Down in the mud

[MrTin]

Hi all,

habitues of other forums might have seen this, but it's a diorama, or rather, a 1/48th scale set piece, which I knocked up in a couple of evenings because I was missing my estuaries....the popping of the aerating mud, the tap-tap-tapping of rigging on pine masts, the clang of the aluminium masts being struck rhythmically by a wire halyard and that mesmeric lapping of an incoming tide, lazily subsuming oyster beds, cockleshell paths and slippery wooden plank bridges over the widening rills. Old hulls still able to rise to the occasion shift uneasily from side to side till, with a resounding whoosh, they once again celebrate flotation......

Aaahhhh....I feel better now.

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Merry Christmas,

Martin

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[mobear]

kind of reminds me of cantys brig in the borders just north west of berwick upon tweed,really nice diorama,but over a couple of evenings,that i didnt need to know lol,the best part of a month for me i think hahahahha.merry christmas to you

mobear

 

[stona]

Very nice,very atmospheric Martin.

Merry Christmas......mine should be now as the shopping is officially DONE!

Cheers

Steve

 

[MrTin]

Ole,

my son lives in Berwick. I'll have to ask him about Canty's Brig.

When I built this I had a model Riva on the bench and was getting sick of it. Hence I swept all aside and bashed this out like a demon, till I felt good again and that is why I keep scenic work just for me.

Here are some bits to go in a model of our historic narrow boat Heather Bell, sold last year. These will be a second model in the wharf (Roger was built in the same Nurser's yard as HB), then incorporated in a bigger set piece called Lantern Yard, which is a canal/narrow gauge railway interchange point. Many bits are made, but nothing put together yet.

By comparison with the dinghy set piece, the lock gate took me two full days, plus my chum's casting time for the lock furniture cast from my brass masters.

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I should point out that these bits are a bit weatherbeaten as I had them in a complete boat, then was politely informed that Roger was a wooden boat and I'd made it as an iron one. Doh!!

So I had to prise it all apart.

7mm scale again.

Cheers,

Martin

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[mobear]

i used to go fishing at cantys as the laws for the tweed were different there,as it was english side,the other side was scottish so you had to get a fishing licence to fish,was great for a sunday day out lol,do you use magnifiers for the intricate work,or take happy pills lol,coz i would need them after getting it to look that good,kind of a back handed way of saying..................`we`re not worthy` well me anyway,awesome workmanship

mobear

 

[MrTin]

It's a one haired brush and a steady hand, but that's it really. Just a bit of styrene and off you go. I painted the lettering with the excellent Pelikan Plaka paint, as I like my railway and scenic stuff very matt, but a good modern paint would do it. If using acrylics, keep the brush constantly washed out.

The lock gate is based on the Welsh and Shropshire Union Canals. Each canal has its own style of gates and gate furniture.

I can just lose myself in this sort of thing, which is why it only happens when the muse is upon me!

The gate is my favourite wood, steamed pear. It can be worked like a soft metal, so hard and figureless is it.

The fittings are white metal, cast by Dave Ellis of South Eastern Finecast. I made the patterns as fine as I dare in brass and he did a superb job for me. A wee bit of space in someone else's mould.

My son's brother-in-law does fishing trips on the Tweed!

Cheers,

Martin

 

[mobear]

Again all i can say is stunning work,and its given me food for thought,thnx Martin.

mobear

 

[MrTin]

That's what it's intended to do. Get people interested in scratchbuilding, however simple or small and then help them to achieve it. I've nothing to prove after a life making this stuff, so ask away. If I know, I'll tell you. The "Arts and Mysteries" school of craftsmanship is all bunk to me. If you can do it better and quicker, tell me how!

Sorry to be a bit serious at this time of year, but this game has got me through some serious S**t at times and the more you can do, the more fulfilling it is.

Cheers,

Martin

 

[mobear]

i started a diorama its of the ardein americans one side germans the other,middle of winter trees one side and a small hill the other,its in 1/72,but the whole thing now scares me lol,being so new to this model malarky it could get very messy and where do you say enough detail has got in?oh well in the new year your ears will be burning,and carple tunnel syndrome will set in with all the answers to questions i will be begging for :thumbsup::laughing:

mobear

 

[MrTin]

Haha, I'd better get voice recognition then, eh?

Get Christmas out of the way and then fire away, squire.

I don't know anything about military matters, but I realise most on here are War fans and in the end, shapes is shapes, whatever they're doing. It can all be cut, folded, bent, turned or beaten. Break down each process into its barest minimum jobs to do and build them all up. Ain't nuttn' can't be made somehow. The challenge is a big part of it.

Cheers,

Martin