Creating a Shako Mold

[woody64]

Still I'm missing apropriate shakos for my armies. Therefore I did some attempts which I would like to share, since doing that allone would not be successfull.

LDraw parts:

British-Shako:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/woody64/...o/2545-brit.dat

French-Shako:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/woody64/...2545-french.dat

Steps to Do:

- Import to 3d CAD Program

-- for the british shako already successfull done:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/woody64/...rit-blender.png

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/woody64/...o/2545-brit.stl

- Control Dimensions (damned ldu/mm, I haven't taken a look so far)

- Find Molder (http://www.protomold.com/ ?)

- Get Proposal

- Let the Molder create the Tool

- Prototypes

- Produce 1000 shakos

:-) seems to be very easy

Andreas

Edited March 18, 2008 by woody64

[Cardinal Brick]

I wish you good luck, the British shako does look good but it's missing something I can't put my finger on it at the moment.

[SlyOwl]

You are missing ye olde sticky up thing on the top X-D

As for moulding, as discussed in The Great Shako Debate, minifig headgear is very difficult (and therefore expensive) to produce, because of the extreme precision required. But someday Imperials will triumph. But when they do, red, blue and yellow epaulettes will rocket even further in price... :-|

[the enigma that is badger]

While I do nothing but wish you best of luck with this project, I can tell you from my experience with Brickarms that any quality custom accessory mold, especially the kind of mold needed to produce the kind of headgear you've post here, is very, very, very expensive.

If you're really interested in pursuing this, I'd encourage you to get in touch with a few of the luminaries of custom accessories (Will Chapman, Armothe). They'll be able to forward to molders and toolers who can give you estimate costs.

badger

[woody64]

While I do nothing but wish you best of luck with this project, I can tell you from my experience with Brickarms that any quality custom accessory mold, especially the kind of mold needed to produce the kind of headgear you've post here, is very, very, very expensive.

Thanks, I know that that may be the first very critical show stopper. Currently I'm in contact with a molder which makes such offers based on the 3d model. Therefore I want this first 3d models to get this informations ....

Andreas

[woody64]

By the way, maybe I have missed something so far, but the hat you have used in this picture

ist which part?

Andreas

[kill will]

By the way, maybe I have missed something so far, but the hat you have used in this picture

ist which part?

Andreas

Ah, that's a BEST LOCK! piece. :-X That shako is cool...

[the enigma that is badger]

Ah, that's a BEST LOCK! piece.

Technically, it's an Oxford piece that Best Lock-Cobi has cloned. It also has turned up in a few clone/pirate sets out of Hong Kong.

It's really more of a cap than a shako. It has a higher crown than the standard TLC cap, but not by much. Still, one of my favorite pieces of minifig headgear that's out there. Perfect for officers!

badger

[woody64]

While I do nothing but wish you best of luck with this project ....

I spent a lot of hours of work during the last day, to export a Ldraw .dat file to IGES file format.

Here's my result, maybe someone has suggestions for improvements or it helps someone else in the future:

Conversion from Dat to IGS

- Ldraw DAT to Wavefront OBJ using 3DWin5

- OBJ to STL using ivcon (with scale factor 0.04)

- STL to STLB using ivcon

- STLB to IGS using stl2igs1.exe (Reuben Reyes)

OBJ, STL, STLB controlled via Blender

IGS controlled via gCad3d

LDRAW files viewed with LDView3

Questions:

? ivcon ... expandable to iges (getting rid of stl2igs1)

? ldraw2xxx ... command line tool to convert dat to ivcon readable format

ivcon: http://orion.math.iastate.edu/burkardt/g_s...vcon/ivcon.html

I added an paramter for LDU scaling for STLA files (0.04)

LDRAW, LDView, 3DWin : as proposed on the LDRAW home page.

stl2igs1.exe: http://home.austin.rr.com/reubenrachel/reu...DOS/

Edited March 20, 2008 by woody64

[woody64]

LDRAW files viewed with LDView3 ...

one day of work later and LDView can store it's first .dat Files in STL format to be read by a 3D Cad program (blender).

Currently I'm waiting on an answer of a molder, but I'm not sure how accurate the current model is but currently the given 3d format seems not to fit the needed input of the molder.

As side effect I'Ve handed over the STL code th the LDraw developer, which will take a look on it.

Edited April 1, 2008 by woody64

[Admiral Blockbeard]

Just an idea, but have you tried contacting the clone makers of Lego that operate out of Hong Kong? put these real life pirates to use! I would assume that if they knew the market existed for "Lego" Shakos they would make them! Although obviously it has its moral dilemmas to consider, like financing the cloners with money. Although maybe this could end up making them operate in more moral terms... I don't know just putting it out there.

