Other than the search for a cinematographer, do you think we will need anything for the Sunday 8/26 gathering?
Yes, we need ideas for:
- Building Techniques
- Material Sourcing
- Design
- Promotion Ideas
- Reveal Party Planning
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We may be able to get materials free if we explain the mission.
I was thinking that we could sculpt into that hard foam stuff. Ive seen it before but donāt know what its called. Anyone know where we might find it? Regular packing type foam will suck.
I was hoping that we could harden the foam with some sort of epoxy to make it hold up but also to get a good slick paint job. Maybe we could test how that works before we actually do it lol. It would be nice if we could vacuform the pieces somehow but that kind of stuff is probably better for someone more knowledgeable to figure out. A body shop may actually be willing to bondo imperfections and really get us a slick paint job if we ask. I can design and source printed decals and install them at no cost.
Weāll need someone to build the mechanism to attach the body to the chair. Build a steering wheel? Dash board? Working lights? Siren?
If we do get someone to document aspects of the build we could send clips in to the news. Maker websites, etcā¦
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Can you reach out to Magic wheel chair to see if we can get the contact info for some other builders so we can learn from them on what has worked and not worked. If there was a mailing list or forum they have that would be great.
Also start thinking of egress. It is not like he can crawl into it. I would expect you could break it in half, so the rear is permanently attached and the front can be reattached once is is sitting.
When do you expect the answer to the question about a base wheel chair?
Do you have his dimensions? 12 year old boys come in different sizes.
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I could help out with electronics. Can we find out if he would be able to use buttons or switches or something to toggle lights/sirens/whatever?
Ive also got 3d models a did a while back of police badges. I think ive got 11 different styles so weāre could do sheriff, state trooper or police and we could 3d print him a matching badge for his uniform.
What little foam work I have done in the past for the River festival work was a combination of laminating sheets of 2 in white eps then a combination of hot wire, saws.
Nothing artistic it was just for buoyancy aerodynamics since most of it was under water, but I can tell you what does not work.
Some of the pink or blue foam would have better detail. The white foam has large beads that pop out in chunks if mechanically cutting.
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This stuff looks like it will work great. http://www.amaco.com/products/balsa-foam-hard-10-6x9x-5-2?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpIKM0PH83AIVE7nACh0SwgvvEAQYASABEgLw2PD_BwE
Iāll contact them and ask questions after we decide on how much weāll need. Also see if they are interested in helping us out.
This prop foam stuff comes in larger sizes. https://www.dunagroup.com/usa/products/foams/corafoam-prop-foam
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All of these are great ideas. Iāll be meeting Logan and his family tomorrow, so if there are specific questions youād like to ask, please post them here. Bring all of your ideas to the build on Sunday, and weāll hammer out the details of our direction then.
Iām friends with Blue Genie Art in Austin they build quite large things with foam, I can talk to them if needed.
I donāt know how easy it is to get dressed for him, so I want to make sure the costume is easy to put on and take off and is comfortable to wear. If they can part with a top and bottoms it will make it easier for me to replicate fit, form, and function.
If not I may need to make a trip to draft patterns.
Iāll talk to Loganās grandmother about that for sure, and will get with you when I return.
I got a message from Ryan Weimer, President of Magic Wheelchair. He said to be sure to tell our entire crew hello for him. Weāre planning on a teleconference with him sometime during the build period.
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I have it on the quesitons list. And someone (sorry, I forgot who that was or Iād give credit for the idea) suggested that we add buttons for different spoken sentences, like āGet out of the car with your hands up!ā That would be fun, especially since Logan cannot speak on his own.
Do a search on YouTube for āMagic Wheelchairā and youāll find a lot of build info. I also just realized that MagicWheelchair.org has published a 2018 Builderās Guide.
I hope to get all of this info tomorrow evening (Tuesday 8/21).
Maybe we could get a real cop to say the words!
Lawyers know how to take the magic out of everything. 
From the Builders guide. Not a very helpful guide to building. Mostly a CYA handbook. Mostly good things.
Or if not a cop, maybe one of the radio guys at KMUW would lend a voiceā¦
Huh?
To say āPut your hands upāā¦ a cop or a radio guy ā¦
I was just wondering how a cop saying it would be different than anyone else. I mean, all cops have different voices, just like the rest of us 
By now someone has downloaded the manual, put a new title on it, and is selling copies on eBay, Iām sure. I suppose that could be irritating.