wefalck

As a matter of fact, Penzo discusses several of the boats, not only trabaccoli, moored in the canal of Cesenatico. Unfortunately, I have never been to that part of the italian adriatic coast (yet). I only made it to Chioggia, were they also have a couple of old boats in the harbour.

A couple of week ago I happened to be again in Venice. My wife has a good friend there and we try to spend a few days in this wonderful city every two or three years. Whenever I am there, a pelerinage to various maritime spots is obligatory for me, while the ladies are chatting or shopping. This pilgrim's tour include the (work)shop of Gilberto Penzo (www.veniceboats.com), one of the experts on the Venice region boats. This was the opportunity to buy his latest book directly off himself again: PENZO, G. (2020): Il Trabaccolo.- 230 p., Sottomarina (VE) (Il Leggio Libreria Editrice), Price 45€, ISBN 978-88-8320-179-0. The trabaccolo was once one of the most important ship-types that transported goods up and down the Adriatic. Today only a few specimens have survived in a more or less well-preserved condition. Penzo's book is a comprehensive account of this type and its history, based on a systematic evaluation of the available sources. It begins with a critical evaluation of pictorial representations from the early modern period to the drawings in Pâris’ Souvenirs de la Marine. Models of trabaccoli from different eras were also examined. Penzo then deals in detail with the various design methods of the shipbuilders of the time and the instruments used for it. Some still existing trabaccoli, albeit in a modified form, or their remains made it possible to take off their lines and make other measurements using modern methods, such as 3D-laser scanning and generate virtual 3D-models with it. The book contains a number of elaborated lines drawing in A4 format, which are perfectly suitable for building small-scale models. The author also offers large-scale drawings for sale (www.veniceboats.com). A separate section is devoted to the shipbuilders and their building sites. Naturally, this then leads to a discussion of the materials, techniques and tools used in construction. The latter in particular are shown in great detail with photographs. This serves as an introduction to a detailed description of the construction itself, based on structural analyses of still existing trabaccoli and wrecks. Further sections deal with the external appearance, especially the apotropaic elements, such as the ochi (bow eyes) and pelliccioni (the 'fur caps’ on the stem-post). Of course, there is also a large space dedicated to masting and, above all, the sails. The sail-plans have changed significantly over time and the cuts and making of the sails are discussed in detail. Even if the construction sites were simply equipped, as everywhere during the times of wooden shipbuilding, a short section is devoted to them, as well as to the maintenance work that was also carried out there. This then leads on to the last section, that is the restoration of the last remaining specimens. Thanks to the wealth of illustrations and drawings, this well-founded and comprehensive book is also accessible to those who have little or no command of Italian. Drawings with the names of the individual components in Italian are very helpful in this respect.

This depends on the circumstances. I would assemble a model (from scratch or kit) as much as possible before painting with two provisa: - when two colours abut to each other, it is better to paint first and then assemble - gives a cleaner colour separation line - that all surfaces that need to be painted must be accessible afterwards If two painted surfaces are glued together, the joint will only be as strong as the paint adhering to the surfaces, this is one reason for assembling first. Small parts are easier to paint when in place. Leaving it on the sprue would solve that problem, but handling during separation and subsequent clean-up may damage the paint again. I rarely prime, as any additional layer of paint tends to obscure surface detail. On the other hand, a primer makes imperfections very visible. Also, when brush-painting plastics and metals without priming it may be difficult to achieve an even first coat. I am mostly spray-painting and here the first thin coat effectively acts as kind of primer.

Do you have any machine tools, specifically a lathe ? Here is building log of a colleague of mine, where he shows step by step how he makes a similar windlass: https://forum.arbeitskreis-historischer-schiffbau.de/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2230#p28040 (not sure, whether this is visible without registering. Apologies in this case).

