Some little progress...

  OK, so here is the latest project in process. This was a real pain, although it should seem simple.

  It is the first of the 28mm pre-fab construction walls. It can be used as a floor section or roof. There are plates on the sides where they are assembled on the planet.   I have to go in a fix a few issues, like the one you see here;

 

 

  If you look closely you will note that the square 8 from the bottom and 4 from the right refuses to conform the the others.  Why?  I have no bloody idea but it looks like crap. Now I have to create a program to try and go in and take the tiniest of fraction off of it.  And if I screw it up? Well then I have to take the same amount off of all the rest!  Arghhhh......

 

 The backside of this is going to be corrugated metal.  I like how it looks so far, I need to do a little sharpening on the edges but I am hoping this will work.  This is the first of the oversize blocks and it will be interesting to see if they function in the press.

 

   In other news, I do not think I can take any more custom work for a while. I am currently commited to 7 molds in addition to whatever I might try and squeeze in during the downtime. And out of those molds I have to run 10,000+ sprues.  I hope this damn plastic machine does not revolt and try to kill me again. We have entered into a quiet and wary tension. I think it is trying to lull me into relaxing and then take off another body part.

 

   My mind keeps coming up with more plans than are feasible, like writing my own game rules sometime. I had a really neat idea in this regard but that takes some time. I want to get it down on paper before I forget, and then get my friend to create a combat simulator, run 1000's of virtual combats, and see how it shakes out.

 

   And of course, I wonder how the neighbors are going to react to my new goldfish pond idea.

 

 

 

  Nothing like going over the top on things.

 

  Anyhow, that is the update. I will post some pics of the roof pieces when I press them. I am going to use GREY!!!!  Just like a regular product. Then I can start on the walls and doorways too.



    This friday is a blue moon. Not sure what tradition calls for on that event. Something with beverages, meat and fire I am sure. You can add your own variations based on local customs.

Have a great Labor Day.

Going to get things done or else.

  Well summer is winding down. Things are busy, which is good. I am employed again and this time without the overwhelming urge to turn green and burst out of my clothes.  Things work out in the end.
  In the shop I am getting more and more orders for little bits and widgets.  I take on what I can but it is stopping me from making an effort to add more of my own things. It pays better though.

  I did add a 50 by 75mm rectangular base to the store. I also deleted the rocky 40mm round. That was a very early mold and it is a pain to get to work.  I had to make a few this morning and decided on the spot to trash the darn thing.  The early molds were OK, but now I am wanting things that work.
   I am going to start the 28mm building flats at the next break I get. It seems a shame to make them flat, so trying to figure out a way to finish both sides has been on my mind.  This little plastic machine has a lot of limits, but if you look at them as more "guidelines" it can be useful. My maximum surface area limit is 14 square inches, and I just finished delivering some parts to a guy that are over 32 square inches.  The parts took every bit of plastic I could push, so there was no runners at all. This has given me the idea to push other limits as well.  Let's face it, a lot of limits are set unrealisticly low to allow for a safety margin.  I had 2 tons of stone in the back of a pickup rated at half ton. Sure it seems to sag a lot, barely stop, and sway violently.  But I did not have to make multiple trips to the quarry.
  So how can I get this little machine to think big? I am going to re-make the die and let it hang out on all sides. I am picking up a new bar of metal next week and this one is larger. It is planned to allow me to make the 28mm building sections and make them double sided and reversible. As a added bonus it should let me make some of the super large bases some folks are requesting.
   I should mention here that I am guilty of losing messages and not answering them. Since opening up the web-store and having a very public e-mail, I have been swamped by marketing. Often I intend to answer e-mails but they go off the bottom of the list so fast I forget them.  Instead I get all sorts of offers. Some marketing firm has me identified as an overweight person who needs male enhancement and a lower interest rate. It is troubling to think that this is the way the world views me.  Once I get a little more organized I will do better at keeping current on things.
  It does not help that I spend too much time building model kits into slot cars.

   In the meantime, I took a trip to Florida to gat some training on a new machine.  I took my daughter along, because she read some book called Harry Potter or something.  While there I did some research on buildings.

In case you want to go, here is a very concise review.

Some rides are nice.



 Some are not.

