Few people know that the construction of ship models is a very ancient occupation of man. Already at the sites of primitive man, archaeologists find models of primitive boats - children's toys. Ship models also had a cult significance at that time - they were placed in graves, hoping to facilitate the transition to another world for the deceased.
It is believed that the art of building ship models originated in Europe in the 17th-18th centuries. It is to this time that the creation of models of ships in bottles, which are now stored in some museums, is also attributed. Sailors, while away the time on the shore, often had to "look into the bottle." One of them, apparently, came up with the idea to put a ship model there.
Could the ships in bottles have appeared earlier than the specified time? Until recently, many researchers believed that they did not, citing the inability of ancient glassblowers to make vessels transparent enough to make it easy to see their contents. And hardly anyone would want to make a ship in an opaque bottle.
However, there has been recent evidence to the contrary. In some paintings by old masters, you can see transparent goblets and glass vessels. What is it - the artist's fantasy or reality? In addition, archaeologists are increasingly finding fragments of transparent glass items that are more than one thousand years old. In ancient times, glass products were very expensive and were inaccessible to ordinary people. And yet, it cannot be completely ruled out that such a bottle could get to a talented craftsman who was able to build a ship model in it.
Manufacturing technology of a ship in a bottle:
1. A colored mass to simulate soil and water is squeezed into a bottle using a tube and a rod-rod.
2. Models of houses and a lighthouse can be cut out of dense foam and painted.
3. After smearing the bases of the houses with glue, they are placed in a bottle and glued to the inner surface
4. The hull of the ship model is cut out of a lime blank
5. In the deck, grooves are made along the sides with a cutter for subsequent fastening of the threads.
6. With a thin drill 00.3-0.5 mm in the sides of the model (in the grooves) make holes for attaching the threads.
7. Clamping wooden sticks in the drill chuck, using the skin, grind the blanks of masts and yards.
8. The necessary holes in the details of the masts are made with a thin drill using a shank drill.
9. Masts for ease of assembly are installed on a sheet of foam.
10. To install the spars and fasten the rigging, the body of the model is placed on the slipway.
11. You can temporarily fix the threads in the desired position if you pass them through an ordinary eraser.
12. The first to install oblique sailing weapons on the ship.
13. Before placing the model in a bottle on the slipway, check the ease of lifting the spars and fastening the rigging.
14. Using paper clips, the threads are combined into functional groups, the ends of the threads are marked.
15. The model with the spar folded must be free: to pass into the buta neck.
Some details of the sailing ship:
At first glance, it seems that a sailing ship is entangled in a completely unnecessary web of all kinds of ropes, cables and ropes. But it's not. For hundreds of years, the creators of sailing ships have brought their design to perfection. It's hard to believe, but there is not a single extra rope, not a single extra detail in the rigging of the sailboat. Each tackle performs its important role and has its own name. Any sailing ship has spars and rigging.
Spars are called elements that one way or another serve to fasten the sails. These are masts, yards, bowsprit and their components (Fig. 1). The rigging is designed to fasten the spars and control them (Fig. 2.3). With its help, the masts are held in a vertical position, the yards are raised and rotated.
Fig.1. The main elements of the spars "Sailboat in a bottle"
Fig.2. Standing rigging "Sailboat in a bottle"
Fig.3. Running rigging "Sailboat in a bottle"
Of course, this is not all. However, it is precisely the listed elements that hinder (and sometimes, on the contrary, help) to put the ship in a bottle more than others.
Building a ship in a bottle
This work does not require complex tools and skills. All you need is accuracy and patience. It is best to start with the manufacture of the model body. It is cut out of wood, painted in the chosen color and all the necessary details are installed. In this case, you need to ensure that the model freely passes into the neck of the bottle. Making the case is a very important part of the job. Despite the fact that the body of the model has to be made narrower than it really is, all other parts, if possible, are made in strict accordance with the drawing, observing the proportions. This is the only way to make a good ship model.
The secret of getting the ship model inside the bottle lies in the design of its masts. At its base, the mast has a miniature hinge that allows it to be easily folded along the ship's hull (Fig. 4).
Of course, the ship model itself is completely assembled from the outside. When everything is ready: the hull is cut out, the masts are installed, the tackle and sails are fitted, the masts are tilted back and, in such a state, like a bird with folded wings, they are pushed through the neck of the bottle (Fig. 5).
When the most mysterious part of the path has been completed, it remains to strengthen the model on the bottom with a simple tool and, pulling a long thread (the end of which is prudently left outside), raise the masts to a vertical position (Fig. 6). That's the whole secret. Simple enough, right? Let's do it again, in more detail.
1. We make the body of the model so that it freely passes through the bottle neck. The easiest way is to cut it from a piece of wood. However, there are no ready-made recipes. Everyone is free to do their own thing.
2. We install the masts, not forgetting to provide them with hinges. There are many different hinges, but before choosing one of them, try to come up with your own design. Maybe you will be able to invent something original: after all, a thin spring, a flexible plastic tube and much more can play the role of a hinge. The combination of sometimes seemingly incompatible things gives amazing results.
Be smart, but remember: the hinge should be as little noticeable as possible. That is why the main forces should be directed to finding a way to hide the hinge from the eyes of the uninitiated. For example, paint the mast together with the hinge in a dark color or put a small piece of tube on the mast, which, moving freely, will close the hinge after the mast is in a vertical position, etc.
3. We adjust the rigging, making sure that all the threads pulling the masts forward (as a rule, these are stays) are long enough and are not permanently fixed on the model hull. They are passed through small holes in the bowsprit or special loops are made of wire or thread (Fig. 7).
The rest of the rigging details: shrouds, forduns and braces, as a rule, do not interfere with the folding of the masts. Therefore, they can be fixed firmly.
