Proposal: throwable foam Tron Legacy Disc for play

[Aestivalis]

Ok, I've seen quite a bit of talent represented in all the Tron Legacy disc threads (just mind-blowing), but I think something is being missed by everyone. Maybe it's me, but has anyone thought to make a throwable toy that would be suitable for all ages and environments? (i.e. safe for kids and adults to throw around the house OR the office...). I have both the spinmaster replica and the "durable" frisbee version (bought 3 of the latter online thinking they would be "nerf-like", only to find them actual frisbees...), and I wonder why nobody has actually made a nerf-like version yet.

So, the huge kid in me started brainstorming, and I came up with a few ideas. First off, this throwable disc should have a base material of typical 1 inch thick seat cushion foam (the kind you can easily get from Jo-anne's), and for most of the dimensions, I think I should use the ones from Nexnox's awesome discs.

The base material (which will also encompass the "ignited" portion of the disc) should have a hole cut or punched out that has the same Inner Diameter as Nexnox's discs, and the full Outer Diameter of the base material should be 1 inch greater than the main body of his disc design (i.e. the "ignited" portion of the disc should extend 1/2 inch beyond the black portion of the disc). This is purely for wear&tear and safety reasons.

Next, for the black main body of the disc, there are a few directions I could go. Initially, I thought to make it out of black felt or something similar, but that seemed like too much effort for a simple toy (difficult to make, and how to get the pattern on it?...). My second thought was to just print out a negative image of the line art of the main body of the disc (so it would print out as black with white detail lines and "lighted" areas). Then take this image, paste it to a thin piece of cardstock, cut it out (also cutting out the center hole), and glue it to the side of the base foam ring (obviously, making two of these, and gluing them to both sides). This would yield a fairly good looking toy, and while not very durable, it could be easily replaced. And probably completely harmless to toss around the home or office. Also, you could use a highlighter marker to add whatever color you wanted to the "lighted" portions.

My third idea was to use that thin plastic-like hobby foam (in black) to make the main body - to make the whole thing a bit more durable and to look better. I would have the pattern of the detail lines silkscreened onto a square blank piece of the foam using white ink (including the "lighted" parts). I would then cut it out (including the center hole) and glue it to either side of the base foam ring. This is the method I would prefer to use, but there are some obstacles;

- I have no access to silkscreen equipment (or the knowhow)
- I have limited access to the type of tools/equipment that would be useful for punching out the foam blanks (both the "ignited" ring and the "main body").

So, with all of these factors in mind, I wonder if we can all (or at least, some of us) pool our resources to get some great kid (and adult) toys made while the movie is still kind of "hot". Is there any interest? If we can get the components made separately, and provide them to each other as "kit" components, everybody wins with a minimum of output effort. And of course, I'm not saying to do it for free...

Ok, so this proposal is more for a "toy" than a "replica", so if I posted this in the wrong place, please move it to the appropriate forum.

 

[CB2001]

Well, I think if you combine this: Tron Legacy Papercraft: Sam's Identity Disc | Tektonten Papercraft - Free Papercraft, Paper Models, Card Models and Paper Toys

With this: Starship Modeler - Beginning Scratchbuilding

But instead of using Styrene plastic, you use foamcore board, it'd help out in making a mockup, so you know what size to go for (short of making a silicone mold of the actual toy and then making it that way with the mold, which actually is frowned upon as it counts as "recasting.")

Of course, there is a foam version of an ID disc available, but I'm not sure how close of a copy it is (as it may be only detailed on one side) which was released with the Series 1 of the toys.

 

[wondersquid]

I made a vacuform version that's fairly light weight, but i might be able to make a FOAM vacuformed version that would work for this. Let me try this and get back with the results. Although for the kid version, I already did make this soft pillow version, which my wife adores, and my son throws.

http://www.therpf.com/f47/all-things-tron-legacy-89091/index10.html#post1491560

 

[Aestivalis]

CB2001: If you know of a foam version of the Tron Legacy disc, please point me towards it, because no amount of searching has yielded anything like that for me (other than links back here to the RPF for the thread on the original Tron disc stunt version, or even to this thread now...).

The type of foam I was thinking of using for the silkscreened detail portion was this type;
Creatology

And just so I'm clear, this thing is basically going to come out "flat" when finished (well, a 1 inch thick cylindrical foam ring with a flat detail component glued to each side). I was going for ease of production, and not worried about aerodynamics or true design accuracy, as I know they won't last more than a few weeks of play anyway. That is why I only suggested having the foam punched or cut out. The silkscreening is really the only major difficulty (for me, anyway), but it would add so much to the overall look.

Wondersquid: The pillow is really cute, and your suggestion of doing a foam vacuformed version is the kind of thing I was hoping someone was already making. I just came up with the quickie simple idea of this "foam toy" version while standing around at work, REALLY wanting to hurl my frisbee version at a co-worker, and not wanting to get in trouble at the same time...

Does anyone know if Nexnox has a clean "blueprint" image of the line art for his disc plans? I would definitely want to use them for any dimensional references, as the proportions for his discs are just perfect. What say you, Nexnox?

 

[CB2001]

CB2001: If you know of a foam version of the Tron Legacy disc, please point me towards it, because no amount of searching has yielded anything like that for me (other than links back here to the RPF for the thread on the original Tron disc stunt version, or even to this thread now...).

