Custom Translucent Figures

As soon as he has Anakin, Yoda, and Ben for sale, I'm buying them!!

According to comments in a recent article on New Elementary, fully trans figs are difficult because of how prone to cracking polycarbonate (the preferred plastic for transparent pieces) is compared to ABS plastic (used for most all other pieces). This is mostly is high-pressure situations, if I understood the comments correctly; such situations could be bars in cones, or minifig arms in torsos. In the case of the minifig, a polycarbonate torso would crack from the pressure exerted on it by the arm pieces. Apparently this is only for Poly-on-poly situations, and sometimes poly has a tendency to stick together, again, if I understood the comments correctly.

Transparent hands would be too small to be of much use and likely would break if you tried to put a weapon into a minifig hand. The only parts that I see that would be fine not being transparent would be the hands and hips.

Hope this clears things up.

Looks good! Hope he does Castle-themed ones soon!

Nice design, glad to see it's functional. A bit disappointing that the head can't turn, though. It doesn't make any difference on an unprinted figure, but print a face on them and it could present problems.

I wonder what material he used.

@focusfan - you can see what looks like micro cracking on the inside of the torso where the arm joints have plugged in the video posted. Also micro cracks appear to form in the feet when placed on studs. I'd be leary of the durability of these things. If those cracks propagate much further stuff is going to start falling apart. All that said, these look cool as hell, especially with the inclusions and defects (opaque stuff).

I can see these being useful for effects for AFOL MOC's, but they have no real play value as I am sure the materials and the polycarbonate on polycarbonate joints will not last long under heavy or even moderate play. They are static model detail pieces not toys. Which is I am sure the main reason Lego has not gone far in this direction.

Not being able to change out the legs/head kills it for me, especially with the high cost.

As a long time reader here on Brickset, there is something I struggle with when it comes to items like this. I don't understand how a product like this is applauded and promoted on this site, yet products from large clone companies are looked down upon. Isn't this product just as guilty of knocking off a Lego product as the big clone companies are? I agree that it fills a niche that many builders will benefit from, but I would argue that many of the clone companies that are so often the target of disgust do the exact same thing.
Please do not misunderstand, I like the translucent figs and some of the other Lego-compatible products that are promoted on here. I just don't like that there seems to be such a double standard.

They look like ice cubes to me.xD

Couldn't he be sued for copying LEGO copyrighted mini figures?

Just need a small led in.

Flame on.

I'm kind of curious in the vein of what Yo_Duh was saying, too. Also, I know small fries tend to be looked over by corporations, especially for "compatible" products, but this one feels a lot more copyright infringing to me. I hope no lawsuits come from this.

@bricksnorter it isn't so much a matter of "durable" plastic, as it is the binding properties of polycarbonate on polycarbonate, making it problematic for joints that will be used in extensive play. It's the same reason they consider polycarbonate Lightsaber blades shoved into polycarbonate trans clear cones to be an illegal connection. Too much friction and stress between the parts.

As fas as Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet? It's a set they have considered, and have generated a sketch model for. A nice picture of which is shown in the back of the DK Lego Batman Visual Guide book. It's a nice small little build, and looks easy to work out the parts. It isn't entirely trans clear though. It has a few white supports.

@Yo_Duy, you raise a really difficult point. I'll admit that I haven't minded at all when the small businesses make products like this (especially ones that I'd love to have, like this translucent figure), but most certainly wouldn't have anything to do with those clone brands. I'm not sure how I justify that attitude... you've definitely given me something to think about!

If 3-d printing were used in casting a fig like this, then the joints could be made without excessive friction; they would have to be cast with two kinds of materials, one which is printed in between the areas of the torso and arm for example, and is later dissolved out (similar to lost wax casting). That way, the entire fig is cast at once, and the joints can move freely.

Trouble there is, it would have to be very precise in order to only leave a small enough gap between the parts that there is still enough friction that the fig is poseable, rather than having floppy arms. Also, 3-d printing would likely leave a layered look in the torso. From the occluded figs in the video (and the claim to being hand made) its pretty clear these are not 3-d printed.

So, either way (polycarbonate assembly, or 3-d cast), trans clear figs are bound to have problems. At least this shows that we are getting closer!

That's a pretty cool fig. Unfortunately, I don't display figs, so this is useless to me. They do look like ice cubes!