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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: TheVengeance on Tue, 31 May 2016, 08:52:38

Title: TheVengeance's keycap casting journal
Post by: TheVengeance on Tue, 31 May 2016, 08:52:38
Let me prefix this by saying that this is really a bit of fun, I wanted to learn the techniques required and try and produce some unique and fun artisans for me.

I pondered over a design for a while, didn't really want a skull, not skilled to start with layers etc so started to mould out a character similar to what i would draw and doodle in 2D.

(http://i.imgur.com/wV5IHmU.jpg)

Yes there is certainly a reference to a familiar biscuit monster there, I was hoping that it wouldn't cause much concern.

(http://i.imgur.com/4eO65y9.jpg)

Setting out my stall, decided to do some blanks at the same time. Not the little platforms under the keys, not a good idea.

(http://i.imgur.com/QafrLma.jpg)

Moulds went ok ish

(http://i.imgur.com/xabIO2Z.jpg)

Tragedy, the clay came off - complete failure.

(http://i.imgur.com/1Luk0cz.jpg)

"I just want to take your...Face...Off"

(http://i.imgur.com/UYu8sfK.jpg)

We pick ourselves up, but this time with Milliputt.

(http://i.imgur.com/LU7fT7E.jpg)

Quick test while hardening - nice. I like him.

(http://i.imgur.com/jEuMLbw.jpg)

Trying to visualise his character.

(http://i.imgur.com/r8Ry1V9.jpg)

Let's try again.

(http://i.imgur.com/Yua4ean.jpg)

Drilling sprues went badly, the platform caused it to rip. Luckily above (below) the cap so didnt really matter but means messy finishing. We live and learn.

Bar a bubble or two not too bad. Considering I may start injecting the resin rather than plopping the positive into the negative.

(http://i.imgur.com/hlQWABx.jpg)

The top looks good bar some specs of milliputt embedded left from the mould.

(http://i.imgur.com/NdFXV9t.jpg)

Wonder what he's looks like as a triple shot?

(http://i.imgur.com/0eTAOm1.jpg)

With LED glow - cool actually.

(http://i.imgur.com/cj88nm8.jpg)

Trying again in black with mica dust.

(http://i.imgur.com/5vAmGhn.jpg)

Turned out pretty well.

(http://i.imgur.com/ZdUQLzA.jpg)

All three tries so far.

(http://i.imgur.com/QJ6ibF1.jpg)

Decided to cast another, and a skull because that's what we do.

(http://i.imgur.com/Byh8Xa9.jpg)

Looks pretty nice.

(http://i.imgur.com/2C1n2sa.jpg)

Let's try something harder, some double shots.

(http://i.imgur.com/SBSGgj2.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/udVQ4Gr.jpg)

I added some fluorescent blue pigment and some glitter and used my two moulds (including the new cleaner one you saw above). I actually really liked how these came out.

(http://i.imgur.com/q6Sg1Ta.jpg)

Right pair on the board.


So that's where I'm up to now. It's fun, it's slow and it costs more than you'd expect.

I'm now making neater moulds and using syringes to fill them, closing them properly with bands. A vacuum chamber I'm sure would make them better but for now I'm doing what I can without it ending in a divorce.

It's a fun process, and now I've got the glitter suspension worked out (and I have a ton of pigments and other bits) I'm going to keep experimenting with colours, techniques and double / multi shotting.

Hope you have enjoyed my little journey.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: ramnes on Tue, 31 May 2016, 08:58:35
Looks good for a first cap, keep up to good work!
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: zcmy on Tue, 31 May 2016, 08:59:52
Quote from: ramnes on Tue, 31 May 2016, 08:58:35
Looks good for a first cap, keep up to good work!

Agreed! You've made the first step the rabbit hole. Now to see how deep it goes. :)
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: 1swt2gs on Tue, 31 May 2016, 09:40:39
Love the sparkly blue caps, reminds me of cookie monster!

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/09/22/article-0-18297CEF00000578-775_634x426.jpg)
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: 27 on Tue, 31 May 2016, 09:48:00
Looks great for a first attempt, keep improving!  :thumb:
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: ramnes on Tue, 31 May 2016, 09:52:03
Quote from: 1swt2gs on Tue, 31 May 2016, 09:40:39
Love the sparkly blue caps, reminds me of cookie monster!

Show Image
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/09/22/article-0-18297CEF00000578-775_634x426.jpg)


That was my first thought also, indeed!
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: TheVengeance on Tue, 31 May 2016, 09:57:07
Well I guess that is a kind of compliment as I certainly started with that in mind.

The proportions changed as I changed materials but the design certainly has some reference still in there.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: 27 on Tue, 31 May 2016, 10:01:17
(http://i.imgur.com/NdFXV9t.jpg)
(http://memesvault.com/wp-content/uploads/Feels-Good-Man-Frog-06.png)

Just gonna leave this here.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: TheVengeance on Tue, 31 May 2016, 10:09:24
Lol Pepe. Totally didn't see that.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: TheVengeance on Wed, 01 June 2016, 10:06:08
Just starting the first triple shots.

Tricky, very tricky.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: JT_Sea on Wed, 01 June 2016, 10:30:35
Looking good! Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: TheVengeance on Wed, 01 June 2016, 13:30:55
Quote from: JT_Sea on Wed, 01 June 2016, 10:30:35
Looking good! Keep up the good work.

