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mroek Regular user 180 Posts |
I've created what I think is a brand new version of the age-old cut and restored ribbon trick, and I have named it "The Ribbon Clock Time Machine". Here are some pictures of my first fully functional prototype:
As seen from the front: And from the back: Before cutting the ribbon: Ribbon has been cut in two places: Clock has been reassembled in a new configuration: And finally, time has been turned back and ribbon is restored: This is completely my own design (made on a 3D-printer, as you can probably see), and I believe it is quite unique. I wanted to write something along the lines of "Time flies backwards" in latin on the face of the clock (in this case I just used the word Retro to indicate backwards), but I think it would be better to just write "Machina Temporis" instead, to literally say "machine of time". Opinions welcome. Oh, and I also made a video of me performing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgGZ4nDw1JQ The patter could of course have been better, but English is not my mother tongue, so this is what I ended up with. |
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Vater Araignee Regular user MI 172 Posts |
BOOK MARKED! I watched the video on silent the first time through and liked what I saw. The presentation ideas just started coming.
I'm impressed with the apparent quality of the print and want to see pics of the stages between now and completely finishing it. Makes me wonder if 3D printers could help save brick and mortars. They could sell items as fresh off the bed (finish it yourself) and have a finishing service. Soooo many technical questions. Like: How many hours did you print? Is the clock just prototype print quality? Can you run TPU filament? and on and on. Beautiful, just beautiful.
"Good enough never is." - Vater Araignee
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saverle Regular user The Netherlands 114 Posts |
What a fantastic effect! It reminds me of Richard Gerlitz Family Ties, but I've only seen pictures of that trick.
This is simply brilliant! The whole concept is great! And I have no idea how it works! |
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mroek Regular user 180 Posts |
Thanks! You may be surprised, but what you see is straight from the printer, no finishing has been done on the outside. The only thing I've done is to add the clock face, which I printed on a regular inkjet printer on self adhesive special paper (which is even weatherproof, according to the manufacturer).
The front faces are printed down on the printer bed, and due to the surface I use on the print bed, the end result is very shiny (almost a mirror finish) like you see on the photos. The same is true for the rear covers, which are also shiny. The sides and top faces are not as shiny, as you can see, but it was printed at a fairly high resolution (0.2 mm), so they still look good. Layer lines are of course still visible, but in my opinion very acceptable. Higher resolutions take so much more time, and I don't think it is worth it. Printing time for this is roughly 10 hours (didn't time it) for all parts at this resolution. No TPU is used (or even necessary). |
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Anverdi-museum Inner circle 1195 Posts |
Great job....that is a very good concept!
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Vater Araignee Regular user MI 172 Posts |
How much would you charge for a 1 foot (30.5cm) wide version? The resolution doesn't have to be great because I would be giving it a black walnut veneer. If the price is right, then the next time I gig, you have a customer.
"Good enough never is." - Vater Araignee
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mroek Regular user 180 Posts |
Not sure if that would work well, not everything is easily upscaled. That would be almost a doubling of the width of the current prototype (which is just shy of 16 cm in width). It is most likely possible to do, but it would require some internal redesign. For now, I wouldn't want to do that, but perhaps one day...
Not sure how easy it would be to add a walnut veneer either. It would be difficult to bend the veneer so it looks good, I'd guess. |
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Vater Araignee Regular user MI 172 Posts |
6" hmmm,what is the furthest distance away you think the effect would still play well at? I think I need to cover a maximum of 40 feet.
Customized clamp blocks and a steamer. It doesn't look like there is a radii to tight and I'm willing to bet the center could be covered with 3 pieces and know it could be done in 5, and the sides would take 6. No need to veneer the molding, in fact printing it would be wasting your time and resources on me. I see this as a great start and finish for something my wife has been begging me to do. My wife is part of a Role playing group that I refer to as the "Middle aged pretty pretty princess tea party" and they want to higher me. I have been refusing because they don't want The Vater, they want a gentleman and I haven't been able to come up with much more than torn and restored doilies, breaking the handles off tea cups, going into C&B with teacups and sugar cubes then restoring the cups along with the traditional dinner table tricks and for me a boring character. Yore Time Machine would give me the "Person displaced in time" and that is something I can work with. Start routine with ribbon already cut. "See? I knew I had already performed, the cut ribbon proves it. I always end with a cut ribbon." Start walking away. The wife objects. "Oh dear, I must have been displaced again." Restore ribbon by turning back time and proceed with other effects. Once done cut the ribbon into three and place in front of clock. the long time misdirection should make them forget that the ribbon did not start in front of in the clock.
"Good enough never is." - Vater Araignee
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mroek Regular user 180 Posts |
Regarding the veneer, if there is steam involved the veneer may be so hot that it softens the plastic, which would not be good. The plastic used is PLA, and it doesn't handle high heat. And also, the walls are quite thin to save on plastic and printing time, so adding lots of force to clamp veneer to it is most likely not a good idea anyway.
40 feet would be too far away, I think. You'd need eagle eyes to enjoy the trick at that distance. Even a double sized version might be a stretch that far away. Your routine idea is creative, no doubt! |
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lnlver New user 71 Posts |
I don't think adding veneer would constitute a problem. In addition to using steam to bend veneer, you can take a damp rag and dab the piece, bend it as much as possible without breaking, clamp it in that position, then let it dry completely; repeat the process until the veneer is in the desired shape. With some careful sanding, you can restore the finish.
