I took a 3D scan of my razer orochi mouse http://www.123dapp.com/catch/razer-orochi-cover/3662165 and now I was thinking of laser cutting some wood veneer to match the contour. Is there a application I can import the 3D file and then flatten out the mesh and export as SVG?
This sounds like a great job for the vacuum former, or it we have a small vacuum bag veneer clamping system it would be even better.
You steam or even boil the veneer in water so that becomes very flexible. After 10-15 minutes in the steam/boil you place the veneer on top of form (mouse) and seal bag and apply vacuum. You then leave it under vacuum for a while until the veneer dries. After than you trim to fit with a pen knife.
Even if you could laser cut to the exact shape, I don’t think you could get the veneer to conform without something like the above process. And trimming after it is formed is much easier, since you will not have much time to position the veneer before it looses flexibility.
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I would lasercut the veneer though because I don’t think the veneer will follow compound curves well (basically 3D object to 2D projection mapping). I can try the vacuum bag it with the shell, but the shell is thin I’d need to fill it with a clay or something to it doesn’t deform the plastic. I really like this ebony burl veneer it would look really good as a mouse cover if I could do it right.
If you are at the space I could use the help with this project. Michael helped me paint the mouse but I sanded the mouse so thin there’s a tear in it, would need putty to fill. I think the veneer option would look and feel better.
The problem I see with ‘unforming’ the 3D scan is that your object isn’t comprised of ‘flat planes’, say like a stealth fighter. So you will always be fitting veneer to a compound curves.
From the photo it didn’t appear that you had any particularly nasty curves, so I think vacuum forming the veneer may be your best bet.
If it were me I would pick up some cheap wood veneer (I may have some you can use) and give it a try. I have one of these; Thin Air Press kits you can borrow for your experiments.
I will be at the Space Saturday and Sunday mornings for the HAAS class, so I would be glad to help you after those classes (end a 1pm?).
All you will need is some way to steam or boil small pieces of veneer.
That would be awesome! I’ll be there saturday after 1pm if you could bring that kit. I already have the ebony veneer I want to use. Thanks.
I don’t suggest we start with the ebony veneer, so I will also bring some cheap samples… If they crack, then no loss.
I will say that in my experience when bending wood, it will crack occasionally even if the process usually works.
Also, I have never heard of anyone bending ebony. Some woods bend well and some don’t. Might want to do some research before destroying an expensive veneer like ebony!
You can use Pepakura Designer to unfold 3d objects.
I’ve used it for prototyping on my R/C Tachikoma:
Base design in Lightwave
Paper based 3d model created from Pepakura
Final 3d printed object
You can easily just select the areas that would be made/covered in veneer, and cut them out on the laser cutter. I would suggest doing a few prototype passes using either cheap veneer or posterboard first to make sure your sizes are all correct and that it wraps the object in a way that you like.
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If I’m not mistaken in what you’re asking, if you cleaned up the 3D model, you should be able to use 123D Make to get a laser cutting pattern for unfolding the surface area. I also have several Orochi (they were cheap on Woot a little while ago) so I’d be interested in how this turns out.
-the purring dork
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This is my main push for 3D fab to get a much better 3D scanner, so I can get detailed models for this kind of project.