thibaultron

Part 1 So, you want to 3D print some cannons, you have the files, but don’t know where to start. I hope this will help you get started. You found a drawing of the cannons you need for your ship or diorama. Unfortunately, you do not know how to make these into a 3D drawing. However, you have found someone who has already done this, and you are able to get copies of the STL or OBJ files (files that are formatted for 3D display or printing) from them). Where do you go next?. Below is an example of this cannon’s 3D drawing using the SketchUp program. Note that in the drawing above the dimension shown is from the end of the muzzle to the breach (bottom of the bore), while the dimension shown below is the overall length of the cannon. Here is a picture of the STL file for this cannon. This is a screen shot of a different cannon, after a OBJ file has been generated from the original drawing in Fusion 360. Both OBJ and STL files have a similar format. You can see that the cannons have been changed to a series of triangular surfaces. All the information on the size, orientation, location, etc., is what the STL/OBJ file contains. Programs can then convert this information into printer files. Part 2 Let’s start with the simplest method. You have either a STL or OBJ file in the correct scale, and are sending it out to a commercial printer. It is best, but not required, if you know the correct length for the prototype cannon(s), so you can double check the final scaled dimensions. 3D printers almost always use the metric system, so you need to change that length to millimeters, if it is in feet/inches. You and the printer can double check that you are getting the proper size cannons. The printer generally has a process for downloading the files to them. Follow those instructions, and let them do the rest. If your file is not in the correct scale, they generally allow you to change the dimensions before you hit the buy button. This is where knowing the correct length comes in really handy. Just putting in a ratio from one scale to the next, is not as accurate as entering a fixed length, due to the fact that they generally limit you to two decimal places in either case. For instance the file is full size, and you want them printed in 1/64th scale. For this example, your cannon is 100” long. So convert it to mm = 2540mm. If you divide by 64, you get 39.6875mm. Rounded to two decimal places, this is 39.69mm. Using the ratio method 1/64 = 0.015625, or a ratio of 0.02 when rounded to 2 decimal places. So 2540 X .0.02 = 50.8mm, not even close. Even if they allow three decimal places of accuracy in a scale ratio, you end up with a model cannon 39.624mm long, close but it still might be noticeable if you are trying to replace some damaged or missing cannons you already have, from say, a kit. If you have someone who is willing to print them for you, and is willing to do all the setup, you just need to give them the file and the correct length, if you have it. Part 3 Now we will take the route of either you are just starting out with 3D printing at home, or you have a friend that will print them for you, but does not have the time to do all the processing for you. Note, that it may take two or three trials to get the supports right, so allow for this. For scale models with good detail, you need to use a resin 3D printer, the filament printers have much too course a “Line Size” for fine detail. The nozzle on a standard filament printer is 0.400mm, with a typical layer height of 0.200mm. A 3D resin printer, typically has a line width of 0.050 to 0.035mm, or less, with a layer height that can be set between 0.050mm and 0.010mm! So 10 times the resolution of a filament printer. The difference is like using thick cardboard layers and a wide felt tip pen, as opposed to layers of thin paper drawn with a sharp pencil. 3D resin printers need supports to print a model, as will be explained later, and these will leave tiny pock marks when removed, similar to injection molded parts, so you will have to paint the cannons, even if they are printed in black resin. You want to do this anyway, as UV light will degraded the resin, or any plastic for that matter, over time. Both types of 3D printers need processing of the files, before they can print it. Basically the model has to be cut into many slices, as both printers build the model one layer at a time. The filament type printers build up the model by putting down layers of melted plastic, one on top of the other, going upwards from the base of the printer. While thin, these layers are, relative to a small model, quite thick, with visible stair step surfaces. These are great for large models, and for small assembly type parts, such as a new motor mount for re-motoring a model railroad engine, toys, servo mounts, etc. The plastics are more durable to shock loads than resin, which can be brittle. Any 3D resin print will need supports, as will be explained later. Some 3D filament parts may also need supports, for complex shapes. For our cannons though, resin is the way to go, and I will only cover that method. First you need to determine if the file is already scaled properly, or do you have to rescale it, because it either represents a full size drawing (1:1), or is the wrong scale (ie. The file is 1/48th scale and you need 1/64th). You can rescale both STL and OBJ files in Lychee Slicer (one of the more popular (and free!) 3D printer slicers), but there are some checks I run in other programs that I will detail in later sections for these type files. Right now, we will just look at scaling in Lychee. STL and OBJ files are the standard printable files that are most commonly available. The STL type is the printable file associated with SketchUp. SketchUp’s native file (the file it uses for saving its standard drawings is SKP, like AutoCAD’s DWG, or MS Word’s DOC or DOCX files). When the SketchUp file is finished, you output it to an STL file for 3D printing. Fusion 360 is similar, but its 3D print file is the OBJ file type. Let’s assume that your file is in the incorrect scale, and you just want to rescale it. I will show you the simple way using Lychee Slicer. Lychee Slicer has a free version that can be down loaded from https://mango3d.io/downloads/ Open Lychee to import your file. 1. When you first start Lychee, you will get one of two screens. a. If you have no prior projects started, or it is the first time you have run Lychee, you will get this screen. Simply select the Add File button and select your file. b. If you had a prior project running when you exited Lychee, you will get this screen, and probably can skip the rest of this section because you are familiar with it. Select “Decline”, and open your file either from the "Add Files" button, the "File" menu, or the "Import" button. For this example I will be rescaling a 1/24th scale file to 1/64th scale. In the picture below, I’ve opened the file for a 6 Pounder British cannon from the early 1600s, that in full size is 98.8 inches or 2509.57 mm long, or 104.56mm long in 1/24th scale. Notice that the cannon is gray, if it comes in light or dark red, there is a problem with the file. Generally it means there is a hole somewhere in the object. This can generally be corrected in Lychee. If it is gray click on the cannon, and the “Object Repair” window should say everything is Ok, continue. If not see directly below. The window displayed if there are no errors with the model. The file below has a problem, that must be corrected before you can continue. In this case click on the object. You will see the Object Repair pop-up at the right. Select “Repair 3D model”, and let the program fix it. In this case the problem could not be fixed. Go to the Netfabb Section, to see how to repair the problem. Otherwise Lychee will fix the problem, and tell you it did. You can now go to the scaling function. This is the window that will be displayed, if the repair fails. This is the window displayed if the model could be fixed. Yes, if you look closely this is from a different model. I know someone out there will notice it. If there were no problems, the object will be blue. On the left, select the Scale button. The Scale Window will open. First, make sure that the “Uniform Scaling" button is selected to “ON”. With this on, any change you make to the dimension of one axis, with be automatically re-scaled for the other two. With the button “OFF” you would have to scale X, Y, and Z separately. So, the scaling window shows that the 1/24thth scale model is 104.57mm long. The full size length of the real cannon was 2509.57mm, which is a better number to scale from, if you have it. For example, 2509.57/24 = 104.5654, which rounds up to 104.57mm, but if you re-scale from 1/24th to 1/64th, you may be off by a little due to the rounding. Anyway, for this write up I will use the full length value for determining the correct length for 1/64th scale 2509.57/64 = 39.212mm, or 39.21mm after rounding. In the “Scaling Window” enter this value into the “X” box, and then select one of the other (Y or Z) boxes. Lychee will now re-scale the whole cannon to 1/64th scale. You will see that the model is now shown smaller on the screen. Select the “Export” button at the top of the screen. A set of windows will open in the right hand side of the window. Select the “Export to 3D File” button, and follow the prompts, to save the file. Saving the file is covered in more detail towards the end of Part 5.

