Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: RickF on August 31, 2006, 05:42:31 pm
-
A recent feature on our local TV news suddenly made me think. With all the restrictions on young people buying glue, solvents and knives of any description, how does anyone get started in any modelling hobby these day?
Rick
-
They don't - and companies such as Humbrol go out of business as a result.
-
Take your parents, ;D ;D
-
Or at least wait till you are out of nappies..
Roy
-
.... most of us would probably cringe at the idea of using the common or garden, no hassle PVA on our boat models - after all, its mostly soluble in water right? Well, the model railway world loves it - you can stick virtually anything to anything with it... ;)
And as for paints - big poly cartons of poster paints - with which you can happily 'do a Rolf' on your virtual backscenes - no hassle! :D
Its the model boat builders who have the problem with Cyanoacrylates, 2-part Epoxys, epoxy fillers, flammable/toxic paints, toxic solder fumes, airborne sanding particles and the rest of it - not that long ago we were discussing working with adequate ventiltion or spraying outdoors - its no joke really 'cos when we get started, some of these big hulls can be....pretty BIG...!!
So lets be careful out there! ;)
-
Ambernblue- I second that, but to be honest:
When I look back to my childhood and the circumstances we grew up, cars had no catalysator, every second household was heating with coal or wood, the industry had blown out their exhausts unfiltered and paints had been full of toxic thinners....
There was no limitation in harming ingredients or nature-protection law..... a knife was a knife, and when you cutted your fingers you take a plaster and that`s it! And we raised up too!!!
It is a progress, that the industry has to inform about risks by using their products (i.e. toxic ingredients), but sometimes I can`t held the feeling that we all take it a bit too serious and sensitive.
I use to tell my son, that the herdplates are hot. But he won`t recon until he burnt his fingers! And I was surely not the one which blamed it on the manufacturer by delivering a "harmfull product"!!!
If I read about women, taking their babies in the washing-machine or the cat for drying in the micro-wave and claiming about the dangerous technology I think it is everybodies own responsibility to what he is doing and use his brain about the harms which it could lead to.
Or am I wrong? A grumpy old grit, hanging to the so-called good ol` times?
Jörg
-
Jorg
I used to feel the same as you. Not only put up with all the toxic fumes to carry out various hobbies but also dust and dirt in the building industry. We were men in those days, didnt need protective masks etc.
Then I got emphysema and it all made sense.
Richard
-
When I was at boarding school in the fifties we used to build chuck gliders, Keil-Kraft and Veron kits in the gas lit (electricity was only in the main college) hobby room. And later we discovered the 'new' plastic Airfix ones too. The effects of the gas, balsa cement and dope fumes on us was literally staggering - but we didn't bother. A few minutes in the fresh air on the way back to the main building produced an instant cure! Any current health problems I blame on the daily beltings for not remembering my Shakespeare. Nowadays I use a mask - a sign of progress I suppose.
Andrew
-
Sorry bit late in replying - been down to Deans Marine Open day. I agree with you Jorg and also Tricky and ajg141 - besides the fact the law demands the manufacturer tells us what (if anything) is harmful about the product (COSHH) it is down to us as to take heed of the warnings or not. ;)
However, I didn't add the conclusion in my original post I think I maybe meant to - which was that there are official bodies out there who are planning on physically stopping us doing some of these activities, simply because they are banning the substance from sale - or demanding changes in its manufacture... Thats what get up my nose - and I'm NOT keen on that at all....!! :o
Cheers, Brian
p.s. You should she the massive box I brought back from Peterborough! ;D
-
p.s. You should she the massive box I brought back from Peterborough! ;D
Just a box Brian ?
Anything in it ;D
Steve
-
.... actually Steve, its a huge HMS Manxman - all 40knots of her (and the rest?) I can see that bow wave now..... ;)
So all I have to do is make a start building her.... :o and the rest.. ;D
Cheers, Brian
-
Two points on this theme, 1: A very good friend of mine who naturally was a model builder and quite a good one, was also a furniture restorer and you can imagine all the associated toxic products used, poor old Geoffrey never used anything as protection against the various fumes and dust,the same went for his modeling he died at the age of 49, the cause to long and to much toxic ingestion. 2: Over here there is virtually no restrictions on what you use, or how you use it, but since the loss of Geoff I have taken to using any protection available, about the only thing they have really changed is the spraying of motor cars, now banned unless you use a proper spray booth, to show you how far behind in this field we are the morons that made this rule did it to stop back yard painters, but so that "idoit" like me who still occasionally paints a motor car, they then said we can still paint at home with no protection one panel per day, now I ask you how stupid are they gits, we are even still allowed to use lead sinkers for fishing as well...
