News and Info from MarisStella Ship Model Kits

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello all, after a few busy days, now I get a bit of time to rest and to write something about Cog of Ragusa to you ...

First of all I am grateful for the warm welcome and visiting our website ... Donfarr, jazzchip ... thanks a lot ,

thanks for the likes ...

... 'Cog' is a project that we were building a year or two before its realization ... the basic guiding was votive fresco

of her from the sixteenth century ... lower its black and white photo of the fresco ... the silhouettes of people

on the bow and the mast top were very helpful. We took that they were around 1.75m high and we made the Ragusian Cog

reconstruction ...

... So, after two years of work, this is what we get: the text that we wrote about this type of Cog is following

and is copied from our site:

 

Cog is the war and merchant ship in the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea, with a big lead

and two small reserve masts, whose main characteristic is high and tight bow tower forward with a almost horizontal

triangular deck. One feature of this ship are the side openings for boarding horses and cattle and it is designed

primarly for transporting army. It is mentioned for the first time in the 11th century, and across the Mediterranean

in the 13th century. These ships were initially inaccessible thanks to the impregnable castle. Together with Cogs

often sailed caravels and carrack.

 

... This is a model with completely furnished interiors, store and cabins,which makes it very beautiful and

interesting. The keel and the posts are made of solid walnut wood, like all the elements below the deck and

the deck. The sails are embroidered on the cloth. In the box there are 11 plates laser cut.

There are bars and all the necessary material. The model is designed for experienced modeler, but beginners, with a little

effort and following the instructions do not have problems with the construction of her ... You will really enjoy

in the realization of this model.

 

... Now, for the first hand, here are some photos of the prototype of the model-made in parallel with the project ....

I was very cheerful to say something about the way of making the assembly kit ... it's what I intend to do next ...

 

Best regards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[donrobinson]

Very interesting kits you have on your site, I will go to your site and contact you for some more information

Thanks

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello averyone...

 

The materials we use are the materials that are easy to handle and have a long life. Structures are made of linden plywood which is very easy to sand and process, which is very important when talking about the speed of development of the structure. Elements that can be seen on the model are made in the main of walnut panels ... strips we use are also of quality wood. The projects have been made, since the beginning, for the laser processing elements, the old-fashioned projects have not been used. This means that elements definitely fit each other. For example, to connect the structure there is required a lightweight hammer. When the elements are pressed one to each other, it is very difficult to disassemble them. I would say impossible. So, the elements are impressed into each other and when all assembled, wood glue is to be applied with a brush to the connection points. This yields a construction that is finely adjusted from the beginning. In the main, it is impossible to incorrectly set the corresponding elements of each other ... The precision of the cutting of the structures, differences draft-cut element, is reduced to the mistake of a laser, which is still below 0.1 mm, and it very rarely. In the main, these settings are created a circle of loyal and highly satisfied modelers around us who like to use our products ...

... Now; I have expressed a desire to show this model to you: ‘Ragusian Cog’; 1:48, 650mm…( Donfarr, you asked for this information…) … Now I would like to show the building instructions to you, the instructions which has not been changed, even not adapted, from the moment it was created ... since 2009 ... this instructions was initially made for experienced modelers, but even beginners have not had a major problems when they kept the listed making order ... I am aware that some expressions in the English language are not the most appropriate, but as I understand our current customers, it's not a big problem ... however, most of the customers have not been with the English-speaking world... But, here are the instructions in PDF format, so that you could evaluate it yourself...

 

Donfarr, Donrobinson, thank you very much for your comments and interest…thank you all for the likes…

 

... my intention is to say something more about the making of the model and its appearance, about the construction and interior ...

 

Best regards

__09__Ragusian Cog.pdf

[MarisStella.hr]

Donfarr,Donrobinson,

please ask all you want to know, the truth, it is my pleasure to be at your service and talk about this...

 

Best regards

Edited October 15, 2015 by MarisStella.hr

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello everyone…

... let me continue where I left off last time: therefore, the model has decorated interior, a storage area in the middle of the hull and stable in the stern. The entire structure is subordinated to the construction of these parts. The keel and stem are made of 6mm walnut panels. There are bulkheads with gaps plugged in it. The bulkheads are connected with several impressed strips. Once the construction was completed, the inner part of the hull is to be planked with strips. After that, the structure is strong enough to endure the setting of the outside planking. Otherwise, all of our models that have interiors are designed in this way. The models that have not interiors are designed to contain round walnut bars. Those bars, dowels, center the bulkheads very precisely. Glue is to be applied by brush to the points of contact of elements after the assembling of the structure. When constructing our scale models, we take into consideration the strength of the structures. On this model, if desired, hatches, doors and openings could be left open. In this way the view to the interior is allowed... All visible parts are made of solid walnut wood.

