Masterpiece Models

A second take on the first launch

2007-11-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

Challenge: In Early November 2007, Masterpiece Models was contacted by Nick Proach Models to build a 1:1 scale model of a rocket and launch frame built by Robert Goddard. Goddard's creation was the first liquid fueled rocket ever launched, reaching a height of 150 feet when it took to the sky on March 16, 1926. He is credited as one of the earliest scientists and visionaries who laid the foundation for modern missile and space rocket technology.

Solution: For an event that we now look back on with such awe, it is surprising how little accurate documentation there is on the rocket. The above picture was the main source of information for the rocket's design and scale. Masterpiece Models was able to learn, however, that Goddard used 1/2" plumbers pipe to construct his frame and we used exactly the same material in our replica. The rocket was created with ABS plastic, sheet metal and coarse wrapping to simulate the asbestos Goddard used for heat shields - something we did want to remain historically accurate to.

Result: The 12' model was designed and built in two weeks and has been shipped to its permanent home at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.

Bringing the past to life for a crewman of the USS Nashville

2007-10-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Challenge: John S Brown commissioned Masterpiece Models to build a 1/350 scale model of the USS Nashville - a ship on which he served from July 1943 to December 1945 during WWII. John was kind enough to share his story and his reasons for wanting the model with us and has given us the privilege of now sharing it with you:

"I was a 18-year-old boy, right out of boot camp (S/2C), when I went aboard the USS Nashville at Mare Island Naval Yard in July, 1943. I was assigned as a deck hand to the 2nd Division, which had the responsibility for the aft portion of the Main Deck (fan tail). We saw to the maintenance and operation of turrets #4 and #5, the launching and recovery of aircraft and the maintenance and operation of the catapults and aviation crane.

I was promoted to S1/C after eight months and was then assigned as a gunners mate stryker in turret #4.

The following eighteen months I worked as a powder handler in the magazine, shell handler on the shell deck, powder passer and shell loader in the gun turret, gun captain, gun pointer and turret trainer of the turret. I functioned in every job in the turret except turret captain. I was promoted to GM/3C(temporary).

I was in a protected environment of the turret and too young to realize the hazards of war. I was not a hero; I was just very, very fortunate.

The following is a list of the Nashville's citations:
American Defense Service Medal
Presidential Unit Citation (Doolittle Raid)
Philippine Liberation Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asia)
China Service Medal

In April of 1942, the Nashville was part of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, escorting the USS Enterprise. It sank two Japanese picket ships, alerting the Japanese that the US Navy was five hundred miles from Tokyo. This siting forced the Doolittle Raid to
launch early, 150 miles short of its departure point.

The ship received ten battle stars for combat operations from Guadalcanal to the invasion of the Philippines. It served as General MacArthur's flagship for several invasions of islands in the southwest Pacific area. It also served as the flag ship for MacArthur's return to the Philippines at Subic Bay in October, 1944.

Major battle damage sustained was a very near-miss air attack (bomb) in June, 1944 off Biak Island.

On December 13, 1944 the Nashville was hit by a kamikaze plane, causing the loss of 133 men and injuring 190 more.

I will display the ship to my local shipmates and take it to the national reunion in Houston in April, 2008. At our last reunion we had forty men well enough and
able to attend. This is reported to be the last reunion as the average age of the remaining shipmates is eighty five years."

Solution: John Geigle personally constructed this model over 100 hours. Though it was based on a kit originally, Geigle ended up scratchbuilding 40 percent of the pieces to make the Nashville something Brown would be proud of. The model itself is made of urethane resin and brass.

Result: Brown is immensely pleased with the model. We'll let him share his own words and his own story here:

"The USS Nashville arrived yesterday, it's breath taking. You did a wonderful job on a very difficult project. I am very pleased with the results.

Vascular Watering System

2007-09-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Inventor Eric Peters contacted Masterpiece Models to build a prototype of his automatic vascular watering system for home gardens. His two innovations were being able to choose where to plug the hose nozzles in and the option to make the reserve tank in a variety of decorative shapes to blend in.

