Paddleducks

General => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: jraah on September 16, 2007, 02:28:07 AM

Title: Hi from England
Post by: jraah on September 16, 2007, 02:28:07 AM

Hi Guys ‘n Gals,
I’m from over the pond in England and I’m 65 and retired. I have loved and admired all sorts of model making and craft work since I was a little grasshopper! The type of models I like most are the scratch built ones, the beautiful scale model sailing ships, like 1,053 tons “Coriolanus” jute clipper and the 2,732 ton four-masted barque “Admiral Karpfanger”. I love the model automobiles of Gerald Wingrove. But my passion at the moment is Scale Model Horse Drawn Vehicles, (SMHDV). I have my own website HERE (http://scalemodelhorsedrawnvehicle.co.uk/), and I also have a forum, (much like Paddelducks) which is unfortunately down at the moment!

It was one of your regular members, Bill Hudson, from Eugene, Oregon who soon after joining my forum and introducing members to some of his outstanding SMHDVs; suggested that I take a look in here.

I don’t know how many of you will remember a U.S. TV western show of the 1950s called “Maverick”. James Garner stared as Bret Maverick, a footloose frontier gambler who would often be seen aboard a luxury Mississippi paddle steamer. I must have been in my mid teens in those days, but even then I thought what a fantastic model a Mississippi paddle steamer would make.

Take a look at this......Click on each image to enlarge.
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u273/Cougar_022/th_steamboat01.jpg) (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u273/Cougar_022/steamboat01.jpg)...(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u273/Cougar_022/th_steamboat02.jpg) (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u273/Cougar_022/steamboat02.jpg)....And a close-up.

It is actually a marquetry picture about 3 foot x 2 foot.
I have actually stood just a few inches from this and the detail of the work is incredible! Every shadow, eyebrow and even the rope lines and the “+” in each of the windows on the upper deck are thin strips of timber.
This marquetry was displayed at a woodworking exhibition that I attended last April.
I like it; as it incorporates an age of these paddle steamers and also the extensive every day use of horse drawn vehicles that touched everyone’s lives! I hope you like it, and its just my way of introducing myself and my hobby, and showing by the picture that both hobbies are somewhat related by history, if nothing else!

Title: Hi from England
Post by: Hank on September 16, 2007, 07:32:10 AM

Welcom Jhaar.  This is a great, friendly site but watch out for those guys from OZland.  :hehe
Bill

Title: Hi from England
Post by: bogstandard on September 16, 2007, 03:40:46 PM

Hi Jraah,
I think you maybe need a new compass, This is a UK site.
But we have a lot of members from the US and Australia.
Welcome aboard one of the friendliest and happy sites you will find.

John