Preussen by Chasseur - BOTTLE - barque

[Chasseur]

Yeah that's a good one Daniel. You right once I get the hull down straight things should really take off! No rush though...

Jeff

[DSiemens]

True patience bottles should be anything but rushed.  

[gwish]

Jeff,

 

She is looking good.  It's nice once the construction starts.

Gwyl

[Omega1234]

Hi Jeff

 

It's great to see that your hard work and planning is finally paying off because that hull is looking really nice!

 

Can't wait to see your next update.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited April 16, 2015 by Omega1234

[Chasseur]

Gwyl and Patrick,

Thanks for the encouragement! I hope to get some more work done on it this weekend.

Jeff

[michael mott]

Nice work on the hull Jeff.

 

Michael

[dgbot]

When I do solid hulls I usually made lifts along the waterline.  It makes it easier for me to get the shape I am looking for.But to carve the hull from a straight block is a lot harder no matter what the size.  You are doing a bang up job.  My hat goes off to you.

David B

[Chasseur]

Michael and David,

thanks for the kind words!

Jeff

[jo conrad]

Hello Jeff,

she will be a beauty in a bottle, and her fine lines start to show. Well done, man.

As for cows coming home and dancing: our small lot never came home dancing, they just went step by step at their leisurely trot, no matter how hard we danced around them - and tried to yell them into a slightly faster pace. They didn´t even take notice of us children.

I suggest you do as the cows : take your leisurely pace, go on step by step and have your fun.

All the best

Germanus

Edited April 19, 2015 by jo conrad

[Chasseur]

Thanks Germanus, that is very sound wisdom and coming from you it is well received.

Jeff

[Chasseur]

Well as usual life gets in the way with modeling however I managed to get a few days into the man cave to proceed. Steady as she goes the Captain said or... was it Jack Sparrow!

 

After a lot of research, and prayer, things just fell into place regarding my seas technique. I decided Artist's Loft Academic Level 1 Acrylic Modeling Paste was the way to go and it proved correct. I wrapped the hull in some cellophane and sculpted the seas around the hull being carefull not to build it up too high as the individual pieces have to pass through the bottle neck.

 

The first photo shows a little styrofoam where the keel/rudder will go. It was hard to carve an exact slot so... I carved it out, then spaced the styro accordingly and pasted.

 

 

Next photo shows the appropriate tools. My hobbying has really improved since I purchased a strop to keep everything sharp!

 

 

Next shot shows the hull in place and the sculpting with the paste. I can't say enough about the modeling paste. When dry you can even drill it out. Amazing stuff!

 

 

Next photo shows the silhouette of the Preussen in the seas.

 

 

Next three photo's show the magnets and corresponding plates installed to hold it all together. I really lucked out here as the strength is just perfect to allow alignment and manipulation inside of the bottle. All pieces were carefully cut apart with a razor blade after drying time.

 

 

 

 

The next two pictures show the hull in the seas and one coat of Winsor Newton Galeria Acrylic Ultramarine Blue.

 

 

 

From here some strategic coloring with some oil paints to give the ocean some depth, blend, and radience. Also I have to be aware that once the seas are inside the bottle and glued in place with the bottom half of hull installed; I'll have to backfill the seams and touch up the paint and blend it in accordingly.

 

Then some modeling paste to froth up some spray right by the hull; a good coat of Artist's Loft Academic Level 1 Gloss Gel Medium to seal, then some Woodland Scenic's liquid water just beside the hull to show some transparency.

 

Next up I have to finish the lower half of the hull with as much detail as my heart desires and figure out how to route all of the strings. Lot's of work ahead 'but hey'.... it's just a hobby!

 

Jeff

 

 

[JesseLee]

Interesting! Never seen the sea done this way.

[Chasseur]

Life has been very busy however some progress has been made. Seas are painted up and final touch-ups will have to be done inside of the bottle. I have to also add; some spray detail by the hull, some Woodland Scenic water effects by the hull to show some transparency as well, aforementioned done inside the bottle. Steady as she goes!

 

 

 

 

 

Dental pick to show the scale..... Happy Father's Day to all who read this.... Jeff

[Omega1234]

Looking nice Jeff! The sea looks angry, yet realistic, which is a credit to you. One question though, how will you hide the 'joints' between the seas?

[Chasseur]

Once all 4 pieces are in the bottle and glued into place I'll hide the joints by blending in some modelling paste. Some paint touch ups and she'll be good to go.

Thanks for asking a great question on your part!

Jeff

[Chasseur]

I appreciate your critique Robin. I will acknowledge the work is still in copywrite for now. As far as I know no one else has tried this particular technique to date. Where it will lead only God knows!

