Thanks you, definitely an Option! - This one was commissioned, so it's up to someone else, but I have lots of "open joints" robot characters in my movie "An Unwound Clockwork" for exactly this reason. ;)

Haha Thanks - I switched to English in my newer Videos in case you ever want to understand something :D

@@ValentinFelder YESSSSSSSSSSSS

Awesome! - Feel free to use the preorder link in the description to get notified when it's available :) (No worries, it's just a mailing list and you're not obligated to buy one eventually)

Thanks a lot, it's great to know that my stuff is helpful and inspirational!

Hm, I'm one of those who don't know I guess :D - But thanks!

Thanks a lot! - My newer Videos are in English (with heavy German accent) :D ...But it's getting harder to find the time to make really cool videos recently, it's more like a Vlog of what I'm doing each month ;)

Thank you! Sadly I don't have any left. I could make another one, but as single piece this would be rather expensive I'm afraid. Maybe you can make something similar from Wood yourself? ...It sounds like a lovely project, I wish you good luck!

@@ValentinFelder I appreciate your replying. I completely understand, I am making a carousel from brass meccano fittings, which I hope will last a few generations. I was hoping that you had made some more and would have one that you wouldn't mind parting with for probably $100+. It is hand made, so I can relate. I do love the care and attention you put into your work.

@@michellemassey1612 Yes, that sounds like it might last some Generations! :D ...around 100$ was the price for the original pieces from the series actually, but I've made 10 of them - Making a single one would be more like 400$ or something, and I think there is not enough demand to make a whole new series... But in case you're really into it, I've put out the number and you can write me an email [email protected] (But of course I fully understand that this is probably over Budget for a little gadget like this)

@@ValentinFelder I still love it, but yes, $400 does price me out. If I needed 10, I would have negotiated!! Thanks for your time

Wow, thank you!

Hey Chinh, thanks a lot! Distant collaborations of this kind are really hard to coordinate and when I need some help I'm usually looking for a specific skill, so right now I think I don't have anything suitable. But I really appreciate the offer, that's extremely kind! Please just keep at it, I've learned everything from trial and error and just from figuring things out myself... And please feel free to ask if you have any particular questions. :)

Thanks a lot Edu! ❤️ ...I have a degree in Computer Science, that certainly helped. Actually I would love to have a chat with you about different lighting techniques before designing the final version, only when you have the time and are interested in adding your thoughts. No hurry ;)

I'm glad you like the concept! You're indeed a bit too late for the monthly robot kit subscription, but chances are that I will have similar offers in the future, just keep an eye out. ;) ...And if we're lucky I will have one or two last remaining robot kits available at the end of the year, but right now these serve as my backup in case something gets lost or damaged.

Thanks a lot! - In practice I rarely needed more than 2 independent channels and in order to keep the device as affordable as possible I'm trying to only use a minimal number of components in this first version. But if there is some interest I might consider making a bigger version with more channels and more power at some point! :)

By the way, I think I actually have some PCA9685's lying around, I have used them for another project once :D

​​@@ValentinFelderah, I could have guessed ;)

Thanks a lot, yes I think a thin removable "skin" would behave much better. Back then I was very unsure about how to mold the thin skin in the first place and how to connect it to the skull, so we tried molding everything in place, but I find the result a bit underwhelming too... :D I'm confident with the mechanical aspects, I think nowadays I would be able to create a more organically shaped skull, but the organic aspects of the silicone molding and sculpting are still something I cannot do on that level... I'd love to collaborate with some SFX-Expert on something like this, to learn how it is done professionally... Maybe someday... ;)

@@ValentinFelder Something that I thought of as I was reading your reply. Look into 3D printing. Not for the skin but the mechanics of the skull. I don't think FDM would be best at the sizes you are working but an SLA might be worth thinking about. The prices have come WAY down recently and produce an almost smooth product though choosing the right resin might be a challange. SLA resins can be brittle but with the right design and resin it might be just the ticket. I've only use FDM so I couldn't help with the resin choice. You can choose a very small nozzle and low layer hight to increase resolution and maybe less sanding and the part would be more durable if you use FDM. Just a thought.

