interesting on the back in the future, but I haven't gotten that far yet. In future sales, the brown bags will be marked with specialty stickers that reflect the key that you are getting. These are currently in development, but I'm hoping to include them in the next sale.
Any input that you guys have (good or bad) is much appreciated!
Post by: tomboy on Mon, 12 September 2016, 14:55:32
Hey just a heads up everyone, the Kintsugi Sale is now open here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6eNiIV9NPU1pfGBizHO_5y70-ouB0SxQYZJsG8tFxLCV2pg/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6eNiIV9NPU1pfGBizHO_5y70-ouB0SxQYZJsG8tFxLCV2pg/viewform)Show Image(http://img.pandawhale.com/post-27873-joey-from-friends-eyes-wide-op-gcTr.gif)
ehm, ofc I thought this is live again.... :(
Post by: thaddeus on Wed, 14 September 2016, 01:12:59
Post by: xtrafrood on Wed, 14 September 2016, 08:57:01
Post by: Zorberema on Tue, 20 September 2016, 03:53:25
More
I posted this over in the sale thread, but this is really the more appropriate place for it.
(Attachment Link)
I spend several hours a week in front of a whiteboard, asking myself what I can do better. I do this for everything about KeyForge, and the ideas that are good end up being developed and the ones that suck get put in a pile for brainstorming later.
I've changed up my product packaging a little, and I'll be looking forward to the feedback of those who received keys this sale. The goal was to find better, stronger packaging that was a little more reusable if you plan storing or trading your keys, as well as being more durable than my previous designs. The larger brown stamped bags will be standard key packaging, and they will be completely sealed. Once the bag has been opened via the tear notch on the top, it can be resealed with the ziplock on the inside. The smaller brown stamped packages ended up looking cool, but were a bit too small for my liking. I now have hundreds of these things and I'm honestly not sure what to do with them. I guess I could sell drugs in them. Or those little tiny baby corn cobs that you find at salad bars. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if those things are actually corn cobs.
The golden bags are reserved for special mystery keys that will be included in random packages. They are also heat sealed, but cannot be resealed once opened. This is by design, as sealed mystery bags could potentially be interesting trade items. I know that other artisans use the gold mystery bag idea, so this will most likely be developed further and taken in a different direction over time.
I have removed the sarcastic "Our Story" print from the back of the packaging, for various reasons. There will most likely be something interesting on the back in the future, but I haven't gotten that far yet. In future sales, the brown bags will be marked with specialty stickers that reflect the key that you are getting. These are currently in development, but I'm hoping to include them in the next sale.
Any input that you guys have (good or bad) is much appreciated!
Nice job, I like the look of this!
Post by: lovechan on Wed, 21 September 2016, 00:08:55
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 22 September 2016, 16:27:41
http://keypressgraphics.com/product/saber/ (http://keypressgraphics.com/product/saber/)
Thanks Nick!
[attach=1]
Post by: lovechan on Thu, 22 September 2016, 22:42:02
Wanted to share this with you guys! Keypress Graphics requested to add one of my Sabers to his collection of painted keys that he is auctioning off. I'm flattered to see my work come to life through paint, so I thought I would drop you guys the link so you can see it all for yourselves. Hell I'll probably even bid on it :D
http://keypressgraphics.com/product/saber/ (http://keypressgraphics.com/product/saber/)
Thanks Nick!
nice ~
(Attachment Link)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 28 September 2016, 16:11:55
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20160929T12&p0=3263&msg=%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F&font=slab&csz= (https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20160929T12&p0=3263&msg=%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F&font=slab&csz=1)
Post by: pinkizhip on Wed, 28 September 2016, 18:14:56
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 28 September 2016, 18:23:55
Sneaky Potato this thread is a wealth of knowledge. Thank you so much for sharing all of your experiences. I admire your perfectionism of craft. I'm excited to see what you will continue to come up with AND find out what this countdown is for! only 18 more hours to go.
I appreciate the kind words. I'm going to update the initial post soon once I actually get some time. It could use a little de-cluttering and some new photos and stuff. I hope it was of some use to you. Let me know if you have questions, I'm happy to answer them.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 29 September 2016, 13:00:24
Scythe
sīT͟H/
noun
A tool used for cutting crops such as grass or wheat, with a long curved blade at the end of a long pole attached to which are one or two short handles. Also known as a symbol of death.
"Don't open your eyes. If you feel cold air move behind your neck or hear the whisper of metal, then it's too late."
[attachimg=1]
Scep·ter
ˈseptər/
noun
An ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty.