4. We put yards and sails. Sails are best made from fine fabric, silk or cambric. Then you need to sew or glue them to the rails. The fastening of the yard to the masts should be free, allowing the yard with the sail to take any desired position. Otherwise, by folding the masts along the hull, you will not be able to cope with the yards and they will interfere with the time of pushing the model into the bottle. The easiest way is to tie (not too tight) the yardarm to the mast (Fig. 8).
For a beginner modeller, for his first job, it is better to choose a simple schooner that has only oblique sails. At the same time, the installation of sails and the assembly of the ship in the bottle itself will not cause any particular difficulties. The situation is more complicated with sailboats carrying a large number of direct sails. In this case, it may be necessary to carry out some elements of the running rigging in a manner similar to the method of wiring the stays, that is, passing through the hole in the ship's hull, pull them out (the described method of assembling a ship in a bottle allows you to get good results here too).
5. Prepare a seat inside the bottle. Do not rush to push the ship into the bottle. First you need to take care of how to strengthen it there. Fantasy knows no bounds here. Some fill the bottom of the bottle with an impromptu "sea", others create whole scenes with a miniature port, houses and lighthouses. But for a novice modeler who has not yet fully mastered all the tricks, I recommend simply gluing a wooden plank to the bottom of the bottle, after providing it with pins that will prevent the ship's hull from slipping (Fig. 9).
The stand is placed inside the bottle and glued to the bottom (under these conditions, epoxy glue has proven itself well).
6. Place the ship in the bottle. The model is ready and stands on your table. The stand is glued to the bottom of the bottle (and the glue has had time to dry). It's time to take the most important step - to push the model inside the bottle. Carefully, being careful not to damage anything, tilt the masts back and lay them along the hull. Straighten the tackle, making sure that nothing is tangled. Place the folded model in the neck (stern first) and start slowly, without much effort, pushing it inward. When the model is in the bottle, before raising the masts and spreading the sails, fix it on the stand (don't forget to grease the stand pins with glue). Wait for the glue to dry.
Now you can set the masts to a vertical position. Begin to slowly pull the threads hanging from the neck. If there are several masts on the ship, it is better to start lifting from the far one. To know which thread is responsible for what, you can mark them in advance by gluing a piece of paper with a number to each (Fig. 10). Do not hurry, do not try at once, at any cost, to raise the mast or yard and interfere with the rise. In this case, it should be released using a simple tool.
7. Fixing gear. Well, all the masts have taken a vertical position. So that they do not form again, they need to be fixed. To do this, just drop a little glue (you can use PVA glue) into the places where the threads pass through the holes of the ring or loop (Fig. 11)
8. Cut the threads. After all the gear is stretched and secured with droplets of glue, the excess threads are cut off. The main thing, as in everything that concerns ships in bottles, is not to rush. Let the glue dry and then trim the threads. To work, you need to build a special tool, consisting of a piece of a razor, mounted on the end of a long wire or rod. The thread intended for trimming must be pulled and lightly drawn over it with a razor. Be extremely careful. Careless movement can damage the ship's gear.
Fig.4. At its base, the mast has a miniature size
Fig.5. The model is placed in the bottle in the folded position
Fig.6. By pulling the thread, the masts are set to a vertical position.
Fig.7. Three threading options: wire ring, hole and thread loop
Fig.8. The yards can simply be tied to the masts
Fig.9. Stand for attaching the model inside the bottle
Fig.10. In a complex model, several dozen threads can come out of the neck in a bottle at the same time
Fig.11. to fix the gear, it is enough to drop a little glue into the places where the threads come
9. Finishing touches. So, the model is almost ready. All the hardest part is over. You can breathe freely and congratulate yourself on your success, but you need to build a beautiful stand for it and close the bottle opening with a cork. But I would like to warn you about one thing. Do not rush to immediately hermetically close the bottle. Moisture has accumulated in the process. If you immediately close the hole, the walls of the bottle may fog up. Keep it open for another week and only then cork. But even after that, avoid direct sunlight on the bottle with the model. There is always a little moisture on it, and with uneven heating it can show through on the walls of the bottle.
A. Popov, Moscow
Number of sheets: 15
Sheet format: A4, *.DOC
Book text
Introduction
It is no secret that the history of mankind is inextricably linked with the sea. Since ancient times, people, overcoming fear, traveled across the seas and oceans. In the eternal search for something new, they were driven forward by an irresistible thirst for adventure.
Today we admire reading stories about great geographical discoveries, brave sailors and pirates. What courage you need to have to go to the raging ocean on a fragile ship, subject to the elements. And, of course, such a voyage is not comparable to traveling in the cozy cabin of a modern superliner.
Few people know that building model ships is a very ancient art. Already at the sites of primitive man, archaeologists find models of primitive boats - children's toys. Ship models also had a cult significance - they were placed in graves, hoping to facilitate the transition to another world for the deceased. Fine gold and silver ship models have been found in Mesopotamia and the Valley of the Kings.
Thus, the history of ship modeling has more than one thousand years. And what about ships in bottles? It is believed that this art originated in Europe in the XVII - XVIII centuries. It was to this time that the models of ships in bottles, stored in some museums in Europe, date back. Sailors, while away the time on the shore, often had to "look into the bottle." One of them, apparently, came up with the happy idea to put a model ship there.
Could the ships in bottles have appeared earlier than the specified time? Until recently, many researchers believed that they did not, citing the inability of ancient glassblowers to make vessels transparent enough to make it easy to see their contents. It's hard to imagine anyone wanting to make a ship in an opaque bottle.
However, there has been recent evidence to the contrary. In some paintings by old masters, you can see transparent goblets and glass vessels. What is it - an artist's fantasy or a reflection of reality? Archaeologists are increasingly finding fragments of transparent glass items that are more than one thousand years old. In ancient times, glass products were very expensive and were inaccessible to ordinary people. And yet, it cannot be completely ruled out that such a bottle could get to a talented craftsman who was able to build a ship model in it.