Solution: Like many inventors, Eric came to us with just rough drawings and an idea. Masterpiece developed detailed technical drawings, which underwent revision before building the prototype. During this phase, design elements such as the convex base (to prevent pooling) and protective overhang for the nozzles were developed.

Result: Made on time and on budget, Eric was thrilled with our work. He is currently looking to license the product.

Our new Exhibit Designer: Greg Garrett

2007-08-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

We've always been lucky to work with amazingly talented artists and craftsmen at Masterpiece Models and we've recently begun a new relationship with Exhibit Designer Greg Garrett.

Greg started his career at OMSI in 1990 and has since worked for other prestigious design companies in Oregon and Washington. We could tell you more about how great Greg is, but really looking at his work explains his talent better than we ever could.

Welcome to the Masterpiece team, Greg! We're lucky to have you.

New Commission from the Mubarak Museum: Part 3 - Ping Pong Launcher

2007-08-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Challenge: After completing two space-related models for the Mubarak Museum in Cairo, Egypt, we were happy to receive an additional commission for three new exhibit pieces. There's always a special validation of our work when people choose to use our services again, and we were eager to exceed their expectations. This new order was for three interactive exhibits that would illustrate various scientific principles to children. The final exhibit we'll look at is the Ping Pong Launcher.

Solution: Though the end effect of blasting something in the air is much the same as the Air Rocket Launcher, the way it is achieved is greatly different and much more exciting. The ping bong ball is launched by a hydrogen explosion - though just a small one. A cathode/anode system of our own proprietary design rests in a small reservoir of water at the exhibit's base. Pressing a button on the exhibit surface releases an electric charge into the system, which separates the hydrogen and oxygen from the water. There are circular windows around the base of the exhibit so this process is visible.

A spark ignites the hydrogen, and the resulting pressure change launches the ping pong ball up the 7' tall tube. The tube is capped, as there's more than enough force to send the ball higher. Meanwhile, the hydrogen recombines with oxygen and returns to its water state.

Even though the explosion is small, we built the exhibit out of polycarbonate material used in bulletproofing applications.

Result: The most technical and exciting of the three exhibits we created for this commission, the Ping Pong Launcher is sure to be a hit at the Mubarak Museum.

New Commission from the Mubarak Museum: Part 2 - Air Rocket Launcher

2007-08-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Challenge: After completing two space-related models for the Mubarak Museum in Cairo, Egypt, we were happy to receive an additional commission for three new exhibit pieces. There's always a special validation of our work when people choose to use our services again, and we were eager to exceed their expectations. This new order was for three interactive exhibits that would illustrate various scientific principles to children. The second exhibit we'll look at is the Air Rocket Launcher.

Solution: The principle demonstrated by this exhibit is the difference between thrust and weight by launching rockets with measured amounts of compressed air. We made two rockets, with identical tails and nosecones but with greatly different shapes in middle. The “skinny” and “fat” rockets quickly convey the principles of mass to the children using the exhibit. Both rockets are housed in 5’ tall clear cylinders for protection and connected to 10’ guide wires that will connect to the ceiling.

Those wires are very necessary because the two small air compressors powering the rockets could easily shoot them 30 feet. The compressors are turned on for as long as the user presses down the yellow “charge” button, with a pressure gauge showing how many PSI will launch the rocket. People can shoot the rockets with various forces by pressing the green “launch” button at any time. However, being as the exhibit is for kids, we expect most of them will want it to go as high as it can, which is why we used compressors with an automatic safety feature shutting them off at 125 PSI.

Result: As with the Magic Mirror, we didn’t get much chance to play with the Air Rocket Launcher before shipping it off to Cairo. But we know the kids who play with it at the museum will enjoy it more than we ever could.

New Commission from the Mubarak Museum: Part 1 - The Magic Mirror

2007-07-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

Challenge: After completing two space-related models for the Mubarak Museum in Cairo, Egypt, we were happy to receive an additional commission for three new exhibit pieces. There's always a special validation of our work when people choose to use our services again, and we were eager to exceed their expectations. This new order was for three interactive exhibits that would illustrate various scientific principles to children. The first exhibit we'll look at is the Magic Mirror.

