molasses

Finished Ogallala and can now get back to work on Esmeralda. I hadn't intended to take this much time away from Esmeralda but Ogallala turned into a much more comprehensive project than I had originally planned. I did find some more, useful, photos of E for some details on deck and aloft and kept her in mind during my side journey. I learned a few things from O that I will apply to E and I have a bit of re-work to do and some details to add before I pick up where I left off. I'll post my progress soon.
 
I came across an interesting variation on a ship in a bottle with Esmeralda as the subject but the method is a bit too ephemeral for my taste. 
 

 
Dave

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Jack Needham in his book "Modelling Ships in Bottles" has an entire chapter covering this subject and it's the best discussion of the interaction of wind, swells and ships I've seen. I highly recommend it.
 
You can look at wave propagation theory but that's mostly calculus based and isn't much help except for some of the basics. As wind velocity increases so does the height, interval between crests and the speed of the swell. One aspect of wave theory that's interesting is how waves of different magnitudes and velocities interact and may be useful - the Wikipedia article on wave theory has several animated representations of the effect.
 
A study of the Beaufort wind force scale is also very useful. Look at several graphic representations on the web, there are lots of them. Notice in the scale that there is only a narrow range of wind velocity that causes wind swells to break and roll over. Below but near that range, crests may get a bit frothy at random peaks, and above that range the crests get blown away as spray in the air and froth down the lee side of the crest. Many ship bottlers tend to make their waves look more like surf with lots of breaking waves rather than a series of swells as seen in open, deep-water seas, but you're not making that mistake.
 
All in all, you seem to be on the right track. I like the effect you show on the lee side where the bow wave has combined with the swells to change their angle, it's spot on; other than a "bone in her teeth" nothing else is needed on that side. I'm aware that you haven't addressed bow waves and a wake but I suspect you have a good handle on them. There's also a wave that can propagate from the water that passes under the hull, rises to the surface (following the hull shape) and meets the water passing along the side. Where this occurs, it's magnitude and the angle of this small wave depends on the hull shape. Compared to a prop driven vessel, the wake will be relatively smooth with much less froth.
 
I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that you intend to depict Preussen under shortened sail in high wind. I suggest that you consider increasing the interval and magnitude of your swells and depict them with blown-away crests. The wind effects on the sea need to match the number and set of your sails. The way you have it now the wind is from the starboard quarter, but when the forward motion of the ship is added in, the apparent wind from the deck of the ship will be closer to being off the beam so keep that in mind when you brace the yards.
 
I like your very methodical approach, it bodes well for a successful completion of this very ambitious project.

Well done Dave!
Everything turned out perfect. I especially like the figures and your base is first rate. The photo etching was a nice touch as well.
I look forward to your work on the White Lady!
Jeff

Jack Needham in his book "Modelling Ships in Bottles" has an entire chapter covering this subject and it's the best discussion of the interaction of wind, swells and ships I've seen. I highly recommend it.
 
You can look at wave propagation theory but that's mostly calculus based and isn't much help except for some of the basics. As wind velocity increases so does the height, interval between crests and the speed of the swell. One aspect of wave theory that's interesting is how waves of different magnitudes and velocities interact and may be useful - the Wikipedia article on wave theory has several animated representations of the effect.
 
A study of the Beaufort wind force scale is also very useful. Look at several graphic representations on the web, there are lots of them. Notice in the scale that there is only a narrow range of wind velocity that causes wind swells to break and roll over. Below but near that range, crests may get a bit frothy at random peaks, and above that range the crests get blown away as spray in the air and froth down the lee side of the crest. Many ship bottlers tend to make their waves look more like surf with lots of breaking waves rather than a series of swells as seen in open, deep-water seas, but you're not making that mistake.
 
All in all, you seem to be on the right track. I like the effect you show on the lee side where the bow wave has combined with the swells to change their angle, it's spot on; other than a "bone in her teeth" nothing else is needed on that side. I'm aware that you haven't addressed bow waves and a wake but I suspect you have a good handle on them. There's also a wave that can propagate from the water that passes under the hull, rises to the surface (following the hull shape) and meets the water passing along the side. Where this occurs, it's magnitude and the angle of this small wave depends on the hull shape. Compared to a prop driven vessel, the wake will be relatively smooth with much less froth.
 
