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I find it extraordinary that it took only 10 years for early 18th century craftsmen to make it, but it required 24 years to reconstruct despite having access to

I find it extraordinary that it took only 10 years for early 18th century craftsmen to make it, but it required 24 years to reconstruct despite having access to late 20th century tools and technology.

p1esk 1y ago
What late 20th century tools and technology were used to reconstruct it that weren’t available during its construction?
- tetromino_ 1y ago
  I don't know any details. But off the top of my head, I can think of: - photography and modern printing, making it vastly easier to distribute high-quality copies of reference images to craftsmen - electric lights, allowing work to be done at any time of day and year (extremely important factor in Northern Europe!) - thermostats, allowing optimal heat/humidity for amber work at any time of year - electric-driven tools (drills, saws, polishing equipment, etc.) - better and faster-drying adhesives and paint - personal protective equipment (e.g. masks and goggles), allowing craftsmen to work longer continuous hours without risking their health - higher-quality and more ergonomic measuring instruments - better and vastly more ergonomic optical equipment (jeweler loupes, microscopes, etc.) ... and there's probably lots more
  - antisthenes 1y ago
    Lots of nice guesses that don't make a lot of sense after a more careful analysis. > - photography and modern printing, making it vastly easier to distribute high-quality copies of reference images to craftsmen Likely less than 0.1% of actual work to be done > - thermostats, allowing optimal heat/humidity for amber work at any time of year If this wasn't necessary during the original construction, why would it speed up reconstruction? > - electric-driven tools (drills, saws, polishing equipment, etc.) Given how fine the details are, it's unlikely that anything but manual labor and hand tools were used. > - better and faster-drying adhesives and paint One of the features of the room is that it's made from materials that don't require paint, e.g. it is natural amber and gold plating (or solid gold?). Not sure about adhesives, you may have a point there. > - personal protective equipment (e.g. masks and goggles), allowing craftsmen to work longer continuous hours without risking their health There's nothing much hazardous about gold or amber. > - better and vastly more ergonomic optical equipment (jeweler loupes, microscopes, etc.) The details are fine, but not that fine. We're not making the smallest wrist-watch in the world here. This is evident from wiki pictures.
jason-at-spare 1y ago
I suppose the original craftsmen could do whatever came easily given their tools, abilities, and constraints, whereas the reconstructors had to replicate whatever the original craftsmen did even when it did not come easily to them.

p1esk 1y ago

What late 20th century tools and technology were used to reconstruct it that weren’t available during its construction?

tetromino_ 1y ago
I don't know any details. But off the top of my head, I can think of: - photography and modern printing, making it vastly easier to distribute high-quality copies of reference images to craftsmen - electric lights, allowing work to be done at any time of day and year (extremely important factor in Northern Europe!) - thermostats, allowing optimal heat/humidity for amber work at any time of year - electric-driven tools (drills, saws, polishing equipment, etc.) - better and faster-drying adhesives and paint - personal protective equipment (e.g. masks and goggles), allowing craftsmen to work longer continuous hours without risking their health - higher-quality and more ergonomic measuring instruments - better and vastly more ergonomic optical equipment (jeweler loupes, microscopes, etc.) ... and there's probably lots more
- antisthenes 1y ago
  Lots of nice guesses that don't make a lot of sense after a more careful analysis. > - photography and modern printing, making it vastly easier to distribute high-quality copies of reference images to craftsmen Likely less than 0.1% of actual work to be done > - thermostats, allowing optimal heat/humidity for amber work at any time of year If this wasn't necessary during the original construction, why would it speed up reconstruction? > - electric-driven tools (drills, saws, polishing equipment, etc.) Given how fine the details are, it's unlikely that anything but manual labor and hand tools were used. > - better and faster-drying adhesives and paint One of the features of the room is that it's made from materials that don't require paint, e.g. it is natural amber and gold plating (or solid gold?). Not sure about adhesives, you may have a point there. > - personal protective equipment (e.g. masks and goggles), allowing craftsmen to work longer continuous hours without risking their health There's nothing much hazardous about gold or amber. > - better and vastly more ergonomic optical equipment (jeweler loupes, microscopes, etc.) The details are fine, but not that fine. We're not making the smallest wrist-watch in the world here. This is evident from wiki pictures.

jason-at-spare 1y ago

I suppose the original craftsmen could do whatever came easily given their tools, abilities, and constraints, whereas the reconstructors had to replicate whatever the original craftsmen did even when it did not come easily to them.