Week of 3/17 - 3/21

I spent a lot of this week jumping between projects. As stated in the last post, starting this week I finished the test cuts for the 3D printer case, and it all fits nicely. Problems started to arise when I tried to move on to the final laser cuts in wood. I want the walls to be around 1/4 thick, so the case is sturdy enough to withstand most damages. Very early in the cutting process, I realized that the Shop didn't have big enough pieces of 1/4 wood for the walls. I went up to Carpentry to see if they had any, and they did, but the wood they had didn't cut well in Laser Cutter. It didn't even cut it! I plan on going to Home Depot this weekend to buy the plywood needed as that's the only time my Father is free to take me.

The wood was given to me by Carpentry, post laser cutter.

No cuts on the back :(

With both my Hunter's Journal and 3D Printer Case projects on hold, I needed to figure out what I was going to do for the rest of the week. I decided to do a simple project that could be done within the week, a simple prop akin to the axe or staff I made a couple of months back. I wanted to make a rapier as I've been wanting to make a sword for a while now. I sketched out the design/plan and did some research on real rapier measurements. I scale down the average size of the measurements concerning my height, so the length of the blade goes from 42 in down to 26 in.

The Sketches and planning of the Rapier

I worked on the model of the rapier for all of Tuesday and (After some issues) resin-printed the domed crossguard plus crossguard handle. I used around 7 in PVC pipe for the handle and wrapped it in this strange plastic leather-looking thing in the Shop Cloest that I used to replicate the look of a leather handle. Laser-cutting a base for the blade out of 1/8 wood due to stability concerns as the blade may get wobbly when gets farther from the handle. I gained some foam for the Drama Club backroom and spent most of Thursday gluing, cutting, and forming the foam into the rough shape of a rapier blade. I plan on spray-painting it a steel color on Friday and if I can finish it by the end of the week. Also, hopefully, finish up the 3D Printer Case.

The Handle of The Rapier

The Foam Blade cutted, shaped, and sanded.