Of course, the degree to which you can bend the veneer will depend on its thickness. The thinner veneer, the more you can bend it. The other limitation is the radius of curvature. Nice trick, mroek. By the way, I'm currently working on my version of your Golden Temple (aka Magic Wagon's Pagoda Mystery) Illusion. |
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mroek Regular user 180 Posts |
I'm not used to working with veneer, so you're probably right. However, I remain skeptical that it is a good idea to add veneer to a 3D-printed part. I'm skeptical that it will actually look very good. A better option is to print with filament that contains genuine wood in it. You will not get the pattern that veneer gives, but the plastic does look a little less "plasticky", if you know what I mean.
I've experiemented a little with colors, and here's a rendered (i.e not an actual photo) image of how it would look in black with a red base: I also changed the text on the clock face a little, so instead of "Retro" it now reads "Machina temporis". |
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gimpy2 Special user 960 Posts |
Should be no problem bending veneer on something like that. Paper backed veneer bends easily. The glue might be an issue with the thin plastic. Could probably use waterbased contact cement or pre glued PSV. Probably be about as easy to just make it out of wood to start with, or it would be for me since I have no real computer skills. Very cool idea indeed.
Gimpy
www.gimpysmagic.com |
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Vater Araignee Regular user MI 172 Posts |
Mroek,
What you do is trace the object onto a plank of suitable thickness, cut the shape and section the portions so that they don't grab the original shape. Sand out the saw marks from any surface that contacts the veneer (I also wax them) position the veneer onto the main block and start adding the blocks and clamps. Depending on the severity of the radii and thickness of the veneer you may need add one or two blocks, then steam the assembly and add more and or tighten the existing clamps. If I had a suitable workspace I wouldn't use wood for my blocks, I would make a block form and recycle hdpe for the purpose because its melting point is 30c above boiling. the room is 40' is the maximum distance obtainable in the room so its the easiest number to come to mind. I'll give you with a more accurate distance after I graph the room and block out my table position. Now that I actually want to do the middle aged pretty pretty princess tea party. lol
"Good enough never is." - Vater Araignee
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J M Talbot Inner circle 3055 Posts |
Looks amazing! Congrats on creating an original approach to this effect. Love the back in time theme.
John |
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Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5150 Posts |
Sometimes I see a prop and effect that I am so impressed by, I can only say "!@#$ You." And I say it in the most affectionate and complimentary manner as possible...meaning...I have seen a lot, and own a lot of great magic, and you have just punched me in the gut.
So good in every way. The mechanics I get, but what you have done with the third element in the cut and restored plot (which as already mentioned is reminiscent of Gerlitz's "Family Ties," but you have the clock dial which is BRILLIANT), and the introduction of time travel as the driver is absolutely wonderful. So, per the discussions above, I could see you taking this to the next level and putting out a finely crafted, limited edition collectible prop that actually looks like a well-cared for heirloom. Wood veneer. Slightly discolored clock face. And it would sell out. You could also put out a more reasonably priced 3D printed version that is what it is, and let the performers weave her or his own story. Given the prop you have and your current video, I would simply switch the story up to be more believable, considering your prop is obviously NOT old... "I remember growing up, and my Grandfather showing me this mysterious little clock. It was an odd thing, built out of three pieces and had a ribbon going through the middle of it. He said it "told him about time." I thought he misspoke since his English was limited and that he meant, "it told him the time." But that's not what he meant. He actually meant that this special clock "told him about time." I don't have that clock. No one does. And everyone in my family can remember seeing it, but no one can ever remember where it went. Weird. But I remember how it looked. Perfectly. Every detail. At least from the outside. So using the lab at our library I created what you have in front of us. My Grandfather's Tempus Fugit clock. I don't know how it works, but it looks EXACTLY how I remember. If I think really hard, I can remember what my Grandfather did to show us how this odd little clock, will tell us about time... let me show you." Anyway...a way to turn an obvious modern looking prop into an old mystery. Simply great work Mroek. It's always fun to welcome someone so smart to the table here at The Café.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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Payner44 Loyal user 213 Posts |
I want one!
"I'm not arguing with you, I'm just explaining why you're wrong!"
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BanzaiMagic Inner circle 1339 Posts |
Impressive work. Beautiful micro illusion.
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DaleTrueman Veteran user Australia 317 Posts |
Quote:
On Apr 16, 2018, mroek wrote: I have glued veneer to a 3d printed object. It worked well, unfortunately I don't have a photo to show. |
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DaleTrueman Veteran user Australia 317 Posts |
Very nice design by the way!
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mroek Regular user 180 Posts |
@Wizard of Oz: A very good idea for storyline there. My story was rather quickly conceived, and as I said, English is obviously not my mother tongue. That said, if/when I decide to make a few of these available, people can of course make their own story just as they see fit. A remotely interesting tidbit is that my grandfather actually was a watchmaker, and I have fond memories from his shop (and workshop).
When you say you "get the mechanics", does that mean you think you know how this is done (if so, don't write your theory here, I'm just wondering)? Regarding Gerlitz's "Family Ties", I have seen pictures of that trick, but as far as I know, there is no video of it online, and I do not know how that one works, so I can't say if there is any mechanical similarity to my method or not. Finally, the veener thing again. I believe it would be difficult to put veneer on the smallest curves (like on the base), but if the veneer is thin enough, it might work. It would most likely take quite a bit of time to do, so would add a lot to the cost. Using wood-infused plastic is of course a lot easier, but that does not give any grain, of course. |
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