My 3D printed church serpent

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 8:30 pm

I just had a 3D printed church serpent made for me and delivered today. It is based on an Anon. 18th Church Serpent:

http://www.berliozhistoricalbrass.org/43-4-su_2016.pdf" target="_blank

20 parts comprise the serpent and 4 parts comprise the bocal..each part takes 10 hours to print out!!!! Then glued, sanded, epoxy resin, paint...and an instrument is created. And—-it plays!!! Amazing technology. I now have an Anon. 4 key c. 1800 Military Serpent and a 2020 3D printed Church Serpent.

https://imgur.com/gallery/vBo40AU" target="_blank
Left: Military Serpent...Right 3D printed Church Serpent

TubaDude · Post by **TubaDude** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 10:42 pm

What media did you use, PLA or ABS?

Did you print via Cura?

Do you have the print scripts?

I've got a spool of Carbon Fiber media that I've been dying to use.

Thank,
Mike

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 4:30 am

Hi-
The work was done by an engineer in NJ.
Here is the info from Oxford University:

https://www.bate.ox.ac.uk/serpent.html" target="_blank

Good luck!!
Mark

TubaDude · Post by **TubaDude** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 9:27 am

Cool, thank you for the link Mark.

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:23 pm

If anyone wants one made but you don't have the expertise or equipment, email me at: jonestuba@gmail.com" target="_blank
and I can put you in touch with the engineer in NJ who did mine...EXTREMELY reasonable price....and it plays......

SousaWarrior9 · Post by **SousaWarrior9** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:25 pm

bloke wrote:

Many do not understand that these are nice-sounding instruments, when played by musicians - as contrasted with being played by musicologists.

tofu · Post by **tofu** » Mon Jan 27, 2020 2:00 am

How does the sound & playing characteristics compare to an original?

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Mon Jan 27, 2020 6:06 am

+1 on both accounts....

UDELBR · Post by **UDELBR** » Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:38 am

bisontuba wrote: 20 parts comprise the serpent and 4 parts comprise the bocal..each part takes 10 hours to print out!!!!

240 hours to manufacture seems prohibitive. Surely there's an easier/faster way to make these.

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Mon Jan 27, 2020 12:53 pm

Each 'part' takes 10 hours to print out...each part is an overnight project. The engineer's printer is an Ender 3...printer costs $200. Material to make a serpent ran him about $50 total. As with all technology, in 10 years, it will probably take 1 hour or less to print a part...I am just amazed that you can do this.

edsel585960 · Post by **edsel585960** » Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:08 pm

Very cool to say the least.

tofu · Post by **tofu** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:07 am

bisontuba wrote:Each 'part' takes 10 hours to print out...each part is an overnight project. The engineer's printer is an Ender 3...printer costs $200. Material to make a serpent ran him about $50 total. As with all technology, in 10 years, it will probably take 1 hour or less to print a part...I am just amazed that you can do this.

Yes and on an expensive industrial high quality printer it would go very fast if somebody were going to crank them out as a business proposition. And this 3D printer technology is very rapidly improving. And just think how many hours and the specialized skills required to make one out of wood and brass - easily multiples of the time involved here and the cost would be multiples as well.

In ten years I bet you could easily pump out 50 of these in a day and probably at $10 or less for each one. Just think - you could cheaply make an instant serpent marching band in a day!

Unfathomable a decade ago. Great stuff.

anotherjtm2 · Post by **anotherjtm2** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:13 am

tofu wrote: Just think - you could cheaply make an instant serpent marching band in a day!.

You win for scary tuba imagery of the day. Also sounds like a lot of fun.

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Wed Jan 29, 2020 10:18 am

Hi-
I keep having people ask me the cost of the 3D printed serpent....the engineer made it, got a box and sent it to me UPS--- not bad at all...
Mark

bone-a-phone · Post by **bone-a-phone** » Wed Jan 29, 2020 10:25 pm

SteveP wrote:Would there be an extra charge for silver plate?

Yeah, it would be about $6 for a can of spray paint. I think people misunderstand 3d printing. Instead of denting, this will shatter. I hope you get a lot of use and enjoyment out of it, and maybe it might be a good idea to see if your engineer friend will print you some spare parts.

basslizard · Post by **basslizard** » Thu Jan 30, 2020 2:20 am

anotherjtm2 wrote:
tofu wrote: Just think - you could cheaply make an instant serpent marching band in a day!.
You win for scary tuba imagery of the day. Also sounds like a lot of fun.

This would be epic.
A 3D printed serpent might be the only way I talk my husband into bringing yet another brass instrument into the house - technically it isn't brass...

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Thu Jan 30, 2020 2:40 am

bone-a-phone wrote:
SteveP wrote:Would there be an extra charge for silver plate?
Yeah, it would be about $6 for a can of spray paint. I think people misunderstand 3d printing. Instead of denting, this will shatter. I hope you get a lot of use and enjoyment out of it, and maybe it might be a good idea to see if your engineer friend will print you some spare parts.

As compared to a wooden instrument covered in leather? This is built quite well. Any item if dropped, hit, bumped, stresses will have consequences.....

anotherjtm2 · Post by **anotherjtm2** » Fri Mar 13, 2020 12:05 am

Reading more about serpents, I was pointed to this P.D.Q. Bach piece from a 2000 Prairie Home Companion: https://www.prairiehome.org/shows/57843.html.
The PDQ Bach piece starts at about 1:22:35. The whole segment -- a composer face-off with obscure instruments chosen by the opponent -- starts at about 1:11.

This from Peter Schickele: it's called a serpent because it's able to play scales.

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Fri Mar 13, 2020 9:00 am

Casca Grossa wrote:
bloke wrote:

Many do not understand that these are nice-sounding instruments, when played by musicians - as contrasted with being played by musicologists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9mB72TC8Kw" target="_blank" target="_blank

This will completely eliminate any negative opinions you may have about the Serpent.

anotherjtm2 · Post by **anotherjtm2** » Fri Mar 13, 2020 11:17 am

MartyNeilan wrote:
Casca Grossa wrote:
bloke wrote:

Many do not understand that these are nice-sounding instruments, when played by musicians - as contrasted with being played by musicologists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9mB72TC8Kw" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
This will completely eliminate any negative opinions you may have about the Serpent.

Right? I'm so looking forward to trying this plastic one.

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