In the fall, I switched the majority of parts from FDM to Resin. It saves me time in post-processing and not having to create fill channels for sand and quickcrete for weight and balance, the detail is nice and they feel more realistic.
Over the summer, I fell into some prop-building fun by way of creating a 3d printable Archimedes Dial prop based on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. I thought the movie was fun (though far from perfect) but I was really captivated by the prop and it seems plenty of others’ shared that sentiment. I made & sold a surprising number of them on eBay, participated in eBay Charities, donated quite a few of them and added some additional 3d print capabilities along the way.
The experience has been overall pretty rad and a bit redeeming on several fronts. For one, I had a mostly negative impression of eBay going into this having been ripped off as a seller many times in the not-so-distant past. Also, I’ve been surprised by the positive response from people that got them and made a few new friends along the way. Turns out, Indy people are cool.
Want to buy one?
I’ve mostly slacked off on the weekly builds but may occasionally make a few to try out a new idea or to donate to a particular cause. If you’d like me to build you one, you can order with the listing below. The early builds were made from PLA+, ABS and PLA-CF but I’ve since moved to a Resin process for Dial builds. They just “feel” right.
Small / Regular (used in Action Scenes) ~ 240mm x 210mm x 41mm
- Roughly the size of the prop found at Disney World and probably closest to the on-screen proportions.
Large (used for Hero shot and half-dial scenes) ~ 280mm x 48mm (+/- 2mm)
- Roughly the size of the prop scene at the US Film Premiere Red Carpet.
Both builds are made from a solid resin body and then adorned with a blend of other materials.
Direct Order
Prices:
Small / Regular - $275USD (Sale Price, May 1, 2024 - June 1, 2024)
Large -$650USD (Sold Out)
I’ve been running discounted specials on a few different prop and indy forums as a promotion technique.
Lead time:
Less than a week
Interested? Click the image for ordering page ->
F.A.Q.
Which is the screen accurate size?
- That’s debatable. If you watch the film and extra features, they made and used several different sizes during production. If you, person reading this, have the definitive (not Disney World prop) production sizes please send them to me and I will be forever in your debt.
Is it 100% screen accurate?
- It is pretty close. Some liberties were taken to facilitate printing. The screen-used props were expertly weathered and made from different materials.
Those prices seem steep. Why so much, Greedy-McGreed-Face?
A few things went into my pricing considerations. First: I’m sort of a stickler on quality. I may end up making several before I end up with one that meets my standards and the “seconds” go to homes at a discount with lots and lots of photos, as trades, etc. Some get donated if they are good enough to raise money for a good cause. I’m also not much of a fan on race-to-the-bottom pricing for things at the expense of service. Dad drilled in me to work hard and over-deliver when possible and let the pricing reflect the work. I have spent some effort refining processes to try to bring prices into a more accessible range and my processes are pretty efficient. I am still experimenting with super-premium versions with hand-plated or die-cast parts, mother-of-pearl veneer, etc.
Charities? How do we go about getting a Dial for Charity purposes?
No red tape. Just write up a few sentences on what you have in mind and we’ll work it out.
I heard something about a free-alternative?
My 3d Print model files are completely free and open source and I highly encourage folks to make the builds themselves, it is a gratifying project to complete. People even use them commercially and that’s cool. With the right tools (multi-color capable fdm printer, large resin printer) the build can even be pretty easy. It does involve about 30 parts, 50+ print hours, sanding, priming, paint, assembly, trimming, etc.
Can you still make the FDM-style dials?
- Sure thing. Depending on my filament-stock-levels I may need to source the particular filament I used for the main body but the deliverable time should be about the same.
Do you sell kits?
- I have. It isn’t going to be any cheaper because I’l likely be printing extra parts for kit-builds but I certainly can send you an unpainted and unassembled kit-form of either build type.
Do you sell parts?
- Sure.
If you purchased a Dial from me and part of it broke, you have my contact info - just reach out and I’ll get you squared away; either with replacement parts or a complete replacement Dial. I’ll make every reasonable effort so long as I still have the parts, material and printers to do so.
If you are trying to print your own Dial and need the white parts printed, I’ve sent a few of those multicolor-parts-only kits out by request. There should be little or no charge for this outside of shipping & handling unless I get behind or inundated.
eBay Store
I may, from time-to-time have some pre-built and available for purchase on eBay - you can find that storefront here:
https://www.ebay.com/usr/visi0n9
Awesome / Humbling Buyer Feedback
Build Process Overview
Below is my general build process. I tend to have more than one dial in one of these phases at any given time and these days are not contiguous, they rely on my work schedule, humidity and other factors.
Day One
The printers print parts. For the main body I use an Elegoo Jupiter, for the compass assemblies I use an Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra. For the remainder I use 2 Bambu X1Cs, and a Bambu P1S
Day Two
UV Curing for MSLA parts, additional printing for FDM parts.
Day Three
Prep. I remove supports, sand and clean parts and paint them with a Black Primer
Day Four
I paint the parts. The gold is a Krylon Gold Leaf, available in liquid and aerosol form from Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Lowes and Amazon. I use a mixture of airbrush, aerosol and physical brush.
Day Five
Assembly Day. More light sanding and surface prep, then I glue any parts that need to be glued, reprint anything that was missing, lost or doesn’t meet quality standards.
Day Six
I test them for loose parts, glue, fix, touch and photography the finished model. Since each model is a little different, I give the model an internal grade in terms of qualities and setbacks and I use this grade to pick a price from an established price-range.
Want to Make your Own?
Want one but would prefer to make it yourself? You got this!
You can find the model files on Printables and on Bambu Maker World
and an assembly video here: https://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/2023/8/5/dial-of-destiny-mark-4-conversion-instructions