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| Old cap on the left, new cap on the right. |
How can I order one?
The only requirement to order these is a photograph of your Takhion(s) and its/their serial number. To order one of these, please contact me at aeyoqen <at> gmail <dot> com and include your shipping information - what I will do is calculate the shipping and then get back to you with a bill. Once I receive payment I will put in the order and have them shipped to you directly.
Edit: International orders seem to require a phone number for shipping verification.
Right, but how much are they?
Each cap is going to be $19, plus overall shipping.
How much?! Are you making money off of these?
No. Originally I wanted to get a batch made to have them to give to people that needed them free of charge, but the fact is these prints are expensive. I am charging the cost of the print plus shipping. Truth be told, I've spent hours upon hours and a few hundred dollars on previous prototypes...this is a labor of love and not for monetary gain.
What form of payment do you take?
Paypal is preferred. Western Union can also be used if Paypal won't work.
Why do I have to have a Takhion? What if I want one just because?
I'd like to keep these with Takhion owners for a few reasons: I'd like to avoid counterfeiting (of the bikes, not the caps), and I'd like to see where in the world these caps are going and the bikes that will be associated with them.
If you really want one and don't have a frame, send me an e-mail and we'll talk. I'm usually pretty reasonable :]
Does my Takhion need to be missing a cap to order?
Nope. If you just want an extra that's completely fine!
Do these work on Textima or other frames?
According to the Textima expert, they do not. I would absolutely love to have a Textima version made though, so if you have a Textima cap and would be willing to help with such a project, please e-mail me! I don't know about other frames though, sorry.
Is there a limit to how many I can order?
Due to turnaround time, right now the limit is two per frame - if you have two frames, you can get four, etc. In the future that will probably change. If for some reason you feel like you need more than two, send me an e-mail!
Are these a 100% accurate recreation?
As much as I'd like to say they're perfect, I'll go with they are about 95% accurate. There were four prototypes made to test measurements and materials, and while the measurements are pretty spot on at least by using my original cap as a reference (and also using original schematics), I could not get the exact same material due to monetary constraints.
What if I get one and find a mistake?
Then please let me know and I'll fix it! I've had a few people look at these, and you can check out the photos before for comparison.
How are they made?
They are 3D printed. The original model was created in Blender, an open source software. Some work was also done in Meshlab, another open source software.
What are they made of?
The printing material is a smooth plastic with a bit of give that is capable of being printed at high resolution. The original caps are PVC, so the material is *close,* but not exact.
From Shapeways' site:
"Detail plastic is an acrylic-based photopolymer that comes in white, black and transparent. We recommend using this material for smaller, detailed products that don't face high stress or heat. The level of detail for these products is high, but individual layers are more visible than in Strong & Flexible plastics."
Will it scratch my frame or paint?
I've had no problems so far, and I've installed and removed them on a few frames.
Does the material have any inherit problems?
It cannot withstand temperatures over 118.4 degrees F/48 degrees C. So don't put it in the dishwasher. It also has a bit of a "wood grain" look if you look closely - this can be seen in the photo above.
Why 3D printing over injection molding?
Though injection molding would be more historically accurate, I wanted to keep overall costs down, and every quote that I was given required a minimum order that was too high. PVC injection molding is also dangerous due to chlorine gas, and that drove up the price as well. 3D printing allows me to keep the costs down and print in small orders on demand.
Any chance there might be an injected molded version in the future?
If you're willing to pay for it, sure. Unfortunately it's probably something that I won't be able to fund myself. Really serious about this and want an injection molded version? Send me an e-mail and we'll discuss it.
Who is printing them?
Shapeways is printing these.
Why not just have a Shapeways storefront?
For verification purposes, as mentioned above, and also so that there wouldn't be markup on the caps for the storefront. I would also have to make the model available for download, which I don't want to do.
Didn't you say Shapeways didn't work for these the first time?
There were some problems with the first batch from Shapeways over a year ago, but they've improved quite a bit. I've also changed the model and tested a few different materials, and this one is fine. So we're all good!
What if Shapeways doesn't ship to my country?
Shapeways might not ship everywhere, but I will. I'll order the caps myself and ship them to you personally if that turns out to be the case.
Why not just do that with every order instead?
The turnaround time on 3D printing can be a while, and since people are ordering from all over the world I wanted everyone to get them as soon as possible. Also, it's very difficult for me to get to the post office while it's open due to my work schedule, and it would take even longer to get your caps if I had to send all of them.
What shipping service is used?
UPS standard shipping is used, and a tracking number is provided. Expedited shipping is also available.
What if I get a damaged/bad/broken/missing order?
Take photos immediately and contact me. I'll get in touch with Shapeways and have them replace your order.
What if I receive them and decide I don't want them?
If you're on the fence about whether or not you want one, you can order a material sample from Shapeways for free to see what they're like. If you do end up getting one and aren't thrilled, send me an e-mail and you can return it to me for a refund.
Can I buy one for my friend?
Yes, but you have to get your friend's Takhion information!
Will you send me the model?
Sorry, I won't be giving out the model.
But I want to make my own and don't know how to model! Please send me the model!
I too cannot model, so you get to experience the adventure much like I did and learn a lot along the way!
Is only black available?
Nope...if you really want, you can get white. Though from personal experience I have to recommend black.
Are the handlebar plugs coming soon?
Yes.
Can you show me some photos of the new one with the old one?
You bet I can.
Anymore questions or concerns, please e-mail me or comment here! And please e-mail me if you're interested in ordering. If you don't hear back from me within a day or two, comment here and e-mail again to make sure it didn't get caught in my spam filter!!
Aeyoqen <at> gmail <dot> com
Hi!!!! Have you got complet decals for Takhion aero??? thanks
ReplyDeleteHello! I do not make the decals, but there is someone who does: http://hrrundel.com/
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