"Forced by circuits and machinery to rise from eternal slumber, his hatred for the world was matched only by his will to enslave all who inhabited it."
[attachimg=2]
Post by: romevi on Thu, 29 September 2016, 14:08:56
Post by: SoftKeys on Thu, 29 September 2016, 16:21:59
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:25:26
[attachimg=2]
Post by: xtrafrood on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:28:10
Post by: Fictiouz on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:30:57
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
That Osiris cap is calling me, can't wait to see multishots
Post by: romevi on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:32:05
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
That Osiris cap is calling me, can't wait to see multishots
The only color that matters is gold.
Post by: Bambino on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:40:05
Mayhem: On-point realism, and the name fits well with the fire/wind/storm/smoke swirling around the reaper's hood. A huge leap forward from Mulder.
Osiris: Egyptian cyberpunk keycaps are now a thing. What a time to be alive. Osiris reminds me of The Fifth Element.
What are their profile shapes like?
Post by: xtrafrood on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:41:35
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
That Osiris cap is calling me, can't wait to see multishots
The only color that matters is gold.
Damn right
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 30 September 2016, 10:45:00
Top notch, Mr. Potato.
Mayhem: On-point realism, and the name fits well with the fire/wind/storm/smoke swirling around the reaper's hood. A huge leap forward from Mulder.
Osiris: Egyptian cyberpunk keycaps are now a thing. What a time to be alive. Osiris reminds me of The Fifth Element.
What are their profile shapes like?
Thank you!
Both keys are the same height as a standard cherry fn row key, and Mayhem is a tad shorter. Same width as well. Much, much smaller than the Saber was. They fit perfectly on every keyboard I've tested.
Once I announce the sale, I will show the keys on a few boards for reference, as well as the brand new MX and Topre undersides.
Post by: SoftKeys on Fri, 30 September 2016, 15:36:26
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
Great designs, I love how detailed your sculpts are :D
Post by: MaNiFeX on Fri, 30 September 2016, 20:35:08
Post by: Waateva on Mon, 03 October 2016, 09:16:27
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
Both look nice, but Mayhem is super cool!
Post by: lovechan on Sat, 08 October 2016, 21:22:55
Which kind of resin do you use？
Post by: theanyday on Tue, 18 October 2016, 23:50:28
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 20 October 2016, 17:12:08
:p
Which kind of resin do you use？
I use several different kinds, but I really like BJB Enterprises products.
Your insight in to this process has sparked my interest to begin my own journey. Everything here looks great. :thumb:
Glad to hear it was of some help. Let me know if you have questions!
Post by: theanyday on Fri, 21 October 2016, 12:34:10
Your insight in to this process has sparked my interest to begin my own journey. Everything here looks great. :thumb:
Glad to hear it was of some help. Let me know if you have questions!
[/quote]
I've been looking at bestvalue and even Robinair.
Was thinking of getting the 3 gallon side mount chamber and not entirely sure if a 3cfm pump would really be sufficient or if I should move up to 5/6cfm?
Thoughts?
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 11 November 2016, 11:59:08
It's been a while since I've posted here, mostly just because I've been so busy in the workshop trying to get our next sale ready to go. I held off on the Scythes and Scepters sale in October due to the huge amount of new artisan sales, and it gave me some time to refine and push forward some of the things that wouldn't have made it into the last sale.
I wanted to give you guys a peek at the new WolfJaw stem, exclusively for topre. It might not look like much, but it's been designed to fit very securely in the right places on the topre stem, and give a really solid snap when putting it in place. I was so tired of loose-fitting topre stems, and I've been working on refining my Topre stem design to be cleaner and smoother. The shallow vents on the side are aesthetic, but give the stem a unique shape since so many artisan Topre stems look alike. The look was inspired by wolf-jaw tongs, used by blacksmiths. The new MX stems are very similar in design, but without the WolfJaw vents. MX photos will come soon, once I've done some hand finishing you'll see some photos.
[attachimg=1]
As mentioned in my Artisan Thread, I will be implementing serial numbers into all future keys, in order to strike early against potential counterfeit keycaps. These serials are still being tested, but each key will be on file in case there is ever a question of authenticity. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to make our keycaps a little more secure, and due to the small amount of real estate under the keycap, custom serial numbers are the most cost-effective and the most simple for the amount of security they provide. We know that Brocaps was the first to implement this type of security, and we hope to see the same kind of success from it.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 28 November 2016, 09:56:35
[attachimg=1]
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.msg2181227#msg2181227 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.msg2181227#msg2181227)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 30 November 2016, 21:57:50
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.msg2312358#msg2312358 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.msg2312358#msg2312358)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 15 February 2017, 19:41:07
SHISHI
[attachimg=1]
DRAGON (not yet named)
[attachimg=2]
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
Post by: SoftKeys on Wed, 15 February 2017, 19:45:43
I haven't posted here in a while, as I put my last couple of designs on the shelf while I finished up the Scythes and Scepters sale. Over the past couple of weeks I was able to refine the sculpts, but they are still a work in progress. I still have a few more details to add, and they'll be ready for production.
