Looking at the variety of machine parts that @TheOnlyAaron is/was drawing made me look for another challenging but quite large “machine” part. Something we (my tutor/coworker and I) made some 45 years ago: a ship’s propeller. The project was done similar to what you see in the image below:
The two of us worked on the project for about a month to create the mold for a five bladed propeller with a diameter of six meters. Casting the tons of molten iron (* ) took only a few minutes. Several weeks later, after having been cooled down enough dismantling began and we could finally see the (still very hot) result. Another few weeks later part of a wall of the hall was taken down and the propeller could be carefully manouvered out through the “widened” doorway for shipping and milling.
Destination of the finished product was on the other side of the world, Australia.
(* ) why cast iron?: the propellor was made solely for insurance purposes, in case of calamity.
I would like to create a 3D propeller model with way less effort …: with SketchUp.
Something according to this drawing (or a better one):
This is what I found on the internet. I’m hoping for a better image myself but if not, then I’ll have to use this one. I don’t mind if you try. It’s the joy of seeing the curved model being formed on screen, bit by bit. So go ahead. I’ll do the same but slowly, not as fast as you.
Bronze yes! But apparently this was cheaper, to avoid having a large vessel stranded somewhere down under with a damaged propeller. Bring the thing ship home while in the mean time creating a new bronze replacement.
Insurance companies are a different world. Not my world!
p.s. the cast iron propeller wasn’t used until calamity really happened to an original bronze one.
Think of a bronze spare one just sitting there, waiting for when being needed.
