3D Printed Parts

3D Printed Parts:

I have designed a range of 3D printed parts over the past couple of years for all of my boat models. These parts are mostly only available in 1/20th scale at this time and while they may have detail that is deemed to be too small to print in the smaller scales I may be able to do it, this may be easy, difficult or even impossible without a total redesign depending on the part in question but you can always ask!

It is my intention to put all parts on Shapeways so that you may buy directly from them but I always do my own 3D prints first to verify and prototype the part so I also provide them directly, However some parts are best in materials that I cannot print such as metal (propellers, struts, rudders etc) some I am getting printed at jewellers suppliers in silver or silicon bronze (such as the Elco steering wheel, torpedo propellers etc).

There are also advantages with parts from Shapeways in that they may not have any sprues or support marks depending the printing technology used. Parts directly from me are printed in UV resin and will always have marks from the support structures required but I always hide or minimise these marks where possible and for the most part just require a bit of sanding or filing.

Most parts are drawn from photo's and from dimensions recorded in many drawings and photo's from spare parts catalogues and from my research over some 30 years.

Elco Parts:

Propeller 1/20th scale 35.56 mm Diameter with a pitch of 35.56 mm with a 4mm drive shaft and slots for a 3mm "dog" drive. This will be available in metal from Shapeways or in non working plastic directly from Pt-boat for a static display.

It's taken me 30 years to be able to get a realistic scale replica of the 28" Equipoise Propeller that was used on the Elco and Higgins Boats with the correct overall diameter, pitch and blade shape, the blade thickness, particularly at the hub, is larger than it should be and the hub is larger so that it fits a 4mm shaft but that's what scale models have to have or they are just too fragile!

I have also test printed a 1/35th scale version and changed the hub to fit a 2mm shaft, again with a dog drive slot in the back and it is quite strong even in resin.

Elco Steering Wheel 1/20th scale available in metal from shapeways or from Pt-Boat in plastic or solid silver.

Elco Rear Deck Cleat, pair (left/right) 1/20th scale

Elco Steering column 1/20th scale

Elco Navigation Light. This is made in clear resin and has a hole behind the fresnel lens large enough for a 1mm red or green LED, the remainder of the body can then be painted over, leaving the lens clear, so that the LED can shine through the lens. Comes as a pair, left and right.

Elco Muffler, 1/20th scale comes as a set of 6, 3 right hand and 3 left hand.

Elco Deck Cleat, 1/20th scale.

Elco Mooring Bitt 1/20th scale

Elco Cowl, 1/20th scale.

Elco Bow Light, 1/20th scale, fits onto the Bow Fairlead.

This is printed in clear resin and is hollow inside with a hole in the bottom large enough for a 1mm LED, the body can be painted except from the lens and it ends up looking realy cool!

Elco Bow Fairlead

Elco Early PT59 style Deadlight, 1/20th scale

What you can do with Deadlights is first paint them in the desired colour and then, when fully dry, stand them on some clear plastic film and put a drop of superglue or clear casting resin in each hole and you will end up with a real waterproof transparent deadlight with a painted frame!

Elco Late PT103 style Deadlight, 1/20th scale.

Elco Early model Rudder

Higgins Parts:

Higgins large deck Cowl, 1/20th scale.

Higgins small Cowl, 1/20th scale.

Higgins Bow Fairlead.

Higgins Raft

Higgins Steering Wheel, 1/20th scale.

I will do this in solid silver at some stage but it's pretty sturdy at 1/20th scale in resin.

Higgins Propshaft Strut

I have made a new long strut, with a separate flange in two different shapes, one flat flange for the flat bottom and a wedge shaped flange for along the keel. The strut itself is made of silicon bronze but the flanges are just resin as they are really just covers. The advantage of doing the strut in this way is that the cover can slide anywhere down the strut shaft all the way to the propshaft hub and the excess strut can be cut off, so that it is universal and can be used in all 6 strut positions and can even be used as the forward struts on the Elco Hull. The slots in the keel are slightly larger so that the strut can be angled precisely to the propshaft. The shaft hole is a whisker under 4mm so it can be drilled out to 4mm or 5/32".

Schnellboot Parts:

Schnellboot Vents

Schnellboot Boathook

This can be mounted on the end of a piece of thin walled brass or steel tubing.

Generic Parts:

Mk 2 Smoke Generator, 1/20th scale.

Depth Charge, 1/20th scale.

Danforth Anchor 1/20th scale.

This is my first attempt at an articulated part that is all printed together, first try was nearly succesful so I have increased some clearances and it's ready to be tried again. The blades should wiggle up and down and the connecting link should move but the resin seems to have gooed it all together!