SHISHI
(Attachment Link)
DRAGON (not yet named)
(Attachment Link)
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
Wow that's impressive detail! Amazing design, can't wait till these have a sale :eek:
Post by: romevi on Wed, 15 February 2017, 19:45:58
Post by: Cocopah on Wed, 15 February 2017, 19:46:49
I haven't posted here in a while, as I put my last couple of designs on the shelf while I finished up the Scythes and Scepters sale. Over the past couple of weeks I was able to refine the sculpts, but they are still a work in progress. I still have a few more details to add, and they'll be ready for production.Clean, these things would look awesome with multishot.
SHISHI
(Attachment Link)
DRAGON (not yet named)
(Attachment Link)
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
Post by: brennan08512 on Wed, 15 February 2017, 19:48:18
I haven't posted here in a while, as I put my last couple of designs on the shelf while I finished up the Scythes and Scepters sale. Over the past couple of weeks I was able to refine the sculpts, but they are still a work in progress. I still have a few more details to add, and they'll be ready for production.
SHISHI
(Attachment Link)
DRAGON (not yet named)
(Attachment Link)
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
That Dragon key has some nice detail! Can't wait for these to come out.
Post by: Jeu on Wed, 15 February 2017, 20:16:29
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: AuthenticDanger on Wed, 15 February 2017, 21:29:36
Post by: lovechan on Wed, 15 February 2017, 21:57:07
I haven't posted here in a while, as I put my last couple of designs on the shelf while I finished up the Scythes and Scepters sale. Over the past couple of weeks I was able to refine the sculpts, but they are still a work in progress. I still have a few more details to add, and they'll be ready for production.
SHISHI
(Attachment Link)
DRAGON (not yet named)
(Attachment Link)
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
Uh huh,Chinese style,very great casting. :thumb:
Post by: Jedi on Thu, 16 February 2017, 09:07:10
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 16 February 2017, 09:52:15
Really love your work. The new sculpts are incredible. Definitely hoping for a chance at joining on your next project. Thank you also for this thread to stay up on your current and previous projects. I have seen your work being artistically colored for bidding and am happy now that I found your thread. Keep being amazing, the caps are every bit as awesome, absolutely incredible.
Thank you for the kind words, it's very much appreciated. You might want to follow my Sale Thread as well, where I will release all of the newest sale information. Here: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.0 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82389.0) I will be having a small sale tomorrow!
Also, I have a mailing list on my website, www.keyforge.com (http://www.keyforge.com). I'll be releasing an update today through email to everyone as well. Thanks again, I hope to see your name among the winners :D
Post by: Waateva on Thu, 16 February 2017, 12:49:39
I haven't posted here in a while, as I put my last couple of designs on the shelf while I finished up the Scythes and Scepters sale. Over the past couple of weeks I was able to refine the sculpts, but they are still a work in progress. I still have a few more details to add, and they'll be ready for production.
SHISHI
(Attachment Link)
DRAGON (not yet named)
(Attachment Link)
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
DANK
Post by: Binge on Thu, 16 February 2017, 12:55:40
DANK
AF
Post by: theteam on Thu, 16 February 2017, 16:55:10
(http://i.imgur.com/CNOgbTQ.jpg)
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 16 February 2017, 16:59:34
dragon can be mushu /jokes ^-^Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/CNOgbTQ.jpg)
I think Mushu is a good name, but I'm on the fence about it because of the obvious reference. I do like the name a lot though.
Another idea I had was "Orochi".
Post by: Waateva on Thu, 16 February 2017, 17:52:43
DANK
AF
4REAL
Post by: BaconEggandCheeseBagel on Thu, 16 February 2017, 18:48:51
DANK
AF
4REAL
What he said.
Post by: noobas4urus on Fri, 17 February 2017, 00:13:45
Post by: Daphen on Thu, 23 February 2017, 14:58:41
Post by: Chaosti on Thu, 23 February 2017, 15:31:40
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 23 February 2017, 15:39:47
If you're still looking for a name for your dragon sculpt (which looks bomb diggity, btw), what about Dra-key? Like a drake. Drakey? Or that's too heavy on the puns?
