I know there are several folks on the board who do 3D modeling so I thought I'd throw this out here.

A friend of mine has asked me to duplicate a set of antique lamps. They would have to be cast in aluminum or a pot metal after being sculpted. I've been curious about playing around with 3D modeling and then shipping the model to a service bureau to make a full size prototype via a rapid prototyping technique. The lamps are about 2 foot tall and a foot wide so the technique would have to scale.

Does anyone have any experience with rapid prototyping like 3D printing or Multijet Modeling?

Thanks.

Not sure if it will suit what you're doing, but I'm going to get a couple models done by these guys:

http://www.3darttopart.com/index.php

The guy who does Rustboy got a model from them and it was pretty awesome looking (and affordable) ...

ms

I've got some experience with modeling & stereolithography (design for injection and sand-cast molding of plastic, aluminum and cast iron). The viability of the project would be greatly dependant on the style of the lamp. If it's fairly geometric it should be pretty straightforward. If it's a Louis XIV style with lots of carved sections, that would be very difficult to surface model, so you'd be better off going the low-tech route with wax sculpting & lost wax casting. A 1'x2' Stereolith (or equivalent) is going to be rather expensive (think $800-$1400+ just for the solid lith model - not in the final metal). If you can model the lamp then it can be output to any scale you like, subject to the limitations of your service bureau's equipment.

The two hurdles are: can you model the lamp, and how much will the sterolith/full scale model cost to make. I assume the casting cost would be pretty much the same once you have a model (from an artist or from your stereolith model).

If you can post a photo I can give you a better impression of the feasability/cost/best casting method.

-Zeke

Ok that is cool. I've got a few characters that I wouldn't mind having done like this. I'd have to do the lamp in pieces though. Thanks.

I'm not sure if I can model it or not. I know I can do it the low tech way (wax or clay) but I've never tried computer modeling before. It would be more convenient if I could computer model it as its not convenient for me to make a physical model right now. Is there a 3D package that mimics sculpting tools? So far I've seen recommendations for Max and Houdini.

I was hoping to get it to a wax point and then have a lost wax cast done. I'm not sure if it could be successfully sand cast due to the undercuts around the bird's head.

nothing to help, sorry

but, wow. thats a cool lamp

I agree. They were apparently used in a building in Paris as light fixtures. The light colored feathers are thin strips of translucent marble. And it could be yours if you've got 10 or 20 thousand spare euros lying around.

ooo, you drive a hard bargain. but, if i recall, its nearly a 1:1 conversion rate into usd, and ive never seen that much money.

The exchange rates actually worse than that these days which is why my friend asked if I could make one of them

The most straightforward way to replicate this part (if you don't have a good sculptor handy or want to take a mold of the original, that is) is to have the parts 3-D laser scanned and then use software to convert the point clouds into surfaces. Basically, this same procedure used for car exteriors, which are modeled full scale in clay and then digitized.

I think you're right, surface modeling this part by hand would be difficult (not impossible but horribly time consuming, even for an expert). The hard part would be modeling all of the little notches and surface textures that bring life to the part. Unlike the movies, you can't just texture map a basic surface, all the surface irregularities must be modeled.

I think the most economical method for you, assuming you have access to an original, is to take a silicone impression and go that route. Low tech, not quite perfect, but economical. Especially for a 1 or 2-off project.

Unfortunately, I don't have any links to digitizing services, but they do exist.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing (if anything).

-Zeke

Unfortunately I don't have access to the originals. As far as the textures go, I was hoping to go from 3D model to wax and then add the textures in the wax.

I'm currently in the process of moving, living out of a hotel so physically sculpting the lamp would be difficult.

Any recommendations on modeling software?

Rhino. There's a free trail version. It's about $900 and they have a steep educational discount ($195).

It's a very good surface modeler. The solids are a bit weak, but the surfacing is very powerful. It also has very good file compatibility. It reads & writes most file types.

-Zeke

So I downloaded the trial of Rhino and went through tutorials from an intro book. I now have a new found respect for any artists who do create using tools like this. Wow!

I was dismayed by how CAD like it was. Do you know of any software that is like Curvy 3d but at version 2 or 3? This is what I had in mind when I was thinking of sculpting in 3D. Thanks,

-Alvin

Perhaps Loren might be able to help you more...but I'm not familiar with any other surface modeling programs that are less CAD-like (only more CAD like - 3DS and Autodesk Inventor/Mechanical Desktop - both much more expensive products). Most of the 3-d tools out there are going to be aimed at on-screen rendering as opposed to solid model output. One of Rhino's target users are jewlers who take their models to solid through a 3-D output service bureau or stereolithography machine. I know that Rhino is capable of modeling your lamp, but the time investment is not small. The flip side of the 'CAD-ness' is exacting control, which is needed for the output methods (tool path generation for matrial removal techniques and 'liquid-tight' models for solid lithography or laminated object machines). Sorry I can't help more!

-Zeke

No worries, I appreciate the info. I ordered a copy of Curvy 3D to try. Thanks again.

It isn't as cheap as Curvy 3d, but Carrara is a very nice product. I haven't used it since it was owned by MetaCreations, but I'm sure it's even better now.