VIDEO. Toulouse: “The idea of this maintenance at the Halle de la Machine is to give a second life to the Minotaur”
After having covered 700 km on the Trail of Giants in 2022 and transporting 70,000 travelers on its back, it is time for the Minotaur to treat itself to a fitness cure. On the program: dismantling, overhaul, cleaning, painting and varnishing. Adeline Brugère, Real Machinist and dermatologist of the Minotaur, tells us more.
Every year, in January, while the Halle de la Machine is closed, the Minotaur is dismantled, cleaned and reassembled. Why is this interview necessary?
Like us humans, who wash every day, during this month of January, we take care of our machines. We will mainly work on the Minotaur.
What is your role precisely?
I am responsible for all the maintenance and treatment of wood and color. On the Minotaur, I take care of the wooden hulls. First, we clean them, then they are sanded, handled and we put paint where it is needed. To carry out this work, we are a team of 5 to 7 people over the whole month. The idea of this maintenance is really to offer a surplus of punch and life to the Minotaur. A second youth in short. For this, we give him some color on his muzzle, around his eyes and we will give him new eyelashes.
What are you going to do on the wings?
We will mainly clean them. Some have already left for repair in Nantes.
Considering the size of the Minotaur, do you comment?
We use nacelles to dismantle the hulls that we work on the ground. Just for the head of the Minotaur, we are dealing with the assembly of two shells of 130 kg each. During this maintenance work, we communicate a lot between us. The teams are smaller, the cohesion is stronger. It is also a very pleasant moment because you can spread out throughout the Halle.
Is this the first time the Minotaur’s head has been deposited?
No, on the other hand, it is the first time that the mechanical and hydraulic part has been removed. The rust will be cleaned and some parts changed, it’s the responsibility of another team.
How difficult is your task?
Some parts are sanded by hand, others by machine, especially the flat parts. On the curves and angles, we intervene on the main car, the idea is not to resculpt the parts but rather to remove this skin to put another one. We have to deal with what already exists. At times, one wonders how far to sand? Should we arrive at the bare wood or stop before and make a connection.
Does it really require a month of work?
Ah yes, there could even be more. After the head of the Minotaur, we take care of the arms which have a lot of blackening, then the back, without forgetting the temple. Everything must be finished for the reopening on February 4th.
As a True Machinist, how does it feel to enter the bowels of the Minotaur?
To me, that makes sense as far as I manipulate it to the exoskeleton. It is I who bring the Minotaur’s arms, chest and head to life. Therefore, disassembling it, I better understand the presence of some scratches.
Are there other maintenances during the year?Yes, but they will not pass the closing of the Halle. They are scheduled at the end of spring and at the end of summer, for one week.
The Spider is not entitled to the same treatment as the Minotaur?
Yes, but not at the same time. Unlike the two Spiders, the Minotaur must be present on the tarmac every day to walk people around. As it is the most sought after, it is also the one we pamper the most.
Reopening scheduled for February 4
Closed on December 31, the Halle de la Machine will reopen on February 4 with a “brand new” Minotaur. This will be an opportunity to discover a new exhibition. Indeed drawn, hundreds of sketches of machines by François Delarozière, never seen by the public, come out of the drawing boxes, in the company of brand new machines!