@@repalmore Thank you! - We actually have used SLA printing in the meantime for molds and replacement mouth parts, you can see it in many of last years update-Videos, mostly the ones about the boss character. From all 3D-prints I've seen so far this technique seems to give the best results, I was really impressed. ...I also don't own a printer myself, I had it done by someone else with an industrial setup. For me, metal still remains the best material for miniature mechanisms - it's strength, durabiblity and surface quality are just unmatched. However, I see the value of SLA printing for creating organic shapes with high precision and repeatability, and especially when combined with some metal hinges/bushings/gears it can be a really powerful tool!

Hm, I must admit I didn't read a lot of books about the craft, but there is one which is particularly insightful for miniature metal work: George Daniel's "Watchmaking" - Obviously it's all about watches, but it goes into great detail about tools, materials and general techniques too. Other than that I got a lot of experience from trial and error, just tinkering with the materials for many years :D - And I would also recommend some KZbin channels, "Clickspring" and "Stefan Gotteswinter" in particular"! :)

Thanks a lot, it's really great to know that it is enjoyable even if you don't have a personal interest in the topics :)

Sure, I think all skills can be used in interesting ways, just not at so called day jobs I suppose :D

So I'm a wizard now, thanks 💥

So what?

Yes, a filter would probably produce a nice glow in camera, but it would be unfeasible to take it off for every bluescreen-exposure I think, and also it's impossible to adjust... Maybe on another occasion, for now the compositing process is also very efficient. :)

Danke! - Die handwerklichen und künstlerischen Aspekte sind autodidakt über viele Jahre und mit viel Übung erlernt, aber ich habe einige Problemlösungs-Strategien im Studium (Informatik) aufgeschnappt und viel über die Metallverarbeitung durch KZbin Videos gelernt, zB. von Stefan Gotteswinter, This old Tony, Clickspring... :)

Yes, I've seen this video of TOT, and it's a really good screwdriver shape! However, the watchmakers screwdrivers I'm using actually have a similar geometry at the tip, with nearly parallel flats, the only problem is that they are a tiny bit too thin sometimes. But there is also quite a bit of variation in the with of the slits in the screwheads, so that's hard to avoid I guess... And yes, lacquer would probably work, but I don't want to have any visible layer - Do you have a type you would recommend? For something like the housing I kind of like the patina too, and on many mechanical parts lacquer would probably wear off or prevent a perfect fit in the first place... But I should certainly learn to use it for the occasions where it's suitable. ;)

@@ValentinFelder absolutely any acrylic or polyurethane lacquer on a well degreased surface should do if applied correctly with a good aerograph. Back in the day when I worked in national puppet theatre I used clear 2 parts spray paint usually used to refresh headlamps. It was surprisingly not too glossy and the thickness of the layer could be measured in microns so it wasn't even noticeable that there was some isolation layer there. I wonder how would that work on camera but only tests could tell you. You can also add one step to the whole process - masking. I bet it would seem to be unnecessary but fixing inconsistencies in post for sure will be a chore. And I bet that in longer shots this discoloration or oxidation will be visible. I doubt that you have the same stuff as we have in Poland but as I remember the brand of 2 parts headlamp lacquer was auto-k or kwasny. I also used some epoxy paints but they tend to be crumbly.

@@MapedMod Thanks for the details, I'll save that, might come in handy some time :) ...Seems like you had a really awesome job back then! "Aerograph" is the magic ingredient it seems, I don't have one of those... On most characters in the movie I really like the natural patina, and when I want to keep something really shiny I gold-plate it, it's mostly for customer projects and my "products" there this might be perfect... I'll keep it in mind for now. There is also a special wax ("renaissance wax") I want to try out which apparently also does a really good job at preventing oxidation, leaves a very thin invisible layer and wouldn't require an aerograph...

Sure, I use drilled balls for quite a while now, as it's much stronger of course! (This video is quite old and I learned a lot since then). However, threaded connections are not advisable, even with loctite it sometimes breaks lose, which is really bad when it's inside the silicone. Silver brazing it is, but the rod goes inside the drilled ball.