Along this line, are the old Yellow Box Model Expo/Shipways parts cast in lead or something else. I have a couple of these kits, and would like to know.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/ss-atlantic-the-white-star-lines-first-disaster-at-sea_greg-cochkanoff_bob-chaulk/740038/#edition=7066393&idiq=13100360

Fantastic work! I had trouble doing the gun tackle on my 1/24th Model Expo Navel Cannon display!

What book(s) are those illustrations from?

Thanks for all the help, guys! I'm 3D Cading a set of 6, 9,12,18, 24, and 32 Pounder Brown Pattern cannons. 1624 to 49. Have all but the 12 pounders done.

I bought the series of books on the San Juan whaling vessel, a great read!

I've been CADing several early 17th century British cannons for a project, and I just finished printing out the first test set of the 6 and 9 pounders (long and short barrel) in 1/24th scale. It took almost 24 hours at 35um layer heights, but the files checked out! Presently the 18 and 24 pounders are printing. I will have to reprint the first set, as I did not have the supports all correctly set up, but the cannons printed OK, so the original STL files are good. I just need to add a few more supports for the final printed set. These prints are for my use, to go on display along with my 1/24th Model Expo Naval Cannon displays. The barrels and cypher emblem came out well, but the trunions are warped. I also have to figure a way to better clean the bore and touch hole out as some resin was still in them, and caused blemishes when I cured them. That is the great thing about resin printers, I can just make another set. The lighting is poor on the picture, as I had to go with ambient lighting. The flash washed out all the detailing, at such a close distance. The longest cannon is a little less than 5" long, in this scale.

