Zapałchitektura - or openwork designs from matches

Match modeling has almost as long a history as matches themselves. It is based on a very cheap and readily available material to create your own various designs. This time we will look at their types and try our hand at creating small, garden and matchstick architecture.

This is not the first material about match models in the "Workshop" - interested persons are referred to previous articles: "Box for small things", "Match bridges" and "Gnomish gifts". Sometimes it was from such boxed items that unused (unlit) matches remained. Great! Now will be their time.

Old, (not) good matches...

It is most often assumed that matches were invented in china - in 508, to be exact! There they were called "fiery inch stick" and consisted of a pine lath with a pommel of sulfur.

He produced the first European matches in Paris in 1805. John Chancel. To light them, you needed a bottle of concentrated concentrate. hydrochloric acid! The matches with which you need to rub the stick are the work of an English pharmacist. John Walker, since 1826

In later years it appeared in match heads. white phosphorus (as dangerous to produce as it is to use) - such as those known as Lucifer matches Or rays of Prometheus, began production in London in 1833.

Samuel Jones. In 1845, a safer incendiary ingredient was discovered. red phosphorus, and a new type of matches received the designation (1) (sometimes still visible on the boxes) - although sometimes they were also called Swedish, from nationality Johan Edward Lundströmwho started producing them in 1855. In the United States, almost simultaneously, the production of matches based on phosphorus sulfide, sparkling on any hard surface, even on the sole of a boot - like in old gangster films.

1. Contrary to the English descriptions seen on the box, these are matches from Czestochowa (i.e. Swedish type), although in fact they were made for export to England - until the 80s they were stored in such wooden boxes.

Today, match heads are coated with a mass consisting mainly of potassium chlorate, antimony sulphide, sulfur, dyes and frosted glass (to increase friction). The scratches on the boxes are mainly from red phosphorus and frosted glass.

The term phylumenism, referring to the selection of match labels, comes from two words: Greek (love) and Latin (light).

In addition to ordinary matches, special matches are also produced in Poland: promotional (in various sizes and boxes), thunder (windproof), smoke (for chimney sweeps), fireplace (up to 250 mm long), matches for kindling, and even matches “American - fired from a shoe."

The oldest match factory in modern Poland was founded in 1845 in Sianov. After World War II, it was transformed into Industry Match in Sianowskie. Since 1995 he has acted as Polmatch – Match plant in Syanov.

2. Almost the whole world can be created from matches! This large globe is the work of New York-based artist Andy Yoder.

3. Multi-colored matches can also be used to sculpt figures, as David Mach does ...

4. …and also Marin Abell…

Today, unfortunately, this is only history - just as, in particular, Bystrzhitsky plant of the match industry, created in 1897, or Czestochowa Matching Plant, created in 1881 (since 2010, it has not been engaged in the production of matches on an industrial scale - in fact, it is only the Museum of Match Production with an offer of promotional matches).

Currently, match factories operate in Poland, including Chekhovice Spice Factory, founded in 1919 (production since 1921), and Euromatch Sp. Mr. o. about, was established in 1995 as a result of the restructuring of part of the property of the aforementioned former state-owned plant in Bystrica and the capital Italmatch. There are also smaller enterprises in Koszalin and Voloszyn, producing mainly special matches - promotional, fireplace and storm matches.

5. Unusual sculptures / figurines from single matches are also created by an Indonesian hiding in social networks under the pseudonym Korekgraphy. Among the achievements of Polish artists, Anatoliy Karon's fascinating, usually disposable works deserve special attention.

It is worth noting that in Bystrica Klodska there is the Museum of Philumenists, which contains match labels and exhibits related to the storage of fire, matches and lighters.

Match simulation

Typically, the most common matches in Poland are made from aspen and have dimensions of 2,2×2,2×43 mm. Usually they are packed in boxes of 38 pieces (before 1984, wooden boxes were also produced in Częstochowa). A standard matchbox with a cardboard box has dimensions of 53×35×16 mm.

In Poland, you can buy matches of almost any color of the head, often also with colored sticks or only matches (without heads) - as training (often colored) or models (also of different lengths and sections).

From inconspicuous matches, you can create various works - from the simplest school assignments, through models of various sizes and complexity, to the most real works of art (2-8)!

6. Hogwarts from the Harry Potter universe was built by Pat Acton for 602 people. matches in the technique of "clean blade". The towers of the magic castle are over 2 meters high. Along with equally impressive works, they can be seen at the special Matchstick Marvels Museum in Gladbrook, Iowa, USA.

7. A few decades ago, models with burnt matches were perhaps the most popular. This tower of 1200 matches is presented on his website by Przemysław Nagy (here: www.stylowi.pl).

8. Models from whole matches, assembled without the use of glue, represent a separate area of ​​​​matchmaking activity - I don’t use the word “sculpting” on purpose, because it’s spiritual to watch what their creators do with them after we complete the assembly ...

Among the styles of construction, several different directions can be distinguished. So we have models:

• glued from burnt matches (a very popular style in the past, now it’s the other way around);
• from matches with heads - glued or only correctly assembled, treated like puzzles, sometimes even spectacularly set on fire at the end of a construction show;
• glued from cut matches or from specially designed matches.