Roy
-
Roy, I am with you that a good protection due to spraying, moulding and all that jobs und well air-conditioned circumstances is o.K.- but who protects us from the .... "exhausts" of these backblowers? ;)
Jörg
-
If the Health and Safety fascists had been around two hundred years ago, there would never have been an industrial revolution.
-
If the Health and Safety fascists had been around two hundred years ago, there would never have been an industrial revolution.
... Exactly right!
I'm just so surprised we are still allowed to have gas and mains electricity in our homes - and petrol in our cars! Oh and smoking, drinking and eating is still legal to??? ;D
-
So is the dreaded S.x and look what problems that causes ::) ::)
Cheers
Bob B
-
Bob, Have I missed something? What's this 'dreaded S.x' then? :D
-
Abernblue you shore have , by the way if you live in the NE and went to Dean's yesterday you should have broken your journey and come for a cup of tea ,
Cheers
Bob B
-
Do you know Bob, funny you should say that, but I was originally planning on calling back at relatives in Mansfield and staying overnight, but at the very last minute, plans changed due to illness etc which meant straight down, straight back, so was seriously considering not going.... Then I had at one point on Thursday thought of emailing you and seeing if you fancied going, but decided it would be too short notice!!
A similar thing happened on the Papplewick weekend too and I decided then at the last minute not to go. Anyway, sorry, Bob, but that would have been brilliant - good of you to give that a thought...
My relatives are now planning on coming up here next Saturday, but I am still planning on getting to Mansfield before end of October - don't know if there is anything Model Boat wise on nearby - or maybe just arrange to go for a sail...?? Let me know.
Cheers, Brian
-
Actually Bob, just had a chilling thought.... !! :o This isn't some fiendish plot to get me over to your place so your dear wife can carry out her threat is it? ;D
-
So is the dreaded S.x and look what problems that causes ::) ::)
Cheers
Bob B
Don't worry Tony Blair has indicated he will stop people pro-creating if they are likely to produce 'problem' children. We can all sleep safely at night.
-
It's really sort of oxymoron'ish to link politicians and thinking. And I'm really reluctant to link politicians and s.x considering some of our politicians. But do you think this Blair doesn't know that all children are 'problems'?
- 'Doc
-
Hey Ambernblu i had forgoten that threat still we won't tell her who you realy are , managed to get the hob working again so am in her good books at the moment
-
... so pleased (on both counts! :D) Bob! Cheers, Brian
-
Getting back to the point.How many junior members do you have in your club? The kids simply arn't interested to-day.I was sailing the other day and two or three of the "intellegencia" arrived on their bikes to enquire "Where do you hire the boats mister" When it was suggested that they might actually have to spend some time and effort learning to build a model for themselves you couldn't see them for dust.
I heard to-day that even Airfix has gone bust .What chance have we got when we pop our clogs
Joe
-
In the club I belong to we have 5 juinors out of a membership of 40, which is quite good and by the sound of things far abouve the average.
We often get local kids turn up on bikes and ask questions like ' how fast does it go' and anything with a gun ' is that the Bismark' or with out a gun 'is that the Titanic'. We do try to explain but usually they look baffled and zoom off when we mwntion how much our models cost and how long it took to build them.
Pity about Airfix.
Daryl
-
Daryl- lucky you! At my club we have had in total 42 members (average age was about 61!) and two Juniors. My son was one of them. About the Airfix-case I am sorry as I remember that my modeling-life started with their kits, as well as Revell, Matchbox and others. Pity, when I have got them all ready I hung them up on the celing and it looked like the battle of Britain.
But these kits had been a very good start for the beginners- it seems to me like another chance gets lost for catching up fresh blood to the hobby.
And I often ask myself: What will happen to our models if we disappear? Better I don`t mind too much.... :-\
Jörg
-
My airfix etc kits that i built niegh on uuummmggghh years ago, adorn my youngest ceiling, a mix of bi-planes and ww2 and a lightning, he takes no notice though, more interested in the playstation. :-\
-
And I often ask myself: What will happen to our models if we disappear?
Our models, if they are any good, will probably long outlive us.... :-[
-
Colin, wouldn`t start a bet on that!
A club-member of mine had won a several national and international trophys, some excellent built boats. They all had been kept under a glass-cabinet and his both sons had known about their value and all the work behind.
