Our April 2018 Hacker of the Month, Alina Granville, makes use of ABS, programmable LEDs and perseverance to create wonderful props and cosplay!
Our April Hacker of the Month is a tremendous cosplayer from Cambridge, Massachusetts who goes by the title of Spoon Makes; Alina Granville.
As a younger lady rising up, Alina was given the Spoon moniker in grade faculty when mysteriously, a spoon flew out of her lunch field a lot to the amazement of her friends. As she grew older and started to create issues, particularly cosplay and props, she added the Makes because the second portion herself.
Alina’s first introduction to 3D printing was for an structure class mission again in 2009. She was in a position to print one part of her design on a powder-based, Z-Corp printer. After this, she continued to dabble in 3D printing for architectural design, broadening her efforts on Stratasys printers as properly, however she actually didn’t begin getting severe about 3D printing cosplay till 2016.
Mei’s Endothermic Blaster
“On the time, the prop I used to be making had a really difficult formed tail that wanted to be glued to a vacuum, so I printed my solely PLA prop ever on an Ultimaker2. The opposite half of the prop was carved from XPS foam sitting on my kitchen ground. My condominium isn’t large enough for tons of hand constructing and the mess it generates, so 3D printing appeared like the best way to go sooner or later.”
At present, she prints with a customized Core-XY printer with a construct dimension of about 310x410x350mm – roughly based mostly on the D-Bot construct, it makes use of linear rails as an alternative of wheels and a direct drive BondTech v6.
Alina as Mei from Overwatch, together with her sidekick, Snowball
“It is design was pushed based mostly off my printing preferences and my want for producing props and cosplays. On the time I used to be searching for a solution to 3D print some outsized clear versatile boots for my Torbjorn construct, so my fiance and I constructed it final spring/summer season to make the boots… it is our first private printer! We might have purchased one thing off the shelf, however nothing actually suited my wants in an affordable value vary and it turned out to be a tremendous expertise and never too difficult. The method taught me how printers labored and since I understand how all the pieces goes collectively it’s means simpler to troubleshoot or make modifications. I additionally usually borrow a Flashforge Creator Professional; it is nothing fancy however it reliably will get the job accomplished. Every now and then, elements shall be printed on a Markforged with nylon if an element must be a mechanically useful.”
Alina likes to make use of ABS primarily due to its power and talent to be welded. Final 12 months her focus turned to clear colour ABS, which was excellent for her Torbjorn cosplay as a result of there are few different supplies which can be structural, translucent, inexpensive and light-weight. She began to print with nylon for her cosplay, however she stories that the ending choices are extra restricted than ABS, and rather more technically difficult for printing giant cosplay objects. Due to her affinity for translucent ABS, her preliminary prop was a glowing sword for a Saber Alter cosplay. She additionally used translucent ABS and TPU primarily for her Torbjorn cosplay with varied ending methods for the completely different elements:
Considered one of Alina’s First 3D Printed Cosplay Builds, Saber Alter with Excalibur
“Since I exploit ABS my ending methods differ from most cosplayers that use PLA, in comparison with them I exploit loads fewer putties, fillers, and primers. My predominant post-processing technique entails a mixture of sanding and bushing on acetone to easy and refine the prints. I’ve tried passive vapor sharpening, however it did not work that properly for cosplay; there are points becoming bigger elements within the contained vapor, the vapor does not evenly distribute on all faces, it takes a very long time to dry, and it simply blurs all of the element. Whereas labor intensive, brushing on acetone and permitting it to evaporate works properly for me with out eroding the small print and the sanding mud appears to assist easy the print (additionally as a plus the acetone appears to bond the layers collectively higher). I will often end with 1-2 layers of sandable/filler/auto primer earlier than paint, nonetheless, I had wonderful outcomes skipping primer on my Torbjorn construct. I avoid utilizing an excessive amount of primer, it erases particulars and too thick layers are straightforward to chip. For becoming a member of items collectively I additionally use an acetone ABS juice, it is my go to. I do know lots of people like to make use of a thicker slurry, however I work with a skinny consistency – it dries quick and does not get gummy; the secret’s to use sufficient layers of the skinny juice to soak/soften the elements earlier than urgent them collectively. To repair gaps, cracks, and seams I’ve began utilizing a 3D printing pen, adopted by the brushed on acetone to weld it to the half, then sand it degree with the print. I will nonetheless use the filling putties if essential or to be faster, however there isn’t any have to waste as a lot materials slathering it everywhere in the print to sand it off. For elements with glowing bits I discovered it’s best to avoid putties and sanding layers of primer. Even opaque filaments can have mild bleed so something with uneven layers may be seen underneath the paint. Ending TPU, alternatively, is a wholly completely different beast, which I have not discovered any wonderful constant answer but, proper now I have been utilizing a soldering iron and completely different versatile coatings and paint. One other enjoyable method I exploit on some items is dye! It is a great way to paint translucent items if you do not have an airbrush.”