Appreciate the suggestion. Right now I'm torn between Orochi and Ryu. I'm leaning towards Orochi though :)
Post by: romevi on Thu, 23 February 2017, 17:12:05
Post by: tomboy on Fri, 24 February 2017, 16:17:29
I haven't posted here in a while, as I put my last couple of designs on the shelf while I finished up the Scythes and Scepters sale. Over the past couple of weeks I was able to refine the sculpts, but they are still a work in progress. I still have a few more details to add, and they'll be ready for production.
SHISHI
(Attachment Link)
DRAGON (not yet named)
(Attachment Link)
As you can tell, I had a specific theme in mind when sculpting these two keycaps. I've been messing around with Shishi for months now, and it's finally almost to where I want it. I'm still trying to find a good name for the Dragon key, but nothing has seemed to fit yet.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these two very soon once they're completed ;)
Oh, wow, Shishi looks awesome!
The dragon makes me think of Fuchur from The Neverending Story.
Post by: Wylte on Sat, 25 February 2017, 19:55:17
Thank you for keeping such a detailed account of your journey, there were a lot of useful ideas and lessons that I won't have to learn the hard way (a few mistakes that we'll just have to recover from, too!). I'm going to try and emulate your journal for our projects, and maybe contribute something of value to this hobby as well :thumb:
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Sun, 26 February 2017, 22:06:44
Lying in bed sick, read through this whole thread from start to finish. I'm going to try and read every major key casting thread, but started here because you've been so helpful and positive over in my wife's fledgeling thread.
Thank you for keeping such a detailed account of your journey, there were a lot of useful ideas and lessons that I won't have to learn the hard way (a few mistakes that we'll just have to recover from, too!). I'm going to try and emulate your journal for our projects, and maybe contribute something of value to this hobby as well :thumb:
I was sick all weekend, so I feel your pain. This chest cold is killing me.
Glad to hear you liked it. I need to go back through and make a more concise guide for newcomers, but I do hope that it helps people avoid some pitfalls when they're first starting to cast. Once you start to cast quite a bit, you pick up your own techniques and things that you'd prefer to keep a secret, which is why I haven't added much to the guide. However, I think it's important to provide people with a solid foundation for casting. I want people to get past the initial mystery of casting so that they can tackle the bigger issues that they will come across, but in their own way.
The journal has honestly been a lifesaver for me. I keep ratios, weights, and steps on how to mix certain colors in there. By writing down everything, it really helped me later.
Glad to hear that things are going well for your family. Keep up the casting and let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with!
Post by: lovechan on Mon, 27 February 2017, 00:19:18
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 03 May 2017, 11:36:53
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
I call the first guy Bumpy, but I'm not 100% set on that name yet. He's a little rocky dude with some cute little feets that might be a little stinky. He's also a little nervous about meeting you, hence the semi-terrified look on his face.
I was working just about completing the snake keycap when /u/shadowdude777 from reddit released the Monty key, which is another awesome snake. I PM'ed him and made sure that it was okay with him that I release this key, and he was really awesome about it.
When using Super Sculpey, I tend to use a butane torch on my pieces after baking in order to strengthen the piece and prevent chipping or pieces coming off in the molds, hence the lighter and darker areas. Sometimes I have to rework certain areas, hence the lighter and darker parts of the sculpt. Torching can also help when removing your sculpts from the Synth after production, as sometimes they stick and can break as you try to pry them off the platform. In the instance of the snake, torching it will prevent it from breaking apart during the molding process.
If you ever have issues with your sculpts losing small pieces during the molding process, try torching those areas just a bit to add strength. The only downside is that they become much more fragile if dropped, and will shatter. To torch, make sure you bake the piece first. Then lightly run the flame over the sculpt in small passes, until the Sculpey starts to darken. Be careful not to scorch or hold the flame on one spot for too long.
Post by: Jedi on Wed, 03 May 2017, 11:39:27
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 03 May 2017, 11:47:44
I... I don't even know what to say. This is VERY impressive. Are you sure you weren't Da Vinci in a previous life? :eek:
I've always LOVED sculpting, but hated sculpting big stuff. So I've been messing around with it since I was a kid, but once I got into making keycaps last year, it just clicked and gave me the drive to really push myself as hard as I could. This is the result of several hours of practice a day.
Post by: dblack on Wed, 03 May 2017, 11:58:37
Post by: Tally810 on Wed, 03 May 2017, 12:48:09
Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk
Post by: beehatch on Wed, 03 May 2017, 15:45:59
I really enjoyed the blowtorch idea, gonna try that this time around!