[woody64]

Just an idea, but have you tried contacting the clone makers of Lego that operate out of Hong Kong? put these real life pirates to use! I would assume that if they knew the market existed for "Lego" Shakos they would make them! Although obviously it has its moral dilemmas to consider, like financing the cloners with money. Although maybe this could end up making them operate in more moral terms... I don't know just putting it out there.

One of the pirate molder already has a shako. I think there's a photo in the we need shakos thread. But don't know how to get into contact ....

[Capn Frank]

One of the pirate molder already has a shako. I think there's a photo in the we need shakos thread. But don't know how to get into contact ....

I think this shako was discussed in the Fake Shakos thread.

I've got a few of them.

For structural integrity and a simpler mold, I suggest filling in the "Ovaled" areas below.

From what i've read in the brickarms threads, plastic is cheap;

it's the mold that's expensive.

I don't know anything about mold making; it just seemed to make sense. :-$

A quick question, is the final shako going to have a plume?

P

[woody64]

For structural integrity and a simpler mold, I suggest filling in the "Ovaled" areas below.

From what i've read in the brickarms threads, plastic is cheap;

it's the mold that's expensive.

...

A quick question, is the final shako going to have a plume?

The actual layout available as .dat and .stl (3D) is french style which means broader at the top of the hat. For simplicity I didn't add a plume so far.

Concerning filling I also considered your proposal if I get the info that the cylinder has to small walls.

Let's see ...

Andreas

Edited April 4, 2008 by woody64

[woody64]

Since in the pirate thread there are some new discussion I want to summarize my current status:

- I've got a 3d drawing proposal for a shako basic form.

- This can then be changed in any way we want

- The idea is to have a french style shako as first element

- The test piece is already done and I will get it next week

- The production is targeted to low numbers (25-100) pieces but reproducible

- But that also gives the possibility to change the output (with plume, with pommel ...)

- The costs for a piece will be discussed next week. My expert expects ~ 3.5 EUR/piece

Andreas

Edited June 15, 2008 by woody64

[woody64]

First picture, more later on this evening ...

Edited June 18, 2008 by woody64

[Fordo]

Looks great to me, all we need is to make it black and boom it's a Shako revolution.

[woody64]

Looks great to me, all we need is to make it black and boom it's a Shako revolution.

Find some more pictures at:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=324572

Next Steps:

The actual design is very simple to verify the processing technique. Below the next design is shown (black current layout/red new layout).

- I will produce between 10 and 50 pieces

- If someone is interested I will share some of them (sharing the costs ... 3-4EUR/a piece)

Andreas

Edited June 20, 2008 by woody64

[Bonaparte]

This is the best custom shako I've seen till now.

You will be able to build some massive armies if you can produce enough of these.

Is it possible to add a plume? Or will that be too difficult with the production technique that you use?

[woody64]

This is the best custom shako I've seen till now.

You will be able to build some massive armies if you can produce enough of these.

Is it possible to add a plume? Or will that be too difficult with the production technique that you use?

Currently I've planned a ball instead of a plume.

The technique I'm using is 3d printing. Which means, changes can be made to the design, every print step. 20-50 pieces a step may be possible.

Other hats (I've also prepared an ulan shako) maybe possible.

Andreas

[Bonaparte]

So, 3D printing is something you can do yourself (at home)? I've never heard about this technique and don't know what to imagine.

Are you planning to produce them all by yourself or do you still plan to team up with "a company" for the actual production?

[woody64]

So, 3D printing is something you can do yourself (at home)? I've never heard about this technique and don't know what to imagine.

Are you planning to produce them all by yourself or do you still plan to team up with "a company" for the actual production?

No, I can't do that at home, but I've found the help of something who has access to it and is willing to give it a try. The model you've seen is the first result.

For 3d printing see, it's amazing ...

For producing higher amounts I have to talk with the supporting guy, if he's willing to do that, but there are also printing studios like http://rapidobject.com/

Andreas

Edited June 20, 2008 by woody64

[Fordo]

The design looks good, a plume would be a nice addition. Im interested in seeing your Ulhan shako as well. So you have access to this 3D printer or your consulting a molding company in order to create these?

[woody64]

The design looks good, a plume would be a nice addition. Im interested in seeing your Ulhan shako as well. So you have access to this 3D printer or your consulting a molding company in order to create these?

With plume you mean the same design as the original lego uses.

Because the hats mosten had balls like

.

For producing I will first print 50 pieces maybe sharing some of them with others, when the complete technique is done a 2nd time.

Depending on the price reachabel and on the interest I will see how to proceed ...

Here's the shako design:

Andreas

[Fordo]

The Ulhan shako looks amazing, have you contacted the consultant on how much each shako will cost (Estimated?).