USS Maine by Haze Gray - 1/72 scale - RADIO - 3D printed

[CDW]

Lol - That's exactly what my friend told me...to experiment with the settings.

I have seen some guys use a piece of glass on the print bed. Thoughts on that?

 

[Haze Gray]

6 hours ago, CDW said:

Lol - That's exactly what my friend told me...to experiment with the settings.

I have seen some guys use a piece of glass on the print bed. Thoughts on that?

 

Glass works, it's super flat (if you get the right kind) but I'd recommend you hold off on switching to glass and figure out if you need to switch to it - unlikely there's more than a few thousands of waviness on the bed you have, and that gets sorted out within the first 1/2 milimeter.... but if you are thinking of picking up glass for extra beds that's an excuse as good as any in the 3D printing world!

[CDW]

One nice thing about building the printer from a kit: it familiarizes the novice with the parts associated with each of the common terms used when users discuss 3D printers. Until now, I had no idea really. Almost done with assembly now.

[1492]

There's a nice model of the USS Maine in the Naval Museum in Madrid with a nice write up of how the Maine is 'Remembered' in Spain.

Naval Museum Madrid

If you're not sure what I mean then read here.

I wonder if you will show your model with the hole in its side demonstrating how the explosion was from the inside-out.

Seems nothing has changed in 120 years.

[CDW]

3 hours ago, 1492 said:

There's a nice model of the USS Maine in the Naval Museum in Madrid with a nice write up of how the Maine is 'Remembered' in Spain.

Naval Museum Madrid

If you're not sure what I mean then read here.

I wonder if you will show your model with the hole in its side demonstrating how the explosion was from the inside-out.

Seems nothing has changed in 120 years.

Are you freakin' kidding me? He's building a scale RC model battleship, mate. Why the heck would he model the ship with a gaping hole in the hull? Sheesh.

 

Edited May 31, 2018 by CDW

[1492]

As modelmakers we're permitted to Simulate the real thing aren't we?  So simulating a hole doesn't have to sink a model. RC Model ships have been sinking and rising for decades now in pond battles. aren't you don't know that- JEEEEZ!!!!

 

 

[Haze Gray]

1 hour ago, 1492 said:

As modelmakers we're permitted to Simulate the real thing aren't we?  So simulating a hole doesn't have to sink a model. RC Model ships have been sinking and rising for decades now in pond battles. aren't you don't know that- JEEEEZ!!!!

 

 

As I have been modeling/researching the USS Maine I've come across quite a lot around the sinking of the Maine, controversy as to the cause, and reports and investigative materiel.  There's alot of photos of the wreck after the cofferdam was constructed around the Maine for investigation but there's not enough there to really get a picture or understanding to the degree I could model it - suffice to say the pictures basically show the bow section separated from the rest of the vessel - and the section forward of the center structure essentially a conflagration of metal and essentially obliterated - there's no 'hole' as that part of the ship was simply opened up in all directions.

 

As far as the cause, there's no evidence that would rule out either explanation (external or internal origination of the explosion). Both are a possibility and at least one report I read  stated that the damage was also consistent with an internal explosion detonating a mine underneath causing a secondary detonation.

 

CDW is correct, the model that I am designing is intended to float!

 

speaking of which I haven't provided an update lately - so here's a short one:  After printing 4 sections of the Hull I realized I needed to reduce the length of the sections (basically shorter ones) and add tabs for nut+bolt joining to ease alignment and assembly of the hull.  I've printed out the first 3 sections and the 4th is getting printed as I write this.  The tabs work well but do require supports while printing depending on their orientation - I may not go back and re design them but for future hulls in work I plan to design tabs that help capture the nut and don't require supports while printing.

 

Here's a few pictures, as is I am pleased with the results and will continue to improve the approach.

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful work of a very controversial ship, that you are doing. I like how you are linking the various modules together, with machine screws.

Do you think a kit would be in the order of possible?

Would you mind to honestly post the approximate cost of such method of building, tooling left aside?

 

Yves

[Haze Gray]

5 hours ago, yvesvidal said:

Beautiful work of a very controversial ship, that you are doing. I like how you are linking the various modules together, with machine screws.

Do you think a kit would be in the order of possible?

Would you mind to honestly post the approximate cost of such method of building, tooling left aside?

 

Yves

Hi Yves,  that's an interesting question - If I were to do a kit I'd like to make it as low a cost as possible,  I believe there's about $150-$220 worth of material & electricity that goes into 1/72 scale version of the USS Maine - all the Hull sections together take about 18 days to print in total so possibly 30 days of straight printing for the whole boat.

At 1/96 scale the material costs and time is reduced by about 40%.  I've been printing parts and adjusting dimensions for tolerances for the 1/72 scale and and there would be a fair amount of changes and lots of test printing to dial in the 1/96 version so I'm reluctant to do that. It would be fun to do a run of kits in 1/72 if I had a bunch of printers - and if I could get the cost per kit really low - so if there's interest I'm happy to sharpen my pencil and get it as low as possible.

 

Over the next week or two I'll have some pics that are going to be really fun to post - Turrets mounted in the hull look really great!

[lmagna]

While I like a number of the Pre-Dreadnought ships, with the Olympia and Oregon probably at the top of my list, I would find this model interesting to build just because of the fabrication/construction method. 

[fnkershner]

Haze Gray - I can offer you 3 printers if that will help. 2 are Leap frogs and 1 is a CR10. All you have to do is provide the filament. 

