How To Make Almost Anything Neil Gershenfeld

BENJAMIN VILLA

MIT Center For Bits And Atoms


3D PRINTING + SCANNING

Fab labs share an evolving inventory of core capabilities to make (almost) anything, allowing people and projects to be shared. These are my projects.

3D Printing & Scanning

10.06.21

Making: Death Mask & Sensual Chess Set

[1] Using the 3D Spider Scanner I wanted to make a death mask to have just in case. I began by trying out the Sense scanner but I wasn’t able to achieve desirable results, so I moved to the higher resolution Spider Scanner. It took a few tries to be able to get it right. I started exploring with my hand to see how accurate it could get. It was quite impressive. After that, I tried scanning my face. After multiple attempts with varying lighting conditions, I managed to get it almost right. I overlayed multiple scans to get a deathly look. Then, using Rhino I added a few finishing touches the 3D Spider Scanner couldn’t get, and then sent it to the 3D Printer. It was quite an impressive result. It made me think of all the time this would have taken in previous ages. It took a lot of talent to make sculptures in classical times, and little to no talent on my part to create this ghastly death mask.

In addition to this, to counter the death theme, I designed a sensual chess set. Death and sensuality. As I had already printed a death mask, I wanted something more positive. Who said chess can’t be sensual? After a lot of tries, I managed to get the right curves to resemble the theme. I tried 3D printing my set but had multiple failed prints. I will continue to attempt this 3D printing next week.

Considerations:
- Attempt different lighting conditions when using the 3D Spider Scanner.
- Get someone to help you scan the back of your head and hair.
- Hold the 3D Spider Scan in one place using small strokes to allow it time to process difficult parts you are scanning.
- You can join multiple scans into one
- Don’t import scanned surfaces if you don’t need them as they require very large files (and for privacy reasons, you might not want to have all this information together).
- When 3D printing make sure the print is a closed solid.
- Make sure 3D prints are modeled on the print bed.
- Stay around the beginning of 3D prints, as it is in the beginning that most 3D prints fail.