the 3D design process and manufecturing
It starts with a thought — an idea. You begin imagining how it might look, sketching it in your mind in broad strokes. Then comes the 3D drawing — a raw product, no precise measurements yet. Hundreds of iterations, back and forth, dead ends. Layer by layer you start giving it a face.
In my case the lens was the anchor point — the starting dimension everything else was built around. From there the questions multiply: how do the reticle and eyepiece ring swap easily? How do you deliver power cleanly to both? How does it all hold together under the shock of a bowshot?
First 3D print — and nothing works the way you imagined. Iteration by iteration, failure and success, until you finally find your road. I'm sure other roads lead to a good product too. That's where you come in — I'd love to see what ideas others bring to this.
Sparrow Dot V3
About two years ago when I started drawing Sparrow Dot I was using SketchUp. Good software with great options — especially the minimal keystrokes that get you drawing in 3D quickly. But when it comes to 3D printing, when you need watertight solids, unexplained errors start multiplying as the model grows more complex.
I tried several well known parametric 3D design tools — but hit a dead end when they demanded exact measurements from the start. I didn't have those yet. It was still just an idea, a thought taking shape in my mind.
About six months ago I was pointed toward Plasticity — and it changed everything. Graphics based, intuitive, much more natural for developing a concept from scratch where the shape comes first and the precise dimensions follow.
I needed a few weeks to adapt to the concept and the relatively larger number of shortcuts — but it was worth every minute. I'm not an expert yet, it probably takes me twice as long as someone experienced — but I'm genuinely happy with the results.