Continued experiments in homemade key caps...with interesting results.

[nubbinator]

I use bondo to fill and then resand again. Your imperfections can very easily be removed for a new master.

Yeah, they definitely can be pretty easily fixed.  I just was never super in love with this one to begin with, partially because of the look on the face, partially because I made the ears a little too big.  It was just a fun little goof.  So I may just continue to use it in all its derpy glory because it's fun.

On the other hand, if I messed up my cyclops, I'd definitely go about fixing it correctly. 



I couldn't wait to show it off.  I should get the base cast today, but the top half is done, so I decided to cast a blank really quick.  I definitely need a pressure pot to help get rid of some of the bubbles.   Too bad they're so damn expensive.

[SpAmRaY]

nice haha, that guys needs some LED love

[nubbinator]

nice haha, that guys needs some LED love

I'll either make a translucent version (but it will have bubbles right now) or drill out the eye.

[Pacifist]

nice haha, that guys needs some LED love

I'll either make a translucent version (but it will have bubbles right now) or drill out the eye.

drill out the eye

[RESPRiT]

nice haha, that guys needs some LED love

I'll either make a translucent version (but it will have bubbles right now) or drill out the eye.

What material would you use for casting if you wanted to make the cap translucent?

[domoaligato]

Either smooth on crystal clear or polytech clear most likely. I have had very good results with the smooth on with my pressure pot.

edited to provide more info.
Crystal Clear® 202
http://www.smooth-on.com/Urethane-Plastic-a/c5_1120_1156/index.html

here is a link to the Poly-Optic 1410 I was trying to think of
http://polytek.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=257

[nubbinator]

And here's the kind of difference you can see with a pressure pot:



Still a little darker than I'd like, meaning I probably need some different dyes, but the cast is nice and bubble free.

[RESPRiT]

Ooh, nice! Looks clean as hell Nub!

[AGmurdercore]

These new caps you are making are looking really, really good to be honest, well done!

The only thing i dislike about them are the fingerprints that seem really visible, if there is a way for you to get rid of them the caps will look even better (imho). But anyway good job!

[domoaligato]

Is that ignite or so strong pigments?

[nubbinator]

These new caps you are making are looking really, really good to be honest, well done!

The only thing i dislike about them are the fingerprints that seem really visible, if there is a way for you to get rid of them the caps will look even better (imho). But anyway good job!

The newest one, the Hard Knock Waz, doesn't have any noticeable fingerprints and the Cycap has minimal ones.  The Derp Cap v2, well, that was a special beast.

Is that ignite or so strong pigments?

Nope, just a mixed Alumilite pigment and backlit by a light table underneath the cap.  It's incredibly dark unless you have some backlighting under it.  I need to get some more translucent friendly pigments since alcohol inks don't really seem to work with the resin.

[RESPRiT]

These new caps you are making are looking really, really good to be honest, well done!

The only thing i dislike about them are the fingerprints that seem really visible, if there is a way for you to get rid of them the caps will look even better (imho). But anyway good job!

The newest one, the Hard Knock Waz, doesn't have any noticeable fingerprints and the Cycap has minimal ones.  The Derp Cap v2, well, that was a special beast.

Is that ignite or so strong pigments?

Nope, just a mixed Alumilite pigment and backlit by a light table underneath the cap.  It's incredibly dark unless you have some backlighting under it.  I need to get some more translucent friendly pigments since alcohol inks don't really seem to work with the resin.

It would be cool if you somehow watermarked your caps by putting your finger print on the inside of the cap or something

[domoaligato]

ignite pigments for me tend to work very well.
they lighten up quite a bit compared to when you mix them into the resin pre-cure.

[nubbinator]

I'll have to check ignite out then.

[argcargv]

any update on topre keycaps? my hhkb cannot wait 

[nubbinator]

any update on topre keycaps? my hhkb cannot wait 

I don't have any caps yet to use as masters.  I should pick up a couple Esc row caps from EK, but also would really like an Fn cap.

I do have a new cap design that will be out soon.  It's a fun little hooded figure.  A little less playful than my past designs.

[nubbinator]

Had some more fun today with some different pigments and seeing how they'd behave.  This new set is really hard to get accurate shots of.  The pictures make them appear to almost have a mother of pearl effect to them.  The copper pigmentation is much less noticeable unless it's under direct light.  And even though they look almost solid in color, they still allow a lot of light through.

[riotonthebay]

Those are ****ing awesome! I don't suppose you'd let me buy that trooper? (Is there an official name for them yet?)

[Photoelectric]

I LOVE those!  Excellent color combinations!

[Photekq]

The colours remind me of this : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Eagle_nebula_pillars.jpg

Amazing.

