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Tuesday, April 12, 2022

moon gel experiment

Tried melting it over boiling water. This took so long, and it didn't even turn fully to liquid even after 30+ minutes over boiling water. It also solidified instantly when i took away from the boiling water. Result is super flexible, but not very durable.

material experiments

The thinner the silicon is, the more flexible it becomes. But it also becomes a lot less durable.

The object that i use to displace the object also needs to be stronger. In some cases the thread simply cuts through the object. I tried with rolled up piece of latex, but the thread managed to untie itself.

The 0010 shore silicon is byfar the best option. However, maybe its just the current shape / the way its secured that allows it to be this flexible. E.g. if its modelled like a blob, will it have more endurance?

Thick latex is way too strong. It can't be displaced at all. Thin latex is pretty durable and stretchy, however it sticks to istself too much. Maybe try to put some powder on it before removing.

Shore A5 silicone is neither more durable or flexible than the shore 0010 one. Seems to crack more easily once it has some tear.

The moon gel is super flexible, but also very very weak. However, maybe I could try to melt it down and pour it into a mold to make a bigger piece.

The pendulum object ended up being too thin, i couldn't remove it from the paper without it tearing into pieces. I should try one more time, while letting the silicone cure for a bit first, and just with a bigger hole in the cup suspended by the pendulum. However, it is incredibly flat currently. I thought i could "model" it as a flat surface and simply twist and turn it around to create a "spiderweb" / network - like object. Not sure if this will be possible.

Saturday, April 9, 2022

gel pad, silicone 01

The black Fixate Gel Pad seems more flexible than the silicone. It has a little bit more initial resistance, but it can be stretched much more (4cm diameter can easily be stretched up to 25-ish cm.). 7x7cm silicon can also be stretched up to 25-ish cm but requires more strength and the object is also almost twice as big initially. However, it tears very easily once it has some wear.

However, when it is pulled like this, it seems that the silicon is more flexible, maybe because it has less resistance? Or it could be because of the shape? Neither of the objects are very durable.

Thursday, April 7, 2022

flexibility test

Testing flexibility of the silicone objects. Setting up the object with the strings takes up a lot of time, so I wanted to make an object where I can more quickly make changes. The motor is pretty loose currently, I need to add something the keep it from moving. I thought I should try to make the "environment" as close as possible to the final object to see how flexible it will actually be. Two layers on the top to make it stronger. Thought maybe it could break / bend with the motor "pushing" it down.

Thought also it would be a nice opportunity to experiment with a different look than the previous experiment, using carabiner clips to hang the object up.

Testing two different objects. One with a "knob" that can be pulled and one with just a tiny "knob". The flexibility is pretty good on both objects, but maybe this is a result of the shape of the object and that they're better secured than my previous attempts. However, not sure how durable it is. Silicone square is 7x7 cm, 5mm ish thickness.

Friday, April 1, 2022

conceptual renders

Renders, 30x30x30 aquarium.

Going forward I think I should make a bunch of little squares in silicone / latex with different thickness. Then experiment with cutting different patterns into them and try to pull it to see which is more flexible.

Then when i have some idea about which is best, make another mold and make a full model.

silicone_05

Another attempt with silicone. This was done without a positive object inside, as a result it has some uneven thickness. Bottom right has pretty thin thickness. Top left has moderate thickness. With this attempt i tried to cut some little holes in the top left where the string is pulling it (living hinges). It definitely makes it more flexible, but not as flexible as i want it to be. Bottom right is pretty flexible, but also not very durable.

slime_00

Experiment with slime. Material is super flexible, but dissolves quickly in water. Also would have to find another way to secure it. Maybe if water density is increased it wouldn't dissolve as quickly / float to the top.

Black slime, not the best choice for this experiment either. Hard to separate it from the background.