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There is a really fascinating design of a steampunk-esque submarine that was created by a gentleman by the name of Peter Pohle. His 3D files can be purchased on Turbosquid.
Loving the design, I purchased the plans and began work on importing them into my 3D software to convert to a printable format. That... was an ordeal. The 3D files are basically shells, not watertight, and very much not suitable for printing. After dozens of hours of work, I finally managed to convert them into something that I could use to create watertight STL files for printing.
I elected to produce the model with an overall length of around 33". My best guess, without knowing for sure, is that it puts the boat at around 1:120 scale. This gave me adequate room for the installation of working RC gear.
The hull was printed in six main sections, then glued together. Filling the seams was challenging due to the longitudinal strakes down the length of the boat. In the end, I elected to hide the seams with lines of resin decal rivets. The explorer sub is removable, and held in place with a magnet. I elected to paint the upper hull and keel in the same metallic silvers that Peter rendered her in, but rather than the wood hull, went with a copper look to the main hull sections.
The drive consists of one of my standard 2" single-shaft SubDrivers with full operational ballast system. The ballast is pump-based and utilizes a snorkel hidden in the wheelhouse to open a vent for full evacuation of the tanks.
With all of those very cool portholes, I installed over a dozen LED lights inside and two more outside. The effect is subtle, but when illuminated in the dark, makes for a very cool silhouette.
At this point, the Hippocamp is ready for the installation of flotation foam and lead ballast, then trimming in the pool. I'll update this thread with more photos and video once the boat is fully operational. In the meantime, enjoy these drydock photos as she prepares for her maiden voyage!
Loving the design, I purchased the plans and began work on importing them into my 3D software to convert to a printable format. That... was an ordeal. The 3D files are basically shells, not watertight, and very much not suitable for printing. After dozens of hours of work, I finally managed to convert them into something that I could use to create watertight STL files for printing.
I elected to produce the model with an overall length of around 33". My best guess, without knowing for sure, is that it puts the boat at around 1:120 scale. This gave me adequate room for the installation of working RC gear.
The hull was printed in six main sections, then glued together. Filling the seams was challenging due to the longitudinal strakes down the length of the boat. In the end, I elected to hide the seams with lines of resin decal rivets. The explorer sub is removable, and held in place with a magnet. I elected to paint the upper hull and keel in the same metallic silvers that Peter rendered her in, but rather than the wood hull, went with a copper look to the main hull sections.
The drive consists of one of my standard 2" single-shaft SubDrivers with full operational ballast system. The ballast is pump-based and utilizes a snorkel hidden in the wheelhouse to open a vent for full evacuation of the tanks.
With all of those very cool portholes, I installed over a dozen LED lights inside and two more outside. The effect is subtle, but when illuminated in the dark, makes for a very cool silhouette.
At this point, the Hippocamp is ready for the installation of flotation foam and lead ballast, then trimming in the pool. I'll update this thread with more photos and video once the boat is fully operational. In the meantime, enjoy these drydock photos as she prepares for her maiden voyage!
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