Modify your search for the scale you would like. If that fails, contact the designer (you will have to create your own Shapeways account) directly and tell him or her that you need to scale up or down. I recently asked a designer to print me six foot tall sailors as opposed to 5 foot 9 inch ones in 1:16 scale…a 3mm change! 😂

I was completely unaware of this possibility.

Thanks so much Jumpugly.

I wanted to ask you one more thing: Can I choose the dimensions myself or are they the ones indicated?

The price, multiplied by eight guns is a bit high.
I think I'll do it like this (pragmatically) since I've already printed something: I'll finish the wooden carriages and mount the cannons on them to see if they're acceptable or should be thrown away.

In any case, you introduced me to a new possibility for the future.

Hi Alessandro! Yes, Shapeways will 3d print it for you if you order it through them. Their printing is exceptional! I have never had a reason to complain about their workmanship. Some designers like to work with you directly and do their own printing. But, that can be a roll of the dice. I am working with a gentleman now in Spain whose figure prints are great, but have also been burned by others without decent printing skills or they use low quality resins and/or plastic. In general the Shapeways printings are the safest way to go.

Hello Jumpugly.
You are exceptional.
This is one of the cannons I mentioned, but perhaps it is the large caliber one and not the one Dalghren is leaning on.

He excuses my ignorance and forgives the stupid question:
Can you buy a pre-made model or a design for the 3D printer on this site?

In any case, in the next message I plan to attach photos of the cannons that I have already had made with the 3D printer.
I'm curious to know your opinion and don't worry you can be critical. You can never be more critical of my achievements than me.

Thanks LewZ, I really appreciate your input and intention to help me.

I am a history enthusiast, especially ancient and medieval Rome but also modern and contemporary.
I was never satisfied with the brief discussions given in school on the American Civil War which we also call the "war of secession". Therefore I have explored this very important event on my own, from the political and social situation in general, the precursors, the individual battles, the armaments, the lesser-known anecdotes, the consequences, etc. etc.
Consider that the period is contemporary with Italian political unification, that is, roughly the final phase of the period that we call the Risorgimento.

As regards the armaments of that period, a separate discussion should be opened.
As regards the naval armaments of that period, a further separate discussion should be opened.

I appreciated the links and your information but I have to be honest, it's all part of the material I've collected over the years.
I don't post it here because I have a lot of it and yet it is still scarce from certain points of view.

The American warships of that period are fantastic designs, from the most famous to the lesser known.
On the other hand, the Americans began to build ships of excellent quality already after independence from the United Kingdom. US frigates of the 1800s had few foreign rival frigates.

I have read and studied the "so-called ninety day gunboats" far and wide, not only from Wikipedia but also from other websites. Because, as I already said, after several searches, the personalized search algorithm (or some active microphone) probably offered me more and more sites dedicated to the civil war period.

We would have to talk at length about these gunboats, exceptional from every point of view. I don't know where to start other than praising the designer. Just think of their limited draft which allowed them to go up rivers easily.

The only regret is that I never bought (for various reasons) the book recommended to me by a person who knows English as well as Italian, often travels to America and deals with the gunboats of that period.
The link to this book is the last of the links listed, for those interested.

The fact remains that, among all the information on these gunboats, there are very few images and very few of the deck.

I have now completed, I believe with sufficient historical rigor, the deck. There are a few elements missing that will have to be coherent from a historical point of view like the rest. Among these elements there are indeed cannons.

I must reiterate something that I have often said but which I prefer to repeat: I never thought of faithfully reproducing the Unadilla class gunboats.

https://donhollway.com/alabama-kearsarge/

https://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=css_al

https://www.amazon.it/Old-Steam-Navy-Frigates-1815-1885/dp/0870210041

Here's some nice 3D views. 😊. https://www.shapeways.com/product/CKB3S77JF/11-in-dahlgren-naval-gun-ho?optionId=301082941&li=marketplace


https://www.shapeways.com/product/FQC26L6S7/11-in-dahlgren-naval-gun-72?optionId=301082933&li=marketplace

Alessandro, perhaps to save you some research time...

