Iron Ballast .stl files

[Gabek]

Hello folks!

I really enjoy playing around with my Elegoo Mars resin printer which I purchased primarily to build parts for models.  So, I decided to experiment with some printed pieces in my HMS Triton build (link in the signature).  One of my reference books for the Triton is Anatomy of the Ship: The Frigate Diana by David White and it includes the layout of the iron ballast (aka kentledge, iron pigs).  Simple geometric shapes seemed like a good beginner's project so I used this as my tutorial for Fusion 360 software (free for non-commercial use).  Included in this post are two .stl files for full- and half-pigs, complete with the British broad arrow.    I have also uploaded them to the pantheon of 3d printing - Thingiverse.com.  

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5360861

Full Iron Ballast with Broad Arrow .stl

Half Pig Iron Ballast with Broad Arrow v2.stl

 

The ballast was drawn to a 100mm length so these files will need to be scaled to your model.    A reduction to 20% of this size would be suitable for a 1:48 model.  For my 1:96 Triton I scaled the original down to 10%. 

<<< The 3d ballast object at 100%; 20% (1:48); and 10% (1:96)

 

I tried out three different resins - ending with eSun's black, plant-based for the final product.  I tried different combinations of printing these in "gangs" to make gluing them into my 1:96 model a little easier. According to several diagrams I have seen, the first row of ballast was placed perpendicular to the keelson while the subsequent rows would have been laid parallel.  I chamferred the edges of single ballast files so that lines demarking separate pigs would show up when printing them in gangs. I thought it would have been a cruel officer or, more likely, a vicious bosun who would demand that these 300 lbs blocks of iron be oriented with the broad arrows facing up and in the same direction - so I generated a table of random numbers to help me orient these in a random manner.  I am unsure if there would be vast differences between countries but if you wanted to use these for a ship of a different nationality just make sure the arrows are turned away from sight. I did not upload these "gang" files since each model will have different requirements.  

 

 

 

If you find these useful and actually try them out at some time, please send me a PM and perhaps share a photo.  

 

Clear skies,

Gabe