Prototype Five: Superhero Jewelry Box

I compared my manually modeled work,
with the procedurally generated one - and it is superior.

If all you have to do is move a slider,
to go from memory card holder to a jewelry box, then it is superior.

When you are manually modeling, you are working on a sub millimeter scale,
to account for clearances of moving parts.

Bringing all that together is complex,
especially since different components need different clearances.

A hinge pin does not need as much clearance,
as the hinge units, especially if you are aiming for a friction fit.

It is the re-adjusting that gets you,
and here in the bright new world of programming geometry you just slide a slider.

But there are problems,
and they relate to the material it self.

Event mold cast epoxy parts,
advertised as made to last, aren’t quite perfect.

And without mentioning sintering,
or even casting molten aluminium.

Let us just address the bigger issue,
you are never supposed to print the whole thing.

Just the skeleton that will then hold,
whatever materials you need to make your gadget go go.

I am holding a pre-cut credit card sized piece of
sheet metal in my hand right now, and that is the way.

A thin piece of sheet metal,
is very light and extremely durable.

At this thickness the highly coveted and light aluminum,
is basically aluminum foil better meant for a grill.

The price of bits of sheet metal
is nothing, and it is already done.

You don’t have to print it, cut it, debur it,
you just slide it into the skeloton of whatever you are working on...

Click the top of your assembly on, whatever it may be,
and a coat of UV resistant paint will make the dodad last forever.

This is the fifth prototype aimed to test a flat large pocket,
resembling a jewelry box.

When you think about it, a proper vigilante,
would not wish to open the top of a pocket like a candy box.

And then try to grab whatever is in there,
especially if they were in the middle of saving a cat, or fighting an old lady or whatever.

But much rather, the side of a pocket,
like the side compartments on a bus.

They’d open the compartment with their inner wrist area,
and then expose their much needed gadget, to the palm of their hand.

The gadget would still need,
some kind of a simple dispensing mechanism.

But that is easy,
say if they needed a jolt of energy...

A candy bar dispenser is a simple inner hinge mounted on the bottom,
full height, 1/3 width, it would be pushing the bars into the box.

A superhero belt for sales on the internet,
actually demands compartment configuration tutorials.

Some of it would show use of elastic bands, or elasticord,
which demands loops to be present in the compartment.

Another great task for procedural 3D object creation,
here it is just a flip of a Boolean flag.

And another variation,
would have room for mounting plastic assembly blocks like LEGO.

One screen case for Rasperry PI actually comes with what is described as:
“A building block compatible faceplate” they mean LEGO.

I printed the prototype with 1mm wall thickness, I hate to say it again,
but setting wall thickness it yet another procedural generation perk.

And that is too thin for PLA,
though I did it to save material.

A skeleton case that perhaps accepts thin and shiny acrylic sheets,
would call for 3 or more likely 4 or 5 millimeter thickness frame.

The acrylic can be cut at home with a $200 CNC cutter,
please don’t even think about using lasers in a $200 machine, just use a normal cutter.

Lasers are extremely dangerous,
and the ones that can go through thin acrylic will damage your sight, don’t try.

Laser,
not even freaking once.

And that is my research into sturdy components,
forget about printing the whole thing, Batman would never print the whole darn thing.

He prints the skeleton,
and then slides in the faces and possibly even side walls.

If you go with sheet metal,
the shiny metallic mirror like surface looks fierce be it belt or armor.

And if you are creating cosplay armor,
consider sliding in some ceramic tiles for the chest place - Batsuit can stop a .50 BMG.

And I think the last thing I want to mention is,
pricing and trademarks.

3D models as in digital files,
sell for $15.

Belts that you assemble and paint at home,
may sell for $100 or $350 dollars.

Think of the belt as a piece of art,
each belt is unique, even if you aim to sell under a singe superhero name.

Just do it the way iron man does it,
where the character has multiple suits from MARK I, MARK II, MARK III on up.

The advice I would give here is simple,
sell both, the digital version for printing and one that you print and assemble your self.

The assembly is somewhat optional is you sell a parts kit,
where the person is yet to configure their own version of the belt.

Here you will need to include the sheet metal or plexy glass components as well,
and what a fun thing to play with that is, and that could probably sell for $50 or more.

As to the trademark, you need to come up with your won names,
and as you are about to witness, this can quickly become a disaster.

I am sure you are NOT allowed to sell anything named Bat-suit, Bat-belt, or Batman,
as those are likely registered trademarks, though I am just a Doctor.

(Honorary title,
as I tent to make people feel better)

I highly recommend you don’t test bored out of their skull powerful corporation lawyers,
with bat person, bat thing, or bat-erry, thought battery is probably too generic.. never mind...

Point is you come up with a name that you can put a dot com after,
as that is a super smart person’s trademark search.

By the way supersmartperson dot com,
was registered ten years ago.

Whatever you do, for the love of all things mighty,
don’t put pea as in pea in your superhero name.

People will never associate that with the super healthy vegetable,
that is the source of your powers, it is the other pea they will think of.

Though having said that,
while peaman dot com was registered in 2011.

Peawoman dot com, at least according to my whois database,
has not yet been registered.

But please don’t use that as a superhero name,
brand name or your product name.

And if you register PEE woman dot com,
which is also available.

Then remember you will need to explain to your investors, or parents,
the nature of your company name, or hero name, or. their. ailment.

Anywho the superpowers of a pea woman or a PEE woman,
are too powerful and confusing, to reliably sell a belt or armor product on ebay with.

And for completion sake, the sidebar of my whois lookup,
claims that tinkleman dot live is availabe too, but I am unwilling to investigate any further.

Stay away from these terrible superheroes and their awful powers,
think happy thoughts, or atleast cat species.

Lynxwoman dot com, or asparagusman dot com
appears to be available, maybe try that.