DSiemens

Thanks John and Augie.  I think your right the slight distortion and the old look of the symbol do add to the overall look.  It's not the crisp clear look I'm used to but it works.  
 
Took some better photo's in the day light.  Thank you all again.  This has been a fun project.  It turned out great.  I think the "spanish lady" will highly enjoy it.  
 

 

 

 

 
 

Created a jig for the shrouds.  This keeps every thing in place while I glue on the ratlines.  In order for this ship to fit in the bottle I have to add the masts after the hull is in.  The shrouds will have to be glued to the side of the hull after they are in.  That means the ratlines will be what provides the proper spread of the shrouds.  
 

 
My rigging box has turned out to be pretty versatile.  

Created a jig for the shrouds.  This keeps every thing in place while I glue on the ratlines.  In order for this ship to fit in the bottle I have to add the masts after the hull is in.  The shrouds will have to be glued to the side of the hull after they are in.  That means the ratlines will be what provides the proper spread of the shrouds.  
 

 
My rigging box has turned out to be pretty versatile.  

Created a jig for the shrouds.  This keeps every thing in place while I glue on the ratlines.  In order for this ship to fit in the bottle I have to add the masts after the hull is in.  The shrouds will have to be glued to the side of the hull after they are in.  That means the ratlines will be what provides the proper spread of the shrouds.  
 

 
My rigging box has turned out to be pretty versatile.  

Created a jig for the shrouds.  This keeps every thing in place while I glue on the ratlines.  In order for this ship to fit in the bottle I have to add the masts after the hull is in.  The shrouds will have to be glued to the side of the hull after they are in.  That means the ratlines will be what provides the proper spread of the shrouds.  
 

 
My rigging box has turned out to be pretty versatile.  

Stern Work
 
There is still some debate as to whether Endeavour's central window was a fully-functioning window or a dummy placed for aesthetics.  The shape of a window is definitely shown in contemporary drawing; however, it is very unlikely it was a functioning window due to its proximity to the Rudder post trunk in the main cabin.
 
The stern windows were made from beech wood and glazed with Liquid Gloss.  This is a two part compound comprising resin and a hardening agent.  There are several types of this product; I used Craft Smart which is available at Spotlight in Australia (see picture).  The mixture has a slow drying time so allows some time to fill/flow into the window panel spaces.  The mixture heats as it is mixed forming some bubbled.  These can be removed by using a straw to blow across the surface of the compound after pouring.  As with similar compounds, it contracts slightly as it dries tending to leave a hollow in the middle of the area.  This can be filled with a second application.
 

 
The figurines and counter decorations between the windows are the white metal versions provided in the kit, but cleaned up and painted.  I had enough on my plate (as a first build) learning all the other skills yet alone trying to carve.  This is something I will need to attack in the future though.
 
The stern decoration is not representative of Marquardt or the Endeavour Replica and reflects my attempt to try something different to the metal (nasty) looking decoration provided.  The base design was ordered from Double 'O' laser cutting service, I then made some further alterations to provide a stylised version of what I thought they may have looked like, rather the very heavy look of the decorations on the replica vessel.
 

 
The quarter badges are the white metal version provided with the kit; however, I carefully removed the cast window frame and replaced it with wood which I then glazed.
 

Rudder
 
The rudder is made from three pieces of walnut glued longitudinally and shaped to conform to the pattern depicted in Marquardt's drawings.  The following picture shows the rudder fitted; however the chain rudder pendants have yet to be fitted.  I'll do this after the rigging as they will be quite prone to damage.
 

 
The collar for the rudder is made from calico cloth which will eventually be treated with a diluted PVA solution stained a very pale/light grey and weathered to simulate canvas.  In the following photo you can see where I am starting to clean the edges and touch-up the paint.  This will all be second coated to give a uniform deeper colour.

Great work Augie.  She's really coming to life.  
 
I didn't watch the game either. I'm not much of a sports guy.  The AFC should be much more exciting.    

Well I had to make some drawing too. In order to form the frames and the curvature of the decks. The lower deck serves as a base to make the further building. next is the tweendeck. It is the deck on which the guns are placed.

Preparing for the first sea trails. I coated it in heavy two components varnish the same I use for the big boat.
For my satisfaction it was floating without any list. This means that the hull is proportional and evenly dugout.
After added the "ballast stones" in this case lead shot to keep it stable in heavy storms. The ballast increases the metacentric height of the ship and this is what make the ship stable.
The new waterline will be on the edge of the freeboard because there will be the lower deck of the ship.

Extended stern post. After that I glued strips of ply  to imitate the timber of which the keell is made. Carved the bow figurine. The lion is carved out from the handle of a cheap brush.

Jewelry (bijouterie)

Construction of lanterns and ornaments.
 

 
Belco
 
 
 

Cans of soda.

Are soldered easily.
 

 
Belco
 

Hello all,
 
Finally an update, it was long overdue.
 
The railings and the grating at the bow section are in place. They just need a little touching up and staining.
Now I can really see where I made the mistakes. Before placing the railings I wish I had thought of using a template to get the right angles/roundings like J. (JCT) did on his Half Moon.
But that is water under the bridge and something to keep in mind for future reference.
The rudder is also in place.
 
Tomorrow it is time to start shaping the masts and spars.
 
Thanks for watching.
 
Anja
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I'm sure, at the small scale you work in, Daniel, that they looked just fine.

Match Sticks
 
They actually carve and sand well bend well with a quick soaking and are very inexpensive.  All of the channels, rails and external ribs on the Santa Maria above and was done with match sticks.  You can also plank a ship with match sticks.  
 