Anyway- he passed away and two or three years later they had been found in the bin. Thrown away, no more value- out of sight, out of mind. Sad but true- and both sons had been modelers too!
Though we had taken them and refurbished it for the club (of course you`ll never reach their original appearance, lots of items missing), to be kept in the clubhouse.
Though- don`t start a bet if our models will overlife us......
Jörg
-
That's tragic :'( :'( :'(
-
It`s not the hobby itself- probably I am wrong if I say: There is a lot of philosophy behind the modeling. It`s a kind of..... lifestyle?
Jörg
-
The firm I work for ( should that be attend!) thinks modellers are an excentric bunch. All I can say is exentricity runs in my family..... It galloped towrds me!!
Daryl
-
Daryl, so I was told by my boos. He takes me as an introverted, loopy modelaholic ::)..... and his hobby is..... PARAGLIDING! ;D
Life is very relative- isn`t it? ;D ;D ;D
-
.... I completely agree with you Daryl! Except my so called work colleagues think its a joke playing with trains and model boats at my age, but then narrow minded people do have that problem with anything outside their normal scope of wisdom and vision! (Heavy man! :D)
Nor do I mind 'excentric' - to be honest, I probably wear that well, even at work - being in sales! (and as do quite a few of us I would guess - in fact I would think its harder not to be! ;D )
-
Excentricity is the power of modeling- or so..... (oh dear- another philosophic statement) ;D ;D
-
That reminds me....
The crank-throws give the double-bass; the feed-pump sobs an' heaves:
An' now the main eccentrics start their quarrel on the sheaves.
Now who knows where that comes from? ;)
-
McAndrew's Hymn - Kipling - I think.
Rick
-
.... I do believe he's correct - trouble is, I could never understand it as the whole damn thing's in Scottish! :D
-
McAndrew's Hymn - Kipling - I think.
Full marks Rick - just goes to show culture is still alive in the model boating fraternity.
Yes, Brian, I know it's in Scottish but you have to admit it's got rhythm!
-
Kipling isn't culture - it's like Gilbert & Sullivan: a religion!
-
A "Black Adder"? :D
-
But he does make excedingly good cakes !!!!
Daryl
-
.... an he wrote exceedingly good poetry (in English sometimes too! ;D )
The strength of twice three thousand horse
That serve the one command;
The hand that heaves the headlong force,
The hate that backs the hand:
The doom-bolt in the darkness freed,
The mine that splits the main;
The white-hot wake, the 'wildering speed--
The Choosers of the Slain!
Now then Colin - this one has rythym!! Its also an anthem that suits me better... final verse of 'The Destroyers' of 1898 vintage!
-
I'd also recommend "Their Lawful Occasions", a story about Naval manoeuvres on board an 1890s torpedo boat.
Rick
-
I do like a lot of Kipling's writings although not everything.
I saw a pre WW1 cartoon once. A young man and his girl gazing soulfully into each other's eyes.
He : Do you like Kipling?
She: I don't know darling, I've never Kippled. :D
-
Hello all, my thanks go to Rick F and Colin Bishop for introducing me to a most moving piece of poetry. If like me you'd never heard of it the try http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_mcandrew.htm and readit through in a guid Scots accent I'm sure you'll manage. It really is an inspired poem. Once again thank you gentlemen
cheers
Jim
-
That's great Red Hamish. I'd not read it for a while myself until this thread reminded me, it is indeed a moving piece which is evocative of the glory days of steamships and which contains a lot of technical accuracy too. Other favourites of mine are "Sussex" which is my favourite county (and just down the road!) plus "Mandalay", "Danny Deever" and "The Land".
-
We've travelled a long way from the Health and Safety Police to "Barrack-Room Ballads", haven't we?
-
... Thanks for the suggestion Rick, I'll chase that one up and have a look! ;)
My own Kipling favourites are 'the Destroyers' as mentioned above (eh, 6,000 hp (!) and Kipling was impressed - wonder what he would have thought of the Destroyer that took his name 40 years or so later - 6 times plus that hp!)
Also Gunga Din... and Mandalay - both my Father's favourites (who introduced me to Kipling) - my Father served in the RAF in Burma at the close of WWII, hence Mandalay being a favourite.... I've still got his Flying Log Book (RCAF!) Aircraft Recognition 'folder' and also his copy of 'Barrack Room Ballads'.
Sorry Colin - think I said to you before, but my favourite county has to be Devon!
