Topic: Interest Check, Request for comments! (Read 557 times)

I opened a new thread in the goods section:  https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/update-crypto-rings-in-precious-metals-prototypes-complete-pics-inside-3763219

So I will lock this one up for now. 

Thanks for all the comments everyone!

Awesome, thanks for your support!

Anyone needing some sizing information here is the wiki for ring sizes and it has diameter and circumference measurements that correspond to a size.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_size

Keep checking back I have more designs coming!   

Good luck with the project. Will be buying BTC Signet once in stock.

I will buy one tomorrow if you add the bear and bull one similar to BTC Bull Signet E.

I need to figure out my ring sizing...

Ya I can't wait to see them either.  I'm hoping everything goes smooth on manufacturing side and I get them in a couple of weeks!

Thanks for the comprehensive information and very neat technology I'd say!  Looking forward to seeing the first physical prototype.   

I do have a little more info to share!

The first two designs have been uploaded to my shapeways store (link below)

The BTC Signet is available in
Silver - premium and polished
14k Gold - Yellow, White, Rose
18k Gold - Yellow
14k Gold Plated - Yellow, Rose
18k Gold Plated - Yellow
Rhodium Plated
Platinum
Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel are $25.00 USD
Gold Plated (14k and 18k) are $49.95
Polished Silver is $55.00
Premium Silver is $65.00

Full pricing available at my estore:  https://www.shapeways.com/shops/flying-hellfish

Please Note:  I have Silver and plated prototypes being manufactured.  If you buy a ring now your are basically buying a prototype.  It is probably best to wait until I have physical examples to display.

The shop is brand new nothing fancy at all yet, I will work on it as I get some time.

The latest 2 designs (Stamped or Raised BTC Bull Signet) will be upload to the shop as soon as I get some time!

Stay tuned more to come!  I wish the shop looked better and I had more time but this is a hobby so I can only get so much done in my free time!  Thanks for reading!!

FH

I like em.  Will keep checking back on this thread.

Now that new ring design looks like it would be much more comfortable for the fingers once worn.

I like it. Do you have any idea on metal to be used and prices?  Thanks!

Couple of new designs.  Stamped Bull head or raised Bull head.  I changed it to a "BTC Bull Signet".  For now the Bear head kinda beat me up LOL.  I couldn't get it to match the "logo" style of the Bull and I spent a bunch of time screwing around with it but in the end I didn't like the results.  I may go back to it in the future but for now I just have a Bull on both sides to offer.

I have to confirm printability with the manufacture and once I do I will order a couple samples for everyone to see!

Hope you enjoy.  I am working on more designs, this is turning out to be quite fun!

Hey Bill thanks a lot for the feedback it is greatly appreciated.  I'm not a jewelry designer so this kind of stuff is super helpful.

I am working on a design similar to what you and a couple others have asked about and others I in time.  I also have a couple of prototypes coming so I can check quality, so please check back in once and a while please!

One of the cool things I think about the 3D printed jewelry is the ability to customize each product.  Having a "unique" ring each time does not increase manufacturing cost at all.  Anything that can fit on the ring, inside or out can be made into a model and placed on the ring digitally before production.  Each ring has its own one time use mould so if the rings are the same or slightly different it doesn't matter.  Things like , names, signatures or saying, numbers etc can be modeled into the band easily and printed for each customer.  Things like logos or even some pictures (faces, pets etc) can usually be quickly turned into digital models and placed on the a ring model before production.  It would take a little additional CAD time but nothing to crazy for most cases.

As this is a hobby for me I will update with examples as I can and once I have prototypes back and quality is good I can then talk about price etc.  But like you say plated or sterling options definitely won't break the bank (of the average Bitcoin Whale  )

I really like the "minimalist" design, because as other users have said we're walking a thin line between "gawdy" and "superbowl". That being said, the minimalist design feels like it is still missing something for my taste. I like the bull and bear faces on the side, but I am wondering if it would be possible to make those an indentation, or like a "brand" style icon, rather than a bulging outward segment. That would be extremely cool, and once you have a better idea on price please share what you're thinking. I want a ring, but I don't want to break the bank in order to grab myself one. Since it's plated, it shouldn't be too bad.

I would certainly buy one if I don't have to drop absurd amounts of money, but a few tweaks on the design would be optimal. It would be cool to allow customization for maybe a couple of different styles, but I'm not sure how feasible that would be for fulfilling orders.

You mention that it wasn't designed to be worn, but could that be accomodated? I would much rather have the versatility of being able to wear the ring, rather than it simply only having the ability to sit on a desk. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if possible it would be nice to act a fool with my ring on.

It wasn't designed to wear, more of something to put in a box and display on my desk. 

The other design will probably be available once I have the first piece back and I make sure I like it.  Options if manufacturing looks good would be 14k gold (yellow/white/rose) and 18k gold (yellow only).  A .925 silver option would also be available.

I have a couple pieces being manufactured so I will show the physical examples once I have them.

OT, Perhaps collectibles isn't the right board for my thread?

The over the top bull and bear ring looks unwearable with the side projections much prefer the minimalist design in white or yellow 14K gold.

I would be willing to do whatever you want!!!  As they say BTC talks and bullshit walks.  It would be an honour to have designed and sold the official BTC bitch slapping ring!  I might even name the piece that if it's all good with you 2!

Out of titanium, sure see above!