It should be noted that in addition to ships, skilled craftsmen created religious scenes, scenes from life, various mechanisms and much more in bottles. Perhaps this kind of creativity appeared even earlier than the actual ships in bottles. However, the very term "ships in bottles" should include everything that a person manages to build in a bottle, through a narrow neck.
As a rule, bottled models are divided into three main types:
The model of the ship is placed in the bottle. The focus, in such models, is on the most accurate reproduction of details. The model inside the bottle can rest on a special stand or "float" on the sea surface, skillfully made by the master.
Dioramas. Dioramas depict scenes from life (often marine life). It can be a seaport with a large city on the shore and ships in the roadstead, a sea battle, a sinking ship, and much more.
Curiosities. This group includes everything that gives rise to the violent fantasy of the master. These are scenes from biblical life, various mills, mechanisms, figurines of people, cars, planes - in general, everything that cannot be called a ship in any way.
Despite the rapid development of technology, the construction of ships in bottles remains, like many years ago, purely manual work. It takes a lot of patience and skill to be successful. And just like many years ago, the model surprises the audience. That is why many people are passionate about building ships in bottles, using modern materials and tirelessly coming up with new assembly secrets.
In many countries there are associations that unite people who are passionate about ships in bottles. There are associations in England, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Japan, USA, France and other countries. There is even a "European Bottled Ships Association" which brings together modellers from all over the world. These organizations publish magazines, arrange exhibitions and conferences, in general, do not let modelers get bored.
There are many museums in the world, in the collections of which ships in bottles are presented. This book, perhaps one of the first in Russia, introduces the reader to the secrets of creating ships in bottles. In it you will find the answer to the question "How?", which, frankly, is already tormenting you.
The book tells about various assembly methods, gives recommendations for the manufacture of miniature ship parts, and reveals the secrets of puzzle plugs. Many drawings and photographs allow you to penetrate into all the secrets of craftsmanship. The book will be of interest to both beginners and experienced modellers. Everyone will find in it something new and interesting for themselves.
Some details of a sailing ship
Before we go further, let us explain the purpose of some of the gear of the sailboat. At first glance, it seems that a sailing ship is entangled in a completely unnecessary web of all kinds of ropes, cables and ropes. But it's not. For hundreds of years, the creators of sailing ships have brought their design to perfection. It's hard to believe, but there is not a single extra rope, not a single extra detail in the rigging of the sailboat. Each tackle performs its important role and has its own name. Don't be afraid, we won't talk about everyone. Let us dwell only on gear, the names of which will often occur in the narrative. If you still come across an unfamiliar term, look into the marine dictionary.
So, the Sailing ship has:
spacing:
Rice. 1 spars of a sailing ship.
Rigging: .
Rice. 2 The rigging of a sailing ship. a). Standing rigging. b). Running rigging.
Of course, this is not all. However, it is precisely these elements that hinder (and sometimes, on the contrary, help) to place the ship in a bottle more than others.
How to put a ship in a bottle?
Every business has its own professional secrets. A lot of them and the craftsmen involved in the creation of ships in bottles. And of course, the main one is how the ship model gets into a bottle with a narrow neck. An uninitiated person can come up with the most fantastic ideas, starting with a bottle split in half and re-glued, and ending with a team of trained ants, laboriously assembling a ship under the strict guidance of the owner.
We hasten to reassure you: everything is done honestly - through a narrow bottleneck. The most amazing thing is that there are quite a few ways to put the model inside the bottle. Moreover, each master introduces so many new things into the seemingly well-known traditional method that it turns into something new - a SECRET.
What is good about one way or the other? It all depends on your experience, skill and patience. One does not require complex manipulations when assembling the model inside the bottle, but limits the craftsman in choosing the design of the ship, not allowing him to work with complex models. The other, on the contrary: does not interfere with the choice of ship design, but greatly complicates the assembly inside the bottle. We will describe several ways to assemble a sailing ship model. This will allow any reader, even a beginner, to choose the option according to their strength.
Method - I (Traditional)
Fundamental law: Do what you want, but don't try to cut the bottle! (In extreme cases, break it if it didn’t work out at all).
This method is the most common among modellers. The work does not require complex tools and skills. All you need is accuracy and patience. It is best to start work with the manufacture of the model body. It is cut out of wood, painted in the desired color, masts, spars, rigging and all the necessary details are installed. Don't be afraid, all this work needs to be done on the desktop, not inside the bottle. It is only necessary to check from time to time in the course of work whether the fully equipped model passes freely into the neck of the bottle.
Making the case is a very important part of the job. Despite the fact that the body of the model has to be made already (not in the sense of already do, but in the sense of doing already), than it should be according to the drawing (so that it freely passes into the neck 
bottles), all other parts must, if possible, be made in strict accordance with the drawings. This is the only way to make a good ship model.
Hinge options
Now let's deal with the masts, because it is in them that the secret lies. At their base, the masts have miniature hinge, allowing them to easily fold along the ship's hull.
There are many different designs of hinges, but before choosing a ready-made one, try to come up with your own design. Maybe you will be able to invent something original: after all, a thin spring, a flexible plastic tube and much more can play the role of a hinge.
Here you can think of a lot of interesting things. One thing should not be forgotten: the hinge should be as little noticeable as possible. That is why, the main forces should be directed to finding a way to hide the hinge from the eyes of the uninitiated. You can, for example, paint the mast, together with the hinge, in a dark color or put a small piece of tube on the mast, which, moving freely, will close the hinge after the mast is in a vertical position and much more.
Having set the masts in place, they attach the shrouds and forduns. Now it becomes clear to us that the sailboat, with the masts folded back, easily passes into the neck of the bottle! However, the stays, if fixed rigidly, will prevent the masts from folding back. To avoid this, the lower ends of the stays are not glued completely, they are not cut off, but left long and, passing through specially prepared holes (on the bowsprit or on the deck of the model), they are taken out of the bottle. Of course, the stays must be long enough so that by pulling them, you can set the masts in a vertical position.