Jeff

[jo conrad]

This is very interesting project of one of the grait ships of history and I wish you well for give if this is a small crit in this fine work but I as an artist have a thing about work being atributatted to the original creaiter ,I dont see that and I feel it is only polight at lest  to put credits mention that this work is all most certanly still in copy wright . As an artist I dont get two up set as long as work is agknoleged and given any other credits . Theas coments are said with respect and I am shure as in most cases its just not thinking. If I have mist the credits for give me but I aint seem em robin b

 Hello Robin & Jeff.

 

There are no copyrights to be respected anymore. It´s been 105 years now, that "Preussen" has been run over by the that goof "Bristol"; her master-mind Georg W. Claussen, who constructed her, died in 1919, and the famous "Tecklenborg"-shipyard in Geestemünde went belly up in 1928. Copyrights expire after their statuary periods, and their objects become free for common use afterwards. So, as I mentioned far earlier : if you could manage to get the men, the money and the enthusiasm, you may go ahead right away and build a 1:1 replica without any legal problems to fear. I´ll sign on bosun as soon as she´ll glide down the slade.

We´ll give credit, where credit is due, and in their time these smart men at Tecklenborg´s have certainly had their fair share. But there´s no legal compulsion for something like copyright anymore.

And, Jeff : your log has a place of honour on my screen. Well done.

Best regards

Germanus

Edited July 1, 2015 by jo conrad

[Omega1234]

Hi Jo

 

Many thanks for clarifying the Copyright issue.  Interestingly, we have an Aussie billionaire who is planning to build a Titanic replica at $500 million AUD (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_II).  Based upon your info above, I'd imagine that there'd be no copyright issues to overcome as it's more than 100 years ago?

 

Cheers

 

Patrick 

[jo conrad]

Hi Jo

 

Based upon your info above, I'd imagine that there'd be no copyright issues to overcome as it's more than 100 years ago?

 

Cheers

 

Patrick 

Hi Patrick,

 

to put it short and sweet : no copyright issues anymore. Btw : to hold and prolongate a copyright means you have to pay after the expiration. And who would be foolish enough to throw his money down the drain for another icy desaster on that ill-fated ship? Asking for trouble that would be. Even the said billionaire dropped the idea of a replica after having come to his wits again.

 

Have a good weekend, ye´all.

Germanus

[Chasseur]

Okay got you Robin.

The painting was from Roger Chapelat a French Artist.

Jeff

[Chasseur]

Life has been exceedingly busy. I rarely get into the man cave these days as work has me going constantly. As well I have a big shut-down coming up which will require me to work 20 days straight to supervise the safety aspect and I will be on-call 24/7. However every once in a while I do manage to get a bit done regarding the planning and implementation of the Preussen build.

 

Lately I have been working on building a few special tools for inside the bottle work. My seas are ready to install but… I needed two special tools to proceed, and one more for inside the bottle finesse work.

 

 

The first is a tool (bottom one with special bend) is to touch up the cracks/seams with some modelling paste. The second tool is to then mask the paste with some acrylic paint so henceforth an inside the bottle paint brush system with interchangeable brushes.

 

 

The third tool is still in the design stage. It will be a spring loaded grabber type tool to maneuver stuff around inside of the bottle like yards, masts, sails, rigging etc. I purchased some brass tubing and bullet proof piano wire. I love the wire as I can heat it and beat it into whatever shape my heart desires.

 

 

 

The last picture shows the tool with the option for interchangeable heads.

 

 

So there you have it ... Jeff

[Omega1234]

Hi Jeff

 

Life would be great if it wasn't for "work" getting in the way, wouldn't it?

 

No rush with the ship, though. At least you'll have the modelling to look forward to, once things settle down.

 

All the best!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited August 16, 2015 by Omega1234

[captainbob]

Nice looking tools.  I like the paint brush. Very clever.

 

Bob

[Chasseur]

Patrick,

 

You're right all in due time!

 

Bob,

 

Thanks for the nice comment!

 

Jeff

[cog]

The additional prep time you have now, will make it the more easy when you are fixing her up in the bottle. Like those bottle tools. The genie at work ...

[dgbot]

Where did you find that brush!

David B

Edited August 17, 2015 by dgbot

[Chasseur]

One of the things learned from reading Harold A. Underhill’s books is his methodology when it comes to naval design and thinking. For a while I was struggling with how to run all of the ratlines and backstays for the Preussen. The Lord works in mysterious ways and last night the answer came. I will devise a lever in which everything will attach to and the lever will be allowed to pivot downwards to apply tension.