I'm CADing a set of Brown Pattern Cannons 1625 to 1649 for a project, and figured I might as well 3D print myself a set, also. I have the old Model Expo Naval Cannon kits, and These printed in the same 1/24th scale would make a nice co-display with them. I have tried to find information on the carriages, with little success. Even "Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War, 1600-1815" has just a drawing for one from "A small ship" and an old woodcut that has a weird drawing style. Does anyone have better information? The cannons I'm drawing run from 6 to 32 Pounders. Is there any information on carriage size to gun size that I could scale drawings to? Even latter era data may allow me to make SWAGs.

If using pure water based acrylic paints, don't use IPA! Tamyia(sp) paints have a alcohol base, so the above might work with them, but all others react badly to IPA! For these others you use IPA as a cleaner, not as a thinner. Adding the IPA to these types of paint, is like adding lacquer thinner to enamels. The IPA will either cause premature drying, or prevent adhesion. The other three ingredients can be used with most acrylics, but the Flow improver and retarder are better added to the bottle airbrush cup as you use it and in small quantities..

Unfortunately, my present camera, will not focus on these small prints, I did of my cannons for this project, but I can give some results from my first prints. Here are graphics of the two heights I tried. My cypher was shown on the drawings as the one I used, not the Royal Seal from the posts above. Please ignore the length shown in the taller cypher graphic. Due to limitations in SketchUp, I do all my drawings in feet (in equivalent to full size inches) and inches, instead of full size inches. So the 166 foot 8+ inches, really scales to ~166 + inches, when I'm done. SketchUp does not like items that are smaller than about 1/32 inch when you draw directly in just inches, which makes small items like the cypher difficult to work with. I rescale the model in Netfab, when I create the STL files. I printed one of each cannon in 1/48th, 1/64th, 1/72nd, and 1/96th. They were printed on an Anycubic Mono 4K with a 35um pixel size and at a 35um layer height. In any case, the taller cypher scales out to 1/2" tall at the anchor ring, and 1" over all. The lower one scales to 1/8" and 1/4" respectively. When I printed them the tall cypher stood up way too much, for the three larger scales, but was still clear, if still too tall at 1/96th. The lower cypher looked better with the shorter offset for 1/48 to 1/72nd, but was almost invisible at 1/96th. At all the scales even this lower resolution cypher is lacking in visible detail, but can still be recognized, due to printer limitations. I had a couple of the cannons fail, but my FEP needs replacement, of the cannons that did print (and stayed on the base), these are the best pictures I was able to get. The first is the cannon with the lower offset cypher at 1/64th scale. The second is the taller offset cypher at 1/64, 1/72, and 1/96. The lower offset cypher looks more reasonable for those on a real cannon.

I spent the last few days drafting the frame for the Superintendent’s Car. The frame is finished as far as the major assemblies. I’ll add the various levers, equipment boxes, tanks, etc. as separate pieces, and as I get more information on items like the brake system. The pictures of the frame show two strap assemblies. These also are separate parts, and will be printed as such. I had to draw them in place, though, to get the proper angles, so I’m showing them as if installed. I still have to place the blocks for mounting the couplers, but will do that after I’ve printed and assembled a car. I have a set of the correct type trucks for another car, so I can make the proper measurements using them. I initially drew the frame members overlong, and the floor overlong and too wide. Then I placed the frame in place under the sides and ends, and marked the areas that needed to be cut. This saved a lot of detailed measuring, and gives me a perfect fit. This is the frame from the side, with the straps. And two others showing some close-up details. Lots of rivets. This picture shows the frame in place, with a close-up of the observation platform. The various bosses at the end of the platform are mounts for the railings. This platform area sits a few inches lower than the interior floor. The last picture shows the assembly from the underside. I volunteered to draft some of the cannons for the NRG Cannon project, and will turn my efforts to them for a while, then start on the complex roof for this car, and any other Pullman Heavyweight passenger cars I may tackle in the future.

Yes. SketchUp 2017. For future projects, I may have to switch to another software package, as I recently found out that I can no longer install addons (extensions) due to security concerns and lack of available ones that work with my version! Even though in December, most of them were compatible and were offered by 3rd party vendors!