I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that you intend to depict Preussen under shortened sail in high wind. I suggest that you consider increasing the interval and magnitude of your swells and depict them with blown-away crests. The wind effects on the sea need to match the number and set of your sails. The way you have it now the wind is from the starboard quarter, but when the forward motion of the ship is added in, the apparent wind from the deck of the ship will be closer to being off the beam so keep that in mind when you brace the yards.
 
I like your very methodical approach, it bodes well for a successful completion of this very ambitious project.

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Dave,
 
Please consider posting the finished photos in the Completed Scratch Gallery.  I think they deserve being there also.

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Thanks for the very kind comments. Here's the best of the photos of the finished Ogallala.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you to all who viewed this log and especially to those who contributed with 'likes' and with comments - you all pushed me to do my best possible work.
 
Now I can get back to work on Esmeralda. I learned a few things here I can apply to "The White Lady".
 

 
Dave
 
 

Ogallala is finished. 
 
 
Tensioned and secured all of the lines but had to redo one that was done wrong. Had to cut it loose at one end and glue another thread to it end to end, then re-tension the line, glue and trim it inside the bottle. Don't bother looking for the splice - you won't find it.
 
Cleaned the inside glass again then located the prairie disc and ship using the four threads from the wheels taped to the outside of the opening. Once in position I epoxied the disc to the glass in three places. When the epoxy cured I painted the inside of the bottle below the soil line and re-checked the tension on the four threads. I had intended to simply epoxy the other medallion over the opening to trap the threads but decided this may not be secure enough. I cut a block of basswood to fit between the medallion and the bottom of the prairie disc and epoxied it to the medallion. When cured I epoxied that assembly to the disc and the opening.
 

The medallion with the basswood spacer after checking the fit. I epoxied the
assembly to the disc and the face of the opening to trap the lines as well.
 
After the epoxy cured and the outside of the bottle / sphere was cleaned I took lots of photos. Here's two full view photos.
 

 

 
I'm still going through them all and will post more tomorrow or the next day. Click on the photos for larger versions.
 

 
Dave
 

Ogallala is finished. 
 
 
Tensioned and secured all of the lines but had to redo one that was done wrong. Had to cut it loose at one end and glue another thread to it end to end, then re-tension the line, glue and trim it inside the bottle. Don't bother looking for the splice - you won't find it.
 
Cleaned the inside glass again then located the prairie disc and ship using the four threads from the wheels taped to the outside of the opening. Once in position I epoxied the disc to the glass in three places. When the epoxy cured I painted the inside of the bottle below the soil line and re-checked the tension on the four threads. I had intended to simply epoxy the other medallion over the opening to trap the threads but decided this may not be secure enough. I cut a block of basswood to fit between the medallion and the bottom of the prairie disc and epoxied it to the medallion. When cured I epoxied that assembly to the disc and the opening.
 

The medallion with the basswood spacer after checking the fit. I epoxied the
assembly to the disc and the face of the opening to trap the lines as well.
 
After the epoxy cured and the outside of the bottle / sphere was cleaned I took lots of photos. Here's two full view photos.
 

 

 
I'm still going through them all and will post more tomorrow or the next day. Click on the photos for larger versions.
 

 
Dave
 

Ogallala is finished. 
 
 
Tensioned and secured all of the lines but had to redo one that was done wrong. Had to cut it loose at one end and glue another thread to it end to end, then re-tension the line, glue and trim it inside the bottle. Don't bother looking for the splice - you won't find it.
 
Cleaned the inside glass again then located the prairie disc and ship using the four threads from the wheels taped to the outside of the opening. Once in position I epoxied the disc to the glass in three places. When the epoxy cured I painted the inside of the bottle below the soil line and re-checked the tension on the four threads. I had intended to simply epoxy the other medallion over the opening to trap the threads but decided this may not be secure enough. I cut a block of basswood to fit between the medallion and the bottom of the prairie disc and epoxied it to the medallion. When cured I epoxied that assembly to the disc and the opening.
 

The medallion with the basswood spacer after checking the fit. I epoxied the
assembly to the disc and the face of the opening to trap the lines as well.
 
After the epoxy cured and the outside of the bottle / sphere was cleaned I took lots of photos. Here's two full view photos.
 

