Days 13 & 14 - New colours bring new issues

After the white ABS filament ran out we decided to try the black filament. It took me some time to wind it off the large spool onto the UP! sized spool so that is something to consider when purchasing materials. The black filament has an incredible glossy finish to it and after printing the top part of a recorder (which is full of support material and doesn't work yet) I realised I had to print the slug in black. The result was a perfectly slug-like sheen and all who have seen the slug have been impressed so far.

When removing the raft and support materials from the slug it immediately became apparent (based on me having printed the slug already in white) that the black material has different characteristics - it is somewhat tougher and a lot more flexible than the white filament. I ended up sanding most of the raft away and another issues became apparent; the black material turns grey when it is cut, bent and sanded. I was able to use a small gas torch on the bottom of the slug and the grey areas immediately re-melted and became glossy and black again.

Today was largely spent preparing for the public forum in the afternoon so I only managed to print out a model of a black cockatoo which was a spectacular failure - I learnt that feathers will not print which casts doubts on printing any of the other Australian animals I had hoped to.

With only one week to go until the residency ends I am now questioning how much I can possibly achieve in this time and whether I should attempt anything of a serious nature as I fear that time is against us. The possible arrival of a Makerbot printer and a 3d scanner tomorrow should fill me with excitement but again I fear time is getting the best of us and they might simply prove to be a diversion at this point as learning the ins and outs of the UP! printer have taken up three weeks so far.