Post by: lovechan on Wed, 03 May 2017, 19:58:05
Post by: breusch91 on Wed, 03 May 2017, 23:07:38
I've been really busy working on the newest Shishi and Orochi sale, but I took a break yesterday to finish up these two sculpts. I've been visiting them off and on since November, and I finally got them about where I want them.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I call the first guy Bumpy, but I'm not 100% set on that name yet. He's a little rocky dude with some cute little feets that might be a little stinky. He's also a little nervous about meeting you, hence the semi-terrified look on his face.
I was working just about completing the snake keycap when /u/shadowdude777 from reddit released the Monty key, which is another awesome snake. I PM'ed him and made sure that it was okay with him that I release this key, and he was really awesome about it.
When using Super Sculpey, I tend to use a butane torch on my pieces after baking in order to strengthen the piece and prevent chipping or pieces coming off in the molds, hence the lighter and darker areas. Sometimes I have to rework certain areas, hence the lighter and darker parts of the sculpt. Torching can also help when removing your sculpts from the Synth after production, as sometimes they stick and can break as you try to pry them off the platform. In the instance of the snake, torching it will prevent it from breaking apart during the molding process.
If you ever have issues with your sculpts losing small pieces during the molding process, try torching those areas just a bit to add strength. The only downside is that they become much more fragile if dropped, and will shatter. To torch, make sure you bake the piece first. Then lightly run the flame over the sculpt in small passes, until the Sculpey starts to darken. Be careful not to scorch or hold the flame on one spot for too long.
I NEED THAT BUMPY KEY.
Youre coming out with some amazingly detailed stuff, its very awesome to see. Stuff like that new snake require a lot of precision and patience to constantly make those scales over and over. Damn!
Post by: SBJ on Wed, 03 May 2017, 23:26:41
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 04 May 2017, 04:48:41
Post by: avro on Fri, 05 May 2017, 10:24:41
I've been really busy working on the newest Shishi and Orochi sale, but I took a break yesterday to finish up these two sculpts. I've been visiting them off and on since November, and I finally got them about where I want them.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I call the first guy Bumpy, but I'm not 100% set on that name yet. He's a little rocky dude with some cute little feets that might be a little stinky. He's also a little nervous about meeting you, hence the semi-terrified look on his face.
I was working just about completing the snake keycap when /u/shadowdude777 from reddit released the Monty key, which is another awesome snake. I PM'ed him and made sure that it was okay with him that I release this key, and he was really awesome about it.
When using Super Sculpey, I tend to use a butane torch on my pieces after baking in order to strengthen the piece and prevent chipping or pieces coming off in the molds, hence the lighter and darker areas. Sometimes I have to rework certain areas, hence the lighter and darker parts of the sculpt. Torching can also help when removing your sculpts from the Synth after production, as sometimes they stick and can break as you try to pry them off the platform. In the instance of the snake, torching it will prevent it from breaking apart during the molding process.
If you ever have issues with your sculpts losing small pieces during the molding process, try torching those areas just a bit to add strength. The only downside is that they become much more fragile if dropped, and will shatter. To torch, make sure you bake the piece first. Then lightly run the flame over the sculpt in small passes, until the Sculpey starts to darken. Be careful not to scorch or hold the flame on one spot for too long.
Your work is amazing man! Such emphasis to detail, I love it!
PS: I would call the snake Ophion, not such a fun name but it once ruled the world
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophion (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophion)
Post by: SKD on Fri, 05 May 2017, 13:57:39
Post by: yohanskee on Sat, 13 May 2017, 22:21:14
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 17 May 2017, 10:23:19
What a sculpt, the orochi. What clay do you use to make that level of detail? Thanks
Super Sculpey Firm is what I'm most comfortable with. It lets me add a lot of small detail, and it smooths over quite easily. There are a lot of sculpting mediums out there that you can use, you've just gotta find what works for you. I tried working with Green Stuff last year, and I just didn't like the feeling of having to keep my tools lubricated and wearing gloves.
Before I started sculpting artisans, I was used to sulfur-based clays and a lot of Plastilina (Roma) for larger projects. When I tried Super Sculpey Firm, it just felt right in my hands, and was simple to work with. It's excellent at holding small detail, and I can leave it on the shelf for weeks at at time if I decide to work on another piece.
Again, you can use chewing gum if it works for you. Once you find a good material, just stick with it. I practice sculpting for at least an hour or two every day, and it's dramatically improved my ability to use Super Sculpey on a really small scale. Practice, practice, practice :)
Post by: breusch91 on Wed, 17 May 2017, 11:04:18
What a sculpt, the orochi. What clay do you use to make that level of detail? Thanks
Super Sculpey Firm is what I'm most comfortable with. It lets me add a lot of small detail, and it smooths over quite easily. There are a lot of sculpting mediums out there that you can use, you've just gotta find what works for you. I tried working with Green Stuff last year, and I just didn't like the feeling of having to keep my tools lubricated and wearing gloves.