 

 
I'm still going through them all and will post more tomorrow or the next day. Click on the photos for larger versions.
 

 
Dave
 

Ogallala is finished. 
 
 
Tensioned and secured all of the lines but had to redo one that was done wrong. Had to cut it loose at one end and glue another thread to it end to end, then re-tension the line, glue and trim it inside the bottle. Don't bother looking for the splice - you won't find it.
 
Cleaned the inside glass again then located the prairie disc and ship using the four threads from the wheels taped to the outside of the opening. Once in position I epoxied the disc to the glass in three places. When the epoxy cured I painted the inside of the bottle below the soil line and re-checked the tension on the four threads. I had intended to simply epoxy the other medallion over the opening to trap the threads but decided this may not be secure enough. I cut a block of basswood to fit between the medallion and the bottom of the prairie disc and epoxied it to the medallion. When cured I epoxied that assembly to the disc and the opening.
 

The medallion with the basswood spacer after checking the fit. I epoxied the
assembly to the disc and the face of the opening to trap the lines as well.
 
After the epoxy cured and the outside of the bottle / sphere was cleaned I took lots of photos. Here's two full view photos.
 

 

 
I'm still going through them all and will post more tomorrow or the next day. Click on the photos for larger versions.
 

 
Dave
 

A lot of planning. Everything is planned towards the insertion in the bottle. 
 
I rarely mentioned the planning and various trial fits and the practice except in passing (because they're boring) but they were instrumental in the success and seeming ease of the assembly inside the bottle. The practice outside the bottle reduces the "pucker factor" during the insertion.
 
I have noticed that few ship bottlers stop for a photo op during the insertion and I vowed to get a good photo at that point and others to show more of the process during this key phase. That "wadded up mess" was carefully laid down when I lowered the masts to make sure that the lines didn't tangle around items on deck like the four figures. It amazes me too when the erection of the masts goes as easy as this one did; it doesn't always work out that way.
 
I hope so, at least enough to give a SiB a try. SiBs present different challenges than a conventional static model, but they also have several advantages. It occurred to me that I could build the entire US Navy of the War of 1812 in bottles and display them all in the same space that a larger scale Constitution would take. SiBs are entirely self-contained and transportable unlike a large Constitution in a display case. The miniature scales required present challenges as do the functionality of the model as it transforms during the insertion in the bottle and re-erection of the masts, but the personal gratification is higher than in a conventional static model, similar to building an R/C sailing ship. Some will enjoy the extra challenges and embrace them while others won't.
 
I also hope to raise the perception of SiBs from "folk art" (with all the inaccuracies and disproportions implied by the name) to a respected method of building and displaying high quality miniature ship models. Even though Ogallala is pure fantasy, above the deck she is a very accurate model of a typical topsail schooner.
 
If nothing else, I'm pleased that everyone who is following this project enjoys this voyage into the obscure art of bottling ship models.
 
Unless something goes wrong, I anticipate one more progress report on this build log followed by lots of photos of the finished Ogallala.
 
Dave

Ogallala is finished. 
 
 
Tensioned and secured all of the lines but had to redo one that was done wrong. Had to cut it loose at one end and glue another thread to it end to end, then re-tension the line, glue and trim it inside the bottle. Don't bother looking for the splice - you won't find it.
 
Cleaned the inside glass again then located the prairie disc and ship using the four threads from the wheels taped to the outside of the opening. Once in position I epoxied the disc to the glass in three places. When the epoxy cured I painted the inside of the bottle below the soil line and re-checked the tension on the four threads. I had intended to simply epoxy the other medallion over the opening to trap the threads but decided this may not be secure enough. I cut a block of basswood to fit between the medallion and the bottom of the prairie disc and epoxied it to the medallion. When cured I epoxied that assembly to the disc and the opening.
 

The medallion with the basswood spacer after checking the fit. I epoxied the
assembly to the disc and the face of the opening to trap the lines as well.
 
After the epoxy cured and the outside of the bottle / sphere was cleaned I took lots of photos. Here's two full view photos.
 

 

 
I'm still going through them all and will post more tomorrow or the next day. Click on the photos for larger versions.
 

 
Dave
 

Today I can totally relate to Saw Dust Dave. Lots of carving and sanding however the pieces fit nicely and I am sure the magnet's will hold everything in place. The next picture shows the dowels holding them and worked really well while carving and sanding.
 