Beginners should not be afraid of making these model ... They will only take a longer time to complete it. This is a single-planking method and requires a little more work ...

... Here are a few photos of the construction. This is the work of the person to whom this is the first scale model in the life :

[donrobinson]

Hi Zoran, first of all that is a nice looking model that is being built, a log should be started here on that kit I'm sure that would spark some interest.

 I went to your site some time ago and sent a message from there, all I have got back so far is a Thank You, it was concerning pricing and shipping, I do not know your currency and was wondering what it works out to in Canadian dollars.

Questions:

 Do your plans and instructions also include rigging and installing sails?

 Are your plans to scale, as there seems to be a lot of information on two pages of plans?

 Is the Ship's boat cast metal or is it one that needs to be built?

 

 I have more questions , but will leave you with these for now

 

  Thanks

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello everyone,
Don, special thanks to you… yes, we had problems with our old mail Contact&order box, now we have changed the entire site and I hope that it will work without problems…and yes, we work with CAD (Canadian dollars) too… it is easy to transfer Euros to CAD … I'm not sure, but I think 1 CAD = 1.48 EURos, please check that to the exchange rate ... when selling goods outside the Croatian borders we accept bank account payments, and payments through pay-pal that is easier... When it comes to intercontinental shipments, we usually participate in the cost of transportation ... the extent depends on the model we sell...

Rigging instructions we have to offer, they are in Croatian language, unfortunately, we have not made an English version jet ... we thought it was a lot more literature available in English, so that we're not able to do anything new...
… As for this model, there is classic the Middle Ages rigging, the same as to the all Caravel, Galleon and Carrack... in the project, there are drawn all the ropes, in to the instructions, there is a brief description of how to determine which of them are black, and which of them are light, also, there is an explanation of how to finish the sails… but if you were a complete beginner, you will need some help from some technical literature (in English I suppose) …

… Yes, our plans are to scale and it is quite easy to put together the elements, whether they should be put together out of laser-cut pieces, or that they should be made out of the pieces of strops ... So, to be clear, the elements that are drawn on the paper are the same dimensions as those to be made ... These plans are published on 100 cm x 90 cm sheets of paper and there are contained all the elements of the model... Some of the elements are drawn apart, and some within the complete model ... I must say that the plans are very precise...

… The ship’s boat is to be done by a hand and it is the most important trick of our projects !!! All models, when properly made, looks nothing like Kits ... as I have learned, it is basic in the world of ship-modeling ... ship-models look like they were scratch ship model projects ... The boats are to be made like this : a mold of the inner shape of a boat is to be done of balsa wood, the mold is to be planked twice with 0.5mm strips, ... balsa is to be removed completely and the boat is to be completed with various elements ... There is no more credible appearance of a boat .. .The ship models look the same.
…Here is a draft of the Cog boat:

… Expecting more questions,
Best regards,
Zoran

Edited October 21, 2015 by MarisStella.hr

[MarisStella.hr]

Don,

 

this is correct :  1 CAD = 0,67 EUR

 

Best regards

Zoran

[donrobinson]

Thanks Zoran for all the information this really helps. I am finding your kits really interesting and I'm thinking they would be a real fun challenge to build.

 I am particularly interested in the Trabaccolo as I am currently building the Amati version of this and I like how you have designed yours and the scale of 1:32 is really appealing.

 I will contact you on your site for further information.

 I have noticed on some of your kits there are holes in the frames(bulkheads) that dowels are inserted into, is the purpose of these to help align and strengthen the hull?

 

Have a Good day

[MarisStella.hr]

… Thank you Don, it is my pleasure ... I especially enjoy talking about these topics ... I am very happy that you are interested in our models, particularly in the traditions of the Croatian seaside people, the Trabaccolo ... I must say to you that this is the second version that I made ... at the first I gave insufficient attention to the top of the mast, but now I have done it better, together with the sails. On our website, there is the draft of the first version, I did not reach to replace it. The draft has three sheets now and more details about the masts, sails and rigging ... exactly what you asked last time. This is a traditional vessel and its version of the rigging is unique, so I just enriched the draft with parts related to the topic ... the first Trabaccolo made to the current, the second draft version, get a high silver medal at the state competition. The modeler made two little things differently than they appear to the draft and he lost the gold medal for the point and a half...

... Otherwise, the Trabaccolo is already completely pushed out of use today, there are a few of them still navigating, with removed sails and engines installed... Before, it was purely a family ship used for transportation of various goods for trading ... Each family used to paint their Trabaccolo in the unique way, the decorative head at the bow was different at every Trabaccolo ... the sails were often painted ... This version has a fully furnished interior, this makes it completely different from anything seen before ...

