Topic: Boryla Sector, Outlands Station - Admin Office

[DocOutlands]

Spry, my packing list includes the line "ALL molds and resin"!!!

Tamer, You never know what could happen.  It'd be a shame to spend half the year *that close* and not find a way to swing by!

I was looking forward to a long, quiet (frugal) period of casting like a mad fool.  Alas, the Cosmos played a big joke on me and gave me a job quickly.  Well, gee, I guess we'll just get busy and pay off the car, two loans, a credit card, student loans, and then start on replacing appliances that are almost worn out.  *shrug* The things ya gotta do... 

[Tamer]

Sounds good to me. Perhaps I could meet you halfway or something.

[DocOutlands]

The Ohio job was a wash - the Gas company was actually soliciting bids from TWENTY-FIVE COMPANIES.  The company I was talking to ... didn't get it.  But that's ok - they called me today to be sure I was available to send my resume out on another bid.  No details on this one yet.  Heck, might be the same one, that sort of stuff happens in the pipeline world.


But, on to really cool stuff.

I just placed my first order through Shapeways. "Made in the future" indeed - the stuff doesn't even exist until I order it and their system makes sure the designs can be printed. I'll keep you posted...

I ordered items from 2 designers, both are scaled for use in 28mm wargames.  I've queried both about scaling their items up.  One is flat not interested - increasing the size increases the price and requires time and attention, something s/he is lacking while working 2 jobs and planning a wedding, despite having been asked this very question many times.  Personally, I'd say if people are asking you to take an existing product and put it in a format they want badly enough to ASK FOR, then they are gonna throw money at you ... and in my experience, that is a REALLY GOOD PLACE TO BE!  Especially if you only have to do the work ONCE and let someone else actually MAKE the stuff!!!

The *other* designer is extremely interested in my idea of upscaling from 1/87 scale to 1/18 scale.  He has some fabulous sci-fi crate designs ... and y'all know I'm a sucker for crates!!  So we are in the opening round of discussions there.  I'll definitely share everything I learn and post pics of the goods upon arrival.

Heck, I may have just opened a new chapter in Production Platform 3's life!!  Can you just see it ... having a designer on staff who can make gorgeous OPENING crates in action-fig scale that I can mold and cast ...?

Makes me giddy!!

[Tamer]

Wow Doc I love the idea of putting that stuff in our three and three quarter verse. And more of your iconic crates? Pure logic if you ask me.

So, if I may ask a question, is Safeway a company that will take your existing product and then kind of cad/cam it so it can then be printed using a 3D Printer? It sure does make perfect sense to me.

[DocOutlands]

You have to upload the CAD files to Shapeways.  Honestly, as I watch pricing, resin is still significantly cheaper.  Most likely, I will be using something like Shapeways to create master-parts that I will then mold and cast.  But it beats me buying a 3d printer.

[DocOutlands]

I've been working on a sci-fi/horror gaming sub-setting for Crossing The Black, getting zombies into space.  One of the things I came up with off the cuff is an aerial recon drone, patterned off the quad-copter crossed with a W40k Tau Drone.  I have decided it must exist as an action figure.  So today I started accumulating the parts I need to create Production Platform 3's very first action figure offering.  Should it reach production in time, it will be one of the prizes PP3 offers in support of the ISY Birthday Contest. 

Size will be *roughly* on par with the new Seeker Droid figure.

[Tamer]

Wow, like the sound of this Doc!

[Clonehead]

Sweet doc! Give us some pics soon.

[DocOutlands]

Aw, you know ISY is gonna get the scoop!  Found the part I knew I had floating about to make the center of the drone body today and it was a more perfect fit than I had dared hope!  I do have a bit of a challenge now, getting the "stabilizers" arranged to my liking, but I'm only playing around with it right now, not going after serious progress.  As it is a flying unit, I mean to design it so that it has a flight stand.  Will definitely post pics when I have something cool to show.   

[Luke Sprywalker]

Sounds cool Michael can't wait to see some pics!

[DocOutlands]

FLASHTRAFFIC

New Product Survey

The holiday gift-shopping season is closing in and I need your help!!  Production Platform 3 is looking at bringing some seriously NEW products to market, but we need to know what you, our awesome customers, want to throw money at!  PLEASE take our survey and help us understand what you are looking for most!

I've spent most of the last three weeks looking at CAD designs, 3D printing, and talking to designers.  I'm onto something, but there are so many directions to turn, we could easily miss the right shuttle and be left drifting in space.  I want your money, and the only way I'm going to get it is to provide the stuff you and your dios can't live without.  So take my survey and help me figure out what those things are!

[DocOutlands]

http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1102165/#post19231809

Stephen Hayford posted his Labor Day holiday dio over on RS and was kind enough to post some making-of's and some close-ups of different parts of the dio.  Scroll down and check out the Snowie running away from the wampas.  Check out the BOX he's running past!  And coolness of coolness, a shout-out!  He did an amazing job converting my simple box to the one that was used on Hoth with the tanks on top and the hoses - I looked twice to be sure it really was mine!  It's been a rough few days and getting that kind of shout-out did my mood a world of good.

[Tamer]

Thats one cool dio and artist.

[Clonehead]

That's cool, buddy!

[DocOutlands]

So I get a call this morning from a former employer.  He'd called back in the spring, but I was contentedly working at the paper-mill.  Then he called a couple of weeks ago, but I wasn't qualified or certified to take the opening he had.  Today, we have a winner.  Tentatively, I start Monday.  Same old type job - safety inspecting on a pipeline project.  It'll be 60-70 miles from the house and I'll likely commute 5 or 6 days a week, unless someone comes through with a *really* cheap crash-space in the area (and I know ppl close to there).  Pay will be good, but first payday is about 3 weeks out from now, meaning I gotta beg/borrow/barter for fuel and/or crash-space until then.  Small project, limited scope, likely short duration (I figure we'll be done long before Christmas) - but it is WORK!!  PAYDAYS!