USS Maine by Haze Gray - 1/72 scale - Radio (plastic 3D printed)

[popeye the sailor]

very nice progress on the Maine's hull.....looks really good!   nice pictures of the Mikasa   

[fnkershner]

Neal - thanks for bringing this model to the meeting. It looks even better in person than in these Photos. I hope you will come often we will be very interested in your progress. Also thanks for the tips on my Fusion 360 project. Unfortunately my other projects have kept me away from trying them as yet.

[Haze Gray]

2 hours ago, fnkershner said:

Neal - thanks for bringing this model to the meeting. It looks even better in person than in these Photos. I hope you will come often we will be very interested in your progress. Also thanks for the tips on my Fusion 360 project. Unfortunately my other projects have kept me away from trying them as yet.

Very much Appreciated the invite and wish I could have stayed longer.   Will certainly come whenever I can, Good bunch of fellows you have there!   Will have to touch base with you when I get back in Seattle next week!

[CDW]

I made a 1st time visit to a 3D Printing super store in my area yesterday. Wow, the printers and related materials/hardware they have there is astounding. Got quite a crash course in 3D printing from the friendly staff. There were incredible examples of all sorts of 3D printing with everything from simple to exotic mediums. The prices of the high end printers is extreme, but then again, producing prototype parts is an expensive proposition any way you look at it.

[fnkershner]

CDW - The Non profit lab I am a member of will teach you to build your own for about $300 to $400. Plus 2 weekends of effort. The results are very good.

[Haze Gray]

I'm in the market for another printer (it would cut the printing element of my development time by 50%! which would be a BIG improvement) and you would think that already having one printer would make it easy for me to choose what my 2nd one would be but all I have is an ever expanding list of wanted features!

 

I'm suddenly interested in the DLP and SLA as they have some great resolution (anycubic photon DLP is ~$500!)  but the limited size and resin fumes and need for post wash and cure is troublesome.    The typical FDM/FFF is still a nice solid bit of technology that's easy to use and affordable but has some inherent limitations.  If only there was some SLS printers in the 250mm cubed range wth 0.05mm layer height that were affordable, that would really open up possibilities. 

 

 

 

[lmagna]

Hi Neal

 

You make me feel like a walking fossil! I hardly understood a sentence beyond the first paragraph!

[CDW]

Beyond the initial cost of those resin printers, there's the whole big issue of safe handling of the resin, respirators, etc. 

I have no concept for how much resin material would be required for a project. A liter of it is going for around $70 on Amazon. I had no idea one could buy an SLA printer for something in the $500 range. That's surprising.

[Haze Gray]

32 minutes ago, CDW said:

Beyond the initial cost of those resin printers, there's the whole big issue of safe handling of the resin, respirators, etc. 

I have no concept for how much resin material would be required for a project. A liter of it is going for around $70 on Amazon. I had no idea one could buy an SLA printer for something in the $500 range. That's surprising.

Yes, interesting isn't it?   Would absolutely be ideal for smaller detail parts, infact...I suspect you print 100 railing posts at the same time just as fast as printing 1....there's no time penalty to printing multiple parts as it prints any layer of all parts at the same time not one after another.....   1L is about 1kg, so if $70/L it's easily twice as expensive as typical filament for your average fused filament 3d printer. 

 

 

[CDW]

6 hours ago, Haze Gray said:

Yes, interesting isn't it?   Would absolutely be ideal for smaller detail parts, infact...I suspect you print 100 railing posts at the same time just as fast as printing 1....there's no time penalty to printing multiple parts as it prints any layer of all parts at the same time not one after another.....   1L is about 1kg, so if $70/L it's easily twice as expensive as typical filament for your average fused filament 3d printer. 

 

 

And if the use of it is dedicated to smaller parts where greater precision is desirable, cost of material becomes much less an issue. Very interesting indeed.  

[Haze Gray]

So I ended up ordering a Folger FT5 printer kit (basically an H-Bot type printer) I am definitely going to need more printers but I want to try out building a kit to see what I want to change and at the same time I'm intrigued by the H-bot style where the build plate only moves down and the print head moves in the X/Y planes.  I really need about 5 -6 printers but not sure if I have the space in man-cave for them.

 

Also, will need to spend some time on constructing the mikasa in Fusion 360- that was a fun excursion and visit on that ship!  I have more than enough data on the boat (actually I have photos and data on about 250 ships at this time and 2TB+ of photos plans!) 

 

 

[CDW]

What a great looking printer that Folger FT5. I never heard of it until now. Looks very beefy and precise. Really like that auto level feature. Does it ship from the USA, or China?

[EMTP7217]

Are there any updates on your project ? I'd really like to see how it's coming along.

[Ken W.]

Hello: I just came across your very interesting posts. I would like to share an article that I wrote regarding the Maine. It is on a different tack than what has been written by historians. Best, Ken.

 

http://www.shfg.org/resources/Documents/7-Wenzer%20web%202.pdf

[lmagna]

Well researched paper Ken. Is it a stand alone piece, or part of a larger work?

[Haze Gray]

I figured I should start posting some updates and I have been making progress on the USS Maine -  most recently I have been attending to small details like the small caliber (calibre) weapons and launches, cutters,  and other deck furniture using a resin printer. 