As a US Civil War Union Navy (the "north") buff and reenactor for 20 years I did a lot of research on the 90-day gunboats, the Unadilla class. Twenty-three were built, most (but not all) with gun configurations similar to the Unadilla. With that, if you can't find the exact information on the Unadilla, look at the "sister" ships in that class.

The USS Tahoma (another in the Unadilla class, all named after American Indian tribes) fired her 150-pounder Dahlgren gun at Tampa, about 30 miles from me.

On that I found seems to have some good information, and that is the USS Cayuga. There is a model of the Cayuga I saw up there many years ago, located at The Civil War gallery at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum.

Trivia 1: The USS Ottawa (another in the Unadilla class) was the first ship in history to shoot at (and hit) a moving steam engine pulled train leaving Fernandina, Florida. (March 1862.)

Trivia 2: 150-pounder Dahlgren smoothbore guns were the same as used by the USS Monitor during the first battle of Ironclads, also in March 1862.

Lew
Florida ☀️, USA

Some Links...

https://forums.civfanatics.com/resources/unadilla-class-gunboat.24385/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thoog/6823966821
https://wargamingraft.wordpress.com/2017/01/27/building-a-90-day-gunboat/

Well, there is very little written on Wikipedia and above all there is nothing that can help with the 3D printer.
However, I have already drawn the features and sent them to print, now I will recover the photos and post them here.
I also printed the large calibers (which probably came out better) but, as already said, I won't use them.

Wikipedia seemed to have a lot of information, including Dahlgren beside his 50 pound gun.

Hi RossM, I chose the cannon in the first image as far as the actual metal piece goes.
The one where Dalghren strikes a pose.
But the gun carriage doesn't fit, it's too high.
That type was designed to shoot over the bulwark, it's not good for me.

Beautiful images Jumpugly, I knew I could count on you. If you have any others, please post them too.

So which Dahlgren gun did you decide on?

Hi Alessandro: These are from my Kearsarge vs. Alabama book. 😉

Good evening to all the modelers on this forum.

I'm currently working on building the cannons. This is my current static modeling problem.

Designing and building the lifeboats will be much more fun but this work on the cannons is also quite challenging.

As for the choice of cannons, it was not easy.

There are few scale models from that period that can be copied and those few who built them paid little attention to the cannons, they seem to be the weak point, the closest element.


The model houses (at least the Italian ones or those known in Italy) don't have anything in their catalogs that even comes close to it. There is a lot of material for the earlier periods and some for the later ones.

After various research I decided to use the Dahlgren cannons seen in the first image.

A long time ago I designed the barrels of various calibers and printed them in ABS (or PLA, I don't remember anymore).

During construction I realized that putting a large caliber in the fighter or amidships as expected would have represented too many problems, some of which were insurmountable for me as the model is an RC model with functional sails.
Therefore I decided to put eight guns only in battery and all of the same caliber.
In this way I gave up on the large caliber ones that I had already printed. The large caliber ones, as you can see in the photos, are less tapered but still very different and original compared to the models of previous centuries.

I tried to redo the cannon barrel in the best possible way (unfortunately without any measurements and at the beginning only with a perspective photo) by copying it from the first attached image.

Then, as time passed (perhaps because the internet gave in to my insistent searches and was more generous with images) I found something else that I show you in the attachment.

In this post I will show you the images that are a source of inspiration for my drawings. In subsequent messages I will show you the drawings I made, then the barrels and then how I am currently working with the carriages.

In this sector, our American friends should know the subject better than anyone and will certainly have a large wealth of images.

Thank you very much CommodoreH.

How's it going with the questions of the day? I haven't participated in a while.

Congratulations, she goes good, looks good.

Put that lake as next question of the day

Yes, exactly, Ross.
I have not created a forced housing for the batteries, but rather a corridor in which they can be positioned further forward or further back but well centered and blocked.

Initially I had planned a corridor for three batteries (lead acid AGM type 6 volt 4.5 Ah) but then some changes to the project led me to reduce to two batteries.