Brian, I didn't look over the two logs in detail again, but from what I also remember, Eric used the pastels mainly for weathering or toning, not as body colours. Of course, if you add a binder, e.g. lineseed oil or shellac to pastels, you would use them just as pigment. Below is an example from my own production of weathering over acrylics - salt stains and general grime, done mainly with white pastel:

I would make it in five parts or actually three, as two of them will be cut in half to make two: - the larger diameter central sections with the ends sloping towards the thinner section - the smaller diameter outer sections with the pointed ends for the cone bearings of the barrel (it is interesting that the Dutch used cone bearings for the windlasses of their small craft until the beginning of the 20th century) - the ratchet wheel (which may actually be faced by two 'washers' in addition as per your drawing) Mark the centre of your (square) stock and drill for metal pins before you start shaping the pieces. This gives you a reference so that everything is concentric, when assembled. For the thinner part I would initially shape the 6-/8-sided barrel and then cut this into sections. Shaping the square holes for the handles is difficult, so I would cut each side into three sections, file slots with square cross-sections into the end and then glue this together again. The pointed end I also would shape only then.

I have never seen pastels be used for actual painting, in modelling that is, but only for 'weathering'. Modell building suppliers have created special sets for different areas of model building, but I happen to have a big set of artist's pastels. However, a few basic pigments should be sufficient, namely black, white, red and yellow ochre, and burnt umber for our needs. Pastel sticks can be bought separately. Rub off a small amount on a piece of sandpaper for application by brush A good tool for applying pastels are also these little foam-brushes ladies use to apply make-up - after all powder-based make-up is nothing else but pastels.

Was it only soft-soldered ? I gather the wooden jig would go up in flames, if you tried silver-soldering ...

Pastels may be a route to go. If you don't like it, you can wipe or wash them off (not so from bare wood though). They can be applied with a bristle brush or cotton swabs and the effect can be build up gradually. Finally, they can be fixed with a light mist of matt varnish.

P.S. the decades between 1850 and 1880 have been experimental years, during which the naval ship gradually evolved from sail-carrying wooden walls to something close to the modern steel battle-ships. Nations experimented with hull designs and gun arrangements. The French have been particularly inclined to come up with some rather 'steam-punky' designs looking back. Have you noticed also this interesting building log here: They have been particularly fond of excessive ram-bow designs, as here on the ill-fated aviso LE RENARD (1865): https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Renard_(aviso) Perhaps no accident that Jules Verne was a French, born in Nantes into a family with shipping background and that his main works were written during those decades.

I think there are several cottage-industry manufacturers in Germany that offer such bricks made from polymer-clay in model-railway scales. I can't put my finger on the company's name, but I seem to remember that there is also one that sells silicone moulds to make them yourself.

There is a German colleague, a retired engineer in Bavaria, who currently builds the BRETAGNE (1855) in 1:75, a massive model nearly 6 feet long. You can see his building log on our German forum (but you may have to register as guest): https://forum.arbeitskreis-historischer-schiffbau.de/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1548. As an engineer, he uses all sorts of advanced techniques, outsources some parts, and recently mastered 3D-printing with UV-curing resin himself. The latter he uses to make masters for various hardware items that then are professionally cast and sold to others by these guys: https://elde-modellbau.com/epages/bd40fd5d-0ba8-443f-857a-537621b491ae.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectPath=%2FShops%2Fbd40fd5d-0ba8-443f-857a-537621b491ae. The parts are in 1:75, but some of them you might find useful anyway. Don't know about having them sent to the USA. Before that, he built the NAPOLEON, another massive model at nearly 5 feet overall: https://forum.arbeitskreis-historischer-schiffbau.de/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1523&p=15013&hilit=NAPOLEON#p15013. How are you planning to present the model, as 'builder's model' or realistic ? I always liked the way how these large models in the Musée de la Marine are done, with the armour in bright steel, the coppered underwater body, while the stern-post etc. is cast in bronze to avoid electrolytic corrosion of the copper-cladding.

