22.12.13

3D scan of a Roman lamp

Lamp during the scan




This is a 3D scan of a replica Roman oil lamp, done with the NextEngine scanner at FabLab Groningen.
You can do a scan yourself, so come to visit the FabLab.



FabLab is open every day for the public from 9:00 to 13:00.
For only € 10,00 you are able to use machinery like 3D scanner, 3D printer and lasercutter, and get assisted by professional  (all volunteers/ enthousiasts) personell.

For some machines and materials you have to pay extra, but hey, big deal!


12.12.13

Double loop bracelet







Ok, enough, pics.

It will suit a ladies arm better then mine.
The pics speak for themselves, but the materials used are red Copper * New Silver.
*
Other material are possible on demand.

28.11.13

Odin's eye

Odin's eye - pendant - Copper, Glass  & pure Silver

Well, it was time for another test... making an eye-pendant.
I took some stuff  from the good old leftover box and created a great piece with a genuine Viking-look.


19.11.13

Preparing an odd job

Early version Sykes-Fairbain knife
I've made some knives in the past, but only kitchen knives of the Roman kind.

I know some knivesmiths use waste chainsaw chains for making Damascus steel.
I'd like to give it a try with some chainsaw chains that have been living in my workshop for a long time...

What I want to make is not easy, and I'm likely to fail.

It's because of the shape that I want to make a "Sykes-Fairbairn" WW2 fighting knife.

It has a famous past as it was the weapon of choice for the elite "commando" troops that raided the coasts of occupied Europe from 1940 to 1944.

One of my fathers uncles (my father was born in the Netherlands, but most of his family was German...), a German soldier guarding the Atlantic Wall, was killed by a commando, his throat sliced with this weapon.

The cruel practice of "silent killing" is told here by a former member of the commandos on camera at the National Army Museum.
(It's always fascinating to hear old soldiers talk... watch the look on their faces when they tell their horrific experiences...)

Anyways... I got the original drawings of an early version of this knife.
Commando training with Sykes-Fairbairn knife
The raw material





18.11.13

BitMe - Ork bit me - serious! After Stan Laurel

Ouch, an Ork Warboss bit me
Plastic figures are dangerous

Ouch!

What happened?

Since I worked for years with metal, I'm used to getting wounded now and then...
But not like this...

Ok, I got the great idea to convert a Ork Warboss ( the Black Reach one)  into a so-called "Big Mek"
That's a tech-guy....

I had to rip off his original head, and it had real sharp teeth!

A dog BITME - b - i  - t - m - e  BITME!
Immediately Stan Laurel's  "BitMe" phone call sprung to mind.
He told Oliver Hardy:  "Yesterday a dog BitMe" 
See the short clip from "Helpmates" 

Below some the Bad Ork and the proposed new head configuration.

Sharp teeth!
The new Mekboy head





13.11.13

Notebooklets

Lasercut notebooklets, the right one is laser-engraved

I took some cheap but great simple styled little notebooks and made a present for my kids.

The right one is not lasercut, but laser-engraved, and the result is a more subtile effect, more suitable for artwork.
You can vary the dept of the engraving, and the power-output of the laser, to gain a darker effect.

I even engraved a brick with some words and a QR-code...


I plan to cut them on demand with all kind of text and namework...

Rat Standardbearer

Skaven standardbearer (vintage Citadel figure) with custom Mickey paint
The Skaven are one of the armies of the races that populate the Warhammer world.
They are mutated rats that are keen to wage war to any foe.

They are not very brave, and their battle motto is "Scurry away to fight another day!"


It's my own fantasy army and I like them because of their crazy looking medieval army with all kind of monsters and weird "Da Vinci" like machines.


All white rats are "leaders", darker rats are lower ranks...


I perverted "Mickey Mouse" for the reason I hate Disney, and so do my rats.

The sign on the banner is  one of the rune-like symbols from the Skaven script.

The rat and banner were painted by me with Citadel arcylic an Revell enamel paint.


