Shark Scale Inspired Portable Miniature Checkers
Introduction: Shark Scale Inspired Portable Miniature Checkers
This project might be more acurately named - Magnetic Macro Shark Denticle Miniature Checkers.
The pawns were inspired by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of Shortfin Mako shark scales.
With a 8x8cm magnetic checkerboard + drawer for storing the playing pieces, the entire game fits in a 8.6x8.6cm box- perfect travel size.
The idea began years ago with a charity art show raising money for shark conservation. In a discussion about the fluid dynamics around a swimming shark, I came across the images of what shark skin looks like under a microscope. Things just spiraled from there.
Although I don't yet have a 3d printer, I have been (slowly) working on my Tinkercad skills to make a design that can be printed, rather than modeled, carved, molded and poured repeatedly...
Supplies
Pawns:
polymer clay
liquid mold making rubber
Variety of containers for making molds (anything from bottle caps to plastic cups)
Epoxy resin
black epoxy tint
Thick tipped syringe
metal wire
magnets - mine came from a 1euro store set
sharp blade
fine grain wet sand paper
gel super glue
Board:
black metal sheet - I got mine from dismantling a 1euro store dry erase board
1cm washi tape - but any type will do
gloss finish sealer
sharp blade
scissors (that can cut through a thin metal sheet)
Board base and drawer:
Thin cardboard 3mm
Thick cardboard 17.5mm - I got mine from IKEA packaging
tape
ribbon
PVA glue
white paper
gold paint
paint brush
scissors
Box:
I bought a jewelry gift box with lid at the 1euro store.
The internal dimensions of the box bottom into which the board will fit are 8.5x8.5 cm with 3.5cm height.
Similar sized boxes can be found here.
Step 1: Pawn Design
This is really where the whole project began, from scanning electron microscope images of shark scales. For this project I chose the denticles (scales) of the shortfin mako shark.
Start by making a polymer clay model of the denticle. This is a very loose shape because the clay is such a soft material, it's hard to get sharp edges (especially because I used Fimo soft brand).
After burning the shape use a sharp blade to trim down the size, carve the shape and get sharper points.
Finally, sand down the piece with 1500 grain wet sand paper.
*These final 'carving' are probably much easier if you have a dremel. I don't have one so I used what I have and I'm pretty happy with the results.
Step 2: Making Rubber Molds
Stand the model upright in a small container, it has to be deeper than the height of the model.
Mix and pour the mold making rubber over it. When it is cured the model can just be pulled out.
(out of habit I usually also trim the rubber from the sides to make it smaller)
If the process worked well your model piece should pull out whole and can be used again to make another mold.
Tip: Choose a mold making fluid that is very flexible and that does not require cutting to remove the piece. Making and working with a 2 piece mold can be tricky.
Step 3: Pouring Acrylic Pawns
This is the repetitive part, since you need 12 clear pawns and 12 black tinted pawns. 622
The only challenge here is, because of the details in the shape, to minimize air bubbles. This is the method I used that usually gave me good results.
Create a short blunt piece of metal wire which is flexible. I made mine by twisting a folded thin metal wire. Having a blunt end is important because you don't want to poke holes in the rubber of the mold.
Load the prepared acrylic resin into a wide tipped syringe. The material in viscous so it usually would not flow through a thin one.
Insert the wire into the mold into the tip of the scale. Use the syringe to drip the resin onto the wire close the mold opening. Repeat this with all 3 points of the scale. This way the resin should flow down the wire all the way into the tips of the piece.
Once the mold is full squeeze it around a bit to move any trapped air bubbles.
For black pieces - mix a tint into the resin.
*I added an image of my most common pouring pitfalls - air bubbles and pouring clear pieces after having used the mold for black pieces.
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I did not add a link to the acrylic resin I used because I was unhappy with it. 74