Syren Ship Model Company News, Updates and Info.....(part 2)

[Jim Lad]

Chuck first; us buying stuff from you second. Take the time to rest and recover, Chuck!!

 

John

[Chuck]

Thanks guys…feeling much better…maybe tomorrow I will reopen.  
 

Still exhausted though.

[Canute]

Don't rush. Your body will let you know when you're good to go.

[Chuck]

Finally found time to finish designing internally Stropped Blocks that will be 3d printed.

 

I am not the best at CAD and as a few you know about me...I literally design most of my stuff using Tinkercad.   I outsource the complex stuff but anything that can be done with this free program meant for kids 8 to 12 years old....I am there.

 

I am doing a test printing today.  Many of my parts are made using TinkerCad and one of these days I will do a tutorial.   If you want to make parts for 3D printing and dont know real CAD like me....give it a try.  You can do about 80% of everything in this program.  You can add as much detail as you have patience for.  You will of course have to paint the metal parts black...or not.  Its up to you but its still a lot easier than building my other internally stropped blocks.

 

And below is another project I have been playing with.  No limited edition for this but it will be a nice group project for my club.  We have since completed the battlestation project and so I am now working on our next project.  Working pawl mechanism and all.  All of these parts also made using just tinkercad.  All of the hard parts are no designed and completed.  

[scrubbyj427]

That looks like a big boat capstan! What scale?

[Chuck]

1/2" scale...

 

It will make a great desk top model.  I am sure you guys have seen the various contemporary models out there.  The "Box" or display varies.  But they are all quite nice/

 

 

 

[Pirate adam]

The blocks look really good. I like the color. They look like ancient wood. They also look fun as an army of blue droids. 

[Freebird]

Chuck will the capstan be available for non-club members? It would make a nice display with my Winnie capstan. Thanks!

 

Best Regards …. Rick

[Chuck]

Probably...I am thinking of doing something new with this capstan project...and the internally stropped blocks.

 

There are a lot of folks who have 3d printers and a laser cutter these days.  So I am thinking about doing a group project here at MSW and releasing all the files.  Then doing a tutorial on how to assemble the project and color the pieces.   But yes I will also mfg all the parts for folks who dont have that equipment.  Or who knows...maybe one of the group will to do that.   As I get closer to retirement I am trying to concentrate on teaching and mentoring rather than just making money.   So the Capstan Project uses a lot of laser cutting techniques that folks still dont use.   I dont know why.  Like laser cutting on both sides of a piece etc.

 

And 

 

So many parts these days are available as 3D printed parts but they have to be painted or dyed.   The internally stropped blocks need to be painted and its no different.  But many folks dont know how to make parts look like wood quickly and easily and make them look realistic.  I have to tweak the blocks to make the sheave slots a bit wider which means a day of CAD corrections but these worked out great.   I think making the stl files available and then talking about washing and curing and then finishing the parts would make a great online class.  It takes just a minute to properly paint these blocks.  So many people offer 3D printed wood parts that dont look anything like wood.  So this class would at help.   The three blocks in the foreground were finished just this morning in about 10 minutes.   The original untreated 3D prints are behind it.  It makes a world of difference.   Then we would graduate to the Capstan project...

 

The capstan project would make an excellent group project for any local club...I am hoping that at least one or two members of each local club might have the equipment and could possibly make a dozen kits for their own clubs.

 

But that is just a pipe dream at this point...

 

What do you guys think?

 

 

 

[scrubbyj427]

An online course sounds fun, I would be interested as I’m just getting into 3D printing.

Although I thought you were blending or pigmenting your resins to look like wood?

[Chuck]

Yes but it doesnt always work depending on the product shape.  For example, the internally stropped blocks need to have the iron parts painted anyway.    When you cant use mass coloring techniques for large batches because of the shape of the parts,  getting the correct color is more challenging.   If I were making a few one offs for myself then no problem.  I could condition the resin part for easy colorization.  But....mass dyeing is not an option.  At least not for getting the results you would want.   Going with a dark Pear color is easy but trying to get a non-plastic looking Boxwood color is more problematic if you have a weird shape.  Hence the paintwork and finishing.  Its easy as pie actually.... and once folks see how its done they will have so many more possibilities with all the resin parts now available.   I just wish mfgs would stop printing stuff in that cheap gray color.   If you want it to look like wood you absolutely have to start with a tan resin and one that is super strong and has the right surface properties after curing.   

 

Chuck

[glbarlow]

I understand the the thought and the limitations but I still prefer wood. Stropping blocks is a pain, but it’s part of the process for me. Now it there was a way to eliminate laser char I’m all in😁

[Chuck]

20 minutes ago, glbarlow said:

I understand the the thought and the limitations but I still prefer wood. Stropping blocks is a pain

These are a different kind of block Glenn.  These are for much later vessels...1850's through 1900 and beyond.   Not the old school stuff you are building.

 

These blocks would be used on say the Bluenose or any such vessel as those.  

 

Chuck

[glbarlow]

Well I am old school 😁. Appreciate the clarification. 

[scrubbyj427]

Interesting. Im Curious now on this. I was interested in printing my QG’s to look like wood even though they will be mostly painted and covered with real wood. I will be following if you do this course.

[KennyH78]

I will definitely sign up if you do a course @Chuck  I already have 3 3D printers (2 FDM, 1 resin) and a laser machine.  The painting skills is where I will need the most instruction, 😂 

[GGibson]

I believe I've said it before, but I look forward to replacing my kit-provided Constitution deadeyes and blocks with these when the time comes. (I'm just hoping Chuck is in business until he's well into his 90's... it may be that long!) 🤷‍♂️🤣

[Desertanimal]

I don’t have a laser nor a printer.
I would be interested in a capstan group build though. 

Chris