  Anyhow, got to get busy. If everything goes OK I hope to get an opening soon to build the new die. I will report the results, and if it works a whole new range of possibilities open up. That is if I can get caught up on making all these widgets...............

  Have a great end of summer.

20mm in store now.

 OK, I guess 20mm rounds will sell better than the police car, so I swapped them out.  I got to get a better store someday......... but for now I got what i got.

  The 20mm rounds are 40 bases for $4.

One Shade of Grey

  Just wanted to mention a little milestone. I found some grey plastic!  It might seem trivial, but it has been a major challenge getting any suppliers to even talk to me. Once they find out I am just some slacker in a barn they stop returning my e-mails. Some places have HUGE minimum orders in the range of 18 tons or so.
   But, I did find this one place that sold me some black pellets. They seem to get remnants from other places on an irregular basis and sell them quite reasonable.  One of those "We cheat them and pass the savings on to you!" type of places.   The only thing they ever had was black. Until now. They actually got in a supply of neutral and a few colors to add. One of the colors is light grey. I am quite pleased because grey seems to be the acceptable standard for stuff and someday my stuff will be grey also.  Things are looking up for sure.

  I also made some special request bases and put them on e-bay. No room in the store till I sell out of something and I think these bases are very obscure sizes for sure.

 These are 20mm rounds. Could be useful for a number of skirmish games. If you want penny sized bases but want plastic with a lip, these will do.

  Also, these pill shaped bases;

  These are 20mm by 50mm cavalry bases. They were ordered for some Nappies and would work good for smaller sized 25mm figs.

  These are on e-bay, and if you are paying attention you are aware that e-bay stuff is a bit higher to make up for the 15% I got to pay them.  If you want these new bases just send me an e-mail with your address and I will shoot you a pay-pal invoice at $4 per pack instead of $4.50 from e-bay.

  I am not expecting a huge demand for these sizes, but you never know.

  And finally the promised review of the Solidoodle 3 D printer. You may have read about it, just a quick google search will reveal countless press releases and articles.

  Here are the pros;

  It takes up very little space, I have not had to modify my work area at all.

  It uses no power or material.

  It makes no noise whatsoever.

  It does have one huge con;  it does not exist.

  I should not try and tell anyone how to run a business because I ain't exactly Einstein when it comes to that topic. BUT, perhaps they could have hired one less marketing guy and actually hired someone to make the stupid thing.  What good does a TON of internet exposure do you when you have no product to deliver?  It took a few e-mails but I got a refund and will look elsewhere for my 3d printing needs. I have to give the Solidoodle a thumbs down.

  I think the phrase is.  " All sizzle, no steak."





  I think I do not say this often enough, but thank you  to all the fine people I have met and who have supported this crazy little ride.

  Have a nice day. 

Not dead yet

 Wow, I have been neglecting the blog of late. It has been some time since I reported so here goes.

  First off, I want to make something new for the store. The 3 D printer has not arrived.  It is over 8 weeks since I ordered it. By the time it arrives a much better and faster version will be available for a lower price. This may be the business model for this company. They take orders and money and then fill them when the price of the product falls and they can pick it up at Wal-mart.  I guess I am being a bit harsh on the guys, but 8 weeks is a long time in todays mail order market.


  I get a lot of requests for 28mm stuff and I figured I would have a go at some 28mm wall flats. Here is one wall section and the roof panel. They measure 4"square and as you can see are pretty much for kit-basher types.

 These are basic enough that I do not need to print them out first. I hope to get these done sometime in the future. I have been getting a lot of small part special requests and it seems this stuff gets pushed back a bit till the paying stuff gets done. Yes the custom parts sell much better than the odd bits I make. It is sort of strange, my extensive market research consists of asking myself what seems neat.

 Other companies make things that I would never think of, like this hand sanitizer I saw in the store the other day.

   Someday I will connect with a smart person and make an equally invaluable product. Till then......

  I have also been doing a bit more tinkering on the resin front and made this nice 1970 Dodge Challenger.  I am drilling the headlights out on my car because I am just a bit strange and like to have lights on my cars. Little LED lights fit in there well. Someday I am going to make resin cars of all the old clunkers I ever drove.  No one will buy them, but I will like it a lot.





