So, I've been a little inactive posting in threads lately, catching up to a lot of prints for folks but also getting some new stuff finished. I've seen a lot of nice Yaka arrows around the web and decided that because I loved Rooker's performance so much I wanted to challenge myself by making a replica of it, accurate to the CGI version seen on screen that ALSO has full INTEGRATED lighting in four places just like on-screen, with no external wiring.
Now, y'all might wonder what's so special about that, since lots of props have that, but the Yaka arrow, measured accurately,is THIN. So thin in fact (around 10-11mm diameter at the thickest part of the shaft), that I couldn't find a commercially available battery holder that would fit inside. It also has to be possible to open it to remove the battery and there has to be an on/off switch somewhere. (I thought about using magnet switches for this, but ultimately gave up on that idea... there just wasn't room.) So in the end, I actually modeled a battery holder (for a 27A 12v) into the actual shaft. I'll be soldering and gluing loose contacts into it.
Printing the tiny details in the translucent parts and carvings on the shaft would also be a challenge. I would have to use a 25 micron (0.25mm) nozzle instead of the standard 0.4 or 0.6. The parts are also had to be hollow for the wiring, but printed solid wherever possible to add a little strength.
After weeks of modeling, test-printing and redesigning, I've finally started assembly. I'll update this thread as I go. Printing the parts is just stage one- actually building it and fitting all the parts will be a major challenge as well and to be honest... I'm still not 100% sure it will come together perfectly enough to work the way I want. Almost every piece will need manual tweaking- a Revell snap-fit kit this isn't!
In short, this is probably the most difficult prop I've ever attempted (even compared to VERA from Firefly)!
First off, some renders of my near-final 3d model. Keep in mind that while the parts look big because of the way they are rendered, they are VERY small. the main red insert for example is only about 5mm thick.. and some areas of the walls are 0.4mm thick!
A quick composite of my near-final model. Some tweaks.
The entire arrow (still missing carvings along the shaft)
My draft of how the wiring will be set up. Wires will go through the central core to power four 3mm LEDs, then return to ground in a thin channel at the bottom of the arrow.
The battery here looks tiny compared to the arrow, but all the time I had to carefully model to minimal wall-thickness so that it wouldn't be too fragile.
An extreme closeup of the mid-section. Note the bore hole for the 3mm LED (about 0.12 inches). The red core is done in translucent plastic and will have a hollow core all the way through to run wires. The entire model has to be printed so that the surface can be sanded smooth and NOT need filler-primer like other 3d prints. This essentially means that the arrow overall will take longer to print than some full-size blasters! I could have used a resin printer for the red parts but the body and shaft need more strength than SLA resin usually provides. (I also wanted to see just how far I could take this project in printing intricate parts.)
A couple renders showing how the arrow is intended to assemble. The little pin at the end will be machined by inserting a short piece of aluminum rod into a dremel, then filing it to shape. (Disclaimer: Do NOT try that at home folks... especially not without safety gear!)
The final printed parts:
Beginning some cleanup. Again, I will not be using any filler-primer on the surface of this, only regular black primer, so I have to get the surface very smooth... and since the parts are delicate when handled separately, I can't just go to town on things.
After some sanding, I started fitting the battery holder. Every piece was carefully trimmed with a scalpel for an exact fit, then glued with acrylic cement. Note the grooves for wiring and the little screw holes, which will use M1 (I think) grub screws to hold the arrow closed. (The 12v battery will last long enough that changing will not be necessary too often.) Note that the battery holder sticks out from one piece to be inserted into the next- this is to add a little strength to the arrow once assembled. Having the battery end where the break in the shaft is would weaken the overall construction.
More soon...
Now, y'all might wonder what's so special about that, since lots of props have that, but the Yaka arrow, measured accurately,is THIN. So thin in fact (around 10-11mm diameter at the thickest part of the shaft), that I couldn't find a commercially available battery holder that would fit inside. It also has to be possible to open it to remove the battery and there has to be an on/off switch somewhere. (I thought about using magnet switches for this, but ultimately gave up on that idea... there just wasn't room.) So in the end, I actually modeled a battery holder (for a 27A 12v) into the actual shaft. I'll be soldering and gluing loose contacts into it.
Printing the tiny details in the translucent parts and carvings on the shaft would also be a challenge. I would have to use a 25 micron (0.25mm) nozzle instead of the standard 0.4 or 0.6. The parts are also had to be hollow for the wiring, but printed solid wherever possible to add a little strength.
After weeks of modeling, test-printing and redesigning, I've finally started assembly. I'll update this thread as I go. Printing the parts is just stage one- actually building it and fitting all the parts will be a major challenge as well and to be honest... I'm still not 100% sure it will come together perfectly enough to work the way I want. Almost every piece will need manual tweaking- a Revell snap-fit kit this isn't!
In short, this is probably the most difficult prop I've ever attempted (even compared to VERA from Firefly)!
First off, some renders of my near-final 3d model. Keep in mind that while the parts look big because of the way they are rendered, they are VERY small. the main red insert for example is only about 5mm thick.. and some areas of the walls are 0.4mm thick!
A quick composite of my near-final model. Some tweaks.
The entire arrow (still missing carvings along the shaft)
My draft of how the wiring will be set up. Wires will go through the central core to power four 3mm LEDs, then return to ground in a thin channel at the bottom of the arrow.
The battery here looks tiny compared to the arrow, but all the time I had to carefully model to minimal wall-thickness so that it wouldn't be too fragile.
An extreme closeup of the mid-section. Note the bore hole for the 3mm LED (about 0.12 inches). The red core is done in translucent plastic and will have a hollow core all the way through to run wires. The entire model has to be printed so that the surface can be sanded smooth and NOT need filler-primer like other 3d prints. This essentially means that the arrow overall will take longer to print than some full-size blasters! I could have used a resin printer for the red parts but the body and shaft need more strength than SLA resin usually provides. (I also wanted to see just how far I could take this project in printing intricate parts.)
A couple renders showing how the arrow is intended to assemble. The little pin at the end will be machined by inserting a short piece of aluminum rod into a dremel, then filing it to shape. (Disclaimer: Do NOT try that at home folks... especially not without safety gear!)
The final printed parts:
Beginning some cleanup. Again, I will not be using any filler-primer on the surface of this, only regular black primer, so I have to get the surface very smooth... and since the parts are delicate when handled separately, I can't just go to town on things.
After some sanding, I started fitting the battery holder. Every piece was carefully trimmed with a scalpel for an exact fit, then glued with acrylic cement. Note the grooves for wiring and the little screw holes, which will use M1 (I think) grub screws to hold the arrow closed. (The 12v battery will last long enough that changing will not be necessary too often.) Note that the battery holder sticks out from one piece to be inserted into the next- this is to add a little strength to the arrow once assembled. Having the battery end where the break in the shaft is would weaken the overall construction.
More soon...