Solution: The goal of the Magic Mirror was to combine 12 fun house mirrors in one box. By watching the mirror change shape in front of them, children will better understand the principles of reflected light and what we see. We chose a flexible reflective plastic to withstand the transformation into different shapes. Behind the panel, 18 small motors were attached to press or pull on the mirror. The 12 buttons on the right side of the mirror were each programmed with an individual configuration of the 18 motors, giving the mirror its array of shapes.

Result: The Magic Mirror had to be shipped off so quickly, we didn't even get a chance to play with it in the workshop. As with all interactive exhibits, we built the Magic Mirror to be durable and expect it to have a long life triggering giggle fits in Cairo.

A Smash Hit for Degree Deodorant

2007-07-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Challenge: During Super Bowl XL, Degree Deodorant aired a commercial titled "Stunt City" where a number of people go about their morning routine and commutes, but with all with the flair of action stunt men. The sequence begins with the main character punching through his medicine cabinet mirror to get at his Degree Deodorant. Weber Shandwick, the agency responsible for this spot wanted to replicate that experience for key executives within the parent company of Degree, Unilever. Masterpiece Models was commissioned to make kits that would look like mirrors, and could be broken through to access a stick of deodorant and a DVD of the commercial.

Solution: We made 50 kits in total at a size of 12" x 10". The "cabinet" was marked with a small brass knob handle to convey what it was despite the scale. We created a vacuform mold to house the deodorant and DVD securely. The items had to be completely immobilized because the "breakable" mirror was made with a very tightly drawn sheet of reflective mylar that could be broken through with a firm poke. For the finishing touch, we embedded a small speaker in the vacuform, and when the mylar seal was broken the glass-breaking sound effect from the ad would play.

Result: Weber Shandwick was pleased with the finished product and used it to further convey their investment in Degree Deodorant to their clients.

Making a Corporate Icon

2007-07-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Masterpiece Models recently received a commission from Ted Dumbauld to construct a 4' tall model of the Trident Nuclear Missile. Ted served as the engineering officer on a nuclear powered submarine which carried Trident Missiles from 1983 - 1987. In 1996, he founded a Hedge Fund under the name "Trident Arbitrage Partners" – inspired by his time in the Navy. The model was built and encased to stand as an icon for his office in Connecticut.

Solution: The Trident Missile in its second incarnation is still in use by the military, so information about it is still sensitive and much of it is classified. We built the model using only photographic references. The Trident missile is roughly 44' tall, so at the client-specified height of 4', our model was slightly smaller than 1/10 scale. We used sonotube, an industrial cardboard tubing used to pour concrete columns, and thermoformed plastics to build the body of the missile and turned a block of foam on a lathe to shape the nosecone. Missiles are relatively easy to make when you don't have to worry about what gets them in the air.

Result: Ted was pleased with his model and it will serve to remind him and and his clients of where he came from and what his company stands for.

Mars Rover's Permanent Home

2007-07-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

The fine folks at the Virginia Air and Space Center sent us some pictures of the MER's permanent display. The detailed exhibit really does justice to this one of a kind model.

Just to prove the point of how unique our Mars Rover is, here are some pictures of another full scale replica we saw recently at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Diffusing a Situation

2007-07-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Something interesting is always going on at Masterpiece Models. A few weeks ago, our intern showed up with this shell, which he had gotten from his father.

Most of us here are big history and military buffs – so we know a thing or two about ammunition. For instance, the brown paint marks this 20mm shell as an armor piercing explosive round. John Geigle took a look at it and noticed it had no primer to set it off, but it could have been designed for an electric trigger. John gave it a shake, and it rattled.

That’s when we got worried.

There’s a long and sad history of people who have kept live ammunition as a mementos of military service, and unsuspecting people have been hurt or killed when they unexpectedly go off.

John called the Clark County sheriff to come inspect the shell. Like most of us, he thought it was a cool souvenir, but he didn’t know whether or not it was dangerous.

That’s when we called the bomb squad.

The sheriff has a friend, Steve Collins, on the Portland Police Bomb Squad, who was kind enough to come give us his opinion. But even this expert couldn’t give us a definitive answer as to whether this shell was a danger. Of course, we would never keep something dangerous in the shop, but at this point most of us would have been sad to see the shell go.

