The Star Trek: Discovery Phaser Project

[Veldmaat]

That looks great!
It looks like you’re using a resin printer. Which make/model are you using?

 

[DaveG]

Thanks! I’m using a Formlabs Form 2 printer.

 

[Veldmaat]

Thanks! I’m using a Formlabs Form 2 printer.

that’s a nice printer! I have to make due with my little Anycubic Photon

 

[DaveG]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with the Photon, or the Elegoo Mars. I've seen amazing prints made with those machines. And at that price point!

 

[DaveG]

Got some primer on the parts. Much easier to see the surfaces now!

 

[Kokanee]

Wow coming along nicely!

 

[Snow Builder]

Beautiful work -coming out gorgeous.

 

[Fett_Ish]

Looking really nice. My Form 3 money just went to a new backdoor and this makes it sting even more. -kicks rocks- seriously though,great work.

 

[DaveG]

I've been finalizing the 3D model for the P1, pretty much done, at least on the exterior. Engineering a mechanism for the pop up targeting screen that fits and isn't too fiddly is turning out to be a real PITA!

 

[PicasoX]

Wow, that sure is looking nice! I'll send you some pictures of the mechanism

 

[Fett_Ish]

is it a simple gear mechanism?

 

[NakedMoleRat]

That is NICE!

 

[DaveG]

Test assembly of the Type One Hand Phaser. It's comprised of about a dozen separate parts.

 

[Fett_Ish]

That looks really fantastic. I love this design-pew pew!

 

[DaveG]

I love it when a Prop comes together!

 

[Kal Argos]

Such a great job. Very nicely designed and looks great printed. Kudos!!

 

[Fett_Ish]

I’m sure you worked on it for many unseen hours, but it seems to have come together very quickly! It looks amazing. How many hours does it take to print out something this size?

 

[Dreamscape]

Just beautiful. Really hoping you'll be able to do some casts.

 

[DaveG]

I haven't kept track of the time spent computer modeling, but if I had to guess I'd say there's at least 40 to 50 hours spent doing that. There's been a lot of finessing of the design, not so much for aesthetics, but more for how the parts fit together. Design, print, fit, check, revise, print, fit, check... repeat...

As far as printing, everything has been in batches, sometimes filling the printer, sometimes just a couple of parts. But an estimate would be about 60 hours to print all the parts. The phaser is made up of about 45 separate parts, not including hardware like magnets, pins and screws.

The plan though is to print a new set of master parts, clean them up so the surfaces are perfect (even with this printer there are some surface imperfections) and then make molds of all the parts. Then I should be able to cast a complete set of parts for one phaser in a couple of hours.

 

[Fett_Ish]

Thanks. I‘m a 3D artist so I know how long the modeling can take, even more so if printing, can’t hide the sins if it can be held in meat space. I didn’t realize it was so many parts. Again looks great. Can’t wait to see it get some paint!