General Chat

Well I was going to say With great difficulty ! lol They have always fascinated me too. Well done, Len, you are clever to do what you do.

Oh Len you aint half clever - we knew an old 'sailor' once who made wooden ships in bottles (I think Dimple Whisky bottles were his favourites). He seemed to 'knock 'em up' really quickly and he gave them away just as quickly. What a wonderful hobby. I envy you the dexterity and patience required, I really do. Jacqui

never could work out them airfix kits!!! LOL

Sheila, also build Napoleonic period model ships fron scratch, thats starting off with just the plan, make the lot out of bits and pieces, I make moulds andd cast the cannon and anything else thats needed ie anchors etc, making the blocks for the rigging is a pain though, the hulls are woodenframes then their planked over, have to cut the planks myself, use old bits of furniture etc. Half way through buildng 22 gun frigate, and started on the frames of 50 gun ship similar to the orrible old 'Leopard' as mentioned in Patrick O'Briens books. Len Isnt retirement fun????

Pass on that one Jacqui Len

I think the glass ships in bottles are made by making the ship first and then blowing the bottle around them? or is that too straightforward?? (cos, if the glass ships had string on the masts etc surely they would break??) Jacqui

wow Len - you actually make them! I am impressed - I think they look fantastic

All the mast's and yards are laid flat the mast's are hinged at the base and have line attached to them so that when the ship is inserted into bottle you pull on the lines(very thin cotton) and the mast and yards come up into place, glue is dabbed on the line where it passes thro. a small eye on the hull then when set the line is severed. I use a piece of razor blade on a thin piece of dowel, put cork in and 'Voila' the ships in the bottle. Hope that answer's your ? Len x sailor

Nope! - because Heather beat me LOL

LOL my hubby asked the same question last week when we were in a restaurant and they had the glass bottles with ships in. I came up with the answer (after a few glasses of wine), now i can't remember. Annie just to add, the bottles i am talking about have the glass ships inside. work that one out!!!

It's like a flat pack (well sort of) - poke it in through the neck in its collapsed form, leaving a thread on the outside to pull it up by. Mags xxx ( Do I qualify as an intellectual ? LOL)

Are you kiddin? If you really dont know, they have the little masts all flat but with a bit of thin thread attached to them. Put the ship in the bottle, pull the thread and up comes the masts!

:0))