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Bottled Ship Builder

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So something I've been working on is almost complete and I'm curious about what type of interest there is out there.  I've been working with a 3D printer to see the plausibility of printing parts for ships in bottles.  Here's the results so far.

 

This is a 1:600 scale cannon.  

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It will need some paint but for the size it looks incredible.  I want to take it up a milimeter and print 1:500 scale.  So one milimeter longer than the above. It's much cheaper if I buy them in bulk because of the costs to set up the machine.  I can print 1,000 for 70 cents each.  1,000 would last me a very long time.  Would any one be interested in buying some cannons?  

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What pound cannons? It's important because all the dimensions on a cannon and carriage were based on multiples of the cannon ball diameter. A 4 pounder cannon (3 inch ball) is half the size, in all dimensions, of a 32 pounder (6 inch ball). If your example at 1:600 is a 9 pounder (4 inch ball) it could also be used as a 4 pounder at 1:450, a 6 pounder (3.5 inch) at 1:525, a 12 pounder (4.5 inch) at 1:675, an 18 pounder (5 inch) at 1:750, a 24 pounder (5.5 inch) at 1:825 or a 32 pounder at 1:900. I assumed your example might be a 9 pounder because it seems likely to be the largest gun used on your small pirate frigate, but sixes are also a possibility.

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I admit to not being so presise.  I looked around at cannon lengths and decided the scale based on 7 feet so a 32 pounder.  7 feet in millimeters is 2,133 divided by 500 is a 4 millimeter barrel.  The on pictured is a 3 millimeter barrel.  I decided to go a bit bigger to match the cannons I typically make.  That being said the pirate vessel I'm Making is closer to 1:400 so a 1:500 32 pounder is not going to be a 32 pounder on that ship.

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Sorry, I can't help being precise, I guess it's in my nature. :rolleyes:

The scale of your cannon is closer to 1:533, so it can be used as a 4 pounder at about 1:266, 6 pounder at 1:311, 9 pounder at 1:356, 12 pounder at 1:401, 18 pounder at 1:445, or 24 pounder at 1:489. Works out that your hypothetical pirate ship will have 12 pounders.

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I think it's funny we're copying and pasting the Facebook comments here.  It does belong here though so people can view it later.  Summing up I respect your attention to detail and accuracy.  To be accurate these cannons should be labeled as 4 millimeter cannons.  As such the scale can be figured out from there.  

I have thought about providing 3D printed parts to ship in bottle builders ingeneral.  Possibly through an online store.  It is expensive to print these in small quantities and the price down up as the quantity gows up because of set up costs.  If there's enough interest I'd like to print cannons at various sizes and also helms anchors and other parts.  This could spread out the cost of 3D printing.  I have an order in for 1,000 cannons.  If enough people buy some to help cover the cost I can order other parts.  If not I have enough cannons to last a very long time.   

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Thanks Jesse.  A lot is dependent on how the sale of these cannons go.  I spent a pretty penny getting the 1,000 but if no one buys them I'm not sure I'll do it again.  If it works out I might see if the can print wheels anchors and cannons all in one batch.  That would give every one more to choose from.  I'll have to see what's possible in that regard though.  

Exwafoo dead eyes would be especially nice.  At this scale though I'm not sure their possible.  The cannons really pushed the limit of their machine.  It took a $20,000 machine to do it and iy was barely capable.  I think I'll stick to thread blocks on that one.  

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just opened the package  with the cannons I ordered.  Didn't  realize how small they would be.  My smallest brush is 10 zero, so I'll have to follow  David Siemens on painting them.  Hopefully I won't sneeze while they're out of the package.

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Nah dude David Siemens is my father.  

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The D is for Daniel but no worries.  Happens all the time.  (Yes my dad's name really is David.)  :P

They are very small.  I hope not to small.  I've found they can be painted using a need dipped in paint and then just tapping the cannon.  Double sided tape might help too and yeah...don't sneeze.  

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