Alina’s cosplay characters to date have been picked from some glorious sources, lots of which come from Blizzard Leisure; Nova from StarCraft/Heroes of the Storm, in addition to Mei and Torbjorn from Overwatch. She has additionally accomplished a cosplay for Saber Alter, an anime tackle the legend of King Arthur.
Alina’s Tobjorn Cosplay Exhibiting the Engine Element (Image by Eurobeat Kasumi)
“In cosplay, there are such a lot of completely different methods and supplies persons are utilizing. The primary purpose I deal with printing is that it’s comparatively compact. Residence dwelling is reasonably tight, there isn’t any storage or yard, there isn’t any devoted messy house, there aren’t any further tables for large molds to remedy. Printing, alternatively, takes up loads much less house, simpler to retailer filament spools than different supplies, is, for essentially the most half, an additive course of (versus carving foam with a knife or Dremel which make a giant mess), and as a plus produces light-weight, extremely clear and detailed outcomes.”
As to why 3D printing is such a big a part of her course of for producing cosplay props?
“When it comes to cosplay, it permits me to provide a clear product with excessive accuracy and element. The ultimate product is sturdy and might face up to the excessive stress touring, sitting in sizzling automobiles (do not attempt that with PLA!), and the pains of conference accidents (had a prop take a 5’+ fall onto tough concrete and all of the epoxy joints broke however the print was solely calmly scuffed up), all whereas being comparatively light-weight. There are many different supplies utilized in cosplay like EVA and XPS foam, worbla, and thibra, and casting resins…however I see 3D printing as a center floor between all of them by way of value, weight, power, and ease of use.”
Torbjorn’s Claw With the Lights On and Off
“I additionally say the printer is like an additional set of palms. It is nearly like I can double my work time since I can spend the time modeling, then whereas it is printing I can work on different issues! Nevertheless, I personally do not feel 3D printing quickens the cosplaying course of considerably if something focusing solely on printing is slower than working by hand (attributable to lengthy print instances and coping with print striations). Most individuals are utilizing private printers for printing very small and detailed issues, however cosplay is giant and detailed. I am more likely to spend further time perfecting my fashions from references after I’m working in CAD, then if I used to be strictly working by hand the place I is perhaps extra forgiving if it is not as correct. However in the long run that pays off and might have some very skilled outcomes! For those who’re sensible about it and work with a number of supplies, 3D printing can actually velocity issues up should you use it to print detailed tedious elements and use easy flat inventory to make the remaining. Working by CAD and 3D printing may be actually useful at instances for mockups, it is simple and fast to print off smaller variations of fashions to only wrap your head round advanced designs or print small sections to examine match or joints. That is one thing cosplayers have to do extra typically as 3D printing may be unforgiving with errors. Relying on the ‘anatomy’ of the print, you may’t simply minimize a mannequin shorter or warmth it into form to make it work like different supplies.”
Torbjorn’s Hammer in Molten Core Mode
3D printing has allowed Alina to provide wonderful cosplay on a decent funds – one thing cosplayers are infamous for. She stories that with out the entry and low-cost availability of translucent ABS filament, her Torbjorn costume wouldn’t have been doable.
Among the best issues about utilizing 3D printing in making her wonderful cosplays is the success of the costumes and props and the overwhelmingly optimistic suggestions she has obtained – it retains her coming again to do it time and again!
What cosplay is up subsequent for Alina? If her FaceBook web page is any indication, it appears like she shall be going for the most recent character to hitch the Overwatch line-up, a feminine engineer named Brigitte, who occurs to be the daughter of Torbjorn!
For the long run, Alina is engaged on doing a little fee items, in addition to beginning a line of how-to movies on her manufacturing and ending methods for her wildly profitable cosplay designs. We will’t wait to see what she desires up and creates subsequent, and we stay up for following up together with her sooner or later – good luck Alina!
Need to be our subsequent Hacker of the Month? E-mail chris.morgan@matterhackers.com, and inform us about your 3D printed creations – you possibly can be featured in our subsequent publication. Hacker of the Month wins 3 free spools of PRO Collection PLA or ABS filament to additional their pursuit of 3D printing greatness!
Hero picture courtesy of John Jiao
