Re: Producing translucent plastics for case parts

["Bryan Villados" <news002@macgeek.org>]

Thanks for the photos. I've seen this before on AppleFritter awhile back.
The problem with this particular item is that it doesn't look like it was
created via an injected molding process, which is what I'm particularly
interested in. You can tell that this was put together using pieces of
pexiglass by just looking at the edges.

The reason why I'm more interested in experimenting with injection molding
is that you can re-create a part almost 100-percent and that it would fit
perfectly into a shell that already exists. Bigger cases, such as the Apple
IIgs case, would obviously need to be developed in several pieces. If you
look at the IIgs case carefully, you can see that it has many seams.

Like Leslie recommended earlier, I'm going to start looking around Oahu to
see who's offering injection molding services, and probably expand outside
of Hawaii if nothing's available locally. I'm clearly understanding now that
the most expensive part of all of this is creating the mold itself. The
injection of the resin or other plastic seems to be the cheap part of it
all.

"Terry & Utahna Olsen" <tolsen64@nospam.boycot.dns2go.com> wrote in message
news:1OIM8.143233$cQ3.4218@sccrnsc01...
> Check these out...Transparent Apple ][
>
>
> "Leslie Ayling" <redskulldc@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:%pGM8.278528$o66.719357@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> >
> > Hi Bryan,
> >
> > I tried this a couple of years ago with an Amiga 500 case.
> >
> > Firstly I made a mould of the upper and lower case halves using
> > an orange fibreglass tooling gelcoat with wooden backing to keep it
> > rigid, plus with guide pins to be able to line up the halves later.
> >
> > I then experimented with clear resin, and several plastics.
> >
> > The resin case looked the best, but was too fragile.
> >
> > The plastic varieties were not quite as transparent though still
> > pretty good. Could have been my fault in the preparation,
> > since it was my first try using plastics.
> >
> > The resin was poured in from the top and allowed to settle, where
> > as the plastic versions were pumped in from the bottom until
> > the mixture exited the top of the mould.
> >
> > Your local fibreglass (fiberglass for you yanks) store should have
> > info pamphlets on making moulds and working with resin/plastics.
> >
> > Good luck,
> > Leslie
> >
> > "Bryan Villados" <news002@macgeek.org> wrote in message
> > news:3d031738$2_4@news5.nntpserver.com...
> > > Hi!
> > >
> > > I'm curious to see if anyone on this group has ever worked with
casting
> > > customized plastic parts, particularly translucent plastics that could
> be
> > > used to create translucent cases?
> > >
> > > I started researching this after seeing an clear-cased Apple Macintosh
> > Color
> > > Classic that was mentioned as being a prototype. Though I don't
believe
> > that
> > > it was a true prototype, I did some research and found out that
creating
> > > customized translucent parts is growing in popularity, especially in
> > Japan.
> > >
> > > Here are several links I've found that discuss about the subject:
> > >
> > > http://www.powerbook.org/duo-zone-e/danger/project-s.html
> > >
> > > http://www.powerbook.org/duo-zone-e/danger/clear-parts.html
> > >
> > > http://www.tangal.com/clearcc.html
> > >
> > > http://regnirps.com/SEF/seitem.htm
> > >
> > > One of the things I've always wanted to do was make a clear Apple
IIgs,
> or
> > a
> > > clear Apple II+.
> > >
> > > Aloha!
> > >
> > > --- Bryan
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>