Before I started sculpting artisans, I was used to sulfur-based clays and a lot of Plastilina (Roma) for larger projects. When I tried Super Sculpey Firm, it just felt right in my hands, and was simple to work with. It's excellent at holding small detail, and I can leave it on the shelf for weeks at at time if I decide to work on another piece.
Again, you can use chewing gum if it works for you. Once you find a good material, just stick with it. I practice sculpting for at least an hour or two every day, and it's dramatically improved my ability to use Super Sculpey on a really small scale. Practice, practice, practice :)
I think getting routine practice in is one of the hardest things to do for me currently. I work a job where I have to start getting ready for work at 12pm, and im not home till 9pm, so my "most productive" hours of the day for me are gone.
I generally try to get up at 8am, get ready for gym go to the gym and im home by 9:30-10, then quick shower/breakfast/bathroom, then i finally get 1-2 hours for anything else that needs to be done, quick snack/lunch, then work. Then home from work at 9, dinner/bathroom, and like 20-30 mins of time for other things. THen phone with GF, then another hour of stuff for things before bed. So typically ~3 hours of free time per day, so after you factor in doing regular chores i have about 1.5-2hrs of free time. So if ALL i did was sculpt I could do that, but I do enjoy playing games, browsing forums, and other stuff. So getting in time is tough, and im sure theres people with busier schedules just ranting on my current situation. I'm starting to think what I need to do is start at 30 minutes and just say okay from 11-11:30 no matter what I'm going to sculpt (which will present its own challenges depending on the medium your using), but I think currently thats the only way I'll get practice in.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Wed, 17 May 2017, 14:15:27
What a sculpt, the orochi. What clay do you use to make that level of detail? Thanks
Super Sculpey Firm is what I'm most comfortable with. It lets me add a lot of small detail, and it smooths over quite easily. There are a lot of sculpting mediums out there that you can use, you've just gotta find what works for you. I tried working with Green Stuff last year, and I just didn't like the feeling of having to keep my tools lubricated and wearing gloves.
Before I started sculpting artisans, I was used to sulfur-based clays and a lot of Plastilina (Roma) for larger projects. When I tried Super Sculpey Firm, it just felt right in my hands, and was simple to work with. It's excellent at holding small detail, and I can leave it on the shelf for weeks at at time if I decide to work on another piece.
Again, you can use chewing gum if it works for you. Once you find a good material, just stick with it. I practice sculpting for at least an hour or two every day, and it's dramatically improved my ability to use Super Sculpey on a really small scale. Practice, practice, practice :)
I think getting routine practice in is one of the hardest things to do for me currently. I work a job where I have to start getting ready for work at 12pm, and im not home till 9pm, so my "most productive" hours of the day for me are gone.
I generally try to get up at 8am, get ready for gym go to the gym and im home by 9:30-10, then quick shower/breakfast/bathroom, then i finally get 1-2 hours for anything else that needs to be done, quick snack/lunch, then work. Then home from work at 9, dinner/bathroom, and like 20-30 mins of time for other things. THen phone with GF, then another hour of stuff for things before bed. So typically ~3 hours of free time per day, so after you factor in doing regular chores i have about 1.5-2hrs of free time. So if ALL i did was sculpt I could do that, but I do enjoy playing games, browsing forums, and other stuff. So getting in time is tough, and im sure theres people with busier schedules just ranting on my current situation. I'm starting to think what I need to do is start at 30 minutes and just say okay from 11-11:30 no matter what I'm going to sculpt (which will present its own challenges depending on the medium your using), but I think currently thats the only way I'll get practice in.
Trust me, I understand where you're coming from. Making keycaps as a regular thing is extremely time-consuming, and between my family and career, I only have a few hours of free time each evening, like you. Over the past year I made the decision to spend each day doing something productive with keys, whether it's sculpting, casting, color testing, design, etc. I plan my entire week in advance, and set goals for myself. I then reflect on those goals at the end of each week so I can see what still needs to be done. Time was getting away from me and I decided to start managing it the best that I could. It sounds like you're already doing that, which is awesome.
Right now I'm in the middle of finishing up color testing for the next sale, while simultaneously doing production, photography, and also planning future projects at the same time. If I actually had 8 hours a day to do this, I could accomplish an insane amount in a short time, but I don't. So I make the best of the time that I have, and use weekends to my advantage. If I need to take a break, I take a break. I do my best to keep KeyForge from turning into boring work, and keep things fun.
