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Here are the results and a key for the detail test that I had printed by Shapeways in stainless steel. The detail is quite remarkable. If this interests you, check out the 3D Printed Metric Hole Test Pattern and Key.
First the scale, compared to a penny:
Detail Test Scale
This is the key in case you want to try to print these yourself in different materials. Click for a larger view.
Detail Test Key
And finally the front and back. Click for larger views.
Detail Test Side 1
Detail Test Side 2
Below is the key for the Metric Hole Test Pattern object, which is available at Shapeways.com. It is a flat, 3 millimeter thick piece with standard metric drill bit size holes, and can be used just as a decoration, or to measure detail, accuracy, and distortion (holes and flatness) in printed materials. It’s also useful for judging the printed sizes of clearance or tap holes, or choosing a hole size to match a part you already have.
Holes range in size from 1mm to 3mm in 0.1mm steps, and from 3mm to 10mm in both 0.1mm steps and 0.25mm steps.
Shapeways Printable Metric Hole Test Pattern
The holes organized in “rows” and placed as efficiently as possible in order to limit material use. This results in a unique and beautiful shape. There are also small bumps on the edges to indicate the odd (x.25 and x.75) measurements. It is 3mm thick so that it can be printed with a variety of materials, including stainless steel.
Shapeways Printable Metric Hole Test Pattern
It was a bit of a challenge figuring out the ideal hole placements…
When I started using Blender again recently with Vista, I noticed that when I launched it I would only get a blank (black) screen. The command window screen was black, of course, but at least it reported “Checking for installed Python… got it!” The problem was that the main Blender window was blank.
It will work again if you switch from “Highest (32-bit)” color to “Medium (16 bit)” in Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization > Display Settings, but that doesn’t make for good rendering. Instead just turn off the Windows Aero color scheme.
They say Windows Aero doesn’t slow anything down on your machine, but if you can’t use the tools you need, you might need to disable it. Here’s how:
In Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization > Window Color and Appearance, select a Color Scheme other than Windows Aero, them make sure you’re using “Highest (32-bit)” color in Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Personalization > Display Settings. You’ll lose the fancy transparent chrome effects, but you’ll be able to use Blender again.
In the A $6 Custom Branding Iron post, I showed off a branding iron I had “printed” in stainless steel by Shapeways.com for US$6, after using the free vector image editor Inkscape, and parametric modeling software Alibre Design, which also has a free version called Alibre Design Xpress.
This tutorial requires a working knowledge of Alibre Design (or other 3D parametric modeling software) and Inkscape (or other vector graphics editing software).
$6 branding iron
Here are the steps I took to make it happen: (I’ll add more detail over time.)
Here’s a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) drawing of a 24-tooth saw blade. I needed a simple circular saw blade clipart image for a logo I’m working on, but I couldn’t find a usable one online so I created my own.
Enjoy!
Here’s a cool painting of the Matterhorn. Please comment if you happen to know who painted it, or if you have any ideas on how to find out.
Here’s a close-up of the signature.
Here are a couple more piano tunes I wrote a while back while I was tinkering around with the fugue style.
In a 3-voice fugue, the main theme is introduced in the first voice, then repeated an interval above with the second voice enters, then again below when the third voice enters. In most cases, after the voices finish their themes, they go off and do their own things for a little while (actually with some variations of parts of the theme) before the main theme comes back again at the end.
I chose a different instrument to record these (other than piano) mainly because I liked the sound of it.
Click the “Play” icon to listen.
Alex Franke - Fugue 1
Alex Franke - Fugue 2
Here are several pencil sketches by Ernst Franke, probably from around 1905-1910. They were all drawn, in the order shown, in a small sketchbook.
Please comment if you are able to identify any of the subjects. They may be from Kempen, Nettetal, or Kaldenkirchen in Germany, or from Venlo in the Netherlands.