Fortunately, Steve has a friend at the local Army Ordinance Center, who he called to run the serial number of the shell. In just a few minutes, he was able to confirm that the bullet was made as a dummy for display purposes and was no danger.

All in all, it made for an exciting day. And to geeks like us, an amazing modeling feat that so many people could have been fooled by this harmless replica.

Luxury boat, little size

2007-06-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

Challenge: The world of model collectors is made up of hundreds of small niches, and one of our best private customers happens to love boats. His latest commission is a 1/10 scale model of the Donzi Sport fishing Yacht. In the same luxury class as the Aquarama, these boats can sell for a million dollars… used. Not only did we need to live up to that standard of luxury, we needed to make this boat seaworthy with radio controls.

Solution: The model is four feet long, so there’s plenty of room to house all the electric workings, which we made easily accessible by lifting off the top cabin of the boat. It’s powered by two electric 1.5 horsepower motors, which drive bronze props at the back of the boat. The props are small, but the rake is so steep, this 4’ model will be able to tow a 15’ speedboat through the water. Bronze is the most common material used to make props as it resists corrosion.

To capture the luxury of the boat, we hand-laid teak planks for the floor, door and chairs. Small details such as the rope coil, fire extinguisher and life preserver do a lot to enhance the realism.

Result: We’re still putting the finishing touches on the Donzi, but as this is the fifth RC boat we’ve made for this customer, we expect it to be well received.

An Invention to Give Pets a Voice

2007-06-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Recently, Ellen Witham contacted Masterpiece Models looking for a solution to an idea she had: what if your pet could truly talk to you? The idea came from her child, who can’t communicate verbally and uses a small machine with a buttons triggering pre-recorded messages to “talk” with people. Ellen got to thinking: what if you could use a similar device with a pet?

Solution: We designed two prototypes digitally before choosing one and moving forward. The device has a durable plastic housing to protect the electronic device that allows the owner to record any message or sound, which is then played back when the casing is pressed down. The device runs on a 9v battery and the recording can be changed at any time. Masterpiece Models arranged for the engineering of the electronics to suit this need.

Result: Ellen has a patent pending on her product, which we unofficially call “Paw Pal” around the workshop in connection with a previous and un-related job making the “Pal Around.” With her few prototypes, Ellen has found that the Paw Pal trains the pet owner as much as the pet. The pet registers that triggering the sound is a cue for some action, but that action varies from pet to pet. It could be going outside, getting fed, wanting to play or anything. In any case, it’s a fun way to interact with our four-legged friends. Going beyond our normal call of duty, Masterpiece Models is helping Ellen with her efforts to license the product.

A custom commission gives the USFS some ground power

2007-06-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Challenge: A custom commission came in from Florida resident Keith Kent to build an advanced model he’d purchased from the U.K. that ended up being way more than he bargained for. What he ultimately wanted was the combination of two kits: A Stormer APC (armored personnel carrier) and an Oshkosh tractor/trailer. The combination alone is fictional, pairing a US Army truck and trailer with a vehicle largely used by the British Army, but Keith further specified both vehicles be painted in the red colors used for US Forest Service vehicles. Giving the USFS heavy military equipment hints at a great sense of humor.

Solution: Models of this caliber require a lot of custom work even if they come as a kit. The truck and trailer are 30” long and about 4” tall, yet there is precise detail down to the stick shift inside the truck compartment. Many of the pieces were customized through photo etching to enhance their look. And once completed, painting this model was a detailed job accented by the muddied tires and the distressed paint around the chassis.

Result: The work took a total of 100 hours and was completed personally by John Geigle. The commission was begun by his friend Pete Forrest, who unfortunately passed away in a motorcycle accident on April 4th. The job was his first professional job with Masterpiece Models. John recalled him saying with enthusiasm, “Oh I’m only getting paid $7 an hour but I’m getting paid to build a model.” Finishing the job personally was a way for John to pay homage to Pete’s memory.

