N-Scale 560-Foot Geared Container Ship Model

[samusi01]

Slightly different hatches and you could have another interesting set of loads...



https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6515472

As I see it, the more modular you can make this hull, the better off you'll be. When I revisit my 1960s C4 model in a year or so, I intend to do exactly that so that one can either have a classic freighter or else one a very early container ship (e.g., Anchorage or Guam Bear).

Regarding containers - individual looking ones (there's a gent over at Trainboard who has kindly made his 40' model available) or the Digcom printed stuff would be visually better.

[pmpexpress]

Slightly different hatches and you could have another interesting set of loads...



https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6515472

As I see it, the more modular you can make this hull, the better off you'll be. When I revisit my 1960s C4 model in a year or so, I intend to do exactly that so that one can either have a classic freighter or else one a very early container ship (e.g., Anchorage or Guam Bear).

Regarding containers - individual looking ones (there's a gent over at Trainboard who has kindly made his 40' model available) or the Digcom printed stuff would be visually better.

Similar in design to the proposed side mounted crane variation that I'll be working on, having created several different "standardized" mid modules that can be fitted to different bow and stern modules, with the creation of new superstructure and bridge modules (which have been designed as separate components) a wide variety of model ships can be developed.

Designed to be expandable in length (i.e., for a three crane configuration that is similar to the prototype vessel) my 38.62 and 42.15 inch long models are constructed using a bow module with a hold, three mid modules (with and without cranes), and a stern module (with or without holds).

Given the number of Micro-Trains wind turbine train releases that have been produced over the years, an N-Scale wind turbine blade heavy haul ship would be relatively easy to develop and might even have sales potential.

Do you know what the name of the turbine blade carrying ship is?
 
Actually, providing a much cheaper solution than using a whole bunch of individual containers that would need to be glued together in order to make the ship transportable to conventions and shows, with huge reductions in print time, nkalanaga's idea is practical if the ends and top of the container stacks were printed on or designed to be glued onto a solid or hollow cube.

With multi-color capable FDM printers on hand, the stacks can be produced with a mixed variety of container colors that represent the boxes of the major shipping companies.

[John]

Just a general question for others .. Do you have examples of containers made with an FDM?  I'm curious how well they handle the details in N scale ..

[samusi01]

Do you know what the name of the turbine blade carrying ship is?

Appears to be JSP Vento, IMO 9570656, ex Industrial Kennedy, ex Simone. Similar handysize: https://cslships.com/fleet/multi-purpose-product-vessels/
 

[...]practical if the ends and top of the container stacks were printed on or designed to be glued onto a solid or hollow cube.

an excellent idea which gives the load a true 3d profile, essential given how most modern container tops are designed. Would also allow for a variety of ends to be modeled.

[pmpexpress]

Appears to be JSP Vento, IMO 9570656, ex Industrial Kennedy, ex Simone. Similar handysize: https://cslships.com/fleet/multi-purpose-product-vessels/
 
an excellent idea which gives the load a true 3d profile, essential given how most modern container tops are designed. Would also allow for a variety of ends to be modeled.

Thanks...

Will look up the JSP Vento's specifications and gather some photos of it and its previous namesakes.

Re: "Would also allow for a variety of ends to be modeled."

Great point, as I hadn't even considered the possibility of producing a variety of different container ends.

[pmpexpress]

Just a general question for others .. Do you have examples of containers made with an FDM?  I'm curious how well they handle the details in N scale ..

For the best results, rather than a "bed slinger" model, you would need to use a CoreXY FDM printer with a 0.2 mm nozzle and a 0.1 mm print layer height.

While in theory a 0.2 mm nozzle should be able to print 0.05 mm print layers, depending upon the printer's capabilities, aside from a huge increase in print time, better looking results and/or finer details may not be achievable at such a low layer height.

From what I've read, 0.4 mm nozzles can print 0.08 mm layer heights.

Although your mileage might vary, depending upon the printer and the materials used, the general rule of thumb for a nozzle's maximum and minimum printable layer heights are a maximum layer height of 75% and a minimum layer height of 25% of nozzle size.

While other layer heights can be chosen, circumventing the aforementioned rule of thumb by using smaller layers can cause clogging issues (which are more frequent when smaller nozzles are used) while incorporating larger layers can lead to layering issues.

[pmpexpress]

In addition to the freefall life boat rack that was recently completed and attached to the superstructure module's second level balconies, I went ahead and designed and added all of the additional detail parts (i.e., two styles of doors, inflatable lifeboat canisters and racks, and wash deck lockers) that needed to be attached to the bridge and superstructure modules.

Will now have to find out if all of the finer details are 3D printable.

[tehachapifan]

Looking awesome!

[basementcalling]

In addition to the freefall life boat rack that was recently completed and attached to the superstructure module's second level balconies, I went ahead and designed and added all of the additional detail parts (i.e., two styles of doors, inflatable lifeboat canisters and racks, and wash deck lockers) that needed to be attached to the bridge and superstructure modules.

Will now have to find out if all of the finer details are 3D printable.

Love the laser cannons. Sorry, just got done watching some sci Fi clip on YouTube.  Have you checked with Alkem Scale Models about detail parts. Bernie K did a couple HO ship models for his last project railroad in HO, but might be able to change the files from HO to N scale. Worth a message to him.

[pmpexpress]

Looking awesome!

Thanks...

[pmpexpress]

Love the laser cannons. Sorry, just got done watching some sci Fi clip on YouTube.  Have you checked with Alkem Scale Models about detail parts. Bernie K did a couple HO ship models for his last project railroad in HO, but might be able to change the files from HO to N scale. Worth a message to him.

Actually, those are anti-Somali pirate cannons. 

Due to the higher costs and production reliability issues, with the only exceptions being the use of Evergreen and/or Plastruct polystyrene strips and tubing, chemically blacken brass chain, and photo-etched brass railings (and possibly doors), it has been decided that all of the components will be fabricated in house.

To satisfy the needs of my business partner, all of my N-Scale ship components have been designed to be upscaled to HO.

[pmpexpress]

Completed the bow module.

Although I have included provisions for lighting the foremast with 3 mm LEDs (i.e., all of the model's holds have removable hatches and the bow hold has has holes in it for running wiring through a 4 mm round mast tube to a 9-volt battery that is housed in the hold), as avoiding the use of 3D resin printers and/or printing services is a primary objective, the mast top has been switched with a modified and readily available pre-fabricated part.

Next up is finalizing the stern module details.

[nkalanaga]

Many container ships carry, or at least used to carry, small cannons.  It isn't unusual for containers to fall overboard in rough seas.  A floating container is a hazard to navigation.  So, the cannon is used to shoot holes in it, so that it will sink!

Yes, they can also be used against pirates, although I don't know how common that is.

[Scottl]

More proof you can design anything in Tinkercad!

[Spades]

This is going to be a waterline model? From your renderings, I think you have created a realistic looking hull/ship.  I wish you well on your endevour.