1/2" Scale project still in progress (somehow)

[james_coldicott]

Chuck,

the pump looks fantastic- just not sure about the weathering on those engineer's squares!

James

[Frederic Testard]

Chuck, I hate you. When I didn't know your work, I quietly modelled some decent mountains and a pleasant railroad crossing them to bring ore and logs to people in the valley.
And now, I'm always wondering what new desire you're going to create with your insanely realistic models. It's very very bad from you, because if there are people who say they will go back to their toy soldiers, others are motivated to try to approach what you do.
Very, very bad.
But please, don't stop.

[finescalerr]

I couldn't agree more.

Now, about those guys and their toy soldiers, that is not just humor. More than a few people have told me they don't like or read the Annuals because they find the books intimidating; they could never aspire to such modeling so why look at it?

Why doesn't such a person just wear a T-shirt that says "I lack confidence, am lazy, and a loser"? Yet that same guy will open Playboy and drool over women who would never so much as give him a glance. At least, with model building, he has a chance!

Fortunately, what intimidates the masses also may inspire the few. I hope Chuck and the rest of you continue to intimidate forever!

Russ

[shropshire lad]

Russ ,

  What you need are some articles by modellers who aren't very good .


   Just putting the finishing touches to my article for you as we speak ,

  Nick

[danpickard]

Russ,
Thats one of the best observations of your annual's I've heard in a long time! 
I can understand why some modellers would be a bit too intimidated to contribute to this forum, but that's a poor reason to avoid looking at the inspiring content of the annuals.

Chuck,
You know I'd expect no less an effort from you.  Its always a bit of a reality check to see a piece of your work in amongst some 1:1 items, to give a true sense of scale (or are they just really massive squares from the same guy that sold you the huge novelty quarter?).

Cheers,
Dan

[finescalerr]

We need more contributions by modelers with Nick's level of mediocrity! -- Russ

[jacq01]

   Russ,   
  don't give him such stimulating idea's.  Going on like that and he feel himself too good to help me or Marcel during exhibitions.   

  Jacq

[TRAINS1941]

I stole an hour and glued the glass cylinder in place. Used highly sofisticated tooling to insure everything was straight....

Isn't modern technology wonderful!!!

Jerry

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks! Russ I agree with Dan, that is a great comparison! I also vow to take better care of my squares James, all I need is a ladder. 

Well, I took a day off this weekend and did some modeling. Let the toilet run, leave the leaves in the gutters, and ignore the leaky roof (I mean it ain't rainin' today!)

Instead I got the tie rods attached around the cylinder on my pump. Made from .015 brass wire, blackened, hairsprayed, Dullcoted and brush painted with thinned Polly Scale.  Chipped and installed and the rusting just begun. I clopped its (unfinished) little domed hat on and took it out in the sun for some quick checkpics:



Couldn't resist an "artsy" shot:



Craig, the glass is somewhat dirty; I couldn't bring myself to hide all of the interior detail.

Peace, Fredric!

[JESTER]

Very nice!! That cracked paint looks great!!

[Mobilgas]

Chuck,    I like it    I kind of figured you didn't want to dirty up the glass to bad and hide the details.....the one in the picture i posted was real dirty    Are you going to do lenses for the metal globe?? If you do a little Tip....they were not flat....but you probably new that.     Craig

[danpickard]

Chuck,
Please remove that sign from the side of the pump...its false advertising. 
As far as I was aware, it was made from some sort of PAP polymer resin sort of plastic material...not lead

Dan

[Chuck Doan]

Thanks! The cracked paint was just happenstance. I have tried and failed many more times than successes.

Craig, the lenses will be long gone-seems more forlorn that way. And much easier for me!

Dan, I am sure there is something harmful in there somewhere. California will probably ban it.

Still needs the hose outlet, hose and nozzle, as well as the pump handle and price box. Should be finished by June (year unspecified)!

[finescalerr]

I like the artsy shot. And it shows off the detail really well. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]