Jaw dropping. Well done Chuck!

The model is looking really beautiful.

That looks beautiful! The contrast with the black base...I like it 🙂❤️

FYI....after contacting a bunch of recent customers who bought my Serv-o-Matic and asking them a few questions, I will no longer be making the wooden gears for the machine. It seams as though most if not all of the folks who have bought the machine recently have opted to use the plastic gears which are a perfect fit. They just prefer them over the wooden gears which I have also been including at no extra cost. The wooden gears just end up being discarded which is a waste of good cherry lumber. So I will only be including the plastic gears as shown in this photo in the future.

This will actually cut down on the time to make these machines but the cost will remain the same as I never increased it when I actually added the plastic gears. So its a wash.

Any questions dont hesitate to ask.

And I do still have a bunch of laser cut cherry gears on the shelf too. Those are just spares and if anyone prefers them over the plastic just put in a request....comment on your order when you check out.

Coming soon....3D printed Upper and Lower Capstan. They are sold sep in case you dont need the lower capstan.

Above you can see a 1:48 capstan finished with weathering powder to look like boxwood. It also has a laser cut black laserboard ring that can be added later.

Next to it are the two 3/16" scale versions with no finish on them. This is how they will be sold.

To color the bolts on the whelps and chocks I just used a sharpie and lightly touched the raised bolt on the print. Its easy.

Compare with the wooden version made from Yellow cedar. The 3D printed version was patterned after the 18th century capstan on the Winnie and is a typical capstan you buy for other projects. You can weather it to look like wood as I did but it can also easily be painted red and looks just great. Its basically an exact match to my Winnie Capstan but it doesnt have 65 pieces to assemble.

I will continue to sell both versions as I do with my Lantern kits.

I will make a bunch in both scales sometime this week.

In addition, the STL files for both the upper and lower capstan as shown above is available in the Library for free download and printing. Just in case you want to print your own.

Very nice! I seriously thought the 1:48 version was actually wood until I read it wasn’t.

On 7/21/2026 at 5:18 PM, Chuck said:

Black base chosen by new owners.

Nice base n' case! I like that Sir Charles is standing at the stern of his private yacht😂

2 minutes ago, Scrubbyj427 said:

I seriously thought the 1:48 version was actually wood until I read it wasn’t.

Thanks JJ.

There are a few tricks you can use. For example, after you weather it with weathering powders and spray it with a matte fixative, you can use some 600 grit sandpaper to lightly sand the surface. This isnt an attempt to create woodgrain but does give it some texture. Lightly and I mean very lightly sand in the direction of what would have been the wood grain. Then apply a little more weathering powder on top to make those scratches very subtle. And respray.

This capstan was made entirely in TinkerCad....the free CAD 3D platform designed for kids. Just to encourage folks give it a try. I basically made all the parts in the laser cut wood version and then assembled them in tinkercad as well. I made some parts slightly askew so the individual parts can be seen which further helps make it look like an assembled wood fitting after assembly. Take a look at the drum and you can see the layers for example. Its too easy to make it a perfect capstan where no joints can be seen. Its all about the illusion.

Some folks out there may also consider this cheating or that the finished model is somehow less worthy. You know the guys!!! But seriously, learning how to finish these parts properly is a skill all to itself. One that takes time and practice to master.

So for those who insist on making everything from wood, or even consider laser cut parts a less worthy or credible choice, until you try it yourself you cant possibly know that a great deal of expertise is still needed.

Because of a significant health issue, I've had to take a very long hiatus from ship modeling. However, I'm back in modeling shape again and am retired so have recently cleaned off the workshop desk and started up again. I've always deeply appreciated both the advice and wonderful accessories I've gotten from you over the years. You are a true master at this!

I just want to join in the appreciation for your efforts here to make your work available for others for the years ahead.

I had just visited your store today to see about picking up a few things and then saw that quite a few things are out of production. It was a great relief to wind up here and see this thread and your plans for the future. Very generous and thoughtful!

