Prometheus Rising Studios   Ben Mininberg's models, toy customs, and design work.

I know I’ve been quiet for the summer, but I finally have new things to show, but I think you guys are going to like them.  In my last Adventures in Shapeways post, I showed off some basic modeling and print tests that were just a way for me to get a handle on making something on screen and having it show up at my doorstep.  Now we’re into real designs, starting with the PBT-0XX Bounce Tortoise prototype.  Power armor in the Starship Troopers, Dorvack, and Machinen Krieger tradition is one of my favorite things.  With the infinite possibilities afforded by CAD, I decided to start with a power suit.

The PBT-0XX Bounce Tortoise was inspired by Dorvack and more Western power designs.  The sculpt was also intended as a way to gain more practice with certain features in Pro/E, and with some toy design goals in mind.  This first print was intended as a sizing test, and has a couple of issues that have since been ironed out.  This print is in Shapeways’ White Strong Flexible Polished, and is actually pretty good looking.  The issues I experienced with the prints from my earlier post did not come up here, and the polished finish looked better than I expected.  I’ve been working on and off on the design since April, and finally getting a plastic figure in my hand was a surreal experience.

PBT-0XX is only the beginning!  Stay tuned for further installments of Adventures in Shapeways!