Below part of my Skaven army


from left to right: Musician, Standardbearer, musician, weird rat and Warloc (kind of wizzard-technician)

From left to right: "BoneRipper" (sort of monster), Grey seer (Big holy wizzard) and the rest...
If you like to know more about the Skaven rats download the free book "Book of the Rat" by Garret Lepper at: http://www.freegamemanuals.com/pdfrpg/WarhammerFantasy-Skaven-BookoftheRat.pdf

Or visit a Games Workshop to buy Warhammer figures and/or books and manuals.
Games Workshop is also present on the web: 

Disclaimer:
I like to state that I only use or show Games Workshop figures in a way to promote the hobby and show my paintskills, and that all the pictures are taken by me, myself and I.

Warhammer and Games Workshop are trademarks of Citadel (or the other way around), a company that produces great figures to get rich and make the hobby impossible to afford by raising their prices time and time again in a way youngsters never could afford and stop buying and playing Warhammer.



6.11.13

Peace Man!

 Silver casted frag grenade '60s Action Man style
Silver casted frag grenade '60s action figure style


Well, and now something completely different...

I casted an Action Man plastic grenade from the sixties (yes, VINTAGE) in silver, but had to solder ("sodder" they say in the States)  both the striker lever and ring (safety pin ring) on cause I couldn't cast themat once...

This was a thingie I wanted to make for a long time now, and worked out really nice!

 Silver casted frag grenade '60s Action Man style

25.10.13

Lasercut Paint Station

Lasercut MDF 6mm + 4mm Paint Station for scale modellers & wargamers
   

Last week I made a present for my son for his 11th birthday. He is a capable miniature wargame painter (actually, better then me at the same age...)

I did the drawing in Corel X4, because I planned on using a TroTec Speedy 300 laser cutter. This machine communicates best with Corel.


All the curved slots were designed to store the standard Citadel (Games Workshop) paint pots, but can also hold other 35 mm (or smaller) base paint systems.


The big holes are for storing various containers or pots, the small holes for brushes and the other??? We'll find out.


The small holes on the vertical sides are intended for future use, like screwing on "devices" like magnifying glasses, lamps or whatever...


The sides were also engraved with "Orky stuff" and some Warhammer universe icons.


Everything was connected using droplets of white glue plus droplets of superglue (gel).


Want one? Please contact me and you can be the proud owner of one of those stations for €45,00 (MDF), P&P excluded.



The flat package

Below a few pictures: before and after the paint station...


 Before the Paint Station: it's a mess, really
After the Paint Station: all neat and ready to go!

18.10.13

1001 Uses For My 3D Printer

Welcome to the first custom video on this Blog.

Everyone is talking about the 3D printer nowadays, but I've got one.
It still needs a bit more adustment, but it does the job!

Here's a time-lapse video on designing a replacement part for a broken lamp fitting for a customer.

Enjoy!




10.4.13

Two Pendants And A Ring

Moai, hanger zilver, Terra-Arte productions pendant
Moai pendant, 1 inch tall, burnt silver













This Easter Island statue consists of two layers sheet silver. I heated the layers for a melted effect. Had to be careful not to overdo it.

The resulting stone effect appealed to me. I did grate the edges for more of a 3D effect.

Alpaca, new-silver pendant terra-Arte productions
Edo Pendant - stones set in new silver (alpaca)















Another product I designed recently, was the above pendant, cut out of alpaca sheet. It's kind of a planetarium. I thought it would be interesting to see if I could cut lines so that the stones seemed to float a bit.

I think I managed that quite well. I added a rivet with a little adjustment cut to the top and a hole for the pendant chain.


Viking knot-ring replica Terra-Arte productions
Viking ring in brass and alpaca

The other day, I was reading about superb weekend findings by amateur archaeologists in the Dutch "Detector Magazine". Usually, they wander about in drizzle on muddy fields, only to find drink caps and rusty nails. And wouldn't you know: when they've had it and decide to give their precious Bounty Hunter LandStar one last try, they find a humble clump and this turns out to be the find of the century. Hundreds of gold coins in a pot, or a Viking knot ring in gold!

These are very inspirational finds. I often reproduce the designs, like this ring above. I used brass and alpaca, as real silver or gold are too expensive for such an experiment.