We will cut these threads, having previously fixed them with droplets of glue, already at the very end of the work. By pulling the thread, you can set the mast to a vertical position.
We must not forget about the sails, and before putting the ship in the bottle, you must, of course, attach the sails, along with the yards, braces, sheets, and the rest of the running rigging. For a beginner modeller, for his first job, it is better to choose a simple schooner that has only oblique sails. Then the installation of sails and the assembly of the ship in the bottle itself will not cause any particular difficulties. The situation is more complicated with sailboats carrying a large number of direct sails. In this case, it may be necessary to carry out some elements of the running rigging in a manner similar to the method of wiring the stays, that is, passing through a hole in the ship's hull, pulling it out (the described method of assembling a ship in a bottle allows you to get good results here too).
After all the gear is stretched and secured with droplets of glue, the excess threads are cut and removed. The model is almost ready, we have not mentioned only how to fix the ship's hull inside the bottle. Many modelers like to depict the sea by pouring tinted epoxy resin into a bottle, imitating waves using various plastic materials. "Sea" allows you to make the body of the model only up to the waterline, which reduces its dimensions and facilitates penetration into the bottle. However, when building an exact copy of a ship, especially a modern one, it is important to show the underwater part of the model as well. To do this, the model must be installed on a special stand, glued inside the bottle directly to the glass. The simplest stand can be a wooden plank with small pins for precise fixation of the ship's hull.
As you can see, the secret is simple. Let's evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this method of assembling a ship in a bottle. The main advantage is, of course, simplicity - the entire model is assembled on the desktop, which does not require complex manipulations inside the bottle. At the same time, all the shortcomings follow from this. Indeed, building a model exactly according to the drawing can be hindered by restrictions imposed on the width of the model body. After all, the body, together with all the rigging, must freely pass into the neck of the bottle. It's no longer up to size. It will not be easy to build a model with a complex hull architecture or a large number of sails - the neck of the bottle is not rubber. It will also be impossible to make the body of the model prefabricated - consisting of two or more parts. All this causes a lot of trouble for modellers, and yet, using the traditional assembly method, it is possible to build a good model of a ship in a bottle.
Method - II (Straws)
It has already been mentioned in passing that the body of the model can consist of several parts. To make the model more interesting, we could cut the wide body lengthwise and connect the halves together already inside the bottle. What if the traditional way does not allow such a possibility? This is where the “straws” method will help us, which significantly expands the capabilities of the modeler.
This method, despite its complexity, is also widely used among modellers. There is no need to make a hinge at the base of the mast and pass the stays through the holes in the bowsprit, and you don’t have to cut off the extra threads. The secret is elsewhere.
The body of the model is placed separately in the bottle, and only then, right inside the bottle, masts with rigging, sails and everything else are installed. This becomes possible due to the fact that all rigging threads are rigid, like thin straws. These threads do not wrinkle, they do not need to be pulled, it is enough just to glue them to the body (see Fig. 9). Since you cannot touch the model inside the bottle, the viewer will never guess our secret. To him, all the tackle of the model will seem to be made of real soft threads.
Rice. 9. Assembly of the model. Rigid threads will retain their original position.
Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare a sufficient amount of hard threads. To do this, ordinary sewing threads are impregnated with glue. When hardened, the threads become stiff and strong (epoxy glue is well suited for this purpose). In the process of assembling the ship, they simply cut off the “straw” of the desired length and glue it to the mast or yard. However, when building a model - still on the desktop - one must not forget that the shrouds, forduns, stays, braces and other rigging are attached only at one end to the masts, yards, etc. glue only at the final stage - assembly inside the bottle. Due to their rigidity, shrouds, stays and other gear will retain the position and shape that you gave them during manufacture. After installing the masts in the places intended for them, it remains only to fix all the free ends with glue droplets to the model body. Of course, this will have to be done already inside the bottle.
Before placing the model in the bottle, you need to properly fit all the details. Make sure all parts fit into the neck of the bottle without being damaged. This will facilitate subsequent assembly and save you from surprises.
The body of the model may consist of several parts. The main thing is that each part freely passes into the neck.
Having installed the body of the model inside the bottle in the place intended for it, they put and strengthen the masts one by one, gluing the free ends of the rigging to the body.
The yards with sails, as a rule, are attached to the masts in advance and are already placed in a bottle with them. However, if the model has a large number of square sails, problems may arise with them. After all, a fully assembled mast with sails may not fit into the neck of a bottle. This problem can be solved by giving the sails greater mobility. To do this, the clews of the sails are glued to the butts of the yards right inside the bottle. At the same time, yards with sails freely tied to the mast by topenants easily pass into the neck of the bottle. You can also use another method. Small hooks made of thin wire are tied or glued to the masts, in the places where the tokenants are attached (instead of hooks, small burrs can be made on a wooden mast). The masts are placed in the bottle, mounted on the model, and then the sails are hung from these hooks. As you can see, there is a huge field for imagination.
So, step by step, the whole model is assembled. Of course, it takes much more time to assemble the model inside the bottle than when using the first method, but the result justifies all the suffering.
Let's try to evaluate the advantages of the method. Comparing the first and second assembly methods, it can be seen that the second method is much more complicated. However, its potential is higher. Indeed, it immediately becomes clear that the body of the model can be of any width, including wider than the neck of the bottle (which is especially appreciated among modellers). This became possible thanks to the separate assembly of the hull and masts with rigging - you can safely assemble the hull in a bottle, and then install masts and everything else on it. There are also disadvantages. It is precisely the fact that all the rigging is glued to the body of the model already inside the bottle that does not allow to fully imitate such details as channels, shrouds, lufers, etc.
Assembly features will require a more complex tool. However, even here you can do without “long tweezers”. For the most part, you can cope with the work of an existing tool (the same as in the previous method), adding to it a simple device for installing the mast (see Fig. 10)
Rice. 10 Mast installation tool.
