Another request from Daughter.
This is actually the most complex design I've ever done.
Found open source program MakeHuman, fabulous, allows you to create a human body.
So, I spent ages creating a figure that matches Katy Perry as close as I can get.
I discovered a few quirks, basic body works wonderfully, but add hair, teeth or any extras at all and the exported STL seems broken, or I don't know what I'm doing, which is probably nearer the truth.
But now I have figure :-)
I've heard of Oogoo, home made rubber. Wickes All Purpose Sealant (silicon) + Corn Flour.
I mix in batches, 3 tablespoons of silicon, add a little Humbrol Enamel matt 61 (flesh), mix together, add 2 tablespoons of Corn Flour, mix together. Gives rubber that makes a great skin.
So, import figure into OpenSCAD, turn it into moulds (for Oogoo) and create a skeleton.
First thing I tried was head, worked ok (colour needs work):
Got colour correct (humbrol), remade head. It's hollow, but need hair. Found nylon hair on Halloween hat and hair grips, spent ages threading hair into head using darning needle. Had to flatten it with clothes iron, but getting there:
I've managed to fill bubbles in chin and forehead with more Oogoo. Next problem is painting eyes, lips, eyebrows, eyelashes. Nothing sticks to Oogoo except more Oogoo! Mixing paint into silicon works, but a pig to paint on, it's so thick, tried using Xylene paint thinners, doesn't work. I'll have to use the thick stuff.
Best I can do (mostly Stabilo permanent pens):
Spent ages trying to get pose-able fingers, failed, but it'll do for now, will create whole Manikin, then revisit. Skeleton arm hinge not in correct place, need to adjust. Skeleton fingers pose well, but can't hold against pull of rubber and skeleton fingers too wide to allow Oogoo flow around sides. Wrist works really well, quite freaky.
Put head and failed arms onto full skeleton. Skeleton is NOT firm enough, joints too loose, won't stand up under weight of those few bits. Tried using Oogoo to wrap joints to strengthen and hold joint together, no good, Oogoo does not stick to PLA. Tried wrapping joints with PVC tape, didn't make much difference.
ABS maybe better? Is more elastic, I think it's more abrasive.
I'm going to re-print whole skeleton in ABS and see. I'll try wrapping in Oogoo, see if it sticks. Probably try embedding copper wire into fingers (with hot knife) to strengthen. May try putting thin skin in moulds and letting set before adding skeleton and final Oogoo so that skeleton is not too close to surface. Will try putting Oogoo into joints during assembly (rubberise joints).
Lots of ideas, some of them have to work.
ABS was no better at all, dismal failure, not so hard as PLA, so not as good on joints, Oogoo doesn't stick to ABS either. Embedding seemed to work, but ABS doesn't stick to copper either. Plus ABS warps far worse than PLA. Thin Oogoo skin seems good in arm moulds, but no skeleton to go in it!
Back to PLA, re-print the lot, embed wires into PLA hands, try hot gun glue in joints (like Dexter).
Eureka!
PLA arms, hot glue on mating surfaces of all joints during assembly, kept hands (shown above) with embedded wires, but covered fingers in thin layer of hot glue. Nice, tight, stiff and strong.
PLA body skeleton printing, assemble same way, should be perfect, then on with skin.
Not sure I should publish pictures of final result, may be too realistic, nudity may offend. Perhaps make it some undies.
29/11/2014 (Saturday):
Cool, now looking at 16 inch tall nude woman!
Joining sections together in oogoo was tricky, bubbles are a pain, just gave her a massage down back side smoothing over with extra oogoo, Wait until it sets then I'll do front. May actually get it finished this week-end.
30/11/2014 (Sunday):
In cold light of day, decided "Nah, crap, 1 out of 10, could do better".
I can't fix the joins (well, not without a lot of messing).
It doesn't bend at joints as I wanted.
Middle sections are too squashy.
Facial details added with stabilo pens have bled into Oogoo, gives a quite pleasant eye make-up type look on lashes / brows, but eyes are horrid and lips aren't so good.
Head Mould:
Re-visit head, make face side very shallow (or separate face section), add hemi-spherical eye sockets. Make longer neck overlap.
Print eye balls, paint white then insert. make red oogoo lips and place before rest of Oogoo, same with brows. Only do lashes with stabilo. Paint irises last.
This time I'll do hair thinner.
Main Mould:
Keep torso, hip and leg moulds as is.
New separate moulds for hands.
New separate moulds for arms that will mate with torso and mate with hands.
New separate neck/head brace.
Use hot glue to join together torso, hip, leg, arms and neck/head brace as top and bottom sections.
Skeleton:
Wrists good, ankles good.
Increase size of knees and elbows. Increase thickness of bones. Increase size of hips and other joints.
Figure out hands.
Make rib, tummy and hip cages.
Assembly:
thin layer of Oogoo is plan, do both sides, let set. Once set add skeleton, then join together with Oogoo.
This may work.
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