Recreating "The Deadliest Catch"

2007-06-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

Challenge: When trying to simulate The Deadliest Catch, you need deadly accurate attention to detail. Friends at the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center in Seattle, Washington referred Gary Stewart to Masterpiece Models to whip up an order of Alaskan King Crab for his new museum. Based on the experience shown on the TV show, The Deadliest Catch, the museum will be housed in the Sea Star, a retired fishing ship seen in the first season of the show, to give visitors a real insight into on of the deadliest professions in the world.

Solution: King Crabs are roughly 3’ wide from leg to leg. We used an existing model on loan from Seattle as the basis for our design before creating rubber molds and casting 10 resin crabs. Each crab consisted of nine pieces: The eight legs and body. After assembly, they were hand-painted with airbrush details.

Result: Stewart was pleased with the result. The Sea Star will soon sail from its current location in Seattle to its permanent home in Ketchikan, Alaska. The museum does not yet have a projected opening date.

The Paint Brush you can Flush Clean

2007-05-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

Challenge: When John Geigle isn’t busy bringing other people’s creations to life, he’s often working on his own. So it happened a few years ago that John made his first prototype for what became the EZ Clean Paint Brush. Before creating Masterpiece Models, John was a commercial painter and he hated how long it would take to clean out brushes. So, he nurtured a simple, yet revolutionary idea: A paintbrush with a hollow handle threaded for connection with a standard garden hose to flush the paint from the inside out. With the product made, John needed a way to produce and promote it, which is where Masterpiece Models came in.

Solution: For the commercial production run, Masterpiece Models made brushes from 2” – 4” in half-inch increases with both straight and angled bristles for a complete line of 10 brushes. The handles are molded out of high-quality, recyclable ABS plastic – the same type used for plumbing fittings. EZ Clean Brushes use the highest quality bristles for best painting performance. Because the paint is cleaned from the inside out, the cleaning process uses much less water and cleans the brush more thoroughly, resulting in longer useful life.

Result: The EZ Clean Paint Brushes are in full production and for sale online at www.ezpaintstore.com. Be on the lookout for EZ Clean Brushes in stores and with different colors in the near future.

Turning a Personal Heirloom into a New Product

2007-05-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Masterpiece Models projects are usually commercial or personal. It’s rare that we get one that is both. But that was the case when Kathy Trainor found us through the Internet with the idea to take a ceramic horse she had owned since childhood and use it as the model for a children’s bank.

Solution: Kathy’s ceramic horse had cracked over time, so from the beginning we knew we would use plastic for the bank. Our artists sculpted a new horse in a similar pose to her original, though we made it larger to serve its purpose as a bank. Using our original sculpture, we created a roto-mold form, which spins while being infused with plastic, creating the necessary hollow center. To give Kathy more of an edge when presenting the product to investors, we painted the banks in three varieties: Palomino, Paint and Appaloosa.

Result: We produced 25 prototypes, which generated enough commercial interest for us to arrange a production run of 5,000. Masterpiece Models worked with Drawbridge Design to create the commercial packaging.

2007-05-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Washington Inventor Julie Mills found Masterpiece Models in August 2005 with a patent for a new product: The Pal-Around. This sport water bottle is great for people and pets on the go, thanks to a removable cup on the base. Julie needed 20 prototypes of her creation to shop around to potential investors.

Solution: We didn’t have to reinvent the wheel for the Pal-Around. We used open-market water bottles and rubber gaskets to hold the removable bowl in place. The bowl is, of course, what makes the Pal-Around so unique. Our initial models were molded to the contour of the water bottle, but we eventually found that an unadorned cylinder design worked best. The packaging became much more important that the product construction. We worked with Drawbridge Design to design commercial boxes for the product.

Result: Julie was so pleased with the way we brought her vision to life, she had us arrange for an introductory production run of 5,000 units. Recently we received an order for an additional 10,000. This new version of the Pal-Around has an option for a carrying strap. You can view and purchase the Pal Around at www.pawsdownpets.com.

Future Weapons

2007-04-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

Challenge: In July 2006, Nick Proach Models contracted Masterpiece Models to make three 1/45 scale models of a prototype railgun being pitched to the US Navy by General Atomics. Railguns are used to fire long-range projectiles at over 5,000 miles per hour that will explode on impact due to the velocity. However, this ammunition does not present an explosive danger when stored on ships.

