Something to replace the Neptune - Short Typhoon?

[Ed Kirk]

Needed buoyancy, got some foam from Home Depot started to cut and hack some shapes - what a mess so I decided to print some blocks. Still experimenting, ordered some sealer to coat shells and hopefully prevent leakage.

[Ed Kirk]

Printed some saddle tanks for buoyancy, snug fit, no room for lead ballast. Set in water very nicely but rolled over and went belly up.

"Diving Officer mind your bubble!" OOPS - no room for lead ballast.

[Ed Kirk]

Added saddle tanks to hull shell for single print, left room for lead ballast down bottom center.

Experimental prints in terra cotta red filament, cheap and prints very nicely.

My bolt together hull sure makes it easy to experiment with changes.

[Ed Kirk]

Ordered some of this miracle stuff to seal prints. See how it goes.

[Ed Kirk]

Something new growing from my printer. Pretty much sticking to original STL's, I am installing threaded joining rods, and putting motors in the wet side of the stern, everything else will be in the cylinder which I need to shorten about 4 inches.

If interested I will post progress in a new feed.

[Ed Kirk]

Center hull section, left as printed. Right coated with white Seal Flex, great results, no way to test but looks promising since boayancy tanks are static.

[Ed Kirk]

Printed ballast shells filled with lead shot and resin and installed in hull.

[Ed Kirk]

I redesigned the ballast tank. the center section for the dry components was oversized and the O-Rings were not tight enough to seal. I had the air vents coming out of the ends making it difficult to rout the tubing. Now recessed in center/top of tank. Tubing installed while leak testing. Also printed entire tank in one print, it was a two piece design with a separate end cap that was glued in place

Yes it does leak, sprayed with magic clear Flex Seal and works as promised, almost not visible, just a little hazy from over application. Takes several coats to seal but looks presentable.

At this point I am doing trim tests and liking results. 3D printing from scratch is pretty difficult but I like to design and print - and things just evolve during the process. The 3D printed ballast tank is great for a small application but I would use clear tubing on anything larger - just print endcaps. Maybe change this one to clear tubing if I could find a source.

Also 3D printed weight shells and buoyancy tanks are great if you have a way to create the files and custom fit them. Buoyancy tanks do need a seal coat, created in CAD as a solid, I print them with 3 outer layers, 4 to 5 top and bottom layers with 5 to 10% infill using Orca Slicer to make adjustments. They come out very light weight and easy to resize in Orca Slicer.

[Ed Kirk]

Short, sport Typhoon next to standard size for scale.

[redboat219]

Typhoon kinda looks nice with the sail forward.

[Ed Kirk]

I really like the shape and fit of the Typhoon. twin screws with shrouds, Never seen the real thing but got the classified brief - floating city, well city at sea. Make a great museum ship, I would pay for a tour.

I did get to see a Victor 3 through the periscope, The OOD couldn't figure out what they were doing with smoke topside. They were having a barbeque, the Victor is huge, the sailors looked like termites walking around on deck at sea. Huge sail and rudder.