Batteries of other technologies with equal or greater capacity (Ah) but with less weight and overall volume can be inserted.

That can help trim the boat👍

Sorry, I forgot something important that you may have noticed.
The longitudinal trim was not perfect, it was slightly "backwards" (the bow slightly up).
I think it will be enough to move the battery forward a little to correct the alignment between the waterline and the water surface.

Always, NEXT TIME, BETTER!

Thanks everyone for the nice comments.

Thanks Hermank, yes I like this lake because it is not only beautiful but also not crowded.

Thanks ColinH. The model is not sinkable. I didn't even try to make it unsinkable because there aren't enough volumes available for such a job.
I rely a lot on waterproofing.
For possible recovery due to damage, I had the dinghy you see in the last photo at the top right.
I know you're joking, but I could do an underwater recovery, however it's not advisable in that lake.

Thanks Doogle but I'll have to do more tests. This time I'll look at the forecast and go with at least 11 kmh of wind.
In the meantime I will complete the model and, finally, the display case.

Thanks Ronald. Yes, I also tested the engine. Most of the time there was no wind. Not even the wool thread was rising.

Thanks RossM. Yes, in my opinion the separate configuration is better but I could change some things. I have some improvements in mind.

Alessandro
What à beautifull scènery an à beautifull model.
👍👍

That's some beautiful lake, is your model unsinkable or do you carry scuba diving gear with you.
I am so pleased that she passed the test as its an absolutely stunning model.
Cheers Colin.

Awesome scenery, congratulations on passing your first sailing test 👏

You are one brave person to launch in a deep lake as a test of your systems after only see a bathtub.

You got it back in one piece 😁

Congratulations. At any time did you use your propulsion system or was it only wind in the sails?

Fantastic news!!! As you did, do testing in baby steps. Safer. I like the idea of 2 separate battery systems radio, esc motor. Congratulations on passing the first test!!

Good evening everyone and, if they haven't already told you, happy new year.


The tests in the tank led me to want to do a more challenging test at the lake.

I'll tell you how the test at the lake went.

The test at the lake can be seen in this video:
I'll put it last.
Sorry for the bad video footage, but the purpose was not to film and I didn't prepare well.

OUTCOME AND EVALUATIONS

PROPELLER NAVIGATION
From the point of view of motor navigation, nothing to complain about.
By adjusting the remote control lever you obtain a realistic speed.
With the propeller running, the rudder responds very well.
If necessary it is possible to exploit the maximum power of the engine (but this is no longer realistic navigation).

SAILING
As far as sailing is concerned, the outcome can be said to be positive but absolutely to be repeated due to the lack of wind.
That afternoon only a few weak gusts every now and then. Not even the woolen threads rose to let me understand which direction the wind was coming from.
I think you need at least four knots, eight to twelve would be ideal, probably even more for fun, but that day there were a maximum of two and only every now and then.
Good for swimming but not for sailing.
I know, I should have seen the forecast first, but I only had that day available anyway and I would have gone anyway.

In the few moments of wind (unfortunately no more than a consecutive minute), and despite it being so weak, it also sailed close hauled.

Nonetheless, I don't consider the test complete.
Without a certain amount of momentum the rudder does not appear to be effective. This is normal.
I didn't think of doing an ad hoc test to verify this: I would have had to push the schooner from the shore out to sea with maximum force and immediately give the command to the rudder to the left or right, then repeating the same test but always with less initial thrust.
If the ship turns, that's fine, it means that the rudder works even without the propeller having to be operated, otherwise it's a big flaw, a limit that must be known and, possibly, overcome.


STABILITY AND HERMETIC SEAL
Nothing can be said about any of these features. There was so little wind that it almost never tilted and when it happened it did so very little and for a few tens of seconds.
Not a single drop fell on the deck, which can be hit by water (which we must prevent from reaching the hold).

What I am particularly satisfied with is that it navigates even with depths of just a few centimetres, a very large puddle would be enough.


ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND BATTERY LIFE
Not having telemetry tracking or any battery status lights is a big deal. Going to measure them every now and then is unthinkable because opening the lids is a long operation.
I thought of a solution, an electronic circuit that I have yet to verify.

When I finished (a whole afternoon) I measured the batteries when empty and they were still full.
I still have room to improve the durability.

In the current configuration, one battery is dedicated to powering the receiver and servomechanisms, while the other is dedicated to the voltage variator (ESC) and therefore to the electric motor.
In this way, as I already said, the positive of the BEC (battery elimator circuit) of the variator is disconnected.
Since the engine absorbs much more, perhaps it would be better to dedicate a battery with more charge to it than the other.
However, I put the wiring in so I can change the configuration whenever I want.
Beyond the discomfort of not knowing how much charge remains, given the large margin and the experimental behavior during the discharge phase at 200 mA and 1.2 A, I can feel quite comfortable.

Lake Turano is an artificial lake located in the province of Rieti (eastern Sabina), in Lazio, on the western edge of the Monte Navegna and Monte Cervia nature reserve.
Located at 536 m above sea level along the course of the Turano river, the lake is about ten kilometers long and has a perimeter of approximately 36 km.
The basin is of artificial origin: it was built in 1939, with the construction of the Turano dam near the town of Posticciola and Stipes, with the aim of producing hydroelectric energy and preventing the river's floods from inundating the Rieti plain.

surface: 5.58 km²
depth: 68 m
scenically very beautiful and suitable for swimming.

BREAK A MAST! (with apologies to jumpugly)😁

The only difference between a mother-in-law and and a vulture is that a vulture lets you die before it eats your heart out. 😉

"Don't start sounding like my mother-in law now." ahahahahaha!

Ross, of course I want to encourage you! I am curious like many others to see your work on a dedicated topic that we will follow with interest.

Don't start sounding like my mother-in law now. 🤗 Now I am joking. (She is from the Mediterranean too < not joking). You encourage me to keep on with my project

Hi RossM you're exaggerating! ahahahahahah- Thank you very much for your words I'm very happy.
But aren't you joking like Hermank? ahahahahahahaha.
In the end I discover that you are just kidding me, ahahahahahah.
No really, I really appreciate your comments. Really much.

Hi Jumpugly, I understand that this "Break a Leg" is a wish for good luck and I thank you.
For us it's fun no matter what.

That is more than a model ship, that is a work of art

Alessandro! She's a beauty!
Concerning her maiden voyage; as they used to say (all the time) on Broadway and to a lesser extent in the movie business: "Break a Leg!" 😉

Hi Hermank.

"...AND I'm not joking this time..."
but then the other times you were just joking? ahahahahahaha

The real asset of this forum are cheerful, spirited and positive modelers like you.

Alessandro
It is with deep respect!
I can only pay my respect for your building capabilities. AND I m not joking this time 👍👍👍👍
I hope you had a nice xmas time too and I wish you and your loved ones a nice end of the year and a healthy, constructive 2024 with lots of nice pictures of new models you are building. You are an asset to this forum as well as a lot of colleagues all over the world who forms this fantastic site. Now I get tears in my eyes due to my age 👍😍

Hello Hermank Belgian friend, I hope you had a happy Christmas.

Thank very much you for your words of appreciation, I am very happy that you like the model I am building.

Alessandro amigo italiano
YOU are a master. If I would wear a hat I would take my hat off.
Fantastic
Well built

😔👍😍😍😍😍😍😍👍👍👍

Good evening to all modelers, I hope you had a happy holiday.

These are the pictures of my model ship before the test on the lake.

The weight of 4,770 kg is still within the limits imposed (most likely there will be no need to play the ace in the hole and that is to replace the type of batteries).

There are still many things to do and the weights will increase a little.
I still have to finish building the cannons, the lifeboats with their mounts, the binnacle with the compass, more running rigging etc. etc.

The lifeboats will be two on the sides and one, or perhaps two, amidships.

The cannons will be eight but not made of brass or other alloy or metal, they will be made of plastic and made with a 3D printer, while the carriages will be made of wood.