Good choice. I have weak spot for those iron-clads at the transition from sail to steam ... Here is my collection of images from the Musée de la Marine in Paris in its old set-up, plus a few from the models in their Toulon and Rochefort dependances: https://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/paris/frenchironclads.html. If you want copies of the original resolution images of SOLFÉRINO, let me know your email-address by PM and I can send them to you via WeTransfer. They will be unprocessed (for the lighting the poor lighting conditions) and you will need to brighten them up etc. They are also rather pixelated for that reason. I also have 'official' drawings of the armament she would have carried. If I know the type of gun, I can look up the drawings for the barrels and the carriages and make scan available to you. However, I have the feeling that not much of the guns will be visible and she carried little on her upper deck, I think. Of course, other navies of that time had also iron-clads and some of them are quite well documented, say the Spanish NUMANTIA, on which there are various books and kits also I believe: https://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/madrid/madrid.html I will keep a tap on this project 👍

Oh, I am constantly looking for inspiration in other areas of model-making and new products also from other areas than modell-making ... Not sure that mould-making for 1 mm-blocks would actually work, at least not with silicone.

This problem has been nagging me for decades actually. So mentally at least, I probably have been through most of the ideas: - making a set of dies to shape a block from soldering tin around a wire - inspired by the lead seals you see on electricity meters and the like; could work for larger sizes, but it would be difficult to pull out tiny wires, even when you use tungsten or NiCr. - same idea but using the dies to shape a ball of two-part expoxy (Milliput or similar); same problem with releasing the wire when set or distorting the block, when pulling it out while the epoxy is still soft. - casting in some resin using silicone moulds with wires embedded to keep the hole open; again releasing the wire is the problem. The last two methods would allow to imbed internal strops relatively easily. Somehow, I came to the conclusion, that some rough-machining with good old hand-work in some reasonably hard and dense material (I prefer bakelite) is the solution - unless ... - I have tried to entice a colleague for some time now to design some blocks and print them in his UV-curing resin 3D printer, but he hasn't got around to do it yet. Even if the printing doesn't keep the space above the sheave completely open, re-drilling it is much less work. All the grooves for the rope strops etc. would be formed on already, of course. Making rope-stropped blocks is much less of a problem than internally stropped ones. However, one could 3D-print them, then add the wire-strops as per Wingrove's method and fill/seal the grooves with a tiny blob of UV-curing cement.

Again, excellent paint-job !

Been down that road, but it turned out to be a cul-de-sac ... when you are working on 1 to 1.5 mm long blocks, this means that the strop is 1/10 the diameter, i.e. 0.1 mm. If you flatten that not much of substance is left ...

The idea is that the solder fills any gab between the wire and the slot, so silver soldering may not be ideal and one may actually burn away thin wires …

Thanks, Roger, that gives me indeed some more ideas 👍 Internally stropped blocks are particularly difficult to make. I think I would mount the rod excentrically in the lathe, as the sheave sits a bit closer to the bottom end of the block. However, grinding such form-tools is probably the most difficult part. The key idea probably is to wrap the wire around in a groove, solder it in and then file the cheeks of the blocks flat. Could be perhaps also done with (super)glueing, using some highly-viscous CA. As I said, gives ideas.

I love this filigree and intricate appearance of such small-scale models. Good job !

A tank is a must for a useful compressor - otherwise you will have constant pressure fluctuations.

As Roger said, when contemplating on of these air-erasers, one has to carefully consider the modelling environment. They were developed originally for professional draughtspeople, so a sandblasting-booth is not necessarily needed, but the resulting dust would not be welcome in a domestic environment. There are, however, also shoebox-sized sandblasting boxes that are sold together with them. Railway modellers seem to use them quite frequently to prepare their etched-brass kits for painting. When buying a compressor to use in a domestic environment, particularly in an appartment, the noise and vibration generated can also be an issue. Cheap models may be a problem in this context. Also, an air-eraser needs more pressure to be effective, than an air-brush.

That's kind off-topic, but during the first colonoscopy I had (in Austria they do without general anaesthetics, unlike here in France), the doctor asked me, whether I would care to look on the screen at what he was doing - provided me with completely new insights into myself

That looks all like rather complicated pieces of hardware - I hate these parts that stick out at oblique angles that can only be determined on the object itself - difficult enough in full-size and a challenge on a model. Well done !

As an add-on: delicate parts often cannot be treated mechanically and the application of acetone might dissolve glued joints in composite parts. Brush-painting using acrylics typically is not successful, put building up thin layers of spray-paint works without de-oxidising etc.