James Cameron's Deepsea Challenger Submarine Model

nick daring

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Has anybody made a model of this yet?

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It's such a cool design I'd love to see it in 3d.

Along with a tiny little James Cameron figure to go inside...
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I did find this paper model available for download-
Deepsea Challenger Sub Paper Model

Nick
 

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Re: Deepsea Challenger

I'm looking for a scale model of this as well. I've reached out to FX models to see if they can do one as they make the ALVIN and other submarines. Waiting to hear back. There is a company in Germany what makes a Deep Rover sub, I may try contacting them as well.
 
Re: Deepsea Challenger

There is a model of the sub, seen here at the Rolex Event:
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I contacted Rolex regarding this sub model. Asking who/what company made it, and they basically told me to make like a tree and leave. They have no interest in anything other than their bottom line and that this whole expedition thing is a marketing stunt. I was surprised at their candidness actually. I don't see why they can't give me info on a simple plastic model. It wouldn't have affected their business selling overpriced watches at all. Could actually been an opportunity to keep interest in their sponsored expedition. Amazing how big companies fail at marketing. Anyway, I'm ranting now.
 
Re: Deepsea Challenger

You obviously talked to some Bean Counter who thinks the guys in Marketing are a bunch of weird-Os, and that they should all get bow ties and be serious!
 
Re: Deepsea Challenger

That a gorgeous model!

Too bad about Rolex not appreciating there projects. I'd love to see the response.

Hopefully interest will raise a bit more when Cameron releases his movie about the project.

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Re: Deepsea Challenger

That a gorgeous model!

Too bad about Rolex not appreciating there projects. I'd love to see the response.

Hopefully interest will raise a bit more when Cameron releases his movie about the project.

Marc Dantonio, the president of fxmodels.com responded to my email and said he's very interested in doing a Deepsea Challenger model and thinks it's a cool idea. I'm not sure I can afford to have one custom made and we haven't talked pricing yet, but if anyone else is interested in one, shoot him an email letting him know your interested to info@fxmodels.com
If enough people do, maybe he'll do a kit.
 
Re: James Cameron's Deepsea Challenger Submarine Model?

I've made a 3D model of the sub.
3D Screenshot.png

Does anyone know a good/cheap 3D printing service? Shapeways and others are giving me expensive quotes given the model is 10 inches.
 
Re: James Cameron's Deepsea Challenger Submarine Model?

Movie comes out this week.

Also found more pictures of the Rolex model.
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Re: James Cameron's Deepsea Challenger Submarine Model?

James Cameron was on Jimmy Fallon last night and pulled out the Rolex model!

http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/episodes/100

[video]http://www.hulu.com/watch/669979#i1,p0,d1[/video]

[video]http://www.hulu.com/watch/669986#i1,p0,d1[/video]

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Lots of nice little closeups of the thing throughout the interview.
 
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I think I'm the only person obsessed with this thing but there was another model appearance on the Colbert Report last night!
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Hi Nick, what do you say we build a model? And Rob, too, and anyone who's interested? We can all start at the same time and build slowly step-by-step --- just so the motivation is there. We don't go on to the next step until everyone is done. My biggest problem is that I easily lose interest in a build when working alone. But if I know we're building the exact same thing and I need to catch up, it somehow gives me an incentive to keep building. It would also make it easier for us to handle stumbling blocks, with the three of us working out solutions to the same problems. I have some Solidworks knowledge, if that would help. I'm not up to building Millennium Falcon parts yet -- which I originally tried to learn Solidworks for -- but the Challenger certainly looks way more doable than a Millennium Falcon. And I see Rob has already done a fine job on his 3D model (Rhino?) I see we'll need someone to vacuform a hull for us --- I found a shop nearby who might be able to help in that regard. (My vacuum former is only good for parts no bigger than 3 inches : ) Rob -- how easy would it be to slice your model to derive the bulkheads? And with a vacuum-formed hull we could probably go for something bigger than a 10-inch model and not be hampered by 3D-printing costs. The nice thing about the Challenger is that it displays vertically so footspace isn't much of a problem for larger scales.
 
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I'd totally be down for trying to crack this project with another person. I'm knee deep with a few other projects right now but am totally up for doing a bunch of research/planning for the time being.

I'd be very interested in trying to recreate Cameron's person model as featured in these talk show interviews. It's a good size without being obnoxiously large.

Any guesses to size and scale? I guess you could figure it from this shot with the coffee cup.
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Also it might be cool to make a model where you could take out the pilot sphere-

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A couple years ago they transported the sub across the country and it was displayed next to the pilot sphere for events. Lots of good pics there-
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Lots of good hi res images on flickr-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanleadership/sets/72157634073638365
 
Hi Nick, based on the average coffee mug height of 95mm from this link (http://blog.ampli.fi/the-standard-coffee-mug-dimensions/), Solidworks is pretty useful in deriving other dimensions --- The length (or should I say height) of the model in the photo comes to around 15.56 inches if I drew my lines right. If the 7.3m (24 ft) height of the Challenger doesn't include the antenna, then that model turns out to be 1/18.5 scale.

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