For the past year or so, I’ve been collaborating with my Australian friend, Selwyn Holland, in what we think is a project that represents the future of Open Class development.
That may sound like hyperbole, but we have been able to combine my design work and Selwyn’s engineering to produce 3D-printed boats. I realize that a number of you have printed fittings successfully, and some have experimented with hulls, but Selwyn’s extensive experimentation and testing have made 3D printing a viable alternative to any other construction method…and a better one than most.
Here is a picture of my new Footy hull that is in the mail from Australia as I write this:
As the technology matures, we might see some kits…not from Selwyn and I, though…and who knows if they will be affordable?
Our objective is to demonstrate that the technology works, and encourage people who have an interest in CAD and 3D printing to use it…not just for prototyping. Selwyn has produced boats that are racing in Australia and doing well. We are trying to freely share what we have learned and will continue to do so through Selwyn’s website. I hope that we will soon be able to share files that will allow people to print some of our stuff without having to develop their own CAD files.
GREAT WORK GUYS ! Makes me wish I had more time, now I have a new bookmark. Maybe I could get one of the RG’s to do the “old fashion way” CNC a plug and do it in styrene.
Craig
The freedom of the 3D printer has set me free to design much more sophisticated shapes…not having to worry about getting it off or out of the mold, designing 3-piece molds, etc. The Footys are still fairly straightforward, but take a look at the RG65 thread for a better idea of what is possible with this technology. We’ve come a long way from Round Ranger.