The tool is extremely simple. This is just a long thin tube inside which a double-folded fishing line passes. By throwing a loop on the mast, pushing it into the bottle and pulling on the fishing line, you can easily set the mast in the right place. Then it is enough to pull on one end of the fishing line to release the mast from the grip. Of course, for the construction of very complex models with a lot of details, you will need a more complex tool, but the story about it is yet to come.
Round wooden sticks of any diameter can be easily and quickly made using conventional dies used for threading. The raw wood blank is clamped into the chuck of a drilling machine or drill and passed through a die of similar size at high speeds. Then the operation is repeated, but with a die of a smaller diameter. This is done until the mast blank reaches the desired diameter. The final processing is done with the help of a fine skin without removing the workpiece from the cartridge.
Stock up on a set of dies from 1.5 mm. up to 5.0 mm. with a step of 0.5 mm, you can significantly speed up the work on the manufacture of masts, yards and other round parts of the model.
There are many methods for assembling a ship inside a bottle. Some of them are simple, others are complex. To achieve better results in model building, you can try to simplify a complex or complicate a simple method. I propose to go the other way and simplify the simple way.
The simplest method of assembling a ship is the folding masts method. What else can be simplified here? It turns out that it is possible to build a rather complex model with this method, avoiding a huge number of threads hanging from the neck. Instead of dozens of threads sticking out of the neck and always tangled, you can get by with two or three. You ask how? Very simple: by combining the rigging elements and making them movable - sliding.
Figure 1. Shows how one thread first acts as a headstay, then as a starboard shroud and completes its journey as a port shroud. In this model, there are no extra threads coming out of the neck at all!
Figure 2 shows a more complex scheme. In it, the yards of the model, halyards, and braces become mobile. The masts folded back loosen the tension of the threads, allowing the yards with sails to be laid along the side for smooth passage through the neck of the bottle.
When designing a model's rigging wiring diagram, it's helpful to build a small mock-up and go through the geometry tutorial.
While working on the model, I ran into one problem. I needed by all means to attach the thread to the mast directly inside the bottle. The found solution may be of interest to you. I tied a small loop of rope to the mast (after soaking the thread with glue and drying it to stiffen it), and tied a knot at the end of the tackle. Now the tackle fit easily into the loop inside the bottle. It remains only to fix it with a drop of glue.
The steering wheel appeared on ships in the early 18th century. Prior to this, the tiller was turned by a vertical lever - a calder rod. With the advent of steering mechanisms, the thrust from the steering machine began to be transmitted to the steering wheel with the help of steering cables. On some ships, the steering mechanism was covered with a special cover. Making a model of such a steering wheel is undoubtedly easier than an open mechanism, where you have to show the entire internal structure.
Of course, the main (or rather the most popular) element of the steering machine is the steering wheel. Let's make it and let's do it. We will need a few pieces of copper wire and a small ring of the same material. Copper wire, coil to coil, is wound on a rod of the desired diameter and then cut along the resulting spring. Thus, a lot of identical rings are obtained.
The steering wheel spokes are also cut from copper wire. To give copper a shade reminiscent of the color of wood, it simply needs to be heated. In the process of heating, the color of the copper wire can change from golden to black, you just need to accurately select the temperature. A layer of nitro-lacquer will securely fix the resulting color.
The assembly of the steering wheel is carried out directly on that part of the steering mechanism, where, according to the drawing, it should be located. When working with such miniature elements, the main task facing the modeller is to keep the constantly elusive detail on the working surface. After all, it is impossible to use a vice or clamps without risking damaging it. Here it is appropriate to use a simple but effective method: A piece of adhesive tape is glued onto a small wooden block and, having applied a drop of PVA glue to this film, the part is glued. After drying, the glue will securely hold the part, allowing you to mount the elements of the steering wheel on it. To remove the finished structure, just pick it up with a sharp knife.
So, having fixed the element of the steering mechanism on the bar and armed with a magnifying glass, proceed to the assembly of the steering wheel. First, knitting needles are glued (there should be at least 8 of them) and only then, on top, a copper ring. Metal parts can be glued with the same PVA glue, only it needs to be diluted thinner.
Having assembled the steering wheel, the missing parts of the steering mechanism are connected together and, having installed it on the model, the steering cable is carried out.
Using the above technique, it is not difficult to make a steering wheel even on a scale of 1:700. However, on larger models, starting from 1:500, you can try to build a steering wheel not from wire, but ... from wood!
First of all, you need to choose the right wood for such an unusual job. Apple and pear wood has proven itself well. From a plate with a thickness of not more than 0.2-0.3 mm, having previously moistened the wood with water, with a sharply honed knife, thin straws are cut. At the same time, you need to make sure that the cut goes exactly along the fibers of the tree. This operation requires careful sharpening of the tool and careful execution, because it depends on it how elegant the steering wheel will turn out.
From the many chopped straws, you need to choose one - the thinnest and most even, and, after holding it for 10-15 minutes in hot water, wind it around a metal rod, just like we did with copper wire. If the straw is cut exactly along the fibers, then this operation will pass without complications and the straw will not break. So that the straw does not unwind until completely dry, it is pressed down by wrapping a strip of paper on top.
After the workpiece is completely dry, the paper is removed and cut along, this time, a wooden "spring". Having chosen the most attractive ring, glue the gap.
The spokes of the steering wheel are cut from the same straws, however, unlike copper, they must be made shorter in order to be placed inside the rim. Separately, the handles of the steering wheel are prepared by cutting small cubes from a thin straw.
Without a doubt, a carefully crafted steering mechanism will adorn your model, since the image of the ship is inextricably linked with the mustachioed captain standing at the helm.
Glue application tool
One tool used to apply glue is a long steel rod with a spatula at one end. It is indispensable if you need to apply a small amount of glue.
A tool for applying a small amount of glue
It would be possible to get by with it further if from time to time there was no need to quickly apply a large amount of glue. This is necessary for gluing the stand to the glass or gluing parts of the model's body. In this situation, another device may be useful.
