Chuck

Lovely work.

Rich...Just make sure you seal the wood first so the areas you dont want to darken can be cleaned up easier. Maybe apply some Wipe on Poly. Otherwise whatever you use will soak into every soft area and get dirty and wont be easily cleaned.

And here is the other version...or one of them just so they are all in the same place. This was the different lower counter design. sternfriezespeed.pdf

Reposting the painted friezes as someone asked if I could make them slightly more blue but keeping them dark rather than the usual light blue background for them....The frieze I am using is actually on a darkish brown background. But I think this will do the trick. There are now three versions. This will be the last one!!! You just cant please everyone. But try these if you want. sternfriezedarknew.pdf

I might have to update my chitbox, LOL I have only been using the free version. I should have looked at the other levels especially with the amount of 3D printing I have been doing. That really solves a lot of my heartaches. Thank You!!!

Wonderful....how do you create the boolean function...Can you do a step by step or point to a youtube video for us knuckleheads...screen shots would be great if you have the time. That I believe is the missing piece. At least for me to create what I need. I just have to find time to figure out how to master that boolean step by step in onshape. With these tools mentioned in this topic I think it is a complete introduction for anyone to make these stl files and refine them. It should prove to be a valuable resource without getting to technical ....I hope. Chuck

I am just going to keep adding tips and tricks I have learned along the way. Remember that we are all pretty much new to this. The more good images with any background you have the better your results. I can not vouch for the accuracy of this drawing but I wanted to document the method I used. In many of these image to 3D AI programs you can upload multiple images of an object from different views. Side , back, front etc. But it is hard enough finding one view of an image that is any good. So lets say you want to make a 3d printed figure of a midshipmen for your model. You can go up to any generic AI program like ChatGTP and ask them for it. But you must be very descriptive. For example I wrote this in ChatGPT. Create a highly detailed image of standing figure of a typical sailor midshipman on frigate in the British Royal navy in the period of about the year 1800. Can you create 4 differnt views of this standing figure with no background. Make each view separated by space so none of the views overlap. Leave some space between each view. I may have been able to make this request more detailed but I just wrote this on the fly. The image it made for me is this. Now is it correct to the period....I dont know, I would have to research that. But anyway... Next you take this into any photo program like photoshop and split it into 4 individual images. Load it into Meshy or any other image to 3D program. If I had time I would prob ask Chatgtp to redo this image without the hat and make him look a bit scruffier. But I really only wanted to demonstrate another tip or method. For those of you more experienced than me at this please feel free to post your tips here as well. Also for us neophytes....If anyone knows how to easily do this...If someone could create a step by step for how to create the slot for a figurhead so it can be slipped onto a stem I would appreciate it. Hopefully using free software. Maybe Blender or freeCad. I would like to give folks as many tools and tips for creating viable carvings and figureheads using this technology. But my knowledge is limited. So I am hoping those with the knowledge would be willing to share. Scruffier with no hat... And these are a few 3D conversions from meshy and hitem3D to show how very different the results are after using the same image from chatgtp. The free retries were used in each program to make two figures from each platform. The two center figures are from hitem3D. A very different result and I will leave it up to you which one is better. I know what my preference is.

That is what I prefer to do for my own models if I wasnt commercially making a kit of course. The folks who buy the kit get the perfect one but I will go in a rework it a bit before I glue it in position. I like to make the print look like it has a few carved faces and I do some undercutting to make it look better when the light hits your finished carving. Some careful cutting around the softer details makes them crisper as well. OK folks....you can also try HITEM3D This still has a free option and its also returning high quality and resolution prints....This is the only other site that I like the resolution and print quality. They also have the ability to upload multiple images of different views to make your rendering more accurate. The results are actually slightly different as this algorithm returns a slightly more stylized rendering. But they look great and you can download them. Here are 3 views in the Chitbox slicer...and yes for a figurehead you still have to bring it into another program like blender and cut a slot for the stem. Or you could do this by hand and just file out a slot after printing. I hate Blender and other CAD programs and just cant get the hang of it.

Lovely rendering. Yes I Broke down and paid. I thought they gave you a bunch of free downloads. Maybe they changed that. There are other sites that do this but Meshy 6 is the best out there. Chuck

Me too...everybody is!!!

Now is this American Indian figurehead perfect....No. But its pretty darned good. This figurehead can be printed to the size you need. Wash it and clean it good after it prints. But then dont put it in the curing station yet. All of the funky details the AI created can then be altered using some some sharp micro chisels. You have most of the hard work done for you....the face is wonderful...the hands and some of the clothes features need some work. So while the printed figurehead is still somewhat soft and not fully cured, you can finish it up with your chisels. This also helps the figurehead actually look like a carved piece rather than a "soft 3D printed" looking figurehead. It really is the best way to utilize this technology and really slip in there a little bit of hand carving. Once you finish your carved alterations, then you can stick it in the curing station to finish it off. Does this make sense? Please feel free to discuss this approach. Its the approach I prefer especially since you are not mass producing these commercially and just looking for a way to create a fantastic and unique personal ship model project. Chuck

Gregory...try getting a little creative with your thinking here. Even if you click symmetry it really doesnt work well. One solution is to split your original drawing into two pieces and run them through meshy separately. The top bust....named properly in meshy before you hit generate. Then the bottom leg where it would need to be split by the stem anyway.... Take both of these and put them together in your slicer actually. Use the duplication feature and mirror feature of your slicer to create an identical right and left leg. Then put them together... STL attached indianstatue1.stl Chuck

Kenny you picked one of the parts that is really tough for AI to do properly. I am afraid that wont work . The drop is very complex and its shape can not replicated with meshy. My guess is that you rendering is completely flat rather than shaped to fit the hull curvature. Thicker and rounded at the top and narrower at the bottom in the other direction.

That is a wonderful decision. Give it a try. What is the worst thing that could happen? And yes I hate those white metal castings as well. I remember when I gave them this hand sculpted and carved figurehead and they turned it into the abomination you see in the kit. Maybe they should read this topic at Model Shipways as well. They turned it into this.... So yes you absolutely should.

Sam...great to see you... I already touched upon the cost for the equipment. That aside if you already have that....to produce the file and print it...about $1 (resin cost for one print) and maybe a 1/2 hour to produce the file and get it ready for printing. Then about 4 1/2 hours to actually print. I pushed the button on my printer to start the printing before I went to bed last night. When I woke up it was all done. I washed it and cleaned it and cured it.....all done.