I've been doing some research and interviewing some older ship in bottle builders and thought I'd open this discussion up on this forum.  I'm gathering information on how some of the first ships in bottle were built in hopes of using the same materials tools and techniques and documenting the experience through a build log and my blog.  It seems to me a lot of this information is fading in time or at the very least hard to find.  I'd like to contribute another source to make it that much easier to find and keep it alive.  
 
Here's what I have so far.  
 
Wood used was mainly pine.  While not used for actual ships it had a lot of other purposes and was widely available.  Hulls were often thinner then what would be scale.  Segmented hulls were not often if ever done in older ship in bottles.  I have heard of old ships in bottles being made from bone as well.    
 
Masts and yards were made from either splintered wood or match sticks.  Both would have likely been sanded down with dry sharkskin.  
 
Glue was made from different fish parts boiled down.  There's youtube videos on this I'd have to dig around for them again though.  
 
Thin thread may have been hard to find but wax from candles could have been used to strengthen pieces enough to use.  Don Hubbard had a thought that Baleen from whales could have been used for thread but there's no way to know for sure.  
 
Sails were not common among old ship in bottles because they were harder to do.  Usually the ship was just shown with the bare yards.  When it was done they used paper or some times wood shavings.    
 
Sea is tricky and I think it depends on the time period.  Michael Bardet suggested that seas were made of wood in old ship in bottles.  I've seen some of the old ships he restores, some as old as 1895, and have seen how that was done.  His work is incredible I highly suggest seeing it.   http://michel.bardet.pagesperso-orange.fr/indexa.htm
 
Other methods for sea was some kind of putty with pigment in it.  Don Hubbard theorizes that green copper oxide could have been used as well.   
 
As far as bottles I found an interesting idea from an article by Louis Norton.  He says that most alcohol would have been transported in wood barrels on sailing ships so the bottles used were more likely medicine or spice bottles.  I wouldn't doubt that a sailor would keep a clear liquor bottle he picked up in port though.  Most of the old bottles I've seen have mostly been wine bottles.      
 
I've looked around a little bit in regards to tools.  Sailors definitely had knives and this would have been a primary tool. Other things I found were surgical scissors and Sail Awls.  Tweezers or forceps could have been carved out of wood.  I'm not sure yet on drills.  Don Hubbard uses a technique where you sand down a needle and use it as a drill. This may have been the tool used.  Shark skin for sand paper.   
 
From what I can tell sailors were quiet resourceful.  Just about anything and everything could have been used.  I'm sure there's ideas I haven't thought of or possibly books I don't know about.  If you have any ideas please post them.  
        
 
 

Well Augie I didn't make it to the sporting goods store but I ran by the grocery store and found some nice $7 Cuticle clippers that really do the trick.  I wish I had these while doing the Mercury it would have improved her look a lot.  
 
I took a few pictures of my ratline technique.  
 

 

 

 

 
As I take these close up photos it seems all my mistakes pop out.  It's especially difficult with these tiny ships.  I guess the size and the bottle hides most of the funky lines though.  At least the ratlines look better with out all the ends coming off.
 
Now I got to figure out the main shrouds.  The hard part with those is they will be free floating until the ship is in the bottle.   So some how I got to glue ratlines to a loose shroud.  I think I need a jig.   
 

Jewelry
 
Jewelry was already mentioned but here's a fun spin on it.  I made this for one of my early ship in bottle builds.  The ships to ugly to show and this was just rattling around in the bottle so I pulled it out and got a couple shots.  
 
A treasure chest.
 

 

 
This was some of my earlier work and it's a bit sloppy.  A better modeler could make the gold chain look more like coins.  

What a cool thread.  Here's one of my regular items.
 
Bamboo Skewers.
 
Bamboo stays very strong at small scale and pulls through a draw plate pretty well.  At my 1:500 - 1:1250 scale it works great for masts and yards.  On a larger scale I think it would do well for oars or harpoons.  
 
Here's a couple of ships with bamboo masts and yards.  I've thrown in a couple other shots to help show scale.  It may be hard to see but that is an American dime next to the Santa Maria.    
 
 

You will probably find that most of the 'modelling products' are just overpriced items you can find in other realms as well. I tend to use what is easily available everywhere.
 
Way back in the 1960s my grandfather, who was a regional director in a big insurance company, had Faller as a client and once he took me with him to visit them … great for a little boy
 
wefalck

A bowsprit topmast!  I like it. About 1700 those topmasts were being eliminated but a traditionally minded owner and/or builder would include it.
 
 
You will also need cross-trees (or very small platforms) at the main and fore topmast/topgallant mast doublings to provide a spread for the topgallant mast shrouds. The mizzen top could be done like the tops you have now on the main and fore masts or, as an alternative, similar to the cross-trees.
 

 
Cross-trees set on the trestle trees ( r). (p) is the location of the lower mast, the upper mast is located in the other square. Image borrowed from The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor by Darcy Lever, a paperback reprint of the 1819 second edition, available for US$14.95 - a very useful addition to every ship modeler's library.

Hi Daniel - and Happy New Year -
 
Coming along nicely at such a small scale.
 
Budriot's plans show a very tall stern with two banks of high windows.  That does not fit with the Advice Prize draught, so I lowered the transom in Photoshop and got this.  Perhaps it will be of some help to you.
 

 
Be well
 
Dan

I didn't realize she'd be carrying one of those older style bowsprits.  Nice!
 
Happy New Year, Daniel

The model completed and on it's stand.
 
I donated this model to the Maritime Museum in Newcastle (Australia). Quite appropriate, as the original's "bones" lie only a few hundred metres from the museum itself . She was Newcastle's first shipwreck.