A tool for quickly applying large amounts of adhesive.
To make a tool, you will need: a pharmacy pipette, a medical pear and pieces of a copper or brass tube of different diameters. The design is simple and clear from the figure. The thin end of a glass pipette is heated on a gas burner and bent at an angle of 90 degrees. The transparent tip allows you to control the amount of glue. In addition, by making several removable tips of different shapes, you can pour glue into any hard-to-reach place. The finished tip is put on a long thin tube, at the other end of which there is a medical pear. The pear allows you to collect and squeeze out glue. A thin tube must be cut by inserting a thicker fragment with a hole drilled into it into the gap. By closing and opening this hole with your finger, you can adjust the flow of glue.
Assembling and gluing the stand
To glue the wooden stand to the inner surface of the bottle, you need to apply glue to the glass and carefully lower the stand to this place. For this purpose, a special grip is used, which allows you to take the stand and put it in the right place. A pair of flexible and, at the same time, strong sponge plates are soldered to a long and thin copper tube or rod. A larger diameter tube is put on top. By moving this tube, you can squeeze the lips and hold the object.
Stand holding tools
Model body assembly
During the assembly process, the body parts are connected into a single whole and installed on a pre-prepared stand. The tool used to carry out these operations is similar to the previous one. The only difference is the shape of the sponges. They are curved so that it is convenient to grasp even the smallest detail.
Model body assembly tool
Mast installation
The simplest device for installing the mast can be made from a metal tube and a strong fishing line. If you pull both ends of the line at the same time, the tool will firmly hold the mat, allowing you to set it in place. By pulling on one end of the fishing line, we can easily release the mast from the clamp.
Simple mast mount
There is a more complex but useful device for holding the mast. The basis of the design is a miniature clamp attached to a flexible leash, which, in turn, is passed through a thin, long tube. Thanks to the spring, in the free state (when the leash is loosened) the clamp is closed and securely holds the mast in its paws. But it is worth pulling the leash and the clamp will open, releasing the object being held.
Device for installing masts.
Having placed the mast in the clamp and loosening the leash, they push the entire structure into the bottle. Now you need to slightly pull the leash so that the clip goes inside the tube. This will allow you to install the mast in the slot provided for it. After that, it remains only to release the mast by pulling harder on the leash.
Having placed the mast in the clamp and loosening the leash, they push the entire structure into the bottle ...
Threading
To work with the rigging inside the bottle, you can use the same fixture as for assembling the body. However, there is an equally convenient tool that successfully complements the previous one. This tool is simple but very handy. As a rule, it is he who is the main tool of the modeler during the assembly of the model inside the bottle.
Threading tool
Sponges are soldered to a long tube, pivotally connected to each other. The control is carried out using a long steel rod. This design allows you to securely hold the tackle.
Trimming extra threads
The main tool for trimming excess threads is, already described earlier, a long rod with a flexible wire and a piece of a razor at the end. With it, it is easy to cut the threads sticking out of the body of the model.
The simplest thread trimming tool
And yet, there are situations in which a simple tool is powerless. This happens when you need to cut the gear attached to the mast or yard. In this case, you have to wield two tools at once - pull the tackle with one and cut with the other. Agree, it's not very convenient. You need a tool that combines a clamp and a thread cutting mechanism. It is based on the already described tool for assembling the case. The thread is first captured with sponges, and then, turning the rod with a razor fixed at the end, is cut off around its axis.
Thread cutting tool
You must have noticed that most of the tools for working inside the bottle are made of long tubes of different diameters and have a common principle of operation. Using this principle, many original devices can be designed. Note also that there is no limit to the length of the tool. This makes it possible to work in bottles of any size and shape.
A pirate or romantic ship in a bottle surrounded by fish is a wonderful souvenir that impresses and fascinates at the same time. A sailboat in a bottle seemed to have landed on a modern shelf from the pages of an adventure novel about sea robbers. How are ship models in a bottle made? About this in the article.
Old ship from book stories
The inventor of the "bottle" ships was an ordinary school teacher Harry Eng. He was full of ideas and figured out how to make unique souvenirs. His skillful hands created a large number of similar crafts, inside of which there were not only sailboats. The bottle got: ships, books, tennis and baseballs, padlocks of an unusual shape.
Today, there are a large number of such souvenirs on the shelves of stores. Many buyers have a question about how to put a ship in a bottle. Someone turns the bottle in their hands for a long time, trying to understand the secret. Someone is sure that the bottle is simply cut and then glued together. They are then very surprised if they do not find any traces of gluing.
But the secret is pretty simple. And for a person who likes to do something with his own hands, it will not be difficult to make such a souvenir. This interesting and creative work will bring great pleasure. The main thing is to understand how the ship gets into the bottle.
“Bottle” frigate
There are several ways to put a ship in a bottle. Consider the most popular.
The first option is quite simple. From the materials you will need:
- glass or plastic bottle with a wide mouth;
- folding sailboat model;
- threads, hinge;
- decorative cap or cork.
The ship can be purchased at the store (you need to choose a model with removable parts) or you can make it yourself. An important condition is the flexibility of the mast, which can be tilted to the sides. To do this, a hinge is laid at its base, providing sufficient flexibility. Rigging threads are attached to the mast. When folded, the boat can easily pass through the neck of the bottle. For clarity, all stages of work are shown in the picture.
- First you need to install the base to which the boat is attached. Then carefully place the vessel inside the container and gently pull on the strings to straighten the mast.
- When the sailboat takes the proper position, cut the threads. It remains only to close the cap or cork the neck of the bottle.
An easy way to assemble a souvenir
There is another way to make a ship in a bottle. In this case, the ship does not have a flexible mast and is a complete product.
Men are the inventors of the ship in a bottle
Many are fond of collecting such fakes. Someone is waiting for them as a gift, and someone understood how they put a ship in a bottle and makes such models on their own. Moreover, instead of a sailboat, the inside of the bottle is filled with planes, cars, trains and other elements of modern technology. Skill and special tools help in the work.