 

... I'm glad that you noticed the making of the construction to the models that do not have interiors ... The round rails, dowels ... Yes. They are not there by accident ... In the beginning, I noticed that the making of the construction to the other kits is imprecise and that bulkheads rather wobble in their beds ... It was needed more tools and quite more time to get a good structure ... This I wanted to avoid so I made bearings to be very, very tight ... The elements were fit to each other Knapp are they were perpendicular to each other. That was good, but I noticed that some more construction fasteners were needed there... My intention was to insert additional strips to the left and right side of the keel. But it was expensive and inappropriate ... Then I thought about it and it happened.

I rejected a central part of the structure made of plywood. I made the keel and stem composed of the elements they were actually made ... At the first, I wanted to push some square rails through all the bulkheads, but it was not good. To make a construction that does not require additional adjustment, the holes through which the bars should pass must be very, very tight, the bars must pass through them very hard. It was impossible to push the square bars through the tight holes ... Then I figured out!!! The round bars and round racks!!! And this proved to be very, very good. The first sample of the first construction that I made this way turned out to be ideal ... I rotated the round bars gently between the fingers and they have passed through the holes smoothly, with no problems. They have passed through the bulkheads that I adjusted to the keel previously'... I set up the bulkheads to be all parallel to each other and perpendicular to the keel ... I applied wood glue to the all points of the contact between the elements with a brush... I was delighted when it get dry ... I have put together the construction, the first of that sort in my life, within a half of hour. The precise, solid, ideal for working on it... since then, I work in such a way whenever I need to create a model of the ship with one or two decks, with no interior ...

 

... My intention is to present the Trabaccolo and Pelig here, two types of the constructions I use... I will say much more about them very soon …

 

Best regards…

Zoran

Edited October 23, 2015 by MarisStella.hr

[donrobinson]

Thanks Zoran for the pictures and your explanation, it has been very helpful. I have to say that this is such an opportunity to be able to talk to a manufacturer about his product, one that we don't get very often.

 I noticed, while looking at some of your kits, that some of them have pin rails mounted in the shrouds is this something common to boats of that era? I have seen cleats attached to shrouds but never this. I like the looks of this method.

 I have also seen that it looks as though most of your kits come with stands is this correct?

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello everyone, hello Don,

…the shroud pin racks are typical for this part of Mediterranean area. All kinds of the traditional coastal ships of Croatian coast have those put just above the lanyard the first one and on the lanyard the second, smaller one. I do not know exactly where it came from or since when it was in use, but you can see this in Greece or Italy as well. It is interesting that those pins are not used for banding any running ropes for long time, these days they are used to put off some handy bundles to them. Since I have been doing about the model ship projects I have never seen any rope banded to it… only decorative bundles hanged inboard… But they are, definitely, inseparable part of these vessels...

… The simplified decorative model’s stands are the part of every MarisStella kit… they are easy to put together and there is engraved name of the sort of the ship on it. They look like those you can see at those models at the photos at the post above… but anyway, we recommended, if the model is well done, to use heavier and more refined solid wood stands, but those are not suitable for packing in to boxes…

 

Best regards, Zoran…

[MarisStella.hr]

here, it looks like this:

[donrobinson]

Hi Zoran,

  

Yes that is what I seen in your plans and I think they look real good, they should be easier to attach than cleats.

 The information you have provided on your kits has been a great help, especially on the Cog and the Trabaccollo. I have looked at several of your kits on-line and they all look well designed. I have ordered the Trabaccollo and am really looking forward to receiving it. I will most certainly be starting a build log here on MSW,  I hope you stop in and visit there and help me out with any problems I may encounter.

 You have done an outstanding job in introducing yourself and your product, I know I have appreciated this opportunity and I hope all goes well for you.

 

  Thanks

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello everyone,…

First of all, thank you Don for buying our kit; I hope you'll be satisfied with it. In any case, it is very interesting to follow a modeler that builds your model, the feeling is impossible to describe. Yes, no problem, if you had a problem with building the model, in any case, I'll help you with an advice. Once my colleague said: 'uh, this is indescribable to see how your model is done by other modeler, especially when it turns out well, it's a little spooky ...'

[MarisStella.hr]

Dear gentlemen,

we are happy to inform you that we are able to give free delivery for North America for amounts exceeding 200.00 Euro ... The models that we currently recommend are: Ragusian Carrack, Trajta (fishing-cargo of Korcula) and Batelina (the boat )... but of course, you can get all the other MarisStella models that you want to ...