Well after a couple years I finally finished mostly) the 3D body for my Santa Fe Superintendent’s Car! The drafting would not have taken so long, but I kept finding better references, to correct detail mistakes in the original drawing I used. The drawing was well done, but was hand drafted by a modeler over 50 years ago, and the hundreds of rivets laid out on it were not always correctly placed. Also many details were not clear, without the photographs I found from various internet sources. Next will be the underframe, roof, and interior. For now I have a donor car for the underframe and roof to make a mockup. Here are a few views of the CAD file. First a perspective view from the front of the car. Note that the front wall/vestibule is and angled surface, making placing the rivets interesting. The window glass is filled in here as support during printing. I am rethinking the way that the final window glass/ frames will be designed. They may be a separate assembly that pushes in from the rear. Next is a similar view from the back of the car. If you look closely, you will notice that it has a main door and a screen door. The main door is a separate piece, and will not be printed in place, as shown here. This lets me install both the main door windows and the screening on the screen door. This wall is set into groves in the side walls to locate it. Next is a view of the observation end of the car. There will be an observation platform/porch floor, designed into the underframe. The roof line shown will likely change after the prototype roof is drafted. The roof line shown on the wall marches the interior lines of the donor car. This is the front/vestibule wall. This wall fits into matching ledges in the side walls. You can see the inside observation main door at the other end of the car. The inside of the observation wall also has the interior trim. This is a top view of the body. You can see the angling of the outside of the vestibule wall, as well as the locating ledges between the four walls. I also redesigned the tender oil bunker I drew several years ago. Most of it was correct, but when I placed the rivets I spaced them too closely. I used 1 1/2 inch spacing as I had to guess, having found no info on this. I found out late last year it should have been 3” spacing. I bought reprints of 10 years of the old “Santa Fe Modeler” magazines, and found the new (too me) information in them. I’ve gotten a 3D print of this latest version from Shapeways and will be fitting it to my 2-8-0 tender in the next week, or so. I was planning on 3D printing it at home, but I still haven’t got the supports right, it keeps distorting during printing. Once I verify the fit, I’ll offer it through Shapeways, as it will be more readily available to the public. The next Oil Bunker project is to convert a Bachmann 2-10-0’s tender to oil. This is much more of a SWAG, as there are only a handful of under exposed photos of these. Santa Fe acquired the locomotives from a smaller railroad it purchased, and did not use them for very long. They were too small for most of their operations, and in poor repair. Hence the lack of pictures. The old 2-10-0 bunker is on the left, and the new 2-8-0 version on the right. You can see the difference between the old and new rivet spacing.

For those of you (like me) who use the free 2017 version of SketchUp (the last one that let you do all the work on your computer, not online through them), they have disabled the Extension Warehouse feature, due to "Security Concerns". This even though 90% of the offered extensions still worked with that version. I'll have to back up my operating system onto another drive in case mine dies, My files are far to large to do them over the net, even if I wanted to allow SketchUp, or someone hacking them, access to them.

The copper/iron problem, as at the beginning of the era of coppering. the ships were built with iron fasteners, and when the copper plates were first used on these ships, the galvanic action did bad things to the original ship's fasteners. I don't remember the complete solution, but they did find ways to prevent this. I think it was a combination of adding a intervening layer of wood to the hull between the ship's bottom and the plating, and using bronze fasteners on new ships.

Were you using Tamiya Thinner? The Tamiya paints are alcohol based, the Vallejo paints are water based, which should not be thinned with alcohol. The alcohol causes them the dry rapidly, at best, and can cause the paint to fail. Alcohol is one of the things you use to clean your airbrush when using Vallejo. Get some of Vallejo thinner (preferred), or use distilled water.

I have the Red Bay book set too. Quite interesting.

I've spent more for a book. If you need info on an unusual (to the general public) subject, you pay what you need. I try to get used books, but sometimes even they are not cheap! I just bought a book on the Santa Fe's first passenger diesels the "One Spot Twins", for $75 used, and it was the cheapest, one of the copies was over $150. Depends on your needs. Other times I've gotten $75 books used for $10, luck of the draw.

Welcome aboard!

Yes, the pool is full of water, and yes, he is barefoot!

After the first Iraq war the Iraqis set many of the oil wells in the occupied countries on fire as they retreated, prompting stories of the coming apocalypse of the wells burning for decades, as there were so many, and standard methods took a lot of time per well. Well as you can see that didn't happen. One of the most innovative ways to put them out, was a Polish (I believe) company that thought way outside the box, and built a frame with one or two jet engine mounted with the exhaust pointing toward the rear. They would back the running engines toward the flames and the oxygen poor massive flow output would smother the flames, while massive amounts of water cooled the metal end of the well, so the oil would not be reignited,

Well, thanks! I can now remove that one from my wish list on Amazon! Glad It didn't waste my money on it!

I too had chemistry sets as a child. I bought one for my son in the early 90s. They had made it so safe (most of the chemicals were bottled as pads "Soaked" in the chemicals, rather than liquids) that we could not get any of the experiments to work! I took chemistry classes in both high school and first year of college, so had a decent idea of what we were doing, still no luck.

You may also want to get Badger's Regdab, or what ever their name is spelled backwards. It is a solution you dip your needle in to help keep the paint from drying on it. Dip the needle and wipe it off. It will leave a film that lasts for a while.