  In odd personal news I discovered that employment is highly over rated. In fact  human interaction can be extremely unpleasant even between unmarried people.  After a few weeks I found myself feeling like this.

  You would have thought I was playing Warhammer or something. 

  I soon was finding myself with insomnia, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, torrets, and a condition known as "hot dog fingers". 

  So I did a Johnny Paycheck and now feel like my old self again.

    Have a nice week.   :)

Personal Log....sometime in the summer......

  I just thought it would be a worth while to mention the fact that I am still around if not really accomplishing much. I am anxiously awaiting the postman to bring me that 3d printer. There has simply been too many failed molds due to a lack of having a physical model to preview before commiting.  I could send out the stuff to get printed but that runs into money really fast. In the meantime I am back in the work force and that is quite an adjustment too. The amount of new information to collate has taxed my brain to the breaking point.  Today it rained hard all day and I really missed working in the barn and listening to the rain beat on the tin roof. But, I do not miss the crazy roller coaster of total insecurity.  Everything has positives and negatives.
  So when the 3d printer gets here I am really excited to try out some new things. I think there will be a lot less items but they will be better in the future.  I really need to work on some 28mm stuff but each piece will be printed out to check size and fitment before I waste any work on milling it out.  I think back on the troll, the conscript woman's militia and several other things that could have used some prototyping.  Soon, this will be a possibility.

  While waiting I spent some time indulging in hobbies;

A plan and some particle board.....

A little paint and some blue cardboard.

Becomes 68 feet of racing fun in 1/32 scale.



  It is a fun diversion for sure. I practiced some resin casting and made this 1969 Nova SS in 1/32 scale. The junk yard pressure pot and vacuum chamber worked pretty well. It is odd but a lot of resin guys ask me about getting into plastic injection and I am now leaning towards resin casting. I guess the grass is always greener..........

  I even managed to stop some of  those accursed snakes from making out. These 3 have killed their last goldfish, that's for sure. This was after the hydra fight.

  My ducklings grew wings and left. Little jerks, after all I did for them. I think it was due to the snakes. Facing this every day can not be fun for them.

  Add in mulching and yard work and that about takes care of the past few weeks.  I hope to have some news about this printer soon, I have been waiting for a month. When I get it I will offer a full review from a hobbyist perspective in case anyone else is in the market.

  Well, thats all for now. Have a good summer and enjoy some conventions while you are at it.

Facing the Hydra- and the I.R.S.

  Just wanted to relate some thoughts.  I was looking out the door the other day and noticed a snake squirming about in the lawn by the pond. My stupid ducks were not attacking, so I picked up the pellet gun and tried to shoot it in the head. But it was hard to figure out where the head was, because it seemed to have several. Of course I figured it was a hydra, but it turned out to be a pile of snakes wrestling.  But snakes are not known as wrestlers, so I think they were attempting some obscene act of reproduction. There was no way this debauchery was going to be tolerated on my doorstep in broad day light.

  So I put down the pellet gun and grabbed a flat nose shovel and sneaked close. Then I hurled the shovel into that pile of perverts. At that point all hell broke loose and it became obvious that throwing my weapon was a poor tactic indeed.  All in all an exciting few minutes for sure.

  Which brings me to the IRS and various local and state government agencies. It seems that my attempt to comply with regulations has been very tough. The sheer number and complexity of forms and fees is more daunting than facing an army of hydras. At any point another head can appear from a previously unkown agency and deliver a painful bite up to and including life long incarceration and confiscation of all assets. Try as one might it is simply not possible to face this monster. And the more I read instructions the more it seems it might not be worth it.  Do I want to live in terror of the monsters chomping away and trying to destroy me?  Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but how can anyone know all the rules in our tax code?

  This seems really close to reality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LBIsDBC848

 This week was a lot of loose ends again getting ready for summer. Not much work getting done on new products, and I will focus on that a bit later.  I just have a lot of things to sort out for summer and getting ready for the normal work life.    I hope the hydra leaves me alone.

 This is a pic of some new volunteers who showed up and joined my store bought ducks. Here they are skirmishing in the driveway.  I think the fact I leave food outside for my ducks has these guys loving it around here. They eat a lot too.   I'll bet they never have to fill out tax forms..................


  Have a great Memorial Day week and weekend. If I escape from the monster I might make something new someday.