today's work

[Subculture]

I would say with 3d printing, assuming you're buying in the files from a third party as opposed to creating yourself, is somewhat akin to an injection moulded kit, which requires a bit more work to obtain a decent fit and finish. Resin prints require even less work.

Setting up printers, navigating slicers etc. varies enormously, some look almost turnkey out of the box, others need a bit more work to get satisfactory results.

With regards to CAD work, others on here much better qualified to comment- I'm just a novice, but it's essentially a knowledge based skill rather than a dextrous one.

I personally believe the decline in manual skills has been long in the making. The focus in schools from woodwork/metalwork and Technical Drawing to Design technology and Design Communication began in the mid-eighties here in the UK, and I witnessed that change first hand. C'est la vie.

[DrSchmidt]

3D printers are just one more tool on the bench. No benefit if you can't handle the others as well.....

And I agree: 3D printing is not just push button. Especially if you design your own CAD models.

[rwtdiver]

OH boy is right!

"It's all skill, creative talent, and having craftsman skills" This also applies to embracing "New TechKnowledge"

Steve, I am older than you and David! I have used the model building methods that you and others hold so near and dear to the heart. I totally have nothing but respect for those that continue to choose using these methods. But do not disrespect those of us that choose to use new methods and TechKnowledge to achieve the end results. Some of us may have health issues, or do not have the required shop space to use the so-called older methods.

This subject is always going to be controversial, so we need to end it! I feel we need to RESPECT and embrace any and all methods we choose to enjoy this hobby!

Now we need to give this space back to David so that we can enjoy, and learn from what he dose!!!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

Thank you Tom! I really appreciate your input on this matter!! I also appreciate respect your skill and craftsmanship pertaining to this hobby!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I get tired of hearing that 3D printing is just push a button. That is B.S.
We all use tools that allow us to make models of what we like and faster. Who has bought a Plastic Skipjack model and made it RC? Oh wait that is O.K.? What skill was in making that hulll? What tool is not an improvement of earlier ways? Lathe? Dremel? Soldering iron? Oh my goodness let us stop using an electric drill for that creates lazy fat assemblers of models. Go back to foot and hand operated tools. No using modern CA glue, for that is really a cheat. No, go back to Ambrose glue and pinning your parts overnight. I do not see one sub built using hammered metal only. Why some people are using fiberglass, if that is not cheating I do not know what is (tongue placed in cheek).

Times change, technologies change. I am still a beginner, but have put in 10s to 100s of hours learning how to design something in Fusion. It is a different skill than shaving wood to make something or shaping a brass hull. In 3D printing, there are many things including calibrating your printer, learning how to support and orient your items to get the best print, just to get a print come out nice. Once mastered, it does look easy. David makes his work look easy because he put his time into it. To simplify it as get a file, load it into a printer and push print would be similar to me saying grab some wood, sand it to shape and slap some paint on it. We diminish the work people are doing to further this hobby.
To further make a point, I am seeing MORE people coming into the hobby because of 3D printing. I am also seeing more people learn and use other skills while to get their 3D printed sub into the water that we see as traditional skills. It is just a different way to get them introduced to building on their skills and tools available to create a functioning sub.

I need more coffee, sorry for the rant.

Yet, I see fewer and fewer well running boats at each sub-regatta I attend. So many nice-looking robot produced hulls remain on the picknick tables, most never to run in the water. And if one of those creations makes it to the water, it fails miserably; not through any fault of the robot-built hull structure, but because the driver has little practical experience with machines and next to no at-the-field problem solving skills. Today's r/c submarine driver is dumber than yesterday's submarine driver.

Krell machines don't make you a practical mechanic. Fiddling with machines over time makes you a practical mechanic. Do schools still teach, 'shop'?

I guess we have to wait for the Replicators to advance to a point where all the gizmos that make an r/c submarine a workable system will also be printed, tested, and certified ready for use before the assembly is popped out of the machine.

We are breeding dumb-asses!

David
Resident Luddite

[trout]

I get tired of hearing that 3D printing is just push a button. That is B.S.
We all use tools that allow us to make models of what we like and faster. Who has bought a Plastic Skipjack model and made it RC? Oh wait that is O.K.? What skill was in making that hulll? What tool is not an improvement of earlier ways? Lathe? Dremel? Soldering iron? Oh my goodness let us stop using an electric drill for that creates lazy fat assemblers of models. Go back to foot and hand operated tools. No using modern CA glue, for that is really a cheat. No, go back to Ambrose glue and pinning your parts overnight. I do not see one sub built using hammered metal only. Why some people are using fiberglass, if that is not cheating I do not know what is (tongue placed in cheek).

Times change, technologies change. I am still a beginner, but have put in 10s to 100s of hours learning how to design something in Fusion. It is a different skill than shaving wood to make something or shaping a brass hull. In 3D printing, there are many things including calibrating your printer, learning how to support and orient your items to get the best print, just to get a print come out nice. Once mastered, it does look easy. David makes his work look easy because he put his time into it. To simplify it as get a file, load it into a printer and push print would be similar to me saying grab some wood, sand it to shape and slap some paint on it. We diminish the work people are doing to further this hobby.
To further make a point, I am seeing MORE people coming into the hobby because of 3D printing. I am also seeing more people learn and use other skills while to get their 3D printed sub into the water that we see as traditional skills. It is just a different way to get them introduced to building on their skills and tools available to create a functioning sub.

I need more coffee, sorry for the rant.

[SteveNeill]

Oh boy. Here we go again. David? What was that you said about doing things without electricity?

I mean this is all fine as long as you can distinguish the difference in talents(and I'm being nice here) and keep them separate. That is to say, a craftsman that has built a model by hand should not have to compete or be compared in the same arena to a modeler who got a file, loaded it into his printer and pushed print.


I have heard it a thousand times. You still have to sand a fill and prep. But not if you have a resin printer. They print as smooth as glass. Basically after a bit of work on the computer you have a plastic model kit to assemble.

It's all skill level, creative talent, and having craftsman skills. As an example, you don't compete with an artist who hand painted on canvas against an AI assisted painting guided by a human who didn't have the skill to paint in the first place.

[rwtdiver]

That's the man! He builds with his hands not by just pushing keys!!

There is no one on this forum that respects the master craftsman's old methods of building anything let alone submarines. There is also no doubt in my mind that David M. and others that still prefer to use these methods are the best at what they do, and I do have a great deal of respect for these craftsman!

But there are those of us that have chosen to step out of the box and use the new TechKnowledge's (CAD Design, 3D Printing) that is available to us to learn and achieve some remarkable submarine builds. There is a learning curve to using this new TechKnowledge and it is just not by pushing keys!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[vital.spark]

That's the man! He builds with his hands not by just pushing keys!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Going through my files I found this old gem:

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Taking us to school, thanks David.

Will Rogers
SSB659

Automotive fillers, putties, primers and paints are our friends!

Just passing on what I learned from others.

David

[SSBN659]

Taking us to school, thanks David.

Will Rogers
SSB659