Peter "Sci" Turpin

Twitter Updates for 26-09-2010

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 23:27:03 GMT

It has been a profoundly unpleasant few weeks. Things are looking up again though. Aiming to clear current orders shortly. Updates soon. 00:25:47

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=277

comments

Twitter Updates for 01-09-2010

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:20:28 GMT

Have had several very late nights. Have re-arranged this years accounts from scratch, & have been doing database tutorials for an inventory. 18:38:21
A new 50mm glass sphere has arrived. I intend to make a cradle for it before making new moulds. Should give eyes a mounting surround. 18:40:19
Being up until 4am though, missed the post today. My bad. Some items will ship Thursday now. 18:41:10

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=276

comments

Twitter Updates for 29-08-2010

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:30:39 GMT

Huzzah! Two-pot mixing and corrected mix ratio has solved the soft-spot issue in the clear epoxy. Now to get new masters to work with. 21:15:26

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=275

comments

Twitter Updates for 21-08-2010

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:22:39 GMT

Part two of the new moulds is setting in the hot-box. Prototypes of another few new items look promising. 00:20:52
Unlikely they'll be any updates for a couple of days. Will be running around with some personal-life stuff. Be squeezing work around it. 00:22:03
Yikes, in just 3 castings the new epoxy has turned a glass-smooth mould into a satin one. MUST use mould-release. 22:10:37
Two part mould is working! Am casting one pre-recessed claw every 15 minutes! When I have 10 or 12, I will make the bulk mould from them. 22:52:13
@lightsguydave It's pretty close! Just unset residues. Phoned supplier. Small cock-up in instructions. May work now. in reply to lightsguydave 22:53:36

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=274

comments

Twitter Updates for 19-08-2010

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:35:29 GMT

It's not a lot, but got new mould development moved forward. Should be good to go on new aspect tomorrow evening. Running low on silicone. 23:48:15
Also new lots of the ladies shirts arrived today! 23:48:39

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=273

comments

Twitter Updates for 18-08-2010

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:21:30 GMT

This batch of claws has torn the moulds to pieces. Can probably do a few more and manually drill all the holes. 22:11:05
Will have to re-think the new mould design quickly. 22:14:58

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=271

comments

Twitter Updates for 17-08-2010

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:21:10 GMT

Another batch of pads casting. Also have another test mix of clear eye-blanks in the cabinet. Fingers crossed. 00:08:17
@lightsguydave Thanks for the sympathy man! in reply to lightsguydave 11:42:38
More delays. Several hours spent on workshop roof trying to find and seal a leak. Now covered with tar. Me and the roof. 22:07:13
@lightsguydave Know anything about the chemistry of epoxy resins? The water-clear's still not setting quite right. in reply to lightsguydave 22:10:55
Metallic pigment in regular resin just looks glossy grey. Added some to leftovers of next clear epoxy test-cast. Looks much better so far. 23:34:51

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=270

comments

Twitter Updates for 16-08-2010

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:46:35 GMT

That's the first time in a long while that something's exploded in the degass chamber. Big mess! 23:38:50
Enough acetone left to clean it up.
Gotta love the way it eats through the gloves though and gets in cuts. >_O 23:40:22
Also the milling machine was collected with minimal fuss. It's home-made & will require a lot of alterations, but does basically work. 23:45:04

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=269

comments

Twitter Updates for 15-08-2010

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:30:12 GMT

"If the master is made of glass or ceramic, it is possible that the silicone rubber may stick to it" Should have read guide more carefully. 22:04:16
Two of the glass eye-mould masters are now fused to their moulds. Still thinking what to do now. 22:05:39

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=268

comments

Twitter Updates for 12-08-2010

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:26:48 GMT

Next batch of ladies-size shirts has been ordered. ETA before next LF meet. Business account pretty much depleted now. 16:09:10
Couple of days off for visitor now over. Back to getting castings finished and prepping for installation of the milling machine. 16:10:10

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=265

comments

Twitter Updates for 07-08-2010

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:21:58 GMT

Promising results with translucent epoxy claws: http://www.starborneworks.com/offsiteimages/Dscf3291b.jpg 02:50:40

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=264

comments

Twitter Updates for 06-08-2010

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:41:35 GMT

The Mk2 cargo cart is assembled. The shop will be at tomorrows (the 7th) LondonFur meet. 22:42:03
Suspect the unset portions in the new clear epoxy may be a bad mix ratio. Maybe bad mixing. Have ordered clear graduated mixing cups to fix. 22:43:33
Bidding on an unusual milling machine on ebay. If won, will make Bonsai RepStrap dev easier & allow mould-making for injection moulder. 22:45:13
Imagining injection-moulding anthro heads for lego men.. 22:46:26
Waiting for the new mixing cups will hopefully give me time to make fresh eye moulds from the glass masters. Slow & monotonous, but needed. 22:50:58
Order C4: Demoulded. Good casts, but bubbles at tips. Colours ok. Will recast with 2-stage pour. Degass initially to fill tips, then top up. 22:54:07