[argcargv]

astro-derp 

[Binge]

Had some more fun today with some different pigments and seeing how they'd behave.  This new set is really hard to get accurate shots of.  The pictures make them appear to almost have a mother of pearl effect to them.  The copper pigmentation is much less noticeable unless it's under direct light.  And even though they look almost solid in color, they still allow a lot of light through.

Generally curious are the pigments you are experimenting with not the normal sort for urethane coloring?  Alternative materials?

[dustinhxc]

Holy **** that trooper is epic.. Looks like a Galaxy!

[nubbinator]

Those are ****ing awesome! I don't suppose you'd let me buy that trooper? (Is there an official name for them yet?)

I think I'll go with nebula for the color.  I had some other ideas, but the comments on the galactic look cemented nebula as the name.  So it will be Nebula Trooper, Nebula HKW, and Nebula Derp cap.

And I'm not sure when I'll put them up for sale.  I want to do some more experiments first.

I LOVE those!  Excellent color combinations!

Holy **** that trooper is epic.. Looks like a Galaxy!

Thanks!

The colours remind me of this : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Eagle_nebula_pillars.jpg

Amazing.

And you just gave me the name for the colors.

Generally curious are the pigments you are experimenting with not the normal sort for urethane coloring?  Alternative materials?

It's a secret. 

[dustinhxc]

Those are ****ing awesome! I don't suppose you'd let me buy that trooper? (Is there an official name for them yet?)

I think I'll go with nebula for the color.  I had some other ideas, but the comments on the galactic look cemented nebula as the name.  So it will be Nebula Trooper, Nebula HKW, and Nebula Derp cap.

And I'm not sure when I'll put them up for sale.  I want to do some more experiments first.

I LOVE those!  Excellent color combinations!

Holy **** that trooper is epic.. Looks like a Galaxy!

Thanks!

The colours remind me of this : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Eagle_nebula_pillars.jpg

Amazing.

And you just gave me the name for the colors.

Generally curious are the pigments you are experimenting with not the normal sort for urethane coloring?  Alternative materials?

It's a secret. 

Yeah man Im taking a break from buying caps for awhile but Id love to get that Nebula, its amazing... 

[nubbinator]

Yeah man Im taking a break from buying caps for awhile but Id love to get that Nebula, its amazing... 

Haha, yeah, I was just having fun, but it seems like it's pretty popular.  I'm playing around with some other "nebula" color combos.  One of the ones I did today turned out great.  The other I'm not so happy with the color since it didn't blend as well.  I'll get more pics of those later.


And the other thing I was working on today:





It was just a quick and dirty cast without the stem and outside the pressure pot to make sure the mold was good, but it should give you an idea of what it will look like.  I'm not sure of what to call it yet, but it should be a fun one to work with.  Thanks to how the master was made, the mold should help me be able to get some good and distinct bicolor "doubleshot" type caps with the face one color and the hood and the rest of the cap a second color. So far, this is really my favorite one I've made aside from Hard Knock Waz.

[dustinhxc]

Yeah man Im taking a break from buying caps for awhile but Id love to get that Nebula, its amazing... 

Haha, yeah, I was just having fun, but it seems like it's pretty popular.  I'm playing around with some other "nebula" color combos.  One of the ones I did today turned out great.  The other I'm not so happy with the color since it didn't blend as well.  I'll get more pics of those later.


And the other thing I was working on today:

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It was just a quick and dirty cast without the stem and outside the pressure pot to make sure the mold was good, but it should give you an idea of what it will look like.  I'm not sure of what to call it yet, but it should be a fun one to work with.  Thanks to how the master was made, the mold should help me be able to get some good and distinct bicolor "doubleshot" type caps with the face one color and the hood and the rest of the cap a second color. So far, this is really my favorite one I've made aside from Hard Knock Waz.

Hell yea that nebula color sure is amazing... never seen anything like it! You and Binge sure are coming up with some amazing colors... 

Nice man! Hooded Skull man! Kind of like Skeletor make it purple, black, and off white

[Coreda]

Very cool Nubs! They remind me of stop-motion models. Always a special place in my heart.

Has anyone tried 3D printing keycaps? Vaguely remember some thread. Having a set of video game character heads printed from original models would be pretty epic 

[nubbinator]

Very cool Nubs! They remind me of stop-motion models. Always a special place in my heart.

Has anyone tried 3D printing keycaps? Vaguely remember some thread. Having a set of video game character heads printed from original models would be pretty epic 

You mean like these?  I can't really take credit for the design since I merely used an existing model for keythulhu and combined existing models for the others.  The Noh Demon and rubber ducky are caps I'd been wanting to make for a while, I just don't have the artistic ability to make something as intricate as the Noh Demon.

[Coreda]

You mean like these?  I can't really take credit for the design since I merely used an existing model for keythulhu and combined existing models for the others.  The Noh Demon and rubber ducky are caps I'd been wanting to make for a while, I just don't have the artistic ability to make something as intricate as the Noh Demon.

