3D printed HMS Fearless (Star Knight class CA)

So, I don't want to hijack the plastic model thread any more than I already have, so here's a new thread.

Some of you have already seen the 1/700 model I've printed, assembled, and painted, but I now have the 1/350 scale version nearly completed. This post will include the previous images, as well as two images of the larger version.

The 1/350 scale version is twice the size of the 1/700, coming in at 1.5 meters (about 58.5") long, and even though it's hollow, still weighs in at around 2 kilos (around 4.5 - 5 pounds).

So, yeah... here's the links to the images:

https://www.deviantart.com/maxxqbunine/ ... -861396213

https://www.deviantart.com/maxxqbunine/ ... -861398451

https://www.deviantart.com/maxxqbunine/ ... -861398800

https://www.deviantart.com/maxxqbunine/ ... -861399035

https://www.deviantart.com/maxxqbunine/ ... -861399715

Is there any chance the .stl files are out there? Cause hot damn I want one.

Direwolf18 wrote:Is there any chance the .stl files are out there? Cause hot damn I want one.

Unfortunately, no. I don't want to make the files public because frankly, I just don't trust people to not claim them as their own, not to mention trying to make money from someone else's IP (not mine... David's).

Maybe further down the road, after talking with David about it, I might consider it, but right now, they stay on my computer and nowhere else (except fellow BuNine members, if they want them).

Honestly though, it's a marathon to print one of the 1/350 scale models. Most of the hull sections (there's ten separate parts just for the main hull) took upwards of six days to print on a highly modded Ender 3. Because I printed all the detail pieces in groups, some of those prints took up to 1.5 - 2 days. The hull used a 0.4mm nozzle with 0.12mm layer height, and the detail bits were printed at 0.2mm with 0.08mm layers.

Obviously, the 1/700 version gets done much quicker, but there's fewer details and honestly, they look like crap.

On both, the part that takes the longest is the finishing. If you want a nice clean look with no visible seams and/or layer lines, it takes a LOT of scratch filling primer and sanding. At least three coats of primer with sanding in between each coat, not to mention filling any large gaps or holes before priming.

Start to finish on the small one was about a month and a half. I've been working on the large one for around three months now, and still have a couple/three more weeks until it's finished... at least.

Out - freaking - standing. I'd love to buy one, but I suspect with 3 months work into it, the price would be in the $10-20K range.

fallsfromtrees wrote:Out - freaking - standing. I'd love to buy one, but I suspect with 3 months work into it, the price would be in the $10-20K range.

Probably not quite THAT much. Maybe $1500-$2000 if I were to print, build, and paint it.* If someone just wanted the parts to assemble it themselves like a regular model kit, then somewhere around $400-$500. But as I mentioned above, legally I CAN'T sell anything like this, although I could release the .stl files on Thingiverse or someplace similar for people to print it themselves. I won't though.

*And I'll be damned if I'm going to spend months on end multiple times to make these things for others. I have too many other things I want to make for myself.

The important question. How many KG of filament have you used for it?

Two (well, three) thoughts. First, that model is outstanding. Great detail, great design - it looks exactly like the ship design appears and is described as in the books.

Second, I do believe that there is (at least right now) a limited universe of people who would happily pay for "do-it-yourself" kits to build up and paint. They get the hull, all the detail pieces, glue, and paint (perhaps stencils for lettering too!) and have to do the rest themselves. This would likely become even more true if a collection of famous Honorverse ships was started: Fearless (DD), Fearless (CA), Nike (BC), Nike (Saganami's), Honor Harrington (SD(P)), etc. That would turn it into an actual collection for all of David's fans to build and assemble. While I have never spoken to David - or knowingly been in the same zip code as him - I have to think that if you (and perhaps others in Bu9) approached him about licensing the product he would be interested. There certainly are legal issues, including both copyright and liability, to iron out - but nothing out of the ordinary.

This bring me to point 3: If movies or a TV Show are ever made of the Honorverse, models like this would drastically increase in popularity as hundreds of thousands of new people are introduced to the universe. Not only would this model (and any others) be sitting there, ready to go, but they would form a nice template for any future deals David does.