 
Next shot shows the profile and the template doesn't lie. I had to get the wood curved exactly like the template plus there is one flat spot and one minor flaw in the bottle that caused a bit of grief.
 

 
Next shot shows wood pieces laying in the bottle nice and flush. Should be good to go onto the next step which is a mock up of the waves in a tube (hopefully same curvature of my bottle) to see how the scale will be with modelling clay. I have to determine how to model the clay for the wind, swells, and bow/stern wake before I even attempt to start carving. I can also use the mock up as my guide while carving.
 

 
Last shot shows the 4 pieces of Fir nice and snug without anything holding them together. Should be good here!
 

 
On to the mock-up .... Jeff
 

 
 
 

Ogallala is finished. 
 
 
Tensioned and secured all of the lines but had to redo one that was done wrong. Had to cut it loose at one end and glue another thread to it end to end, then re-tension the line, glue and trim it inside the bottle. Don't bother looking for the splice - you won't find it.
 
Cleaned the inside glass again then located the prairie disc and ship using the four threads from the wheels taped to the outside of the opening. Once in position I epoxied the disc to the glass in three places. When the epoxy cured I painted the inside of the bottle below the soil line and re-checked the tension on the four threads. I had intended to simply epoxy the other medallion over the opening to trap the threads but decided this may not be secure enough. I cut a block of basswood to fit between the medallion and the bottom of the prairie disc and epoxied it to the medallion. When cured I epoxied that assembly to the disc and the opening.
 

The medallion with the basswood spacer after checking the fit. I epoxied the
assembly to the disc and the face of the opening to trap the lines as well.
 
After the epoxy cured and the outside of the bottle / sphere was cleaned I took lots of photos. Here's two full view photos.
 

 

 
I'm still going through them all and will post more tomorrow or the next day. Click on the photos for larger versions.
 

 
Dave
 

Well finally I got into my Man Cave to work on my SIB. Yesterday I had a few set backs with family stuff however I still forged ahead. First off was to remedy the plague of the plans falling all over the place on my bench. The later conundrum drove me nuts so time to take action. I had an old metal book stand which I quickly turned into a type of artists easel.
 

 

 

 
Above pictures show a piece of balsa (painted red) glued to the front of the book-stand and plans pinned to some coroplast sign material. Problem solved! Next pictures shows work on clamping the fir sea material together. I then drilled four holes and pinned them together with some wooden dowels. Pieces fitted together and numbered for reference.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Next I realized I needed to make a tool to determine the contour of the inside of the bottle as the wood pieces need to be tapered, curved, and fitted to the inside curve of the bottle. Wine bottles are fairly round but not perfect. Blowing glass is an art and getting a bottle completely round takes great skill. The following pictures shows my home made contour tool to measure the inside of the bottle.
 

 

 

 

 
I made the tool to hinge and had the control strings fixed in position while measuring with an elastic band. Worked good! The next picture shows me checking my template against the inside contour. At this point I thought I was close however I am working in 2 dimensions, add in some wood and now it's 3 dimensional and I know things are going to change.
 

 
Next picture shows the strings fixed with the elastic band.
 

 
The next picture shows me transferring the information to the wood.
 

 
The next picture shows the wood in position. I was gun shy when carving being extra careful not to take off too much without checking first.
 

 
After getting the 4 pieces into the bottle you can see I need to take off some more material. Remember what Grandpa said... measure 3 times, cut once. Well maybe... cut twice! Easier to take more off than try to add on later.
Jeff 
 
 

I received the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch Kit and set out on the learning curve - which is rather steep to successfully make usable photo-etch parts on the first try. It took me three.

 

After ordering and waiting for delivery, I set about drawing in my drawing program the etched letters I wanted on two brass discs - one as a seal for the bottle and one on the display base. Keeping it simple, I planned to remove lettering on one side of the discs that I would later fill with paint, black letters on the brass discs. When the kit arrived I read the instruction book multiple times and identified all the tools and materials in the kit.

 

Following the instructions, I made the masks for both sides of a disc and printed them on the backside of the mask transparency film. Follow the instructions carefully. The black areas of the mask are the areas that need to be removed from the metal and this mask will be printed backwards (flipped horizontally) so that the print is on the backside of the film. After the ink is dry the two masks are perfectly aligned, print side to print side and taped together.

