Hi all

Lately I have started doing some simple modding. I now have a few questions I'm hoping someone or someones can help me out with. They're not the sort of questions that have answers through the search function.

1. In one of Tony Fisher's videos (I think the golden truncated cube), he makes plastic or something similar by mixing 3 ingredients together in a jar and pouring into the slot. This is an alternative to capping or milliputting. He has a cap taped on so that the liquid which is to harden stays inside. What are those 3 ingredients, and are there any instructions anywhere for the correct amounts etc? That way looks so much easier than capping or milliputing.

2. What are people's opinions on Polishing or painting plastic? As in, which is better? I can't discount painting as Tony has used that method also.

3. If I make some puzzle, how do I know whether it's been made before or not? I'm thinking that first looking in the Museum, then asking Andreas would be the first step. Are there any other obvious methods?

4. A specific example: Adam Cowan made the ghost cube first (according to the museum), but there now seem to be 2 people making and selling it on the TP forums. Would they have some arrangement with Adam or would Adam just not care about any rights to it? [I'm not at all asking this to see if I can make and sell it; just to understand things]

5. Some may have seen recently that I made my 1st mod (viewtopic.php?f=15&t=25020), which apparently no-one had made before. (I assume this because Andreas asked for measurements etc and for a name). Does that mean I now have the "rights", such as they are, in that if people were doing the "respect the maker" thing and wanted to make it to sell, they would ask me first? [Again, I'm not at all suggesting this mod would be in any demand, just trying to understand things...]

Many thanks for any clarity on these things.

1. I believe he is using your basic resin in that video. The difficulty comes from two things (in my opinion)...firstly, to do something like that, you have to make sure the seal is extra tight because the resin loves to find a way to completely seep out, and secondly, some resins I have used have been very very finicky about the precision of the mixture. Most of the time it is a 1:1 ratio.

5. Yes! So if I wanted to make one to sell, I would have to run it by you. You have all the power in this situation. But it is basically an honor system so one could just as easily make one to sell in secrecy with little repercussions (except extreme loss of respect from TP forums)


-HP

@4: It is OK for Adam G. Cowan if somebody makes a Ghost Cube by hand and sells it. (I'm quoting Dave (Dlitwin = our admin) here.) A reference to the original builder shows the appropriate respect, though.
I think this is especially nice of Adam, but you cannot generalize this. E.g. Tony Fisher has published a list of puzzles that you should not make and sell. Making them for your own personal use is accepted.

Thanks Hunter and Konrad for your answers.


OK. Well I'm still interested in what the three ingredients were. you mentioned a 1:1 ratio, but there were clearly 3 things.


Konrad, I must admit this initially confused me, but I think I'm following now. You were saying that Adam has given this permission, for hand builds, for this particular puzzle. But that's it. I am well aware of Tony's requests and having struggled through my 1st couple of mods, I completely understand!

I'm a little surprised that no-one else has contributed. Is there no other wisdom out there? Please, if you have a few minutes, help lift the fog from my mind, especially with questions 2 and 3.

I would ask Tony, but I'm sure there is a high chance that the third ingredient is dye.

I did ask Tony. He advised me to post the questions on the forum.

4 ingredients- polyester resin, hardner, dye, filler

I have zero experience with polyester so you are really blowing my mind

I can speak only for myself.
2. I have never painted a puzzle so far. Therefore I have no first-hand-experience. Maybe you want to as some experienced painters directly:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=22577
3. I do not know any other obvious method.

I know these answers are not very helpful. That is why I stood silent first place.

Well, I'll kick that off, I prefer using black because it's easier to colour match black on black, whereas white on white will show up minor differences in colour more. That being said I've used white and I don't mind it either, I don't think the results are devistating, black is just a bit better. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24965

`Personally` I prefer not to paint or dye. Paint will always wear on rubbing, even if given a clear coat, that will eventually wear, and if you're going over white, when it wears it will be obvious. Dye has very thin penetration and in my experience, with plastic, it wears too, especially if you are doing something heavily contrasting like changing white to black (SW appears to have more penetration, even though it's still not much, and I haven't found the same problem).

The best results that I have achieved have been with just black plastic and black milliput. First sanded down with grades of wet&dry down to about 800 seems to be enough, go finer if you want, then car scratch remover polish (a very fine abrasive compound). The surface comes up like a mirror finish and there is nothing to rub off or wear through. The differences in the colours are acceptable to me, barely noticable, and external surfaces are mostly covered with stickers anyway. I would imagine that coloured resin would produce the same kind of results.

Cheers,
Burgo.

The reason I haven't said too much here is because there are so many variables. Every situation and material being worked with have their own dos and donts. Even your location has an affect. Some chemicals can not be shipped by air or are horrendously expensive outside where they are normally sold. In addition people have their own leaning towards a certain method. Experimentation is all I can advise.

I really agree with you Mr Tony..
I had experienced this because I live in Indonesia,, for example I can't find milliput in here so I had to purchased it overseas which will make it far more expensive.. So I use Epoxy Clay instead,,but I wouldn't recommended it because it would easily crumbled or broken..

Maybe we could make a thread "what do you use to filled cubies" for example, or "what painting method did you prefer and what are the tools etc".. for that thread answers we can sum it up and make it into some article in this forum for guidance..

On the topic,,I' m not very capable to answer those questions so I will the professionals answered it.. but maybe I would like to add 1 more questions..
6. What are the criteria for a puzzle to enter the museum?

I'm a little confused about it,,here are some example.. 3x5x5 cube pillowed, 3x5x5 proportional & 3x5x5 Traiphums.. all together are the same cuboid, I know there are different between them such as mech or the shape.. but I found it odd for some other puzzle that also had this case but never enter the museum.. I would love if the museum catch all our creation so it can be more inspiring for future member..
sorry if I'm mistaken,,just my 2 cent..

Maulana