Make a Brass Knuckles Spoon Through 123D Catch, MeshMixer & MakerBot.

This tutorial illustrates how to create a Brass Knuckles Spoon just in case a rowdy food fight breaks loose at your next dinner party.
I used:
-Autodesk 123D Catch to scan the image into CAD
-Autodesk MeshMixer to massage & patch up the CAD surfaces
-MakerBot Replicator to 3D print the spoon
-KeyShot to render the spoon

Materials You Need

For this project, you need:
-an iPad with Autodesk 123D Catch app (free download here)
*you may use a digital camera & Autodesk 123D Catch for online or PC instead
-brass knuckles (I used these plastic UrbanHooker fishing brass knuckles)
-a plastic spoon
-some fishing line
-a small amount of clay
-a pair of scissors
-you'll also need a computer with Autodesk MeshMixer software (free download here)

*optional:
-access to MakerBot Replicator
-KeyShot software

Cut & Attach the Spoon to the Brass Knuckles

Cut the handle of the plastic spoon & attach to the brass knuckles with the clay.

Hang the Brass Knuckle Spoon

Tie a loop around the brass knuckles with the fishing line. Attach the the other end of the fishing line to something above so it hangs over the surface of a table. The spoon should hang so that the tip just touches the table surface.
*note-I attempted to shoot the 123D Catch with newspaper as the background for a better catch. This method proved to not work well. My second catch attempt without the newpaper & the wood grain of the table as the background worked much better. Please read tips for a better catch here.

Photos for 123D Catch

Using the iPad (or digital camera) open the Autodesk 123D Catch app. Take photos of the brass knuckles spoon. You should start at a low angle & progressively increase the height of the camera. Move around the spoon in about 15-20 degree increments for each photo. Use the maximum of the 30 allotted photos for a more accurate catch.

Process the Catch

After you finish taking all of the photos, save & process the catch. You may have try a few catches with 123D Catch before you get one you are happy with.

Import Catch Into MeshMixer

Download the file as an OBJ from 123D Catch. Import the OBJ into MeshMixer. There will be a lot of unnecessary surfaces you need to delete in MeshMaker. You can use the surface & volume brushes to massage the surfaces. The inspector tool is useful for patching up holes in the model.

3D Print With MakerBot

Optional:
After all of the holes have been patched in MeshMixer so that it is a solid, you can now send it to the 3D printer. Open the file in MakerWare & position it on the platform. Send to the MakerBot Replicator.

3D Print Complete

The final 3D print is done.

Render in KeyShot

Optional:
Open the OBJ in KeyShot & render as chrome.

Enjoy food fighting.