As a little update:

I had to do a few minor tweeks to the Bitcoin Bull & Bear design.  There were too many small parts that likely wouldn't survive the manufacturing process.
1:  Re-positioned the bulls horns to be "pinned/supported" by the ring body.
2:  Increased size of bull nose ring and "pinned" it to bulls head
3:  Removed the world map from under the  BTC logo.  Central America, Japan and a whole bunch of locations
     were way to small when scaled down to ring size.  I would have had to make them bigger and it looked
     weird when I started to fix it so I scraped it instead.
4:  Closed Bears mouth.  The teeth were to small, rather than removing them completely I closed the mouth
     slightly and merged the teeth together for proper support.



I went ahead and got a quote for manufacturing both rings.  After reviewing the quote I went ahead and ordered 2 of each of the rings.  I ordered a premium polished sterling silver (.925) and 18k gold plated for each style.

Eta I was given is end of May for me to have them.  You can be sure when I get them I will post pics for review.  If they are good quality I will probably offer them for sale.  The manufacture has the ability for the artists to set up an e-store on their site, I may look into that and offer direct BTC sales here.

I am going to do some more designs, I have a bunch of ideas floating around my brain now!
I think one of the next designs might include HODL somewhere!!!
Also please throw out any other suggestions you might like to see incorporated in future designs, please!!!!!

Now THIS raises a serious quandry... would you be willing to create a version with a mirrored BTC?

So that the mark left on the opposing party after such a bitch-slap would be a welt in a normal/legible facing BTC direction...

Oh and out of titanium perhaps?

I’d be honored to be bitch-slapped by that first pinky ring,

New design, for the more minimalist crowd!

I am going to get a quote to manufacture this design in a couple of materials.  If the cost seems reasonable I will get a couple made so I have something physical to show!

Also going to start work on additional designs while I wait for pricing and possibly manufacturing.

Oh and lastly of the 4 freaking pieces of CAD software I use not one of them had an actual silver material...  I ended up having to use a gloss plastic material with a silver paint on it.  The result is not what I would call a realistic representation but it's about as close as I can get!

Awesome stuff man, the first printer I ever owned back in 2012 or maybe 13 was a wood framed makerbot, I wish I still had it LOL!  I spent hours tinkering with the old girl, but I don't have pics from then.

I then moved on to working on a full colour powderbed 3D printer (projet 660) I was involved with some friends who started a 3D selfie business on the side.  This is where I learned the bulk of my CAD skills as I did all the digital post processing of the raw scans to get them print ready!  Printing in 1 or 2 colours is awesome but printing in 6 million colours (full CMYK) and adding texture maps to the models takes it to a whole new level and I learned an unbelievable amount during the companies short life span.

Here is a press release from a national news spot on the company from back in 2014.
https://globalnews.ca/video/1327703/new-company-offering-3d-selfies

My current work with 3D printing is with a client who has the 2 largest DMLS (powderbed laser metal 3D printing, true additive manufacturing) machines in Canada.  They are a tool and die company that is a T1 automotive supplier.  They print exclusively in maraging steel (MS1) and according to my client they are revolutionizing the large high pressure die cast world by adding in conformal cooling to die cavities.  These conformal cooling lines are impossible with traditional manufacturing process.  I am not allowed as you can imagine to share any of that proprietary work here.

I have not printed in any of the precious material before and I wouldn't be the one doing it.  I would upload my designs to Shapeways and have them do it.  This way I have a lot more confidence that the quality of the metal is what it is supposed to be.

I guess at this point I should mention the process a company like Shapeways uses for "3D printing" various metal materials.

3D printed precious metals usually use what is called a loss wax cast method, which allows for high precision jewelry. I guess it may be a bit misleading as the end product is not printed but it is cast.  Basically a high resolution 3D printer creates the model in wax.  Then liquid plaster is poured around the wax model.  Once the plaster sets the wax is melted out in an oven and you are left with a nice one time use mould.  Base metal is poured into the mould and then broken away to leave the cast of the original model!  It can then be plated or polished or any other post processing technique desired.

I haven't got any example of my own work done like this because I haven't done any yet.  I am going to though because it's just to cool not to LOL! I will update the thread with the first piece I do, show the design and when I get the finished product back will do a review and post some pictures.  I think even if I don't sell any enough folks will be interested to see it!

Check out Shapeways to see tons examples of jewelry created this way, the detail and finish appears to be high quality.  But as you know yourself there are limitations on minimum sizes so stuff doesn't break during post, shipping, use etc etc!

Now back to some of the actual questions LOL

I would do it in any material the manufacture is offering.  I don't have a stainless option currently.  They do have a .925 sterling silver option but not a .999 option.

For the other design questions I will do up a few more designs and see what people think.  Originally I had thought of a display piece but if people want something to wear I can handle that!

I'll update with more design pics when I have them.

Very neat to see another 3D printer/CAD enthusiast!  I've been running a 3D Printing/Design service for some time and have designed some custom items for users around here - ★ Digis 3D Printing / Design Service ★ -= Crypto, Logos, Figurines, Custom Parts.   

Although I'd love to hop onto the exotic material printing bandwagon, I haven't seen much progress or actually finished pieces (asides from CAD drawings) that match the level of detail and quality required to produce a part that competes with standard manufacturing practices.  

Do you happen to have any photos or samples of finished pieces you've created in exotic materials (bronze, copper, 14/18k gold plated, sterling silver, 14/18k gold, platinum)?