Scale modelling · 2026
3D printed parts and fittings for model ships
Can you 3D print parts for a model ship?
Yes: cannons, lifeboats, anchors, capstans, blocks, crew, figureheads and superstructures, for display models or RC boats. Small parts are printed in resin, which gives the finest detail; hulls and large parts in FDM. A set of 10 resin cannons, 3 cm long, costs €33–€88 excluding VAT and shipping (calculator estimate). Start with the scale. Fabrishare is a network of makers: post your project for free and get quotes with price and lead time within 24–48 hours.
Ship model scales: how big is each part?
Sizes worked out for a 1.80 m crew member and an 8 m lifeboat. The scale sets the size of every part and the technology: the smaller it gets, the more resin.
| Scale | Mainly used for | 1.80 m crew member | 8 m lifeboat | Usual technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:700 | Plastic warship kits; whole fleets in little space | about 2.6 mm | about 11 mm | High-definition resin |
| 1:350 | Large plastic kits and upgrade parts | about 5.1 mm | about 23 mm | Resin |
| 1:200 | Large kits and RC boats (also 1:192) | about 9 mm | about 40 mm | Resin for fittings; FDM for the RC hull |
| 1:96 | Period ships and RC boats | about 19 mm | about 83 mm | Resin for fittings; FDM for hull and superstructure |
| 1:72 | Launches, patrol boats and small RC | about 25 mm | about 111 mm | Resin for detail; FDM for the hull |
| 1:48 | Boats and small craft | about 38 mm | about 167 mm | Resin for detail; FDM for large parts |
1:700 and 1:350 are the scales of almost every plastic ship kit; 1:96 and 1:192 are the traditional ones for period ships and RC. At 1:700 a crew member is about 2.6 mm tall, and only high-definition resin will do. Always state the scale in the project: an STL can be printed at any size, and the part has to match your kit or plans.
What gets 3D printed for ship modelling?
Mostly fittings: small parts, many of them repeated, that the kit leaves out or supplies with little detail. Of the 110 requests registered on Fabrishare between May and October 2026, one was for a ship: a staircase for a 1:400 diorama, in resin.
Cannons and armament
Period cannons with their carriages, turrets and gun parts for warships. Printed in sets, all identical.
Boats and tenders
Lifeboats, launches and jolly boats with their interiors, and the davits that hold them.
Deck machinery
Anchors, capstans, windlasses, bollards, hatches, funnels and ventilators, with more detail than the kit's plastic parts.
Rigging
Blocks, pulleys and deadeyes for a period ship's rigging: tiny and needed in quantity, so resin.
Crew and ornaments
Crew figures at the ship's scale, figureheads and stern decorations. You can order them painted.
Parts for a discontinued kit
The part that went missing or broke from a kit that's no longer sold, modelled from photos and measurements at the kit's scale.
3D printed discontinued partsParts for RC boats
Motor and servo mounts, deck hatches, rudders and light superstructures in PETG or ASA, which cope with water and sun.
Outdoor parts: sun, water and heat
How much do printed fittings cost?
Estimates from the Fabrishare calculator, unpainted, excluding VAT and shipping. Each maker sets their own price in the quote.
| Part | Technology | Range | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set of 10 cannons, 3 cm | Resin | €33–€88 | €55 |
| 2 lifeboats, 6 cm | Resin | €16–€44 | €27 |
| Single part the size of a 28 mm miniature (figure, anchor, capstan) | Resin | €8–€23 | Depends on detail |
| Small RC mount (servo, battery) | FDM | €6–€17 | €10 |
In the cannon set each one works out at about €5.47: the machine prints them all at once, and what adds up is removing supports and cleaning each part.
Large FDM hulls and superstructures have no ballpark price: they depend on machine hours, whether they're printed in sections and the sealing. Each maker quotes once they see the file. Painting is quoted separately.
Do printed parts work on an RC boat that sails?
Yes, with the right material and sealing. Almost any material will do for a display model; not for one that goes in the water.