[Haze Gray]

18 hours ago, lmagna said:

While I like a number of the Pre-Dreadnought ships, with the Olympia and Oregon probably at the top of my list, I would find this model interesting to build just because of the fabrication/construction method. 

I actually have the Olympia and Oregon on my list - and have the design plates for them - I will say the Olympia has the best ornamentation I've seen on a US steel ship. 

 

speaking of Bow crests - I've got these photos of the bow crest on the Maine that eventually I'll work into the model and try printing, will probably need a .3mm or .2mm nozzel

[lmagna]

2 hours ago, Haze Gray said:

I actually have the Olympia and Oregon on my list - and have the design plates for them - I will say the Olympia has the best ornamentation I've seen on a US steel ship. 

Assuming that I'm still alive when you get there you can assume you have two sales if they are in 1/72 scale like the Main. Even if they are prototypes, so long as they can be worked into a realistic model.

[fnkershner]

Lou - I can help you with the fusion 360 and you know where the printers are.

[lmagna]

Thanks Floyd

 

I suppose I could learn the programming and start from scratch, but in reality both those ships even though Pre-Dreadnought era are very complex ships with a lot of detail that would have to be designed and programmed.The only way I could devote that much time to builds like that  would be to abandon the builds i have already committed to. You would have to program the printer to make another me first! I'm not to sure about the 3D printer but I do know that I will be needing some assistance in the future on some laser cutting.

Again thanks for the offer.

[tabycz]

It's interesting. I have a question. I suppost by your notes you use for print PLA filament. I red at different forums and web articles that PLA isn't well resist at UV and high teperatures. How you protect your ship before UV?

Do you have any tip or experiencies?

[Haze Gray]

2 hours ago, tabycz said:

It's interesting. I have a question. I suppost by your notes you use for print PLA filament. I red at different forums and web articles that PLA isn't well resist at UV and high teperatures. How you protect your ship before UV?

Do you have any tip or experiencies?

All that's really needed is to paint over the PLA with something opaque enough to block UV,  so automotive primer + a top coat will do nicely.  I have both an unpainted part and a painted part sitting outside and will check the results at the end of summer to see how they fair in the sun.   PLA sensitivity might vary between manufactures depnding on the color/pigment or other material properties.

[tabycz]

Thanks for answer. I have built a boat from ABS several years ago (not 3D print) and I did the paint. ;o)

 

Have you thought about ABS or ASA? I ask because I also think about 3D printed boat and I am looking for some answers what is experience with different materials.

Edited June 3, 2018 by tabycz

[Haze Gray]

2 hours ago, tabycz said:

Thanks for answer. I have built a boat from ABS several years ago (not 3D print) and I did the paint. ;o)

 

Have you thought about ABS or ASA? I ask because I also think about 3D printed boat and I am looking for some answers what is experience with different materials.

Hi Tabycz,  there’s a lot of good material options out there, I’m using  PLA right now for the development prints as I have the settings dialed in for it.  ABS , ASA, PETG could easily be used. I will say there’s an at vantage with ABS to join with a slurry of acetone

[fnkershner]

We also have a ABS printer in our lab. I have not used it. I have not found a need to buy a reel of ABS. There is also the issue of venting fumes.

[Haze Gray]

Okay had a bit less time than I was anticipating this weekend, bunch of kids sleep over for a birthday - but did manage to get a few more sections attached.  Also test fitted turrets but no photo of that yet.   ts but no picture yet

[fnkershner]

Please bring what you can to the meeting on Saturday. We would all love to see your work!

[CDW]

That's some beautiful and inspirational 3D print work, Neal.

 

[Haze Gray]

A couple more photos that I was able to take this a.m. 

 

keep in in mind that while the prints you see on the photos are good, they are not super great or anything... iPhone camera is designed to make anything look good!

 

theres a few sections in the hull that have different settings, I find pretty much that increasing layer height means taking a hit in print quality but I haven’t quantified exactly why that is. I think it has something to do with thermal expansion of the material at higher flows. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CDW]

I don't know, Neal, but whatever you're doing with your settings, it sure is precise-looking to me.

Curious to know what nozzle size you're using now and what size you've set for lines. Are you using 1.75 filament?

[Haze Gray]

39 minutes ago, CDW said:

I don't know, Neal, but whatever you're doing with your settings, it sure is precise-looking to me.

Curious to know what nozzle size you're using now and what size you've set for lines. Are you using 1.75 filament?

I’m using 3mm filament and a 0.4mm nozzle, most of the sections I do at .14 layer height but a few are at .20 layer height. 

[Haze Gray]

Okay, I just had to give this name plate a try - 2 hours later..... it has the similarity of features but obviously not what I would call close... will be fun to see how much of it comes out in printing. 

 

one of those things that would be way easier and much better if just done by hand !!!

 

(and Yes I need to adjust those ports for the stern lines but that's easy)

 

Also hull in the photo is 80% printed, working on last two sections!

Edited June 13, 2018 by Haze Gray
added comment on oval holes and hull photo

[Haze Gray]

Good morning, another photo and getting closer- last section will be done this evening.  I’m also going to start experimenting with printing at 1/96 scale which could be a good compromise between size and presentation.

 

[lmagna]

The only word that comes to mind right off is Impressive.

[Haze Gray]

Off on vacation this week but will post a few pictures of the hull of the Maine when I get back, the name plate on the stern of the boat did print out and didn’t look bad at all.  

 

So,  vacationing in japan, not too far from Yokosuka where the (pre-dreadnaught) Mikasa sits, had to stop by, pretty interesting,  couple photos of that ship....