Anywho, if something is important to you, you'll find time for it. Best of luck with your sculpting and possibly future casting :)
Post by: TelFiRE on Sun, 09 July 2017, 21:45:04
I love your work sooo much :) Keep up the amazing work. You're definitely my favorite artisan.
And I really hope you are feeling all the way better soon!
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 10 July 2017, 00:36:24
I'm trying to pick up sculpting. Did you watch or read any material from other sculpters to learn techniques for working at such high detail on such a small scale? With almost all artisans, even if it's very very good, I can at least imagine how it was done with human hands. With yours.. not so much! You must have some ways of working with it, favorite tools, that type of thing?
I love your work sooo much :) Keep up the amazing work. You're definitely my favorite artisan.
And I really hope you are feeling all the way better soon!
Sculpting, like many other art forms, can have a slightly steep learning curve when you first get started (and especially on such a small scale). I've been messing around with sculpting since I was in high school, and I continued to noodle around with it through college. Funny enough, my biggest hurdle back then was scale. I've always disliked sculpting large pieces, and I much preferred things that you could hold in your hand or set on your desk. It might be worth noting that I draw on a very small scale, and my handwriting is also very small.
TOOLS
My absolute favorite tool is a small angled spatula. I've shaped it a bit to my liking with a hammer, and smoothed it out a bit. It's an excellent all-around tool, and I use it for a lot of detail work, slicing, and smoothing. It also just feels right in my hand. Another extremely useful is something I found at Michael's many years ago. It's just got a small ball on the end of it, smaller than a BB. I did some smoothing on it as well, and it's perfect for shaping and smoothing out areas on your sculpt. Finally, a good ribbon loop is always handy, especially when you're first shaping and removing clay before diving into fine detail. I have a whole roll of tools that I use as well, but not nearly as much as those three.
Keep in mind that there are no "right" tools for sculpting, only what's right for you. There are some tools that work better on a smaller scale, and some that work better on a big scale. Most professional artists make their own tools out of wood and metal, or even hardened clay. It really depends on what is comfortable to you. You can literally sculpt with old sticks you find around the yard if you shape them with a knife and then sand them and polyurethane them. Or the lid of a pen. Or a knife and fork. You would be surprised what you can do with everyday objects. A good starting point for working on a small scale is to get some cheap dental tools.
Another handy thing is a magnifying lamp or glass. Mine is fixed with a big arm that clamps to my workbench. The light is very bright, and the glass is big enough that I can comfortably see very small detail. You can also purchase dental loupes, but you're wasting your time unless you get the expensive ones. I had a pair for a while but I switched to the magnifying lamp because I prefer it.
As a final word, learn to SMOOTH and learn to LAYER. Smoothing your clay really does wonders, and learning to work in layers prevents you from screwing up so bad that you lose the entire piece.
LEARNING TO SCULPT
I used to be a freelance cartoonist on the side. I mean, I wasn't incredible, but people paid me for my work. In 2010, I decided that I wanted to learn how to cartoon, because I had all of these funny jokes and ideas, but my drawing was somewhat lacking. I'd been doodling for years, so I wasn't a "stick figures only" kind of guy, but I wasn't a cartoonist. I picked up a cartooning book (I forget the name, if I find it I'll put it here) that quite literally changed the way I approach most hobbies now. The book told me to draw a new single-panel cartoon every day for six months. It said to take like fifteen minutes in the morning to meditate and relax, clear your mind, and then draw something. It didn't have to be amazing, but it needed to be something. So, I did it. And six months later my cartoons went from looking like garbage to actually being pretty good. I learned a lot along the way about how I liked to work, not how others liked to work. New ideas would flood into my head, and I began to think like a cartoonist. This is absolutely key in mastering a hobby or a skill, especially creative ones.
Practice. Seriously. Just practice, and sculpt what you see. Find a subject, set a goal, and then sculpt it. It doesn't matter what it is. Just sculpt anything.
I like to start my sculpts with basic shapes. I roll balls, or cylinders, etc. I then place those and smooth them out. Once the basic shapes are in place, you can start adding small amounts of material that will be your details. Know that you will most likely mess up and need to remove material, but that's totally okay. That's how it goes. If you want to get serious about sculpting, then sculpt for an hour a day. Make something different every day.
One of the best pieces of advice that I can give you is to make three versions of a single sculpt. Yes, three. Your first attempt should be a rough draft, your second should be polished, and your third should be your best work, ready to be molded and cast. In my humble opinion, the biggest mistake that newer artisans are making is casting the first thing they sculpt.
