Hi guys, here is my latest "SketchUp designed Shapeways printed stickers by Oliver" puzzle, a Ghost Cube.



It is a full 3D print including the mechanism (not just extensions) and requires six standard screws & springs for assembly. I tried to make it as close as possible to the original designed by Adam Cowan. I decided to get it in WSF polished because I wanted it white + black stickers like the original, and the polished material does not pick up dirt as easily as "raw" WSF does.

One slight mistake was that I did not exactly orient the outside faces to be horizontal and vertical, so some faces show very slight stepping, but it is hard to see once the stickers have been applied.

That is beautiful Gus! I'm very very impressed!

Thanks, I've always wanted a Ghost Cube, but my building skills are not good enough to do a hand mod So my only option was to buckle down and fire up my trusty 3D software.

Your work amazes me, and the fact you can do this with google sketchup is even better! Have any plans for a video tutorial on how? Kind of like this? But for us people without solidworks

Looks great!
I have another ghost puzzle in the works as well

I'm so glad Gus, you already had a Ghost Cube and it looks marvelous! Will that be on your Shapeways Shop?

I suppose that the original inventor Adam G. Cowan wouldn't be happy, if Gus makes it available on Shapeways.
You can buy it from Adam here.
Adam does not object if someone sells handmade versions.
Probably, he will see a Shapeways version differently.

@Gus: Very nice puzzle! May I ask why you made one yourself? Because you just wanted to make it or to save money?
If you consider the formula time = money, this puzzle was probably quite expensive.

@Konrad: Well I wanted a Ghost and, what with all the hand made ones, didn't realise that Adam still sold his version on Shapeways. And I did it just to see if I could. I'd already done some design work to help other TP members do their hand made versions.

@Hex: Konrad is correct, I doubt that Adam would be very happy with me selling this on Shapeways, especially as mine is about 1/3 his price

Well, the price should be lowered then. Selling these for $400 is just absurd.

Chris

Well, I see $178.62 WSF, polished for somone ordering it from the U.S. here
Where do you get the $400 from?

Well, I agree that these cubes demand a very high price ($400 for a hand-made version is not unusual) because they are rare and it takes a lot of work to make one. A cheaper version would benefit everyone. (But I would say that wouldn't I? )

I asked for an assembled price ready to roll. The quote I had from a seller, not sure if its Adam, said 400. Quote. That's where I got 400 from.

Well, here is an auction for a custom Ghost Cube for currently $125 (9h 55m to go)

mizzle576, do you talk about an assembled Shapeways Ghost Cube?

Gus, would yours be at 1/3 of the mentioned $178.62?
That would sound surprising, wouldn't it .

Well, when I look on Shapeways for Ghost Cube, by PuzzleWorks, the price in WSF is $204.48 (I guess that is because of different sales tax) so mine is a little over 1/3 of that. Maybe Adam's version has solid pieces? And my version does need a screw/spring/washer set, but these are very cheap.

There is always a portion of profit that gets calculated in I believe So not just material cost, but the designer getting paid as well

When I put in "Country United Kingdom" I see this


Strange, isn't it?

It only updates the price for me when you click "Buy Now" - then you see the price for the country selected, presumably including taxes or whatever extras there are.

Different taxes come into play when ordering from Shapeways depending on where you are in the world. Depending on the location, that can add quite a bit to the cost.

Also, here are a few reasons why the price would be different between my design and the one Gus made:
1. My design uses a 1.2mm wall on the pieces. I find that the puzzles with really thin walls <1mm feel a bit too thin and flexible for my preferences.
2. The no-fasteners core has more material in it than an equivalent screw and spring design.
3. My version is a 60mm cube (I don't know the dimensions of Gus's, but if it is smaller, then it will be less expensive to print)
4. Markup. (I don't pay myself money to order my puzzle, but other people do.)


The price for a completed one will be a little more than the price on Shapeways depending on what you want done (dye, stickers, etc.). It won't add up to $400 unless you want something really exotic for the stickers...

Adam

Adam did not mention in his post above, but he has asked me not to sell my design on Shapeways or sell any completed puzzles, and I will respect his wishes

Regarding the design differences, my model uses 1mm wall thickness and it is also 60mm along an edge.

I would be grateful for assistance in creating a ghost-cube.

Now, Adam has said that he is still selling his Ghost Cube on Shapeways, or he will supply completed puzzles, which is why he asked me not to sell mine. The only practical thing I could do to help you would be to send you my 3D design files, but I don't think Adam would be too happy about that. So I suggest that you study the available Ghost Cube pictures and work out what to do (like I did ). Sorry I can't help.

The photographs are very hard to understand. I would like to collect ghost-cube by hand at home

Indeed they are, and that is the point of Ghost Cube! I have to admit that I do not have the hand-building skills necessary to make a Ghost Cube, and I admire those who do.