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=263

comments

Twitter Updates for 01-08-2010

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:30:57 GMT

Back too late to do more casting today. Checked on clear items however. Demoulded ok, stuck well to moulds tho. 21:31:04
Clear test: 2nd-gen eye moulds have matted surfaces. May be good effect for some things, but not optically clear. 21:31:45
Clear test: 1st-gen moulds give very smooth surface, optically clear. However some milky "stress lines" under surface. 21:32:54
Clear test: lines may be due to forced degass trial. Other had no such marks. Will make fresh moulds using fast-cure silicone & recast. 21:34:26

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=262

comments

Twitter Updates for 30-07-2010

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:32:50 GMT

Moulds for orders C2 and C4 still curing. Most pink casts for C2 curing. Turquoise casts for C3 curing. 01:22:00
Order C4: New claw moulds look promising. 2nd stage casts soon, then final finished moulds. Should be casting by sunday. 01:22:58
Blank eye moulds for C1 and C2 also curing still. Cool night + crowded heated cabinet. 01:24:06
Eagerly waiting to hear back on availability of metallic pigments, rather than simple filler powders. 01:24:58
Test casts of 40mm half-spheres and 10mm deep 40mm hemisphere are in the moulds and curing. Demould sunday. 23:30:12
Last pink items for order C2 cast and setting. 23:30:47
Re-cast fingerpads for order C3 due to unmixed pigment. 23:31:39
Today purchased some proper tailors scissors. Designed for fabric, they cut through backing fabric like a knife through hot butter. 23:32:31
New scissors mean another small speed boost for production & much tidier cuts for the customer. 23:33:08
Order C4: Some issue with stage-1 mouldings for new claw moulds. De-moulded fine, however pour holes too small. Widening in morning. 23:34:34

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=261

comments

Twitter Updates for 24-07-2010

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:01:04 GMT

Indoor inventory completed! Only took.. 3 days? o_O 00:07:42
No, wait, there's more under the coffee table. Packing supplies. 00:09:18
Still got to inventory the workshop too. Good lord.. 00:09:38
Got more storage boxes, so ready for storing the new batch of shirts. 00:11:34
In the morning I'll be picking up the new camera filters, reflector & hanging rack. Also making better lamps. Bit ghetto, but they'll work. 00:14:03
Also planning out inventory database using OpenOffice Base. Hoping it'll keep things better tracked. 00:17:15

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=260

comments

Twitter Updates for 19-07-2010

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:23:30 GMT

Today I'm putting a door on the attic eaves. Stock will be stored in there soon. The door will stop the cats from sleeping on it. 16:41:56

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=259

comments

Twitter Updates for 16-07-2010

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:16:12 GMT

5 test scarves sitting in water overnight to test colour-fastness. Red failed in 2 min, but different type fabric from the others. 00:36:28

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=258

comments

Twitter Updates for 15-07-2010

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:25:12 GMT

Been advised of new scarf supplier, but too late to order. Bought cotton, trying to make my own instead. 20:18:40

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=257

comments

Twitter Updates for 14-07-2010

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:43:18 GMT

No cooling scarves. 2nd supplier were ordering from same place I went 1st, who have no idea when they're getting more stock. 14:54:08

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=256

comments

Twitter Updates for 11-07-2010

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:26:37 GMT

New clear casting resin is on order. Remaining old order will ship tomorrow. New improved moulds have been planned out. 22:44:15
Have got a few lightweight folding trolleys in stock, excellent for carrying costume storage boxes up to 20Kg. Will be selling for £10. 22:45:47
Got some leis and aviator sunglasses in for the LondonFurs Summer Party on Saturday. Still waiting on cooling scarves. 22:47:25

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=255

comments

Twitter Updates for 09-07-2010

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:23:52 GMT

All casting orders complete! One item remains unshipped; waiting for new postage address. 17:25:04
Now to work on some wings and art.. 17:25:18

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=254

comments

Twitter Updates for 08-07-2010

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:21:34 GMT

Two orders posted today, two to go! 21:38:44
All remaining casting orders seem complete! All should ship tomorrow! 23:43:50

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=252

comments

Twitter Updates for 02-07-2010

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:31:12 GMT

Another American order shipped! 4 casting orders to go, one set of wings, one drawing. 19:31:59

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=251

comments

Twitter Updates for 01-07-2010

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 23:21:18 GMT

Fresh yellow pads and blue claws all look okay. Will post them tomorrow. 21:51:15
Test moulds of glass spheres for eye-making generally okay. 50mm sphere has inclusions due to speck of epoxy. Probably from suspension jig. 21:52:37
More parts for Bonsai Repstrap arrived today. One bearing missing however. Awaiting seller response. Other parts look fine. Need washers. 21:53:50

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=250

comments

Twitter Updates for 29-06-2010

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:44:51 GMT

Have just purchased 32 cooling scarves! Contain water-retaining crystals spec'd to keep you cool for 3 days. For sale at LF Summer Party! 21:59:09
Apologies for the lack of updates. Been badly affected by the heat. Catching up again. 22:02:26

Crossposted to Dreamwidth from my business site. Please leave comments on the original if possible. http://www.starborneworks.com/?p=249

comments