 

here's some photos:

 

This one is a 32ft Launch - doesn't actually go on the USS main but I have a 33ft cutter in the design stage that's pretty similar:

 

Then there's searchlight and  Driggs-Schroeder 6lb guns (yes they both pivot and swivel) unfortunately I have the searchlight rotated upside down in this shot:

 

 

And I'm working on a 27' steam cutter that will go on the Maine - this print actually failed due to operator error (I didn't tighten down a knob for the build plate):  

 

will try to post some more pics later today

[yvesvidal]

Amazing work!!! I miss access to a resin printer for my Corvette.... 😞

 

Yves

Edited September 7, 2021 by yvesvidal

[Nunnehi (Don)]

This is really cool! Did not know that 3D printing could work at this scale. I’ve used some aftermarket parts for 1:200 scale projects (currently Titanic) and found them to be great! Can you post some more hull pics?

 

Don

[Haze Gray]

Yes, I'll post some pictures of the ship at the current state  - but with nice weather over the labor day weekend and fall (rain) on the horizon I put the Maine in the water to check how it floats and get a better idea of the ballast needed - here's a video...  

 

Note:  I removed the main guns and upgraded the offensive capability of the ship with sea-skimming anti-ship water bottles  😃

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by Haze Gray

[Haze Gray]

8 hours ago, Nunnehi (Don) said:

This is really cool! Did not know that 3D printing could work at this scale. I’ve used some aftermarket parts for 1:200 scale projects (currently Titanic) and found them to be great! Can you post some more hull pics?

 

Don

Pics as requested - note though that I am still a long way away from finishing - I started painting the deck and don't like the color so waiting for more appropriate paint to arrive + there's lots and lots of detail that needs to be added. 

[lmagna]

For all those who have not been able to see the real thing, I have, and the pictures do not do then justice! All of the above boats and fittings are very delicate and precise down to the last detail. True gems of workmanship. I know they are printed but Haze Gray created the program from a few documents and phots available for these items and boats. 

 

The Main also had a very successful launch and has a very impressive presence on the water even when not going at "Scale" flank speed as in the pass by above. There was even a few people from across the pond who stopped to take pictures. She is certain to even more impressive when she becomes more complete.

[lmagna]

I had not noticed it before but your pictures show the forward main gun cross firing over the deck so it is clear that gun had the ability, (although I can't help but wonder what the blast effect was like in nonessential areas like the bridge and wheelhouse) but it looks like the stern gun could only train over the port side limiting the starboard main gun broadside to just two guns. I this the case? 

[lmagna]

Never mind I found a plan view drawing online and answered my own question. Yes, both turrets could crossfire although the damage incurred as I thought was not popular. 

[Nunnehi (Don)]

Haze Gray, that’s really impressive, thanks for the pics! She looks great!

 

Don

[yvesvidal]

4 hours ago, Haze Gray said:

Yes, I'll post some pictures of the ship at the current state  - but with nice weather over the labor day weekend and fall (rain) on the horizon I put the Maine in the water to check how it floats and get a better idea of the ballast needed - here's a video...  

 

I would say the ship is slightly too heavy on the bow, especially at the speed where you took it.

 

Yves

[yvesvidal]

2 hours ago, Haze Gray said:

 

These offset turrets are interesting. These engineers had plenty of ideas....

 

Yves

Edited September 8, 2021 by yvesvidal

[Haze Gray]

1 hour ago, yvesvidal said:

 

I would say the ship is slightly too heavy on the bow, especially at the speed where you took it.

 

Yves

 

Yves, You're correct - but it might be more accurate to say the ship was too light in the stern,  the tips of the props were not always in the water and I probably needed about 3/4" more draft!

[Haze Gray]

So I looked closer at the video the way the bow breaks the water results in an extreme upward travel and a curl much further back - this really isn’t unusual for this bow shape (it’s similar to ploughing a field) if you look very closely at the bow you’ll see the waterline at the bow is actually above surface of the water but is quickly forced upwards and outwards.  

[Egilman]

4 hours ago, Haze Gray said:

So I looked closer at the video the way the bow breaks the water results in an extreme upward travel and a curl much further back - this really isn’t unusual for this bow shape (it’s similar to ploughing a field) if you look very closely at the bow you’ll see the waterline at the bow is actually above surface of the water but is quickly forced upwards and outwards.  

Yep, they created huge bow waves, even at lower speeds, your description of "plowing" the water is correct... Essentially lifting it and throwing it to the side.... Exactly like a farm plow turns the soil...

 

The waves they created at any serious speed could easily swamp a cutter that was too close....

Edited September 8, 2021 by Egilman

[shipmodel]

Hi HG - 

 

Love the progress that you have made on the Maine. 

The 1-pound Hotchkiss gun and the boats are beautifully detailed.

Looking forward to seeing how the gatling guns will print out. 

I don't do R/C models, so I can only imagine the added technical problems that have to be solved.

I agree that she is a bit light at the stern at the moment, but with a slower speed she should look really impressive.

 

Stay safe and well

 

Dan