Acrylic and Blue Foam Maquettes

Having modified the Rhino drawings to feature yet more minor changes to the mechanism design I decided I really needed to make an acrylic maquette (above). Although I have delayed using acrylic keeping the material costs in mind it has become necessary to test exactly how the minimal material will perform in terms of tolerances.

An idea that has crossed my mind before this point is making the entire PEZ clear to show the mechanism functioning internally as the dispenser is operated. I feel that the amount of work involved in keeping the joints clean and clear is far too great at this point in the project. I do however intend to keep this first acrylic maquette when displaying the finished piece to demonstrate the mechanism.

This acrylic maquette allowed me to test the upper mechanism extension which will fit within the sculpt (above). In order to ensure the mechanism was a solid as possible I reinforced the joints by using Tensol 70, as previously used in the making of my acrylic cases. 

On trying to place the mechanism into the body I head a cracking sound which turned out to be a 1mm overhang in the topping piece of acrylic (below). The overhang was left over from the standard PEZ drawings which I had overlooked when it came to adding the mechanism. I simply sanded the overhang back to meet the main 5mm body pieces and will fill then sand the top back before spraying.

For the first time within the body I was able to make the mechanism work (below). The addition of the upper extension along with strong Tensol joints seems to have made the dispensing action much smoother and defined than any of the styrene mock ups were. 

The thread holding the counter weights within the body broke once. Although this failure of the thread is uncommon I can't allow it to happen on the finished piece as replacing it will prove difficult if not impossible without damage. I will purchase a stronger thread intended for bigger fishing. At present the weights hang freely and thus can move freely within the body potentially causing further strain on the thread (below). To prevent this freedom to move I will incorporate two tubes in which the weight will be restricted to simply moving up and down as required.

Asking around amongst fellow students I was encouraged to decrease my proposed size of the sculpt. At first I was unsure and so was Paul. However upon reducing the size to approximately a third of the overall size somehow makes the sculpt size appropriate in relation to both the standard PEZ and the Oscar award itself. Printing a reduced size guide I was able to cut a rough blue foam guide to get a better understanding of how the sculpt will be formed and will sit in relation to the mechanism and body (below).

Roughly carving the form of the sculpt indicated to me that I need to add some sort of supporting walls either side of the mechanism to prevent the sculpt clashing once cast. Initially I was surprised at the size of the gap exposed at the back of the sculpt. The dimensions in relation to the standard PEZ are very close to being exact however there are obvious differences in the mechanism design which leave the back feeling more exposed (below right). I will discuss this with the tutors.