Really awesome ways to up armor making

[Korydabomb32]

After much research, Ive found things that definitely will change the way you make armor.


First, Ive found the MakerBot. It can be less then $1000 and no more than $2000. It is basically a PNC machine from the size of a laptop, to the size of a Printer and possibly the size of a TV(They are experimenting) This machine was invented by Bre Pettis, and who also used to work for Make Magazine.

Next, there is the Foam factory. it is invented by Bob Knetzger, and it is powered by a train transformer. It cuts foam of all sorts like a knife through butter, with a clean cut. Great to use to cut padding, or foam supports, or even glue blueprints on the cheap, polystyrene sheets, and make parts out of it. The only downside to building this,(yes, you must work to achieve diamonds) is getting a train transformer. If you are lucky, you can find one at a local hardware or junk yard. Besides that, where the heck are you going to find a train transformer?

Finally, there is the Craft ROBO. It is a small machine, simaller to a cricut. You plug it into your computer, you upload papercraft files or origami files, and get this, you can get it to actually, cut and preferate the paper! Compared to the labor you save, this machine is worth the total $250 dollars.

~NEW~

Don't you want a stencil to make designs on your armor? To those owning a cricut, I have good news! There is a new software that you use on PC/MAC that allows you to create new designs from scratch. To date, i'm not really sure if you can import blueprints, but if you know, tell me and ill add it here. The Software can be downloaded with the exclusive cricut cartridge you can save designs on.




I do NOT own any of these objects/machines, but after extensive research, I found out all i know. Also, below each article is a link to a video with it. (Why is Bre Pettis in two of them?)

 

[markanator13]

the only logical on is craftrobo

 

[Korydabomb32]

Craft ROBO is definetly the choice for pepakura users, but the maker bot can carve weapons and handplates. The Foam Factory is the least useful, but I included it anyways, since it is interesting, and im sure someone could do something awesome with it.

 

[Charlieiscool12]

i have the craft robo. I just got it a few months ago off ebay and i couldn't be more happy with it. it cuts at 3 inches per second!!!! you just cant beat that!

 

[Korydabomb32]

Dude! Once I get enough money, im following your advice and getting one ive been looking at off ebay! Which files have you printed out with it? Large files or smaller files?

 

[ShadoKat]

i've heard of using pepakura with craftrobo, but i'm a little apprehensive... just sounds too good to be true... how good is it as far as accuracy? is it true that it scores, too? if so does it make the mountain vs. valley markers difficult to see? how well does it handle the smaller pieces?

 

[Korydabomb32]

What you do, is upload the pepakura blueprints and separate it into different layers, like the solid lines layer to be cut, the valley and mountain fold layer that perforates it, and the design layer.

 

[Lemon Pledge]

Well the MakerBot is a brilliant idea, i saw it on the news a while ago, but thinking about it its a little small to make most armour parts right? so if they are able to keep the price down and make it bigger they will have a hit i think.

I dont really see a way to fully use the foam factory sure its a great idea if you are cutting 2D foam but for a 3D model it might get a little complicated.

Now the Craft ROBO is a great idea im sure after some getting used to anyone who got their hands on this would be able to cut out any pep model in no time at all this one get my vote.... just need them to make one to glue the pieces together aswell xP am i right? haha

 

[ArmorOfTwo]

yes i agree the craftrobo seems like its the best choice.

 

[Castellan Craft]

The main problem I see with the makerbot is that is does not in fact carve. If you watch the video closely, it actually deposits the material from a thin stream at the top, constantly building it further and further up. That's why some of the models look so uneven. Did they say what material it actually uses? I mighta missed that. I suppose if it's sandable, you could make something on the large side and sand it down, but with quite a few details you'd have to leave them out of the model entirely and cut them out later cause you wouldn't want to add them oversized and just end up extending them out further as you remove material...

Sorry. Thinking out loud.

For people with the CraftRobo's, do you have any recommendation on which model is best? Is the low end one still usable, is the Pro worth the extra cost, etc... http://www.graphteccorp.com/craftrobo/about.html

 

[Korydabomb32]

To my understanding, like in the video, the regular is just right for papercraft and pepakura. If you would want to get one, the regular should get the job done, but i would think the pro would have more capabilities.

 

[Hickeydog]

Never fails. I just get done cutting out, scoring, folding, and gluing all my pieces yesterday, only to stumble across that robo thingy today.

I'm thinking that's going to be on my Christmas list this year. That thing is AWESOME!!!