7/14/2020: 3D Modeling and Printing continued

With the boat howitzer's 3D model pretty much done, I started in on the pivot gun's model. I already had a basic 3D started, so this was more of a detailing job. Yes, I already made models of the pivot guns, but these too were pretty basic and needed detailing, which I had intended to do with photo-etched parts, but this way I can (hopefully) print each gun all in once piece, and if anything happened to them in handling the model, I can print a new one easier than hand making another from scratch. The 3D models are made from scratch as well, just inside the Anim8or 3D modeling software.

7/23/2020: I took a shot at printing the pivot gun, but stopped it when I saw the gun had separated from the carriage. Some things didn't print right and some thing were great. After tweaking the 3D model to make the gun attach better to the elevation wedge, raised so details so they'd be easier to see, and added some things I'd missed. I tried again, twice, but both tries the model separated from the supports. While I figure out the supports, I went ahead with other models that needed to be made.

Next up was the anchor. This should print about 3-1/2" tall. My first attempt at printing it is on the printer as I type this.

The next item I made were the boarding steps. At only 3/4" wide, I made all 24 (there's 12 on each side of the ship) to be printed at once, and being so small, printed them right away.

8/10: 3D Modeling continued

The anchor print failed, it separated from the supports early on and the fluke end was a pancake. The pivot gun model got cleaned up some, and I was considering a new barrel for it with a flared muzzle, based on what can be seen in paintings, but in researching it further, I can't find any evidence of such a gun (I found 8 inch gun with muzzle flares), while I have drawings from the archives for the gun I've made.

I did a better version of the pinrail ballasters or stanchions and the bitts with sheave modeled in. I also made a model for blocks that will get printed with sheaves and without which will get brass sheaves. I started on the entry-port boards, but the carvings are still eluding me.

I also started work on a 3D model of the 2nd Cutter. This has a long way to go before it could be a printable model, and I think I'll have to do it in several parts to get it to print right.

8/17: Printed the shells for the blocks and the new stanchions as well as giving the boat howitzer another shot which failed.