I'm also pretty intriqued by your new hank and coil tools. I've made my own versions in the past, but am thinking that these resin versions will last longer and be more robust than the quick and dirty wood jigs I've thrown together before.

Carronades with elevation screws....these are just 23.5mm long. I have looked at a lot of 3D printed carronades available by others. They just didnt seem detailed enough or have enough accuracy when it came to the elevation screw. Its an actual screw with threads. Go ahead and have a look at what is also available from other folks out there.

So I tried to make some of my own. These are also in the library for free download.

I will hopefully make a bunch at various sizes to offer in my store as well.

Right now I am just designing and printing some tests. As time permits I will go into production printing of these.

I will follow this up with a typical sled as well. I just havent decided if it will be 3D printed or laser cut from Cedar. That would mean you guys would have to add all the eyebolts and other details. 3D printing the sleds would just mean a paint job is needed.

Those are very nice. Personally I think I’d prefer sled made from wood. Purely preference, I might decide later printed looks better. 🤷

Chris

1/4" scale Capstan (3D printed version) are now available. Just the upper Capstan with laser cut iron ring. You can paint them red or color them to look like wood. Lower Capstan will be made soon but I want to get a bunch of 3/16" scale versions in the store for the upper capstans first. You will have to sand them to remove any support nibs before you paint them. I use 400 grit sandpaper.

Those look fantastic!

Very nice!

Carronades with elevation screw...

This is a three piece print. I am not sure if I will make these but I am quite happy with how they turned out. This is the size for the Syren kit. So they are 3/16" scale. They are typical of the period. The carronade is 24 mm long.

I just carefully snipped them away from their supports and cleaned them up as usual. The sled was made Yellow Ochre in this test. Then I just painted the iron parts black. I applied some weathering powder and I was done. These three pieces aren't glued together, but there are plugs to line up the two sled pieces in case you want to show it run in or run out. I also added two split springs made from 28 Gauge black wire for the breech line.

If I add these to my store I have to source a bunch of split rings.

They are better than what I have seen on the market and will make them available if I get enough folks who say its a good ide.

But the stl files have been placed in the library here at DDM for a free download. I even included a pre supported version.

Please let me know if you guys would like to buy these so I will add them to my store. These are small with the carronades being only 24 mm long. I have to figure out what other sides to make. I would sell these individually I suppose as a complete set...but without the support block at the front as that you will need to make specific to your model and where along the bulwarks it will be located. Carronades will be pre-blackened if I do this while the sleds will remain natural and with their supports and sleds as shown above.

They are quite historically accurate....see below.

I realize there are so many different variations of Carronade sleds. It all depends on the vessel and period. But these are the most commonly seen. Instead of painting them red I decided to go with yellow ochre which is very common.

Here is another type I worked on for someone's model...it is very specific. Same Carronade but a different pivoting mount.

Chuck

I have nothing going on that I need them for. If I did I would not hesitate to purchase them if you had them on the shelf.

Chris

I personally prefer the wooden version, but I certainly think there is a market for it; they are just as good. Of course, your finish is also a deciding factor. Very nicely done.

I don’t know this specific gun but most carriages are covered in thick layer of paint and resin or real wood won’t look very different in any scale.

Wood is great...Nothing can compare to that. But for things like guns where you might have a couple of dozen to make, it may be good to use resin instead. I remember building and painting all of those carriages for the Winnie after sanding all of that char off each piece, It wasnt fun. So its basically just another option. Your painting skills will certainly be needed either way. I think if the sled was made of wood that my prototype would have looked exactly the same actually after painting. Its just a personal preference for each builder.

To make these in each size and keep 50 to 100 of them in stock would take a while. They would mostly just sit on the shelf too. So I will print them to order for folks who need them, or like I mentioned, just download them from the library and print your own at any scale.

Chuck

The lack of char is a huge factor in the resin's favor, if you ask me. I dislike sanding in pretty much every form. Years as a full-scale woodworker, I guess, soured me! :-)