Intro To Materials

Materials overview.

Notes and references from class overview

• Existing boxes
  • From Radio-shack for the classic black "project box" look.
  • Translucent colorful acrylic boxes (Plastic Land and Container Store) for the modern "project box" look.
  • Reuse old wooden boxes from food and beverages containers etc...
• Rapid prototypes
  • Blue foam
  • Cardboard
  • Foam core
  • Mat board
  • Paper
• Acrylics

Ideal for laser cutting (less than 1/4 in tick).
Can also be used in the wood shop with the right blades and drill bits.

• Modling and Casting

Smooth-on carries easy to use 2 part pouring materials. Mostly:

Poly-urethanes

Cheaper but more toxic, do not come in clear or white but can be colored.

Silicones

More expensive but less toxic, come in translucent white and are often softer and more flexible. Ideal for making molds. Have a shorter life expentency than Urethanes.

Other plastics

Come in a variety of colors (blues, pinks, white) and are best suited for use a cheap mold making material.

Resines

Definitely toxic. Provides the clearest finished product, and also the hardest. A nice brand (slightly less toxic and easy to pour and use is Enviro-tech --not cheap though).

If you bring in any of these products into the shop, make sure you provide the shop staff with the full spec sheets of the product and only use it in a ventillated space.

• 3d printing

Ask about the service available through ITP to print your appropriate 3D models, better suited for small scale projects.
Due to the fragile nature of the material used by the printer, use your printed model as a basis to create a mold and recast the object into the material of your choice.

• Ready-mades & Recyled materials

Hack old electronic devices for their components but also for their cases.
Reuse stuff around to make boxes, containers and interfaces.
Reuse old wood scraps from the shop.