Such structures are becoming more magnificent and more complex every year. Manufacturing methods are being improved, new models are appearing.
Some craft makers know how to put a ship in a bottle piece by piece. They collect it directly in the container itself with long tweezers and magnets. This method is one of the most difficult. But he is also within the power of the master.
A wonderful souvenir is an excellent gift idea. It is used for interior decoration to create an atmosphere of mysterious adventures to distant lands and romantic sea stories.
What is the most important thing in a vacation at the resort? This is not only recreation and entertainment, but also souvenirs that will remind you of pleasant moments. Therefore, we often look into souvenir shops, in search of something like that.
A ship in a bottle is one of those souvenirs that, despite its age on the market, still delights tourists. Many immediately had a question, well, how can you put such a big ship into such a small bottle.
There is no secret, all this is done through the neck of the bottle. The main thing here is patience, and if you wish, you can also build a ship in a bottle with your own hands. And it doesn’t matter for yourself whether you make this souvenir or as a gift for friends, the main thing is that you were able to make it with your own hands, and therefore such a gift will be more valuable.
And if it works out well, you can even organize additional earnings, and sell your products through souvenir shops.
In theory, the assembly of a ship in a bottle looks like this:
The first step is to draw a model of the ship so that it fits in the bottle in size, while respecting its proportions.
Now let's move from theory to practice.
From a suitable block of wood, with a jigsaw, the hull of the future ship is cut out. After that, we sand the surface with sandpaper and bring the outlines of the body to the original.
Be sure to check whether the body of the ship passes into the neck of the bottle. At the same time, one should not forget that the mast and yardarms will still be attached to the top of the deck, and they must also go into the neck along with the ship's hull.
Masts and bowsprit are made from barbecue sticks. To create the necessary narrowing on the bowsprit and the mast, we clamp the wand into the drill and, using sandpaper, remove the excess.
We drill holes in the mast with a diameter of 0.5 mm. (a thin drill can be made from a piece of wire by splashing the end and sharpening it under the drill). To attach the mast to the ship's hull, we put the wire into the lower hole of the mast and bend the wire with the letter P.
There is a small nuance, the first mast should lie a little to the side, otherwise if the first mast lies on the second, then you will no longer put this boat into a bottle.
Ship yards can be made from matches. At the base of the yard we make a small hole so that it can be attached with threads to the mast. If drilling a hole is a problem for you, you can do it in another way. At the base of the yard we make a bandage, leaving two ends of the thread, and so that the bandage does not slip, we fix it with glue.
From threads we stretch forduns and stays
Do not forget to fix the thread knots with glue.
During the assembly process, it is periodically necessary to check whether your ship passes through the neck of the bottle.
The sails were made of thin fabric - cambric. We glue the sails directly to the mast.
The ship is ready, now let's start making a stand for the bottle and preparing the bottle itself.
The bottle must be cleaned of labels and thoroughly rinsed inside, after which we let the bottle dry. Due to hard water, we will get streaks both inside and outside the bottle, but if we can remove the streaks from the outside with a rag, then the streaks inside the bottle can ruin everything. To do this, pour a little alcohol into the bottle and rinse it. If necessary, you can wind a little rag around the end of the wire, and rinse the bottle with alcohol from the inside.
Imitation of water in a bottle can be created using putty (window). To do this, mix the window putty with oil paints until the desired color is obtained.
Wonder of wonders - a ship in a bottle. Everyone has seen such magical little things that fascinate with mystery, awaken a thirst for wandering in the soul. Only one question never comes out of my head. How did this ship, which is obviously much larger than the hole in the bottle, fit in the vessel? Many people think that the bottom of the bottle was first cut off and then glued on. The secret is that the vessel's hull is small enough to fit easily into the neck of a bottle. This is how the base of the craft gets inside. But sails and spars (masts and supports for sails) are collapsible. They are placed at the end of the process with the help of devices - threads and tweezers.
How did the idea to put a ship in a bottle come about?
The history of ships in bottles consists of 2 equivalent parts. First, we are talking about creating miniatures of the ships themselves. Sailors in the old days spent years at sea on ships. In their spare time, they used wood, fabric and rope to create toy boats. It may have started 4,000 years ago. The Egyptians buried miniature ships with their mummified masters. The Phoenicians, Etruscans and Greeks made such magnificent models that these boats, captured in wall paintings, still leave an indelible impression on modern people.
The idea to put a ship model in a bottle was born much later, since the bottles themselves appeared later than the toy boat models. But even after the invention, the bottles were of very poor quality for a long time. At first, divine figures were placed in the bottles. This was first done in 1750 by monks who painstakingly practiced this craft, devoting long months to it. Character models and puzzles were placed in bottles that had numerous defects. Due to glass distortion, all crafts did not produce the desired effect. As glass technology improved, bottles became completely transparent. They no longer had bubbles and heavy seams. This fact, of course, influenced the manufacture of crafts, as they began to look completely different. However, today the slight distortion, soft hues and antique appearance of secret bottles are seen as an advantage. Such products are much more expensive.
Model ships were first bottled around 1850. It is clear that the creation of the first such gizmos took a lot of time, they required great patience. Since the manufacture and assembly of masts, other small items in the bottle was extremely difficult. Most of the classic sailing ships have been preserved in bottles as exhibits that can be seen in maritime museums around the world.
What materials are used to make a ship in a bottle with your own hands
Of course, making a ship in a bottle requires some skill, but materials science also plays an important role, since the type of wood for the model's hull is selected after choosing a specific type of ship. The fact is that the proportions of one vessel are better suited for one bottle shape, and the dimensions of the parts of the ship are dictated by the inner diameter of the neck. Hardwood is usually used - spruce or fir, which should be fine-grained in structure, without any flaws.
