Models Suitable for Display

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:58 am

Thanks, I'd forgotten about that picture, mostly because of all the extra stuff around the rings. I don't know how the Shapeways transparent plastic will respond to UV (it might fluoresce on its own) so I don't want to make any recommendations until I get my hands on it.

I'd thought about the LED in the center as part of the base. We'll see.

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 1:07 pm

I'd really like to build some of these:

Implied spherical core:

OR "levitated" spherical core:

OR simplest:

All dependent on how clear the "Transparent Detailed" at Shapeways is and how elaborate the customer wants to be. The implied spherical core has the best chance at internal illumination, but the levitated core might be the prettiest with no illumination (fewer internal reflections to hide the sphere).

For my part, I'm not as determined to match the outer appearance of the WB-8 as some, which is why I'm willing to use visible parts to connect the rings. Most of that motivation comes from wanting to make the Wiffleball surface as large a possible inside the rings consistent with being able to print and assemble the parts. The rings are nice to look at, but the Wiffleball surface is beautiful, IMO.

DeltaV · Post by **DeltaV** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:45 pm

Alternate source: www.fastprotos.com

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:21 pm

Thanks. Fastprotos.com looks good, if a little behind Shapeways because fastprotos.com uses a manual quote process and many fewer material options. It is nice to see a spec sheet for their plastic's material properties, though.

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:56 am

The immediately above are too heavy, so added lightness, but I couldn't simplicate...

I call these multi-layered:

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:13 pm

The white Wiffleball arrived today, packed full of tiny polishing stones (some had gotten out of the ball during shipping). The Wiffleball is undamaged (AFAIK), so they probably reprinted it anyway.

Perhaps they care about their reputation for quality work. Imagine.

Tom Ligon · Post by **Tom Ligon** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 4:48 pm

I got an e-mail from IMSI, the company that makes the Design-CAD drafting software I use. They were announcing that they'd teamed up with some 3D printer outfits and were now offering 3D printers with Design-CAD 3D. I have only glanced at the offerings, but I saw a 1-head printer for around $1700 in kit form, $2100 for the dual-head kit.

Design-CAD has always been priced at the home user end of the market. Evidently the 3D printers have now gotten into the price range where they are viable options for, among other things, serious hobby modelers such as model railroaders.

http://www.turbocad.com/3DPrinters/tabi ... fault.aspx

rcain · Post by **rcain** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:17 am

whilst i'm a big fan of blue LED's in practically anything; and also a big fan of all the painstaking work going on above.... has anyone considered 'pimping' a cheaply available 'plasma ball' ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_globe ) to avail some sort of Polywell demonstrator/cum desk-top toy ...?

Giorgio · Post by **Giorgio** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:38 am

rcain wrote:whilst i'm a big fan of blue LED's in practically anything; and also a big fan of all the painstaking work going on above.... has anyone considered 'pimping' a cheaply available 'plasma ball' ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_globe ) to avail some sort of Polywell demonstrator/cum desk-top toy ...?

I swear, this is a great idea!

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:57 am

rcain wrote:...has anyone considered 'pimping' a cheaply available 'plasma ball...

Yes, you have.

Seriously, it is a great idea.

Some purist is going to complain the plasma isn't the same temperature as a working Polywell!

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 9:01 am

Edmund Scientific has a mini battery-powered plasma ball for $13:

http://www.scientificsonline.com/mini-plasma-ball.html

I could imagine how the plasma would be induced to remain looking like a Wiffleball. One could cheat and touch the glass with suitably conductive rods or maybe magnetic fields would be the ticket?

ladajo · Post by **ladajo** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:08 pm

My 8 yr old son has one on his dressor in his bedroom. I can't believe I never thought to slap some coils on the outside of the glass and see what it looks like. Gahh! How did I miss that!

I am on it...

Giorgio · Post by **Giorgio** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:30 pm

ladajo wrote:My 8 yr old son has one on his dressor in his bedroom. I can't believe I never thought to slap some coils on the outside of the glass and see what it looks like. Gahh! How did I miss that!

I am on it...

Pictures please.... pretty please.....

rjaypeters · Post by **rjaypeters** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 10:38 pm

A single-coil approach might be helpful:

I assume you're not using that hard-to-bend SC cable.

ladajo · Post by **ladajo** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 2:07 am

I have a couple of spools of 14 THHN, and I was thinking to start with that and low volts DC to see what happens. Then I will look to step up the current in increments and see how it changes. I am a little concerned with setting it up so I don't get some unintended capacitive effects across the glass. But I think the THHN will solve that. Depending on how things go, I have enough kit that I can power the coils with up to 240VDC. But I don't think I will need to go that aggressive to see some cool effects on the plasma.
I think high turns and 12VDC or lower should be interesting enough. I have a couple of current limited supplies I can adapt, and then it becomes a matter of turns. I have soccer games tomorrow, so it may be a day or two before I get something running.