 

Best regards,

MarisStella,

Europe

[donrobinson]

Hi Zoran, Somehow I missed this last posting of yours. Those are nice looking boats you have shown , and a great deal on the shipping costs. The Ragusian Carrack is a very interesting looking boat. That looks like something I would like to have on my shelf someday 

[MarisStella.hr]

Thank you Don, it's nice to hear positive comments ... It is a great reward ...

 

... We are making an offer for Australia now ... On this occasion, I'd love to hear back from the Australians in this post, of course, if any of them read this ...

 

Best regards,

Zoran,

MarisStella.hr

[MarisStella.hr]

hello everyone ... just to finish this short presentation of the Ragusian Cog assembly kit ...

... Kit, when opened, looks like this :

[MarisStella.hr]

Hi to all ...

... I'd like to show the sails, they are embroidered on fabric and they should be completed by hand... so every modeler has the freedom to choose how will he finalize them ... will he leave them open to hang freely, or will he insert the wire into the edges to shape them in the end... An interesting optionor is to bind them to the yard ... In any case, the foresail of this model looks like this :

[MarisStella.hr]

Hello dear gentlemen,

... I would like to inform you that we are producing now a smaller quantity of Trabaccolo and Pielago kits for this period of Christmas and New Year ... Pielago (Pelig) has the new set of instructions for building at the 128 color A4 pages ... I will tell you something about this Adriatic type of ship later, and of course, something of this model and the kit ...

 

... The set of instructions for making Trabaccolo is already published on our website in the gallery of the Trabaccolo kit, the set has the 162 color A4 pages ...

... The set of instructions for making Pielago is completed, and it will be published on the site in a few days, I'll let you know about it ... I think it's very interesting to take a look at it ... Sets of instructions are set in .pdf format and can be downloaded for free...

 

...Enjoy your time...

Best regards, Zoran

[donrobinson]

Hi Zoran, I just checked out your website and I must say that the Pielago is a very nice looking boat. Looks like it would be a great kit to build. Would this qualify for the free shipping also?

Thanks,

Have a Good Day

[MarisStella.hr]

Of course, we do our best to make our sets as cheap as possible, not because they are cheap themselves, but to be as accessible as possible to our customers ... the materials that we use are quite expensive, we always try to make them more affordable .. .
... Now we're trying to fit a book of instructions in the price, if we have to make a difference, it will be minimal ...

... And of course, you will get free transportation (to amount  about 200 USD and more) for the whole of North America at this time ...

 

Best regards,

Zoran

Edited December 4, 2015 by MarisStella.hr

[MarisStella.hr]

Dear gentlemen,

there was a change that will not affect the quality of our products ... Because we never wanted to raise the price of our products,but still we wanted to improve them, we decided to make a change in relation to the building instructions ... So, it's like this: in the small print runs the A4 instruction will be printed in gray scale , but I underline : in a very, very good gray scale print ... This is the way we have achieved that product prices remain unchanged, the same as before, and the products are better ... Our website is complemented with new items for some models, so you can see the current versions of instructions ...

 

... In this way we are able to give free delivery to North America ...

 

... We discussed the possibility of free shipping to Australia and New Zealand ... For individual models we can give free shipping, especially now for Christmas and New Year, while for individual models we can take a part with a major share ... please, if you are interested, feel free to Contact us...

 

... And of course, good old Europe, you have not been forgotten

 

Best regards,

MarisStella.hr

[MarisStella.hr]

Dear Gentlemen,

my great pleasure is to inform you that the projects BRAZZERA and PELIG (Pielago) are renovated and upgraded. They are in stock now. The booklets of instructions for building have been completed also. Complete materials are placed on our website ... If you wish, you can take a detailed look (you can use English language) ...

 

Sincere greetings,

Zoran

[MarisStella.hr]

Dear Gentlemen, Friends, Customers ...

... please, to get new information and pictures from our website, delete the cache (temporary Internet files) on your computer ... recently, we have entered more changes and improvements in our product range ...

 

Best regards,

MarisStella.hr

Croatia

Europe

Edited December 20, 2015 by MarisStella.hr

[MarisStella.hr]

Dear friends,

 

we wish you a Merry Christmas ...

 

MarisStella.hr

[mtdoramike]

To you as well.

[MarisStella.hr]

mtdoramike, respected gentlemen, thank you very much ...

MarisStella.hr staff and I wish you a happy new year and all the best .... and lots and lots of beautiful ship models ...

 

Best regards

Zoran

[aliluke]

Hi Zoran

I'm very interested in your kits. I followed your building here.

 

I'm wondering about your kit for the Brazzera with its amazing hull shape. What are your shipping costs to New Zealand?

 

I'm away for a few weeks - summer holiday - so forgive me if I'm slow to reply.

 

Thank you and kind regards,

Alistair