 

The masts will be stepped into a piece of brass tubing in the decking and will be removable. Once everything is inside the bottle then the masts can be inserted into the tubing one by one from the rear mast forward. Then all I’ll have to do is pull one control line for each mast and all of the back-stays and ratlines will be tightened and secured.

 

Option 1 is to run each individual control line through a hawsehole or …option two is through a hole drilled in the front of the hull. I am leaning towards option two as I probably will run all of the running rigging through the hawse holes. 30 lines X 5 = 150 lines. God’s way is always perfect I’ll only need 5!

Jeff

 

[Chasseur]

David the brush was purchased from Michael's.

Jeff

[JesseLee]

Cant wait to see how this actually works!

[molasses]

You can rig all the shrouds and backstays outside the bottle but you won't be able to set the masts into a hole or tube. You can use either hinges at the bottom of the masts or use one of two variations on what I call the "divot" method. For this just drill a very shallow hole - just up to the shoulder of the point of a bit the same diameter as the mast - leaving a shallow "divot" to locate the base of the mast. The base of the mast has a matching shallow cone to fit into the divot. Glue a length of thread into a small hole drilled in the center of the mast base and pass this thread through a small hole drilled through the hull at the center of the divot to draw the base of the mast into the divot. The thread can be omitted if you don't mind guiding the mast into place with a tool from outside the bottle. I've used both variations but prefer the thread when there are deck obstructions. It is possible to rig an entire vessel outside the bottle and pull the masts out of the divots which will collapse the rigging like pulling out the poles of a pup tent. Inside the bottle, all that is required is to move the bases of the masts back into the divots. However, this method requires clear space forward of the mast locating divots to allow the mast bases to slide on the deck into position. Having some fore-and-aft stays loose will allow moving the mast bases into the divots around or over obstacles.

 

Conventionally, all of the fore-and-aft stays (six on the foremast, four on the other four) will have to be routed out the bottle - 14 to 22 total, depending on how they're rigged. Here's three sketches of what happens to the fore-and-aft stays.

 

 

A brig with three yards on each mast, other spars (spanker boom and gaff) and all rigging but the fore-and-aft stays have been omitted. There are two variations on rigging these stays. First is to have the main topmast stay (middle one on the aft mast) route through the foremast (where it becomes the forestay) and through the deck. Similarly with the main topgallant stay (the upper one) through the foremast (where it becomes the fore topmast stay) and through the bowsprit. You won't be able to glue the fore topmast stay sail to the stay, it will have to slide on that stay. The alternative is to rig the main topmast and topgallant stays more realistically by passing the stays through eyes glued to the aft side of the foremast and down through holes in the deck and out the bottle. They can be routed through the same hole as the mainstay. Of course, all the forestays start on the foremast and go out through the hull and bowsprit in this variation.

 

 

Here we have the two variations on masts. The upper has the bases of the masts fixed in place by hinges. The stays are all the same length as those on the first sketch. Notice how much more line will be needed in order for the masts to fold down. If the stay continues through the foremast then the shortages are added together and it also shows why many staysails can't be glued to the stays when continuous stays are used.

The lower sketch has the mast bases loose. It seems possible to attach the stays at both ends to the mast and deck as shown but I would plan for the stays going through the bowsprit being control lines. On a five-master, the main mast stay(s) going through the deck may need to be loose as well. This could cut the number of stays out your bottle down to six or eight, maybe ten. I've never tried the divot method (with none of the stays being control lines - re-erecting a tent with only the tent poles) on more than two masts. I've learned that Murphy takes special interest in ship bottling and I prefer having options when - not if - something doesn't go as planned.

 

If you're intending to rig the shrouds and backstays loose and draw them with the pull of one string, it would depend on 150 tied and glued knots not failing. You would need to glue off all of those threads individually inside the bottle to make sure the standing rigging doesn't go slack if any of those knots fail with time.

 

Depending on how complete you intend to rig Preussen, I see eight or ten control lines in the fore-and-aft stays and two control lines for the spanker boom. Braces, yard halliards, topping lifts, clew lines, bunt lines, leech lines, reef tackles, etc. can be rigged outside the bottle and won't need adjustment inside the bottle, with a few exceptions such as tacks (and those are easy in the bottle but rarely done). I don't see any point in doing up-hauls, down-hauls and both the sheets on all the stay sails (and much of the listed running rigging) on a model of Preussen that isn't much longer than a pen. You're going to have a problem keeping the diameter of the rigging to scale; simplifying the rigging somewhat will help balance over-size lines. Even the finest fly tie thread is grossly out of scale for stay sail lines and many other small lines.