3D Printed Full Size Replicas of Stonehenge, Atlantis, and More? One Engineer Has a Grand Plan

He is known for his 3D printed castle which made headlines all around the globe this past August. However, as we reported earlier this week, Andrey Rudenko is just beginning to get his feet wet when it comes to surprising, unique, projects revolving around 3D printing technology. Yesterday, we reported that Rudenko is working on a 3D printer capable of printing buildings on the moon, using nothing but moon dust. On Wedensday, he unveiled to us his plans to 3D print an entire village for architects and engineers to experiment with and learn about the capabilities of large-scale 3D printing. On Tuesday, Rudenko elaborated on his initial plan to 3D print an entire house in just 5 days. This week wouldn’t be finished without Rudenko unveiling yet one more of his plans.

Today, Rudenko tells 3DPrint.com that he is working on a plan to 3D print replicas of ancient relics. Sure, the idea may seem a bit extraordinary, but that’s exactly why Rudenko is planning this undertaking.

“We’ve all heard of the Legend of Atlantis — a city lost to the depth of the ocean,” Rudenko tells 3DPrint.com. “And there are many other stories of cities similarly submerged under water. I was looking at images, and I’d like to reproduce a full scale copy of some lost underwater artifacts. It’s fascinating to look at images of these items sunk in the ocean.”

Rudenko is currently searching for people who could create 3D models of underwater artifacts and relics. We aren’t just talking about the small rings and pieces of pottery found in locations on the ocean floor. We are talking about full size buildings, arches, and other large objects previously not even considered to be 3D printable. Because of the fact that there are not too many photos that exist of these artifacts, he is looking for help from the public.

“There aren’t too many pictures of them out there,” he explained. “If anyone has any ideas on how to get more images of these artifacts, I’d love to hear them. This project would be a very unique and fascinating experience.”

Rudenko tells us that his latest iteration of the original 3D printer he used to print his castle has many new features. It is able to print in 3-5mm layers as compared to the previous machine which was only able to print in 10mm layers. It is also now capable of printing using geopolymer concrete, which is a mixture of volcanic ash and lime. This is a material similar to what the ancients used to build pyramids and many other structures around the world. He tells us that it is waterproof, stronger, and more resistant to salt water and corrosion than ordinary Portland cement. It will enable him to better match the colors and textures of the artifacts he will be printing.

This is just one of Rudenko’s many ideas when it comes to blowing the minds of those skeptical of 3D printing technology. Building upon the idea of fabricating an underwater world, and adding quite a humorously unique twist to it, he is also considering discreetly lowering large 3D printed structures into an underwater location, and then waiting to see the wave of shock and awe that pursues after they are discovered by divers.

“This could also be a lot of money for investors owning hotels in nearby locations,” he tells us.

Finally, Rudenko is also confident that his latest 3D printer would be capable of replicating other global landmarks such as creating a full-size replica of Stonehenge. He believes that these replicas could be printed in such a way that they could then be moved around to different destinations.

“It would be heavy but not so much because we can make them using shells [a 3D printing term talking about the border around a print] with a 5-10 inch thickness of the walls, not solid,” he emphasized. “The idea came when a friend of mine came back from England and told me that people are not allowed to touch the stones anymore and it’s only viewable from a distance.”

As for where Rudenko would like to create this Stonehenge replica, his initial thoughts are that the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum would be a perfect location, since it already is an amazing place for displaying art and architectural projects. He tells us that, like with his other plans for his 3D printers, he is ready to move forward. However, because of the costs involved and the partnerships required, he is looking for a little help.

“I don’t have the communication skills to handle endless phone calls,” he tells us. “I’m more like an engineer, not a businessman. I’m generating ideas and I know I can do it.”

He has proven that he can do what he claims he can in the past, so there is absolutely no reason to doubt that this project couldn’t work. It’s just a matter of finding museums, larger companies and designers who are willing to help out. Rudenko urges anyone interested in cooperating with him on these projects to contact him via his website.

What do you think about Rudenko’s latest ideas? Are they feasible? Discuss in the 3D printing of ancient relics forum thread on 3DPB.com.