Starting from a small Cassini model by ddThingz, I've enlarged and greatly elaborated on the design for this fun remix. Many changes made - adding more instruments, and details, and another set of antennae (you use paperclips or solid wires for those). I've worked extensively on the meshes to improve printability.
Extra bonus via NASA - a beautiful free eBook of Cassini pictures.
A version5 revisit has added a nice stylish boomerang-shaped stand, and altered the body of the spacecraft to take the stand's pin to display the model at a flattering angle.
The larger size (still fits in the palm of your hand) helped a lot. As did adding many fillets and chamfers broadly. Also the beefing up various smaller features that otherwise came off easily (eg main thrusters).
The peg-based assembly is working well for me. I know dimensions vary a bit from printer to printer, but with mine the pegs allow for a nice snug fit. The peg holes can probably also take a small magnet to make a great fridge enhancement!
A final assembly with a hot-glue gun might be a good approach. A bit of gold paint might be a good plan. :)
Thx again to Dave for the starting point on this.
As I shared this project, Cassini still existed. A few days later it tasted the outer substance of Saturn and was gone forever. Enjoy your own model to remember a great project.
UPDATE version 5a adds a display stand! You can assemble the stand with a bit of hot-glue. There's also a screw-hole as another way to hold the base together – untested, let me know if you try that, and if it worked :)
(V4 version without stand-pin hole remains available for now for those who may wish to use that version instead).
For those that would like a fabricated version to assemble without having to 3D print it yourself, see my Shapeways Shop for a slightly older version: RossGK Tangibles. (Will update that sometime soon to add the display stand)
Check Out Some of my Other Space Probes
| Cassiniv5a_BODY_2pc.stl | 814.3KB | |
| Cassiniv5a_pegs_ant_huy.stl | 140.1KB | |
| Cassiniv5a_STAND_2pc.stl | 181.8KB | |
| Cassini_v4_2Halves.stl | 794.9KB | |
| Cass_v4_pins_ants_huy.stl | 133.6KB |