- Get an idea in your head, sketch it if possible.
- Do a rough sculpt, but finish it to the end. Don't worry about major detail, just get the basic idea down. No need to layer here, but it's a good technique to practice. I try to get these sculpts done as fast as possible.
- Take notes on what you want to change or do better. Really study the sculpt and figure out what you can do better.
- Resculpt, and this time pay attention to detail. You should really be trying hard here, specifically fixing all of your initial mistakes. I try to make just about everything smaller this time around.
- You can stop here if the work is acceptable, but I find that the third time is when you are really comfortable with the design.
- Sculpt your Final Master, and pay extreme attention to detail. Work in layers, building upon the last. This should take you quite a bit of time, no need to rush.
- Beginner's Guide to Sculpting Characters in Clay
- Sculpture Principle and Projects (Slobodkin)
- Portrait Sculpting (Faraut)
These will cover all of the basics of clay sculpting and design, as well as technique. They're good reads, and I refer to the Sculpture Principle and Projects frequently.
Another path you might consider is paying for some clay sculpting courses online. I may do one of those when I get more time later this year, so I can keep progressing. I can't give you much direction there, but there are many sculptors that offer courses and you can watch the videos over and over again. If local courses or classes are available, then by all means take them. It's a good way to get started.
Post by: TelFiRE on Mon, 10 July 2017, 13:01:22
Post by: Jedi on Mon, 10 July 2017, 21:59:53
All around great guy!
Post by: lovechan on Tue, 11 July 2017, 06:05:50
Sneakypotato is an amazing artist and always sincere with community members here in this thread and elsewhere. His work is incredible and definitely sought after whenever his sales go live. I really do hope more of his work gets out there as he finds time to dabble in this hobby while holding full time career and life responsibilities. I hope to get a second chance (though technically third chance since the first time I decided to take a shower, don't ever do that when sneaky's sales come up, life lesson learned) to score a Shishi or Orochi or his next sculpt.
All around great guy!
ye he's sincere and sweet. :)
Post by: ccarlitos2 on Wed, 12 July 2017, 20:48:47
Post by: ludd on Thu, 13 July 2017, 00:57:43
Quick question, before you cast with a pressure pot, did you find that different resins had different amount of air bubbles? (A pressure pot is a bit out of the budget at the moment)
Cheers
Post by: yuppie on Thu, 13 July 2017, 23:12:55
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Fri, 14 July 2017, 12:18:53
I've been looking at a couple of resources and the realisation that you've only been casting for little over a year is amazing. I've started to work with some clay and it's pretty fun if not a little frustrating when it isn't exactly as I hope. Hopefully in a months time i'll have a couple of crappy prototypes to show off!
Quick question, before you cast with a pressure pot, did you find that different resins had different amount of air bubbles? (A pressure pot is a bit out of the budget at the moment)
Cheers
I would recommend saving up for a pressure pot, it's quite essential for producing quality keys. You will waste a lot more time and materials without one, and you will most likely become discouraged at the quality of the work. Get one before you get a vacuum pump or anything else, and you'll save yourself a lot of work. To answer your question, I've never had to worry about bubbles because I started this hobby with a pressure pot. I now have several and they're one of the most important tools I have. It's an investment, but absolutely worth it if you're even considering investing in quality materials.
the amount you've leveled up in just a year's time is incredible
Thank you! Like I've mentioned here and elsewhere, it comes down to simply investing your time and being serious about the craft. I think a lot of it is that I keep falling deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole with new and exciting things to try, and new ideas to sculpt.
I mean if you spent the better part of a year spending 20-30 extra hours a week playing the guitar, learning to draw, or whittling disturbing wooden statues of horse genitalia, I think that you would look back and also be amazed at the progress you had made. I'm one of those people that tends to get a little bit obsessive once I find something that I enjoy doing.
Post by: KeLorean on Wed, 26 July 2017, 20:09:08
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.
- Move Saber 1.0 to 1.2
- 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
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.
- 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)
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.
- OOMOO 30 Silicone - 100A : 130B
- Smooth-Cast 300 - 100A : 90B
- Smooth-Cast 325 - 115A : 100B
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.
Post by: breusch91 on Wed, 26 July 2017, 20:25:14
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.
- Move Saber 1.0 to 1.2
- 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
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.
- 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)
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.
- OOMOO 30 Silicone - 100A : 130B
- Smooth-Cast 300 - 100A : 90B
- Smooth-Cast 325 - 115A : 100B
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.