Before completing the ship (since it will take me at least another year) some time ago I decided to carry out some navigation tests on the lake.

Before these tests at the lake I preferred to do some tests in the bathtub.

ATTENTION, all the attached videos are very short, lasting just a few seconds.

STATIC BUILDING TEST
The first test is the trim test to see how it positions itself in the water, with reference to the waterline.
In this way I can realize how much real margin I still have and how to place the batteries to provide a precise longitudinal attitude.
Consider that I have a certain margin to be able to move the batteries a little further forward and a little further back.

LATERAL STABILITY TEST
The second test is that of lateral stability.
Compared to the one carried out many months earlier, although the weight has increased, the straightening push is still very strong as you can see in the attached video.
I am satisfied with this and I think it will be able to face the (even very strong) winds of the lake without problems.

ENGINE AND RUDDER TEST
The test was carried out to verify the engine/propeller thrust.
The first video shows the dry test while the following one shows the test in water.
Logically I had to hold the ship still with my hand and verify this thrust in a completely empirical way.
I'm quite satisfied. I believe I will be able to reproduce a navigation slow enough to be realistic but, if necessary, I can count on a good push to bring the model back if the conditions become difficult.
The rudder still responds very well under the influence of the propeller. As already mentioned, it will be worth seeing under sail alone.


WINCH TEST
As you can see in the video, the spool of each winch directly collects the sheet which passes through a hole with a diameter of about half a millimeter on the deck.
It's not a widely used method, maybe no one uses it except me.
I didn't know how to do it when I had to think about it and I thought of doing it this way. I am very critical of this method and not very convinced of how it will turn out.
I had a problem with this system. 36cm of winding was too much. I finally found the function on the remote control to shorten this sheet travel.
For this topic, which is quite complex, it is better that I make a separate post.



SAIL TEST
They are certainly the most interesting tests.
I was afraid that these tests would have a negative outcome, because the wind I could develop was very little and very turbulent. I used a common fan.
As you can see, even if the test has many limitations, with a headwind at around 45 degrees (Close Hauled) the ship is pushed forward (respecting the laws of physics).


I made a modification to the power cables of the remote control so that I can power it with external AGM type lead batteries, changing them without the remote control turning off due to lack of power.

Hi RossM.

From your description I think it's pretty sturdy.

However, I would like to see some photos, to express more pertinent opinions.

I advise you, if you want, to open a topic for your model.
If you want to continue here there is no problem for me (you are always welcome) but for you a specific topic would be better.
Your work (current and future) would benefit from having information and photos well collected instead of dispersed in the different posts of the various topics of this forum.

This is the same advice I gave to your compatriot JockScott, who is building an exceptional model of tanker and who deserves a homogeneous niche, dedicated only to him in this forum.

To give you more in-depth and reasoned answers, I would need more specific information about your model (text and images).

In general, however, masts passing through the fixed deck and attached to the keel are a robust configuration.

For me it is easier to find 4 mm plywood sheets on the market rather than 3 mm.
If you have already bought the 3 mm thick one, that's fine.

I'll tell you more if your plans call for the deck to be slightly curved (humpbacked), it's better to have a smaller thickness because it's easier to curve (but I'm still thinking blindly, in the absence of photographs).

Sorry if I'm sometimes repetitive but it's to make sure I'm understood.

I was hoping for 3mm ply with 3mm planking glued on, to create 6mm ply. This is then attached onto 34 cross-members to the sides of the hull. Do you think this will be too weak? The masts are stepped through the deck to the keel. The shrouds fixed to the hull sides, slightly behind the masts, traditionally. Single stay from main mast to fore mast to bow

Hi Ross, your last message reminded me of something about the opening on the deck.
Maybe it can be useful to you.