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Nice ones  :thumb: The devil's in the detail, eh  ;) There totally needs to be some store for such custom 3D keycaps. Who wouldn't want to occasionally splurge on some awesome, unique caps for their board.

[dustinhxc]

Very cool Nubs! They remind me of stop-motion models. Always a special place in my heart.

Has anyone tried 3D printing keycaps? Vaguely remember some thread. Having a set of video game character heads printed from original models would be pretty epic 

You mean like these?  I can't really take credit for the design since I merely used an existing model for keythulhu and combined existing models for the others.  The Noh Demon and rubber ducky are caps I'd been wanting to make for a while, I just don't have the artistic ability to make something as intricate as the Noh Demon.

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That Noh Demon/ Hannya Mask is epic...

[nubbinator]

And here's the stuff I was working on yesterday on my day off and tonight, including the new cap design:



From left to right:  Skeletor, Visitor, and Miami



Nebula series continued.



More nebula series.  I'm not as happy with this one outside of the Trooper cap.

[SpAmRaY]

nubs your caps are crazy!

[Photoelectric]

 

They are all great!!!  Especially like all the sparkly caps   (Also the miami color combo is my favorite)

[Krogenar]

The cowled skulls look great -- very nice work on making them two colors like that. Awesome work!

[nubbinator]

Three more cowled additions, with the new colors being El Diablo, Pluot, and Sic 'Em.  If you can figure out why the last two have those names, I'll give you dibs on one of the new designs, but you have to get both of them.



and another Cycap and trooper:



Sadly, three of my molds decided to fail tonight, probably because they pre-pressure pot molds not made under pressure, so I can only do Trooper caps and the new cowled figure.  The Derp Cap v2 may be permanently retired.

I'm debating putting them up on Saturday or if I should do a 24 hour notice thing, have a post with all the details, and make it open at a specific time the next day with first come first serve getting it.

They are all great!!!  Especially like all the sparkly caps   (Also the miami color combo is my favorite)

Thanks.  They're definitely fun to make, though I get a bit impatient sometimes since they can take a few hours to make.

nubs your caps are crazy!

Thanks man!  I'm just having fun making stuff.

The cowled skulls look great -- very nice work on making them two colors like that. Awesome work!

Thanks, though they were more supposed to be some gaunt looking alien than a skull.  They do have a little of the Dia de los Muertes skull look going to them though.

[Pacifist]

the trooper is going to go up for sale?!?!?!

[illy865]

Three more cowled additions, with the new colors being El Diablo, Pluot, and Sic 'Em.  If you can figure out why the last two have those names, I'll give you dibs on one of the new designs, but you have to get both of them.

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A pluot is a plum-apricot hybrid, hence the colors (I had some of those somewhat recently)and Sic'em and its colors represent the Sic'em Bears (of Baylor University Football) chant, right?  Is Baylor your alma mater?

[dustinhxc]

And here's the stuff I was working on yesterday on my day off and tonight, including the new cap design:

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From left to right:  Skeletor, Visitor, and Miami

Show Image

Nebula series continued.

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More nebula series.  I'm not as happy with this one outside of the Trooper cap.

Love the color names!!! Aliens and Skeletor #winnningggg :ad

[nubbinator]

Finally turned my 3D printed DucKey into a cast cap:

[rowdy]

Finally turned my 3D printed DucKey into a cast cap:

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Needs to be yellow

[nubbinator]

It's definitely planned, just tried it in cyan first.

[Photoelectric]

<-- fully supports the current color choice 

[nubbinator]

Some new caps on the way to replace my busted molds.  I don't know why, but I kind of like doing runs until the mold self-destructs.

Need some help naming the new designs.  Still not sure how I feel about the close up style Visitor face.





And DucKey and a matching Visitor:



I'm planning some fun translucent hybrids with the DucKey.

[SpAmRaY]

The yellow teeth = 'cheese'

[Photoelectric]

Some new caps on the way to replace my busted molds.  I don't know why, but I kind of like doing runs until the mold self-destructs.

Need some help naming the new designs.  Still not sure how I feel about the close up style Visitor face.

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Is it a dog?  Is it a Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog?

More

[nubbinator]

Is it a dog?  Is it a Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog?

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More

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It's a thing.  It's kind of bunny-like, kind of I have no clue what the monstrosity is.  The problem with my design is that they're more in the moment.  I have an idea of what I want to make, then almost always end up making something totally different. 

[BlueBär]

That cheeky grin and that bunny look fantastic!

[nubbinator]

Thanks.

I may name the grin 42 or Don't Panic.  The original one I made (and messed up) looked better, but it reminded me some of the smiley face from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy sans tongue.

[RESPRiT]

The DucKey is so cool, what's your method for the different colors?