 



The print side of the mask transparency. The face side of the disc with reversed

lettering and the back side with interruptions in the circle so that the disc will stay

partially attached to the square of base metal. The black is what will be removed,

half-way through from both sides with most of the edge all the way through.

 

With directions in hand I cut two 2.5 inch / 64 mm squares of .005 inch /0.13 mm thick brass sheet. Before I opened the package of photo-resist film I set up a darkened work area lit by a single yellow "bug" bulb, then opened it, removed the resist and cut two squares, put them in an envelope lined with black paper, and returned the photo-resist film to its package and sealed it shut. This film hardens in UV light. I prepared a brass square by wet sanding each side of the square with a provided 3200 grit sanding pad until very shiny and so that the water sheeted across the square. I pulled one piece of the resist from the envelope, peeled off the inside cover film and, like applying a decal, attempted to lay the resist film on the wetted square, get it aligned to the edges of the square and adhered to the square without bubbles of air or water between the film and the brass. This turned out to be rather difficult and I had problems with it. On my second through fourth tries I submerged the brass square in just enough water to cover and applied the resist film through the water. (An old school decal application trick.) I did the same to the back side.

 

While doing this I had the Pro-Etch laminater plugged in and warmed up. I cut two squares of carrier sheet (card stock with one side treated so that it is glossy and smooth) slightly larger than the brass squares. I made a sandwich of the photo-resist covered brass square with the two squares of carrier, glossy side to the photo-resist and ran it through the laminater twice, flipped over and turned 90 degrees for the second pass and let it cool in a black envelope.

 

Next the cooled, laminated brass square (carrier sheets set aside) is slipped between the two masks and centered, then placed in the center of one of the Plexiglas squares provided, the other Plexiglas square placed on top and clamps applied at the four sides. All of this has been done with minimal exposure to UV light, just the yellow "bug" bulb - a suggestion in the directions.

 

Again per the instructions I exposed each side of this sandwich to full sun at local noon for 20 seconds. The UV light hardened and turned the photo-resist in the areas not masked a deep blue from its original light blue. I disassembled the sandwich and returned the brass square to a black envelope while I set up for the next step and put away what I wouldn't need right away.

 

I prepared a solution of sodium hydroxide and water per the instructions, removed the outer protective layer of the photo-resist film from both sides and submerged the brass square in this solution. This chemical reacts with the masked and un-hardened photo-resist film, softening it so that it will brush away. This is the most important part of the process, if the film is not completely removed from the areas to be chemically etched it won't etch properly. This is where I messed up in my first two tries; for the third and fourth tries I used my 2.75X Opti-Visor and inspected and brushed with the solution and inspected and rinsed and brushed some more until I was certain that every bit of resist was removed from the areas that needed to be etched. I made use of a hand held magnifying glass with the Opti-Visor to make sure every bit of un-exposed resist film was gone. 

 



The second brass disc with blue photo-resist and bright brass showing through the

areas that will be etched. I thought this was good enough but it was not. Many areas

did not etch properly, especially from the backside, due to my lack of diligence.

 

Paying close attention to the instructions, I set up the equipment for the actual photo-etching. I had to supply a rinse bucket and a smaller rinse bowl, both filled with water. I warmed the bottle of ferric chloride in hot water running from the tap before filling the etching tank. I plugged in the aerator (to circulate the etching solution) and submerged the brass square. I set a 5 minute timer.

 



Etching in process. There's a clamp on the hose to prevent the etching solution from

flowing back into the pump plus the pump is placed on two pieces of foam packaging

to raise it above the solution level.

 

After five minutes, I removed the brass square from the etching tank (turned off the aerator and pinched shut the hose clamp - the fumes must be assumed to be nasty) rinsed and re-rinsed to inspect the progress. Most of the double side etching at the edge of the disc was cut through, so I turned the brass square 180 degrees in the clamp, returned it to the solution (turned on the aerator and released the clamp) and waited three minutes. Upon inspection, it was done and I rinsed it in hot tap water before setting it aside and cleaning up.

 

Now, to see the results. I poured out just enough of the sodium hydroxide (undiluted this time) into one of the trays provided to cover the brass square. Full strength this chemical removes the photo-resist from the brass with a little help with a brush. When cleaned of the resist the brass was rinsed in hot water from the tap and set aside.

