Author Topic: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.  (Read 5792 times)

Offline MoFo

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2022, 12:11:58 PM »
Thanks for the comments.

As for the basket...  not worth the hassle.  I'll tweak the CAD and re-print.  In fact, I have tweaked...  just need the print now.  I've also finished up the 'single seat' basket, so I'll print that at the same time.

Offline Vickers

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2022, 03:03:30 PM »
"Maybe for a post-Coppens balloon"  ;D Seriously, though, this is a really cool project and your attention to detail is highly commendable. The use of observation balloons in WWI always struck me the same way as that of cavalry units in WWII. If I'd have been detailed to such duty I might've said "Balloons, Sir? Are you serious? You do realize that it's 1916, right?" And yet, their employment created legends the likes of Kissenberth, Coppens, and Luke. Hmm.
Bruno: "How many rules are there?"

Willi: "I don't know... none of zem have ever been written down."

Offline RAGIII

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #17 on: February 01, 2022, 05:42:30 AM »
Another fantastic Balloon in the Making. The basket once sorted out should look equally impressive!
RAGIII
"A man has to know his limitations": Harry Callahan

"Don't slop it on" Lynda Geisler

Offline MoFo

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #18 on: February 05, 2022, 06:32:21 AM »
Hot off the press.  Changed to a different printer, with better results. 


(L to R, 72 2-seater, 48 2-seater, 48 single seater... for some reason, the 1/72 single seat basket failed on me)

Pretty pleased, in general.  I'd beefed up the open weaving on the 1/72 basket, and directly scaled that file up for the 1/48 parts.  Since the woven parts printed fine in 1/72, I can thin them back down for the 1/48 print, to get a finer appearance overall.  They're a little clunky looking (IMO) as is.


1/48 (I think...)  Quite pleased with the look of the basket weave in general.  As I said though, I'd be happier if the open areas were a little finer looking.  Not bad, just, they could be better.


1/72 is fine.  Not sure why there's such a difference between these and the previous prints.  Guess it's down to the different printer, but these are far more rigid than the first prints were, even aside from the lack of failures.


...and the 1/48 single basket.  Needs some more detail around the openings - coiled wicker 'wrapped' around the framing, like the multi-seat basket - to make it pop better.

So, still not done, but I'm liking the progress.

Offline KiwiZac

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #19 on: February 06, 2022, 03:58:29 AM »
So, still not done, but I'm liking the progress.
They look superb, bravo MF! Excellent work!
Zac in NZ

Offline MoFo

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #20 on: February 09, 2022, 04:23:27 AM »
Nah.  Not good enough.  :)

Last(?) pass at them.  I think I'm happy, now.


First print where all four actually printed.  Yay! 


The 1/72 parts are still a tad clunkier than I'd like, but I'm not going to push it any farther, for fear of failures.  Oh and speaking of failures, I've had zero issues with the missing side, as with the the first prints on the first printer.  Not sure why, though I suspect I might have had a bit of resin ooze between the clear film in the vat, and the screen; basically, making the printer 'stickier' and harder to peel each layer.  Needs some investigation...


I've thinned down the open weave area to make it a little finer.  They just felt clunky - more like a (nice) injection moulded part, rather than a detailed resin piece.  Also, the main weave just sort of gives you texture, so you can see it was a woven part; it's that open area that gives it a real sense of scale, and makes the whole part seem more finely detailed, even though the rest is the same.


Close-up, showing the same.


Cool shot of the 1/48 single basket.  You can see all the individual voxels, caused by the pixels on the printer's screen.  Resin prints can be thought of as tiny little LEGO cubes, and this shot shows why.


...and a comparison with the last iteration.  I've thinned the open weave, I've added the missing vertical swept bits (oops) and, most significantly, I've completely re-done the horizontal weave.  The original felt a little too 'flat' and PE-like, I felt.  I wanted a bit more relief to it.  So I tweaked the dimensions for a wavier weave with more texture to it.  Might be a hair overdone, but it looks better in 1/72.

So I think I'm ready to move on to the PE, and wait for a printer big enough to do it in 1/48.  Not sure what to do with all these iterations in the mean time, though.  Anyone want a slew of scale wicker baskets?  :)




Offline KiwiZac

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Re: 3D Printed WWI Drachen Observation Balloon.
« Reply #21 on: February 09, 2022, 06:11:55 AM »
Your perfectionist streak is coming through just a little!  ;D
Zac in NZ