Bottles with flat side walls are easy to place on shelves or tables. Attractive and trihedral bottles with "dimples". Round bottles require a rack or support for stability. Vessels with more than three masts look more elegant in thin elongated bottles. Schooners and other ships with one or two masts are suitable for lighter bottles.
Ship parts are made from bamboo cocktail skewers, small-diameter dowels for spars, toothpicks for decorating decks and lifeboats, and larger blocks of wood to create a work platform. Sandpaper grades 120 to 200 are also used to smooth the body and other components.
Threads, wire, glue and varnish for creating sails, masts, metal sheathing, gluing pieces together. The beeswax helps hold the fine threads together. Paint and model enamels in a variety of colors, thin brushes are materials and tools for painting ship details. Paper is used to make sails, and their seams are drawn with pencils.
The "sea" under the ship can be made in two ways: from oil putty on linseed, oil artistic paints. In the second method, plasticine is used, which gives the best volume to the desired composition.
To work, you need a set of simple tools, such as knives, miniature screwdrivers, saws and a vise. Some tools can be made to create a specific bottle and ship model: wire tweezers, mats, hooks cut from a tin can.
Design and production
Ships in bottles in the general sense are interior items. The fashion designer's skill is to recreate a miniature version of the original, which will be enclosed in a glass bottle. The design aspect in making a ship is the choice of a ship model, which starts with research into a particular type of ship, learning some basic nautical terms, and careful consideration of the details: sails, rigging, and parts of the ship. In addition to the ship itself, the designer must be well versed in the types of bottles, stands for displaying or wall mounting an interior item or decoration. Bottles are selected according to size, shape, color, eccentricity. Sizes can vary from 50 cubic meters to 3 liters.
The ship can be placed in a large bottle or a tiny one. Sometimes pairs of identical bottles and ships are created, which are fixed to each other and mounted on a long stand for demonstration, which perfectly emphasizes the unusual design. Ships can also be placed in light bulbs, transparent globes, Christmas tree decorations. Ultimately, the most successful projects are a harmony of creativity and fidelity to historical accuracy. The proportions of masts and rigging for hulls, deck houses, lifeboats and flags must be as correct as possible, because some errors will be obvious even to those who have never seen a ship in a bottle before.
Once the vessel model and bottle type have been selected, all measurements must be double checked. The ship and its gear must fit into the neck of the bottle, must not hit the top or side of the bottle when installing the masts. At the same time, the fashion designer must take into account the thickness of the planned “sea” under the ship. The bottle must be cleaned and dried.
If the sea is made from putty, then it is pre-mixed with oil paint in a tone that matches the color of the sea. But the sea must certainly be dark so that all the details of the ships are clearly visible.
The construction of the ship begins with cutting out the hull. The block of wood is clamped in a vise until the main shape, curved sides and deck are cut. Bulwarks are cut around the edge of the deck. The bow and stem (front and rear ends) of the ship are then formed. The body must be sanded with fine sandpaper and covered with a clear varnish. The outer body is painted with two layers of enamel of the desired colors. The carving is used to indicate straight lines showing the ports of the cannons. When the deck is finished, lifeboats, hatches can be added. Wire is used to create metal rails, racks and davits that support lifeboats. All parts are varnished.
Wooden supports for sails are collectively called spars. Spars include masts, bowsprit (a single spar protruding from the bow or in front of the ship), yards (spars that hold square sails and cross the mast), arrows (rods along the lower edges of the forward and stern sails), gafts. They are made from birch or bamboo. Finished spars are clear varnished to prevent splitting of the wood or bamboo and to give a glossy sheen. Then holes are drilled for rigging lines, for wire routing. The threads that will be used to raise the masts are securely fixed to the hull. Sewing thread varnished to secure the ends, suitable for all rigs.
Each mast, with its array of spars, including yards, gaffes and arrows, is assembled into a single unit. Thereafter, the position of each mast on deck should be marked. Holes must be drilled for the swivel wire or hinge. Swivel wires for all masts must be inserted into the holes. Next, you need to make sure that the masts will lie almost parallel to the hull, and the spars will turn parallel to the long axis of the vessel. If the spars can move freely, then the masts can be glued in place.
Next, sails are created from paper. Fabric can also be used for this purpose if the scale of the model is too large. Soaking paper or fabric in tea or coffee, drying and ironing gives the material an "old" look. The sails are glued with varnish. Then the designer proceeds to make the “sea” in a bottle. Putty or plasticine is used. The advantage of plasticine is its own adhesive effect. If plasticine is used as the sea, then it should be added to the bottle before the ship is placed there.
To roll the ship, each mast, starting from the stern, is lowered, and the spars are rotated parallel to the masts. The sails must be wrapped around the hull. The base of the ship is inserted into the bottle. When most of the ship is in glass, long tweezers should be used to support the rest of the model to guide it. The whole process of inserting the ship into the bottle, its further installation must be carried out carefully so that the sails do not break, there is no other damage. The masts are raised with attached strings. Final adjustments to rigging and sails can only be made at this stage.
The bottle is sealed with a cork. If necessary, the bottle can be sealed with a metal screw cap. All seals can be sealed with sealing wax. To provide the finishing touch, a wooden stand or wall mount can be built to complement the model. The ship in a bottle should remain the focal point, and the stand should ideally be made up of ropes, wood, but not modern material.
On an industrial scale, such products cannot be manufactured. Masters build such ships, because this hobby is not for everyone. It takes a great love of ships, knowledge of history and maritime disciplines, woodworking skills, as well as considerable patience. Finished models are surprisingly durable and are treasured things that can be presented as a gift, left to children and grandchildren as a keepsake. Ship-in-a-Bottle competitions are held all over the world, and the opportunities to display models, including museum exhibits, are plentiful, so many people can enjoy, buy, and collect these creations.
DIY ship in a bottle video
What is virtual gambling?
Do-it-yourself ceramic tiles What tiles are made of
How does a thermal power plant work?
Thermal power plants (TPP, IES, CHP)
How to make a ship in a bottle How to make a sailboat in a bottle