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by enclosure_guy 2126 days ago
Hey Jack, nice work! I love the idea, this is an area where customization is very valuable and automated customization like this can save a lot of time and headache.

What are you using to generate your geometry? Any plans on doing other jewelry types? One thing I could also imagine people wanting is delivery of SLA-printed prototype rings to get a better idea of the look and feel.
1 comments
doctoboggan 2126 days ago
Thanks! To generate the geometry I first generate a bitmap image texture using fabric.js on the client side. I can then import this texture into blender and use it as a displacement map on a ring blank. I apply the displacement to the geometry and export as STL for 3d printing. Blender is scriptable so this can all be automated (although it isn't yet).

I do hope to add other jewelry types. My next idea is necklace pendants with silhouettes (I think new mothers would be the target audience there)

I have considered adding an upsell of a brass print so the customer can see how it looks and feels. I don't want to do plastics as they print using a different process and will have a different look. Brass is cheap enough that I think adding a $29 add-on to the gold or silver ring isn't too hard to swallow.

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enclosure_guy 2126 days ago
Yeah fair enough. You can get SLA parts electroplated, although it will still be more matte than glossy unless they are polished, which would increase the price, and it would probably be cheaper to just do the brass casting option at that point.

Also- one of my coworkers recently got a custom wedding band and he went through a similar process to the one you went through of looking at vendors, trying to find the right material, etc. He wanted a pretty customized ring, and one of the things he added was the embossed outline of a lake that had special significance to him. Not sure how many people would have similar requests, but it would be cool to allow something similar. Maybe just have the option to upload a black and white picture and use that to create an embossed feature.

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doctoboggan 2126 days ago
You can upload any image on my site. I convert to black/white and give you sliders to adjust brightness, smoothness, or do edge detection. Currently I only offer engraving rather than embossing but it wouldn't be too hard to emboss instead.
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