 



Here's my first try with some practice with black enamel to fill in the letters. There are

several places where the photo-resist did not adhere and laminate properly as a result

of my difficulty with getting the resist in place as directed and etching solution got into

them from an edge exposed to etching solution. I had no more problem with this using

the submerged technique of applying the photo-resist film. Many places in the lettering

have incomplete depth because I didn't get all the masked film removed the way I should

have. Micro-Mark was right when they said this was the most important step.

 



Third and fourth tries, both appear perfect. The lettering has not been filled with enamel

yet, just the result of better photographic technique learned since the photo of the first

disc. I didn't even bother stripping the second attempt since I could see that I had not

removed all the masked and un-hardened photo-resist film. The discs are 1.73 inch / 44

mm in diameter.

 

I am very pleased with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch Kit. It has everything needed except for a yellow "bug" bulb and the two rinse buckets I provided. I bought a better pair of rubber gloves than the single use, throw away gloves supplied in the kit for my second session when I made the last two discs. I also added a small in-line on/off switch to the aerator electric cord so I would not have to crawl under my work bench to unplug it when I needed to turn it off.

 

The process does have a steep learning curve, a mistake made anywhere in the process will affect the results. READ AND STUDY THE INSTRUCTIONS and MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND EACH STEP.

 

I hope my experience helps others learn from my mistakes.

 

Dave

I laughed hard over that first sentence. I know how the wadded up mess looked (but it is a very apt description) and just wanted to clarify. Nothing about an SiB can be haphazard.
 
I've tried many different ways to organize the threads that will be secured inside the bottle. Here, I prepared two strips of card stock, one for each side, with a series of slits cut along one edge to keep the lines organized with name tapes folded over the end of each line (in some cases pairs of lines). The lines are arranged from fore to aft along the card strip. The three major control lines (main, fore and jib stays) were the only black threads leading out of the bottle, so there was no chance of confusion there
 
Dave.

A lot of planning. Everything is planned towards the insertion in the bottle. 
 
I rarely mentioned the planning and various trial fits and the practice except in passing (because they're boring) but they were instrumental in the success and seeming ease of the assembly inside the bottle. The practice outside the bottle reduces the "pucker factor" during the insertion.
 
I have noticed that few ship bottlers stop for a photo op during the insertion and I vowed to get a good photo at that point and others to show more of the process during this key phase. That "wadded up mess" was carefully laid down when I lowered the masts to make sure that the lines didn't tangle around items on deck like the four figures. It amazes me too when the erection of the masts goes as easy as this one did; it doesn't always work out that way.
 
I hope so, at least enough to give a SiB a try. SiBs present different challenges than a conventional static model, but they also have several advantages. It occurred to me that I could build the entire US Navy of the War of 1812 in bottles and display them all in the same space that a larger scale Constitution would take. SiBs are entirely self-contained and transportable unlike a large Constitution in a display case. The miniature scales required present challenges as do the functionality of the model as it transforms during the insertion in the bottle and re-erection of the masts, but the personal gratification is higher than in a conventional static model, similar to building an R/C sailing ship. Some will enjoy the extra challenges and embrace them while others won't.
 
I also hope to raise the perception of SiBs from "folk art" (with all the inaccuracies and disproportions implied by the name) to a respected method of building and displaying high quality miniature ship models. Even though Ogallala is pure fantasy, above the deck she is a very accurate model of a typical topsail schooner.
 
If nothing else, I'm pleased that everyone who is following this project enjoys this voyage into the obscure art of bottling ship models.
 
Unless something goes wrong, I anticipate one more progress report on this build log followed by lots of photos of the finished Ogallala.
 
Dave

I laughed hard over that first sentence. I know how the wadded up mess looked (but it is a very apt description) and just wanted to clarify. Nothing about an SiB can be haphazard.
 
I've tried many different ways to organize the threads that will be secured inside the bottle. Here, I prepared two strips of card stock, one for each side, with a series of slits cut along one edge to keep the lines organized with name tapes folded over the end of each line (in some cases pairs of lines). The lines are arranged from fore to aft along the card strip. The three major control lines (main, fore and jib stays) were the only black threads leading out of the bottle, so there was no chance of confusion there
 
Dave.