{"id":2874,"date":"2016-06-19T16:43:12","date_gmt":"2016-06-19T16:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/?p=2874"},"modified":"2023-08-16T14:31:20","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T14:31:20","slug":"new-ray-gun-the-ice-breaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.huxter.org\/words\/?p=2874","title":{"rendered":"New Ray Gun – The Ice Breaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

My latest ray gun: The Ice Breaker<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-display-stand-01\"<\/p>\n

It all started with this, one of the most elegantly-shaped things I’ve ever seen in a museum. At the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, an exhibit came by of retro-futuristic design. This item really struck me.<\/p>\n

\"1935-ice-crusher\"<\/p>\n

From this I created a very closely-contoured version and did a test print. I modeled it way too big. But here it is, without alteration. The aperture at the top I made a cap for but it’s not shown here. That cap will eventually have electronics, hopefully. But for now, it’s just an opening.<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v1-printed\"<\/p>\n

This version has a spring in the trigger. Eventually I would use magnets.<\/p>\n

I decided I would keep this version, but I also wanted to see where I could take it in a more futuristic Buck Rogers world. So I added a fin, recontoured the handle to make it fit better, and shrunk it down. I also added a more “ray gun” nozzle.<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v2-01\"<\/p>\n

The body is printed in three pieces, and this version is glued together. The plate is still there, but now has a dorsal ridge that fits in line with the dorsal ridge on the other pieces. It fits nicely and snaps off when needed.<\/p>\n

This is version 3:<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-04\"<\/p>\n

I bought a cranberry red filament (the bright red is nice, but a bit – toy-like.) I printed it at .8 the size of the original bulky one. Fits nicely, and feels great.<\/p>\n

I will later show the construction, which shows how the three main body parts are joined by a 1\/2″ diameter 7″ galvanized heavy metal bolt and nut. I even printed my own tool to screw in the bolt because a standard socket tool would not fit.<\/p>\n

The handle screws to the body with four #4 Black Oxide 3\/4″ screws, and the bottom cap of the handle screws on with one of those. The handle has a cap so I can put two carriage bolt shafts in there for weight.<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-03\" \"ice-breaker-v3-02\" \"ice-breaker-v3-01\"<\/p>\n

I had modeled apertures for up to four more bolts for weight, but it’s nicely weighted without those.<\/p>\n

And for now, in the panel opening I have placed a greeble object, a dummy object covered in nonsense to appear like it’s a circuit board.<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-05\"<\/p>\n

Exchangeable Emitters<\/h1>\n

My friend Matt said “Hey, you could probably swap the front and back, and make different pieces that fit.” The apertures for front and back differ, though, and while I could make them match, I wasn’t sure I’d like the new proportions, but the replaceable emitter idea stuck.<\/p>\n

I immediately modeled five or six alternative emitters, and I’m quite happy with them. I have one or two more done that I have not yet photographed, but those are variants on these.<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-emitters-02\"<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-emitter-original-01\" \"ice-breaker-v3-emitter-b-01\" \"ice-breaker-v3-emitter-a-03\" \"ice-breaker-v3-emitter-c-01\"<\/p>\n

\"ice-breaker-v3-emitter-d-01\"<\/p>\n