I am not currently practicing, but I do have legal experience and a law degree gathering dust and would be more than happy to go into more depth on those issues if requested (merely as a fan - no billing on this!).

That looks truly awesome Maxxq! I love it.
And that's also an amazing amount of effort to print and finish that.

A cool as one would be sitting next to my LEGO Saturn V; I totally understand why that's not feasible at the moment! So just wanted to say look so cool and thanks for sharing the pictures.

ZVar wrote:The important question. How many KG of filament have you used for it?

Four, give or take (Hatchbox black). Admittedly, there are several hull sections that were not worth using after the print was done, and one that was a failed print due to a power blip. The failed prints were my own fault, as I was still trying to tune my settings.

One of the bad hull sections is now serving duty as a sanding form. I've taped a full sheet of sandpaper on it and use that to smooth the curve needed to get the various panels to fit on the hull surface.

Overall though, now that I have my settings mostly dialed in, it would probably take 2.5 rolls.

Erls wrote:Two (well, three) thoughts. First, that model is outstanding. Great detail, great design - it looks exactly like the ship design appears and is described as in the books.

Thanks

Erls wrote:Second, I do believe that there is (at least right now) a limited universe of people who would happily pay for "do-it-yourself" kits to build up and paint. They get the hull, all the detail pieces, glue, and paint (perhaps stencils for lettering too!) and have to do the rest themselves. This would likely become even more true if a collection of famous Honorverse ships was started: Fearless (DD), Fearless (CA), Nike (BC), Nike (Saganami's), Honor Harrington (SD(P)), etc. That would turn it into an actual collection for all of David's fans to build and assemble.

If it ever came about, I doubt very much I would include glue and paint. Even for the smaller version, it would take a full can of Rustoleum scratch-filling primer to get a smooth finish. That's just for the primer coats. I used two cans for the larger model. On the other hand, decals aren't much of a problem. There is decal paper widely available that works on inkjet printers - you just print out your design, clearcoat the decal sheet with Krylon clear spray paint, and after it's dry, just use the decals like you would any other waterslide decals that come with Revell, Monogram, or Tamiya kits.

Last thing is that a 1/700 scale collection (the size of the smaller model) would get unwieldy very fast. A Nike BC at that scale would be slightly larger than the 1/350 Fearless. Imagine how huge an SD(P) would be... I would most likely drop everything down to 1/1400 or maybe even smaller.

BTW, Honor's first Fearless was a Courageous class light cruiser, not a destroyer.

Erls wrote:While I have never spoken to David - or knowingly been in the same zip code as him - I have to think that if you (and perhaps others in Bu9) approached him about licensing the product he would be interested. There certainly are legal issues, including both copyright and liability, to iron out - but nothing out of the ordinary.

This bring me to point 3: If movies or a TV Show are ever made of the Honorverse, models like this would drastically increase in popularity as hundreds of thousands of new people are introduced to the universe. Not only would this model (and any others) be sitting there, ready to go, but they would form a nice template for any future deals David does.

I am not currently practicing, but I do have legal experience and a law degree gathering dust and would be more than happy to go into more depth on those issues if requested (merely as a fan - no billing on this!).

Frankly, as much as I would like to do something like this, it's not really practical. I would need to set up a print farm to keep up with demand, even if only a few hundred people were interested and had the spare cash. The other option is to make really good masters, then have someone do resin castings from them. I know next to nothing about casting like that, but I know it wouldn't be cheap. I don't think the demand would be enough to offset the initial outlay needed to get even a limited run going.

Jonathan_S wrote:That looks truly awesome Maxxq! I love it.
And that's also an amazing amount of effort to print and finish that.

A cool as one would be sitting next to my LEGO Saturn V; I totally understand why that's not feasible at the moment! So just wanted to say look so cool and thanks for sharing the pictures.

Thanks.

Well done indeed!

that is so cool

[this is from someone who's experiences with those old Airfix models was uniform failure, glue everywhere except in the right places]