Solution: Without any of the technical workings, railgun designs are fairly simple. And of course, due to the military nature of the project, we were only given basic cosmetic guidelines. We cast the various parts in resin, painted them and mounted the models on stained wood bases.

Result: Because this was a military job, we don’t really know if the design was accepted. As long as the guys in black suits don’t show up at our door, we’re happy. Many thanks to Nick Proach Models for the job.

Putting the Pieces Together for Architect Magazine

2007-04-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

Challenge: In September 2006, Francis Cooley Communications contracted Masterpiece Models for a job to celebrate the launch of Hanley Wood’s new magazine, Architect. Francis’ agency had designed a promotional item with six puzzle pieces representing desirable traits for a magazine to embody. Each piece was colored and labeled and when put together, displayed the cover of the premier edition of Architect on the back. As such, the puzzle was designed to stand upright.

Solution: The six puzzle pieces were sculpted and cast in resin to design specifications. They were then painted and labeled before being assembled to apply a decal of the Architect cover to the back and be hand cut out.

Result: 10 sets of the puzzle were made and sent on to Hanley Wood. Architecture magazine currently has a circulation of 60,000 and has readers in 23,000 of the top firms. Many thanks to Francis Cooley Communication for the job.

Domo Arigato Masterpiece Models

2007-04-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

Challenge: In 2005, Masterpiece Models was referred to Jon Fant of Future Robotics Design by Jones Plastic Technology to possibly work him on his project: the Solo robot. Jon had build a hardware prototype of his fully-functioning humanoid robot. Though it worked, it looked like the guy from "Short Circuit" – mechanical and unfinished. Masterpiece Models was hired to design and create the outer skin to make this creation a character.

Solution: Mostly because we thought the project was so cool, we negotiated with Jon to work within his budget as an independent entrepreneur. The fact that he's a fellow Washington native helped too. The robot stands 3 and 1/2 feet tall, and is about 2'x 2' at the base. Jon gave us complete creative control over the design of the skin and we decided to make a soft and smooth design to make the robot as personable as possible. "You have to know when someone else knows more than you do and just let them do their thing," Jon said. "Even though I designed the structure, there was no way I could have made this shell."

The intended use of the Solo was in homes and businesses to perform menial and repetitive tasks, so it needed to look non-threatening as it goes about its work among crowds. The skin at all the various points of articulation needed to allow for full mobility but cover as much of the surface as possible. One of the unique features of the Solo is its ability to bend at the "waist," which is why the we made the upward-sloping design on the lower section. All the pieces were hand sculpted and then vacuformed to the finished look.

Result: The Solo was ready in time for the 2006 Consumer Electronics Fair in Las Vegas. "Masterpiece Models did an amazing amount of work on the Solo and I'm extremely pleased with their performance."

One Small Step for Masterpiece Models. One Giant Leap for Gateway Computers

2007-04-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

Challenge: In the modeling business, it’s convenient to have a world-class animation studio practically in your backyard. Over the years, we’ve worked on a number of projects with Laika Studios, formerly Will Vinton Studios. Our first project with Laika was in 2002 on a commercial for Gateway Computers. The Gateway ad was for the release of their new Profile 4 series, a direct competitor to the iMac. This ad required movable motion control scale models of both computers. Even the ad for the product was designed to pit against the iMac ads, which highlighted the movable screen stand in a series of commercials. The Gateway commercial would have the Profile 4 literally jumping over the grounded iMac.

Solution: We built the models at 1/2 scale to give enough detail and still make the models a workable size for the animators. The commercial was shot using stop-motion, a specialty of Laika studios, so the models had to incorporate wire frames used to pose them for each shot. This, of course, influenced the materials we used, especially for the base of the Profile 4, which in actual production was not flexible.

Result: The ad aired in August of 2002. Love it or hate it, much was said about Gateway’s aggressive confrontation of Apple’s iMac. For what it’s worth, the iMac of today look much more like the Profile 4, than the iMac of 2002. In any case, the commercial got people talking, which is always a success.