Cheers bo, have enjoyed reading your story also.

Currently am speed curing the first shot - for some reason resin takes 1 day to cure here regardless of thickness - not cool for multi shot, especially when they fail.

(http://i.imgur.com/vOUaIxf.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/IBfJ7kg.jpg)

However actually put these guys on my board and I actually quite like them, excited to see what they'll be like with proper eyes.

(http://i.imgur.com/JwyoYX4.jpg)
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: mylove1431 on Wed, 01 June 2016, 14:12:45
Quote from: TheVengeance on Wed, 01 June 2016, 13:30:55
Quote from: JT_Sea on Wed, 01 June 2016, 10:30:35
Looking good! Keep up the good work.

Cheers bo, have enjoyed reading your story also.

Currently am speed curing the first shot - for some reason resin takes 1 day to cure here regardless of thickness - not cool for multi shot, especially when they fail.

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/vOUaIxf.jpg)

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/IBfJ7kg.jpg)


However actually put these guys on my board and I actually quite like them, excited to see what they'll be like with proper eyes.

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/JwyoYX4.jpg)


The eyes need to do some more works on it btw look cute :thumb:
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: TheVengeance on Thu, 02 June 2016, 04:58:21
The idea was to leave the eyes a blank canvas in the cast itself to give myself some options in the resin when doing my shots.

To be fair, this is working out kind of well.

I don't appear to have a huge amount of control over the shape, but the level and depth is pretty controllable.

I have no idea how the likes of Bambinooo and Coz etc appear to be able to paint abstract patterns as my resin has the shape of blob, or large blob, I guess I'll find out in due course. Maybe I need to leave it to thicken up a little.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: KingRama on Thu, 02 June 2016, 09:08:53
Dude. I LOVE THESE. So much. Any chance for Topre? Either way, Topre or MX, I'm in!
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: xtrafrood on Thu, 02 June 2016, 12:53:26
Awesome work! Keep it up man. I'd love to see more :)
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: TheVengeance on Thu, 02 June 2016, 15:20:23
Quote from: KingRama on Thu, 02 June 2016, 09:08:53
Dude. I LOVE THESE. So much. Any chance for Topre? Either way, Topre or MX, I'm in!

Ha! I can barely manage an MX at anywhere near 100% right now.

However, I've worked out a way to ensure the stems are always fully formed so that's something.

Currently doing the 2nd shot, although I'm sceptical whether the black actually set (maybe due to too much pigment).

We'll see I guess.

(http://i.imgur.com/3eQrx5L.jpg)
Also working on a few others.
Title: Re: "Fing", my first go at artisan cap creation.
Post by: KingRama on Thu, 02 June 2016, 21:37:48
Quote from: TheVengeance on Thu, 02 June 2016, 15:20:23
Quote from: KingRama on Thu, 02 June 2016, 09:08:53
Dude. I LOVE THESE. So much. Any chance for Topre? Either way, Topre or MX, I'm in!

Ha! I can barely manage an MX at anywhere near 100% right now.

However, I've worked out a way to ensure the stems are always fully formed so that's something.

Currently doing the 2nd shot, although I'm sceptical whether the black actually set (maybe due to too much pigment).

We'll see I guess.

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/3eQrx5L.jpg)

Also working on a few others.

Best of luck mate, with plenty of trial and error and multiple goes you'll have it figured out!

Title: Re: TheVengeance's keycap casting journal
Post by: TheVengeance on Sat, 04 June 2016, 02:18:28
So some massive failures last night which lead to a rage quit.  I think I know what happened and how to move forward but instead of casting I just had to have a few beers.

So, I knocked up some sa relegendable moulds as I have a ton of those keys.

Firstly they are really thick. Secondly I wanted to try a new technique of casting the stems first and then joining them to the cap in the real shot. This way I wouldn't need sprues in the stem.

This was a big mistake, exasperated by the Sas really long stem. The stem creates a vacuum that makes it really hard to remove. A sprue / draft is definately required. I destroyed one cap and almost destroyed my mould.

The injection technique is also not working without vacuum. Too much air.

However, I'll add some stem sprues and go back to the method of filling the negative and pushing the positive into it with pre made stems. This appears to contain elements of success from all my trials.

The caps were a bit of an experiment with lighter pigment, suspended glitter and a top of clear coat. In that respect they were ok. Minus any technical issues.
Title: Re: TheVengeance's keycap casting journal
Post by: TheVengeance on Tue, 26 July 2016, 18:22:03
Had A LOT going on in my life, but I'm casting again and am getting somewhere.

I call these "heavenly bodies".

Title: Re: TheVengeance's keycap casting journal
Post by: Raenbo on Tue, 26 July 2016, 18:40:53
Quote from: TheVengeance on Tue, 26 July 2016, 18:22:03
Had A LOT going on in my life, but I'm casting again and am getting somewhere.

I call these "heavenly bodies".

That looks awesome, dude.
Title: Re: TheVengeance's keycap casting journal
Post by: cocie3 on Mon, 07 November 2016, 18:38:26
Hi TheVengeance,

I was wondering how they keycap making is going for you, since you haven't updated your journal recently.
Also i read in Zorb's thread that you were making your own design of the 3D printed mould boxes. Would you be so kind to share them with me/geekhack? :)
Keep up the good work, i enjoy reading about your capmaking.

Kind regards,

cocie3