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Mechanical Watch: Exploded View

(fellerts.no)
1168 points fellerts | 5 comments | 22 Jun 25 14:56 UTC | HN request time: 0.696s | source
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ziofill ◴[22 Jun 25 18:15 UTC] No.44349033[source]▶
I’m sure you have though about it already, but if you had a way to modify the refractive index of the resin, you could make the fishing lines disappear completely.
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1. fellerts ◴[22 Jun 25 18:33 UTC] No.44349189[source]▶
I never gave that any serious thought. What additives would do that, do you think?

Edit: A quick search reveals that there is quite a lot of prior art from the optical community. Darn, maybe I'm not done here.

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2. encom ◴[22 Jun 25 19:09 UTC] No.44349459[source]▶
The rabbit hole never ends. Godspeed, friend.
3. mensetmanusman ◴[23 Jun 25 00:48 UTC] No.44351526[source]▶
You can use index matching fluid to determine what the nylon line is currently at and then use the fluid to experiment with epoxy droplets containing various amounts of low index additives like MgF2 nanoparticles or something :)
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4. fellerts ◴[23 Jun 25 11:26 UTC] No.44354584[source]▶
My drawer is already full of radium dials. I'm not sure adding nanoparticles to the mix is a very good idea.

I've never heard of index matching fluids! Will have to read up on this.

5. PicassoCTs ◴[23 Jun 25 11:38 UTC] No.44354678[source]▶
Add a polarization filter coating to the epoxy? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_filter#Polarizer

Also, if the plastic can be "invisible", you can also house it in invisible plastic- thus creating, a exploded working model, inside the resin