When I made the RC model before this one I chose to make a single very large lid.
In this way the two masts could not be fixed at the bottom of the hold but on the deck.
So, by removing the lid I also removed the two masts.
This RC naval model (which I have not yet published on the forum) can only be navigated by motor; the sails are there but they are fake.
Then when I designed the current RC model I thought it wasn't a good idea to adopt the same method, i.e. fixing the masts only on the deck. In fact, being a sailing model, I was afraid that this system was not robust enough.
Currently, after seeing the enormous advantages of having a single lid and the disadvantages of having more than one, I am inclined to reevaluate everything.
Most likely today I would design the model with masts fixed on the single large lid.
The advantage of having easy access to batteries, engine, winches etc. etc. it is priceless. The aesthetics would also benefit, because there would only be two transversal cuts to hide instead of many (as in the case of multiple lids).
I already have in mind the system for fixing the masts safely. The problem remains the shrouds, but this too can be solved.

Beyond this I want to tell you that perhaps 3 mm is too little, so think carefully.
My deck is 8mm (two 4mm layers stacked and glued).
Nonetheless, for each screw I created a wooden dowel under the deck to give more depth to the screwing.

Hi Jumpugly, it's certainly a bit long as a method compared to the decks already engraved but it's worth it because they are more beautiful.
Well done Jumpugly.

Wonderful Alessandro. I too have used the method of coloring the edges to simulate caulking. Notching and scribing is great for deck work too! Especially on pre-printed decks that used to come with some of the early kits. 😉

I knew you would know about this. I like the walnut idea. I was thinking of setting a 3mm plywood sub-deck with planks and strings on top and sealing it up, but leave a removable string line around the removable deck. The deck could be removed (annually) for winter maintenance. I will need the strength in the deck to compensate for the lack of bulkheads.
Possibly, set bolts from under of the deck, threads upward to screw tiny artifacts to the deck. Hide the decking screws beside the deck bolts and under the little artifact. Or. . .eliminate deck screws. Bolts from boat points upward. Small holes on removable deck fits over top of bolts. Tiny artifacts act as nuts to tighten down the deck

Hi RossM and good morning to all naval modelers.

"On the ancient ships the sailors would pound OAKUM between the gaps in the planking. PUSH OILED STRING BETWEEN THE VERTICAL GAP IN THE HULL PLANKING AND DECK PLANKING."

Well done Ross, this waterproofing operation in Italian is called "calafataggio" which in English should translate as caulking (I think).
In ancient times it was done exactly in the way you described: hemp or oakum soaked in pitch or tar and pushed between the joints (by force with awls and hammers) of the hull and deck.
Some time ago I saw a video of an exceptional work, a 1:1 sailing model of the French frigate Hermione.
Among the various processing phases there is also caulking.
I'll put the link to the last one (minute 3:08 but it's worth seeing in its entirety).

Many modelers use strips of paper or other black material between the wooden slats of the deck. After sanding and painting they actually look very realistic.

I used another method that was better for the 1:60 scale and for my specific situation.
I colored the edges of the Tanganyika walnut wood strips with 2b pencil (dark soft graphite).
Some of the graphite has spread across the bridge, giving it a more worn look. Most of the graphite remained (thanks to subsequent painting) on the edges of the slats and simulated caulking very well.
The strips I placed were as long as the length of the deck but in reality they were much shorter boards.
To simulate the existence of multiple boards I notched the slats at regular distances with a chisel, according to the drawing in the first attached image.
The beginning of each table coincides with the stanchion.

For more details, if you want, you can read message 63 of this post.

The caulking on the deck masks the longitudinal crack of the lids quite well but, inevitably, cannot mask the transversal cut of the lid because it does not coincide with the alternation of the wooden planks.

Good to know Ross👍
We live and learn.
😎

The transparent tape glue is water soluble. The glue will dissolve in water. I have used the black vinyl tape to protect truck wiring for decades

BREAK SCALE: (SCALA) to use a material that does not look like it would be belong on the full sized boat , ( you would not use a piece of black plastic, a meter wide, on the length of the full sized ship's deck, to fix a leak, it would not look correct)

Another (crazy) suggestion. On the ancient ships the sailors would pound OAKUM between the gaps in the planking. PUSH OILED STRING BETWEEN THE VERTICAL GAP IN THE HULL PLANKING AND DECK PLANKING. (you might gets points for real solutions)