Midway Math Exhibit for A.C. Gilbert's

2007-03-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

Challenge: We’ve worked museums of all different sizes in our 10 year history. One isn’t better than the other, but when working with smaller organizations, we often have the opportunity to craft an entire exhibit rather than just one model. That was the case with the A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village in Salem, Oregon. The museum contracted Masterpiece Models to design and construct the Midway Math exhibit, composed of eight unique pieces, all of which needed to fit in under 500 square feet.
Solution: We made the following pieces:

Giant working calculator. Not only did build this 3’x4’ calculator, we coded the software as well and added a button on the side to “flip” the display. Remember when 01134 says “hello”?

“Find your Lucky Number”. A lottery-styled game with two spinning containers filled with white balls. It was a game of chance where kids would pick five numbers using rotating number discs in front of the game, spin the wheel and count the balls in each of the five slots to see if their guess was right.

Jumping clown game. This was like the carnival strongman games where you try to ring the bell by hitting the level with the sledgehammer. In this version, kids would stomp on a pedal to propel a clown. They could set an indicator to see how high the clown had gone and then try to beat that record.

The Shape Petting Zoo. This was the simplest of the exhibits, but a fun idea: We made 3-D forms of complicated shapes like dodecahedrons for kids to get their hands on them.

Solve My Puzzle. This was loosely based off the game Simon. We made a board with 16 buttons, which would light up in various patterns and the children would have to match those patterns.

Balancing Your Budget. A simple scale exhibit with variously weighted pieces representing dollar amounts. We made pieces in red and green to be used for debts and payments.

Pie Eating Contest. A fraction game with 16 literal pie pieces. The game would ask for a fraction, for example 1/6, and the children would have to pick how many pieces of the pie equaled that fraction. The game timed their response.

Jumping Frog Race. Another game of chance, this was a simple dice-rolling game to see which of two competitors could first move their frog from one end of the pond to the other.

Result: This was a huge project for Masterpiece Models so we were pleased with it was a huge success. The kids loved the playful nature of the exhibits and loved having so many things to interact with.

A Kooky Invention Brought to the Market

2007-03-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

Challenge: One thing we do at Masterpiece Models is work with inventors to help bring their creations to life. One such fellow, Steve Corbin, came to us in 2004 with his idea for a set of obstacles to spice up the traditional game of croquet – like combining croquet and miniature golf. The funny thing is, Steve found us on the Internet, but he actually lives only a few doors down from Masterpiece Owner, John Geigle.

Solution: Steve wanted four banked turns, two ramps and a loop. We sculpted all the pieces to his specification from durable plastics (those croquet balls are heavy). Our initial production run was of 8 sets for promotion at trade fairs and to manufacturers. Not only did we make the game pieces, we also designed the box packaging – an underused capability of ours.

Result: Steve was so happy with the work we did on the prototypes, he asked us to be the manufacturer. We’ve arranged a connection overseas to mass-produce sets of Kooky Kroquet. Though our prototypes were all blue, we made the commercial sets more colorful. We’ve made 1,000 sets so far.

Portable Solutions to Salvage Stormwater

2007-03-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Contech Stormwater Solutions, an Ohio-based company, contracted Masterpiece Models to build scale models of their Vortechs stormwater treatment system. These units are installed underground in or around urban areas to deal with garbage, oils, sediment and other debris that is washed down city water grates during storms. Vortechs uses a three-stage system to be a primary filter for debris that would be difficult to manage at water treatment plants. There is a flash video demonstrating the system here. The models were needed for trade show and salesman displays to give people a physical connection to the product.

Solution: Because Contech needed many models, we sculpted a prototype model in styrene plastic and created molds to mass-produce the models with resin. Like the full-sized Vortechs, our model has a lid with three manhole access ports for inspection and maintenance. The defining feature of the Vortechs design is the initial stage cylinder, which spins the water and causes sediment to collect on the unit floor. Though our models aren’t intended to be used with water, we built them off the original specs, so they would function exactly the same way.

Result: The models are currently being shipped out to Contech reps. We’ll let you know how they do when some reports come in.