A Ship-In-A-Bottle. Part 1
Sooner or later every model maker feels that he would like to tackle the most popular and
mysterious of ship model novelties - a ship-in-a-bottle. To the uninitiated, the task of
placing a tiny rigged ship in an ordinary quart bottle seems like nothing short of magic.
Yet, with patience and determination, anyone who is handy with tools can make one of these
interesting curiosities. First, get a clear glass bottle (round, quart size) and clean it
inside and out. If the neck is large, the work will be easier; if small, the result will
be more intriguing. Although any kind of ship can be made, this work was in fashion among
the clipper ship sailors, therefore a clipper, especially as it is long and slender, is
well adapted to the purpose. The hull, as shown in Figs, 1 and 2, can be slightly more
slender than the usual shape and cut off a little below the water line. It should occupy
not more than half of the neck of the bottle. The top should be cut into so as to leave
the bulwarks standing; this also gives room for the masts and gear. The bottom should be
hollowed as shown in Fig. 2. Paint and varnish the hull to any clipper ship colors you
desire; usually, just black and white with red or green below the water line. Deck houses,
lifeboats, and steering gear can be added if desired.
Since the hull later will be set in putty in the bottle, you must ascertain what the distance will be from the deck, when in position in the putty, to the inside of the bottle, so that the masts may be as long as possible yet not too long to stand upright. The masts may well be in one piece, with steps cut, in them to represent the lowermast, topmast, topgallant mast, and royal mast. Make them as slender as you can with sufficient strength to allow them to stand a moderate strain after the necessary holes have been drilled. Straight-grained hickory, birch, or maple is suitable. These suggestions apply also to the bowsprit and jib boom. The yards, spanker boom, and gaff are nicely rounded little sticks, tapered toward the ends. The principle of getting the ship in is merely this: All the masts have to fold down on the deck and then be erected when in the bottle by means of the hauling stays.
Each of the masts should have little tops and cross- trees of wood, celluloid, or fiber - and caps as well, if you like. Above and below the crosstrees of the foremast, holes pass through what appears to be the division between the lowermast and the topmast (see Fig. 1). Also drill the fore-and-aft holes as indicated for the stays, as well as a small hole for the futtock shrouds below where the top comes, and holes for the yard lifts. The mainmast will be drilled in the same way, with the addition of athwart holes for the mizzen braces. The mizzenmast needs no holes for stays, but has to have them for the main braces, as well as one each for the spanker boom and the gaff. At the lower end each mast is slightly rounded, and a small hole is drilled for the hinge wires. If you make the masts of three separate spars, they must be firmly joined. In that case, the shrouds and backstays will pass between them instead of through small holes as in the model illustrated. The bowsprit has three vertical holes for the head stays, and the boom and gaff each has one hole at the mast end. All the spars may be white, black, or varnished. The next step is to rig her up, outside the bottle. Two or three different thicknesses of thread should be used - say No. 50 black thread and No. 70 white or natural.
Fix the bowsprit firmly into a hole in the bow and rig it as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These
ropes can be hitched to the boom and pegged into the hull. Fasten the yards to the masts
in their correct positions by first tying a thread tightly around the center of each yard
with a double knot abaft and then carry the thread around the mast so that they will
remain in position, yet can be turned to lie along the masts (see Fig, 2).
The spanker boom and gaff should be tied to the mizzenmast with the thread through the drilled holes. Starting with the mizzenmast, hinge each mast to the deck by carrying a wire through it and down through the hull, twisting the ends together underneath (see Fig. 2). You should be able to turn the masts down flat on the hull. Fasten the stays and reeve them through the hull, or through the next mast and then through the hull or jib boom, as indicated in Fig. 1, leaving the ends long enough to pass out of the bottle with plenty to spare. The end of the mizzen topmast stay is pegged to the deck at the stern. Then the stay is hitched around the boom and gaff and hitched again at the crosstrees. This will prevent the masts from coming too far forward when hoisted. Raise the masts and hold them in position by pegging the forestay where it comes out of the hawse pipe (see Fig. 3).