Modding Animating with multilayer engravings

Using multiple acrylic sheet layers isn't anything new. I first demonstrated the technique back in 2002 with a lady and a fireball. Smilodon used the same technique in his door mod/build and boy, the results were stunning.

In the 2002 article I also suggested that the multilayer technique could be used for animation too. This is something that I tested out and the dragon above is one of the results. Still image doesn't do much so here is a Youtube video. I'll be writing a tutorial for the technique, so please, if there are any questions, ask away so I can see what I need to bring up on the text. Thanks.

Edit: Tutorial is now available.

 

That's awesome!

What thickness of glass did you use? And how does it look from an angle? (Thinking of the "parallax offset-problem")

Damn. Now i HAVE TO build me a CNC...

 

Bah no need for CNC.. It would be a cool project, but if you're just wanting to make engravings then it's still faster to just grab the trusty rotary tool and go for it

Looking nice.. The led controlling might need a bit of tweaking, but the idea sure works well.

 

Yeah. you are probably right. Not as cool, though

Now I just need something to try this on... hmm...

I guess some 0603 SMD LEDs would be a good idea for a project like this.

 

Yeah I'd imagine a thin acryl works best and then the leds better be slim as well.

 

I believe the sheets were 3 mm each. I have to measure to confirm this. Four layers so the end results is quite thick and also heavy. I'll include angle shots to the article.

 

Very nice.
... but Intel? Are you waiting for a call?

 

Hehe, I was sure someone would ask that. Actually, it was the only thing that came to my mind when I was looking for something that had three separate items to animate. It worked great for proof-of-concept purposes and I was able to look for "better" ideas after that -> The dragon.

 

good one.
we will be waiting for ur making instruction.and if possible pls do show how u mounted the leds and what circuit u used to lit them one by one.

 

Thanks, I'll include those. Led mounting were there already but I'll add couple of ways to get the leds lit.

 

Try to get some good explanation on different diffusion systems, and how they affect the overall look.

 

Article is now done and visible. Hopefully it brings up a lot of questions and more importantly more ideas to work with!

 

As said before. Looks good

Let's hope we see more of this kind of work pop up now

 

wow that was very good info.thanks.
but i wonder how do u guys manage to get such engraving by hand.i tried once and it was complete failure.some times the bit crosses the boundaries and some times difference in the depth.
this could be bcz i wasn't using proper tool.

yes if there was a small CNC engrave,end product will be nice.

but iam planning to use the tool used by dentists.it rotates at very high RPM's.

and what abt the pulsating type of dremel.it pulses at very high speed causing small dots over the surface.

 

The Dragon was engraved with the Dremel's Engraver tool. That one that pushes the "needle" into the material and pokes those small dots. Here are some more examples.

When engraving acrylics, use as low revolutions as possible. As the material has a very low melting point, the friction will cause heat to build up and melt the plastic. Lower RPM means less heat being generated. Melted material makes the engraving tool/bit jump around and ruins the perfect line.

 

thanks.

after posting the above reply,i was thinking of making the out line using that pulsating type of dremel,followed by some rotating wheel to remove the martial from inside.
can u tell me the rough depth ur maintaining? just a small rough surface will do the job or the material has to be remove up to some depth.

in parallel along with this project,iam trying to build a small CNC engraver.i already finished the controller electronics.the mechanical part is left.

 

Even the smallest scratch comes visible so you don't need to dig deep to get it shine brightly. Deeper you go, the brighter the image will be but around 0.3-0.5 mm should be more than enough for most uses.

 

Practice is the key here. You need to get the feeling of how the tool behaves. Engraving plexi requires a pretty firm grip around the tool as well, so regular breaks may be necessary. Also, try to engrave arches from the "open" side. This way your hand can follow a more natural path. Moving the tool toward you and away from you give you different kind of control. Moving away from you gives you more control of depth, while moving the tool towards you makes it easier to follow a line.

Oh, and if you are engraving in several passes, NEVER rely on the groove in the glass to hold the tool in place. Hold the tool as if you were engraving freehand.

For depth i usually go for "one fingernail". This will depend on the length of your nails and how hard you push your finger, but this makes it very easy to feel any high and low spots.

I usually go for about 20-50% of the glass thickness.

 

This is interesting. I believe that in my case we are talking about 2-7%. Funny to see such a difference.

 

deeper cuts mean that you can get away with a less powerful lightsource. This will again enhance contrast.

The drawback is that it's way harder to get even depth all the way. I tend to to all the lines pretty light, then go over several times to make details deeper.