Like I said, the only foam version of a T:L ID Disc is something you're more likely to find in your nearest Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target or Toys 'R' Us, as the foam version of the ID disc is a toy that is released with the Series 1 toys. But I don't know how detailed the foam version is, or if its detailed on both sides or just one. That's pretty much all I know of a foam version and where to find one.

 

[Aestivalis]

CB2001: I think you may be mistaken about the existence of a foam version of the disc. Have you actually seen one? I can't find ANY info online about it. There is the foam disc shooter, but that is a small handheld disc gun, and the version of the disc that comes with the Nintendo DS codes is the hard "frisbee" version (and of course, we all know about the "deluxe" version).

 

[CB2001]

the version of the disc that comes with the Nintendo DS codes is the hard "frisbee" version.

What are you talking about? That IS the foam version (and it is foam): Shop for "Tron Role Play Sam's Light Disc" | Toy | Tron Legacy Toys

 

[Aestivalis]

No, CB2001, that version is made of a very rigid but flexible plastic, just like any other frisbee. The material is quite hard and could seriously hurt someone or damage something in the home if thrown with enough force (even moreso because the edge is quite thin, giving it a solid surface to deliver any kinetic energy). I have three of theme right here in front of me, so there is no mistake. If you haven't actually held one, I can see why you may have thought that (again, as I initially posted, I thought the same thing when I bought mine online). So now you can see my desire for a soft foam toy version, as there is none currently available.

 

[CB2001]

No, CB2001, that version is made of a very rigid but flexible plastic, just like any other frisbee. The material is quite hard and could seriously hurt someone or damage something in the home if thrown with enough force (even moreso because the edge is quite thin, giving it a solid surface to deliver any kinetic energy). I have three of theme right here in front of me, so there is no mistake. If you haven't actually held one, I can see why you may have thought that (again, as I initially posted, I thought the same thing when I bought mine online). So now you can see my desire for a soft foam toy version, as there is none currently available.

Okay then.

 

[CSMacLaren]

No, CB2001, that version is made of a very rigid but flexible plastic, just like any other frisbee.

You could still hurt someone with a regular frisbee. :lol

 

[Aestivalis]

Yeah, I know... Back in the day (man, I can't believe I just used that term...), when the original TRON came out, we were throwing frisbees at each other and trying to dodge or deflect them - caused quite a few sore knuckles and bruises here-n-there, I can tell you. Now that I'm "older", I actually do have concerns for safety and what-not, so you can see my desire for something like what I am proposing here.

 

[ender9492]

I mentioned it briefly in one of the Tron Legacy Deluxe ID Disc threads... but I think if you were to just take the current Deluxe disc that's available, cast the "good" side twice, then fit the molds together and fill it with foam urethane, or something as durable, then I think it would work fine. The deluxe discs are fairly aerodynamic as is, just off-balance from the electronics inside. I was actually thinking of contacting one of the members who are making screen accurate replicas, to see if they could make a one-off foam urethane cast for me.
I'd cast the deluxe disc i have, but i have no knowledge of casting, and am otherwise too lazy to learn.

 

[MrGzilla]

i know its frowned upon, but maybe taking the delux toy of it, or make a mock up of your own, and make a mold. then use some expanding foam type stuff (sorry i dont know the name of it, i just saw some at a store that sells all kinds of resin and silicone and the like.) theres differant types of softness in these so you could offer soft and harder versions depending on what people want.
the store was called the engeneer guy and i think they have a website, but im not sure

 

[Aestivalis]

Just a little progress; I decided to go with a combination of my second and third ideas for doing the body of the disc (using a printed image AND the hobby foam). I found a suitable image online and did some minor alterations and scaling with photoshop, and am currently in the process of making specific tool to cut out the seat cushion foam ring (basically and x-acto on a swing arm).

My ultimate intention is to print out a nice color image of the disc body onto as thick a grade of cardstock as the copy shop can manage, then adhere that image to the hobby foam (and subsequently trim the outer and inner dimensions of the main body, duplicating this process for each side of the disc). I would then use the specific cutter I am making to cut out the seat cushion foam ring that would be sandwiched between the two cosmetic main body pieces.

Now if I could just get some time on the machine at work to finish the foam cutting tool...

 

[Charles Hurst]

I noticed something in the movie. The disc come back to you.

The disk should have a light metal structure that won't break, real lights on the outside of the disk, and some clear or black bands that will bounce off of structures and not break or crack, thus protecting the lights.
The inside of the disk will hold the batteries to the lights, but look cleaner cut than the ''toy" version.
What is cooler though, would be to have 2 zipline machines on the opposite side of each other, with seperate spools of a thick, clear wire inside the disc, thus allowing it to be thrown, pulled back like a yo-yo, and not get tangled in itself, unless someone throws a branch or something between the wires, but that's a different matter.

All of this should allow the disc to be thrown, light up, AND return, as well as look clean cut. To recharge the batteries, a tiny plug in should be on both outsides of the zipline machines, hooked up to all the batteries.

This means it loses power quickly, which is why the lights should have an off option, for daytime Disc battles, and just recharge them for late night ones, or indoors.