PETG or ASA rather than PLA
PLA softens at around 55 °C: a dark hull in the sun or a part next to the motor can warp. PETG holds up to about 70 °C and is fine in water; ASA holds up to 90–100 °C and also resists sunlight. For anything that goes in the water, use one of the two.
A printed hull isn't watertight on its own
FDM layers let water through. RC builders print hulls with 3–4 perimeters or more, fill the joints between sections with epoxy and coat the outside with epoxy or laminating resin. Test it in the bath before fitting the electronics.
Propellers and shafts
A printed propeller is fine on a display model and works on small, slow boats. With a powerful motor, go for metal: a broken blade throws the shaft off balance. Motor and servo mounts print well in PETG or ASA.
Resin in the water
Standard resin gives the best detail but is more brittle under knocks. It's fine for deck fittings on an RC boat; with primer and varnish on top it copes better with water and sun.
Want it delivered painted?
You can ask the maker not only to print but also to paint and weather the parts. Choose the finish in the project and the quote covers both.
Unpainted
The parts as they come off the printer, cleaned of supports. Cheapest and quickest, for painting them yourself with the rest of the ship.
Primed
With a coat of primer, ready to paint. Shows up flaws before painting and saves the most tedious step.
Painted and weathered
In the ship's colours, with rust, wear or salt where it belongs. Send photos or references of the real ship; it's quoted by number of parts and level of detail.
3D printing and painting
What to put in the project
The more specific you are, the sharper the quotes:
- The ship's scale and the kit or plans the part has to match, if any.
- The STL files or links to them; if there are none, the plans with their scale or photos with measurements.
- How many identical parts: 10 cannons, 2 boats, 40 blocks.
- Whether it's for display or for an RC boat that sails.
- The finish: unpainted, primed or painted.
The file and its licence
There are plenty of ship and fitting files in 3D model shops, and many are sold with a licence that lets a maker print them for you and charge for it. Free files with a non-commercial licence don't allow that.
A part missing from your kit can be modelled from photos and measurements. What isn't on offer is copying a manufacturer's kits or upgrade sets.
How to order parts for your ship
- 1Post your project for free with the files (or plans and photos with measurements), the scale and how many parts.
- 2Say whether it's for display or RC, and whether you want it unpainted, primed or painted.
- 3Within 24–48 hours you get quotes with price and lead time. Pick one; the maker prints it (and paints it, if you asked) and ships it to you.
Questions about ship modelling and 3D printing
Can you 3D print parts for a model ship?
Yes: cannons, boats, anchors, capstans, blocks, crew, figureheads and superstructures. Small parts are printed in resin for the detail; hulls and large parts in FDM.
Which scale should I choose?
Your ship's or your kit's. 1:700 and 1:350 are used by almost every plastic kit; 1:96 and 1:192 are the classic scales for period ships and RC. At 1:96 a 1.80 m crew member is about 19 mm tall.
Resin or FDM?
Resin for fittings, figures and anything a few millimetres across; FDM for hulls, decks and large superstructures, which would be expensive and heavy in resin.
How much do the parts cost?
A set of 10 resin cannons, 3 cm long, costs €33–€88 (typically about €55), and two 6 cm lifeboats €16–€44, excluding VAT and shipping, according to the calculator. Each maker quotes large FDM hulls and painting.
Does a 3D printed hull leak?
On its own, yes: FDM layers let water through. It needs thick walls (3–4 perimeters or more), joints filled with epoxy and an epoxy coat on the outside. PETG or ASA work better than PLA.
Can the propeller be printed?
For display, yes. For sailing, it works on small, slow boats; with a powerful motor a metal propeller is better, because a broken blade throws the shaft off balance.
Can I get it painted?
Yes. Choose "painted" in the project and send photos or references of the ship: the maker quotes printing and painting together, with weathering if you ask.
What if a part is missing from a kit that's no longer sold?
With photos and measurements of the part, or of its matching pair, a maker models it at the kit's scale and prints it. Modelling is quoted separately from printing.
How long does it take?
Quotes arrive within 24–48 hours and each states its lead time. A few unpainted resin parts take a few days; a large painted set or an RC hull takes longer, so order early if there's a competition or show.