In the latter group, a very interesting alternative is a series of designs known to have been conceived in the 90s by a Canadian from Quebec, Roland Quinton. The idea was to create light, almost lacy models – mostly architectural, although the offer of self-assembly kits also includes aircraft, vehicles and ships (9).

9. Canadian Roland Quinton has been promoting a slightly different concept since the 90s. His models are like lace among materials - delicate and light.

10. Matchitecture kits contain literally everything you need to build.

11. For the smallest modellers, recently there are kits that use only whole sticks.

Usually the box contains complete executive documentation and all the necessary tools and materials (10) - including matches (longer than ours: 53 mm). Recently, Quinton has also developed model kits especially for the youngest modellers, for the assembly of which only whole, not cut, sticks are used (11).

training kit

The intricate matchstick patterns make a really big impression. However, it should be noted that they require a lot of patience, so they can also be a great workout and form of relaxation - if we approach this task in the right way. So, let's start with a relatively simple model and prepare all the necessary tools and materials in advance.

To assemble the models presented in this article, you will need (12):

• razor blade in holder - as an option, you can use a regular razor blade with an overlay from an aluminum can; However, I do not recommend wallpaper cutters and other pliers or wire cutters because the cut ends cannot be crushed. For larger projects, it is worth considering buying or making an even more convenient guillotines Or mechanical stick ball;
• cutting sticks - modeling self-healing mat or piece of carpet or plywood;
• penseta - metal or plastic, with relatively narrow tips;
• pins and/or strips for fixing sticky sticks;
• self-adhesive film - to fix the assembled elements (or double-sided), and transparent - to fix detailed plans;
• laying for executive plansinto which you can stick pins - in the simplest version, this can be a five-layer corrugated cardboard from discount boxes;
• fast drying wood glue (e.g. Magic) and/or medium/thick cyanoacrylate glue (plus accelerator);
• typical household matches - not necessarily sticks for modeling, because. in our project, the longest individual elements are the length of a match without a head;
• executive plan on a scale of 1:1.

12. Materials and tools useful for our project (more detailed description can be found in the text).

13. You should start with the simplest models - benches and a garden table are best suited for this.

14. Next, I recommend choosing simple openwork segments. For their assembly, additional planks (for example, from plywood) attached (glued) to the plan, between which crossbars can be inserted, will be very helpful.

Garden architecture with the enthusiasm of young technologies in L scale

In order not to scare novice modelers at the start, I suggest starting with really small architecture, in our case, garden architecture (13) - and in the scale of popular blocky minifigures (approximately 1:48). In this case, the inspiration is real wooden garden structures, among which you can find other interesting designs.

For our purposes, I designed a pergola with two benches and a table, which is the best place to start.

The executive plan of the models presented in the article can be downloaded as a PDF file from the monthly website (mt.com.pl) or author (www.MODELmaniak. pl). After printing, attach it (for example, with a self-adhesive transparent tape) to the tabletop and secure it with tape - in its entirety or at the joints of the elements. For very small items, such as table and bench legs, it may be more convenient to apply double-sided tape and not use pins to position items.

15. Diagonal openwork, glued to pre-prepared bottom elements - also between auxiliary rails, is certainly the most difficult thing in this project. Their shortest elements are especially demanding. An alternative would be to add a second layer, although it would obviously be different from the original ...

16. Prefabricated arbors cleaned of "bottom glue" and ready for final assembly.

Cut the sticks to size and attach to the gluing on the plan. When gluing, it is good to attach the elements by slightly pressing in - for this, it is best between mounting strips made of pine or plywood ("citrus").

Depending on your preference, you can use POW glue (Wikol, Magic, etc.) or cyanoacryl (Super Glue, Joker, etc.). Each of them has its pros and cons. POW is better suited for building prefabricated frames. On the other hand, CA, while definitely faster, will discolour the wood a bit over time.

17. Small accessories on the table and benches - MODEL Maniac-assistant seems to be happy ... 😉

18 The finished model would probably look better in a small garden, but ... it's winter. We will return to the topic of miniature gardening in "In the Workshop".

After gluing the individual prefabricated elements, remove them from the mounting board and, if necessary, remove the adhesive. Match models are usually not ground to a single ideal plane. At this stage, the details of the model can be impregnated with capon, less often diluted glue is used. The frames are glued together in a fixed geometry (safer with a slower glue).

More detailed information can be found in the attached photos and their descriptions (14-18).

And wishing you success and satisfaction in the difficult art of match modeling, I traditionally encourage you to share your stories on our social networks - editorial and author's.

It's also worth seeing

• http://bit.ly/2EWwjNm

• http://bit.ly/2EY1g3I - report from the Museum of Matchmaking in Częstochowa.

• http://bit.ly/2LDShoM - AT-AT machine ("Star Wars")

• http://bit.ly/2QbrBfU - Land of matches

• http://bit.ly/2RmziUR - incl. F1 car in 1:1

• http://bit.ly/2EW1aJO - small matches

• http://bit.ly/2CFSvsA - Anatoly Karon, sculptor of one match

• http://bit.ly/2LEnN5V - model selection: Przemysław Nagi

• http://bit.ly/2TjmhsS - Formula 1 without glue, but with fire (film)

• http://bit.ly/2s178R3 - Matchstick Marvels Museum in Gladbrook, Iowa, USA.

• http://bit.ly/2AoPrzz - lace match designs