Cheers, Brian
-
Hmmm- I have found once on an second-hand bookstore something similar to the foresaid Barrack-room-ballads. It is a book about the story of a Commander on a Torpedoboat in WW1, his name was Cpt. Taffrail.... anybody heard about that? As far as I remember it was printed in the late 20`s, early 30`s
... got to get it out of the bookshelf and read it again.....
-
Sorry Colin - think I said to you before, but my favourite county has to be Devon!
Can't just hop in the car and be there in 20 minutes then? ;)
Devon's certainly got a lot going for it though.
Regarding Rick's comment about this thread having travelled a long way from it's original course, I would imagine that there are a good many Mayhemers who would empathise with Kipling's "nautical" poems, especially those like "The Destroyers".
-
Hi Jorg..
That sounds like a book after my own heart - is it in English - or Deutsch?
The book I mentioned is a famous compliation of Kipling's poetry - the 'Barrack Room' being essentially that of the English soldier in the days of the British Raj.... 'a servin' of her Majesty the Queen'!! ;)
Cheers, Brian
-
Brian, it was translated into German, but I need to have a look of the title of the origin. I think they have mentioned it in the cover....
It`s german title was "Verdammte Nordsee" (Damned North-sea in English).
Also this Captain claimed, that the RN had lost in WW1 more torpedo-boats and Destroyers in heavy weather as by the enemy. Not hard to recon if you imagine an early torpedoboat or a destroyer in rough weather with sea 6 wind 7 Beaufort....
Will have a look anyway as I have a couple of books bought in charity-shops due to my visits in the UK.
Also one of my favourites is the Hornblower or the other series.... (still can`t remember the name- it was a young captain due to the sail-period about 1800... was it starting with "B"?).... dammit Alzy.......
Jörg
P.S.: The wealds of Kent are my favourite ;)
-
his name was Cpt. Taffrail
Taffrail was Captain Taprell Dorling , a Naval writer who published both fiction and non fiction in the interwar period and, I think, up to the 1940s. Many of his books dealt with naval experiences in small ships in WW1. I used to read some of his stuff as a boy when it was in our local library. Plenty of his books still available, just Google on Taffrail or Captain Taprell Dorling .
-
Colin- you`re an ornament!!!!!!!! :D
Thanks- will have a look!
-
Colin, no unfortunately not 20 minutes (I wish!) :D
Until about 3 years ago I was driving down there approx every other weekend - got it down to about 5 and a half hours, but that was setting off from here about 5.15am saturday morning - and I would be driving around Paignton ring road at about 10.45. Not so good in the summer months - I left saturday morning once and it took me 8 hours to get home - most of the delay was just nose to tail stuff from Torquay to Bristol, not so bad after that. :o
I'm determined to take a certain model boat down to Devon (some day soon hopefully - maybe next spring? oh and when its finished of course - but I've gone and got myself a couple more 'projects' on the go since as well - you know how it is! ;D ) and give her a sail in the boating lake at Goodrington (I think Torbay MBC sail there?) Well thats the plan anyway!
Cheers, Brian
-
it was a young captain due to the sail-period about 1800... was it starting with "B"?
Probably Richard Bolitho by Alexander Kent Jörg (not the Wealds of though!). There are many books in the series which continue even after the main hero is killed off on his own quarterdeck! The author's real name is Douglas Reeman who also has a long string of WW11 naval novels still in print. I've read them all, usually twice!
Oh God! I've just noticed I'm promoted to Commodore!!
-
.... Yep, Colin's got it sorted as far as Cap'n Richard Bolitho (of Falmouth) is concerned! I've got the lot - my kids buy me the 'next one' for birthdays and Xmas - if not a Kent, then a Sharpe! Plus as you say, there is also Reeman's WWII naval stuff - excellent.
The book I was reminded of though (can never seem to find many WWI naval books!) was one I read again just the other week - WH Cannaway's - The Grey Seas of Jutland - I like it!! Its about two cousins - one English, one German who end up in warships on opposing sides at the great battlle - unlikely I know, but its not bad at all... ;)
Cheers, Brian
-
Brian- unlikely? Probably- but I remember due to my national Military Service (we still had a "Cold War" these days) that my cousin was serving on the other side of the fence in the GDR..... as a part of my family was living there.
Wasn`t a pleasing situation anyway... :P
About the book-series I have meant... (godness me-I can`t remember the name!) it wasn`t the one mentioned..
I remember one title "xxx`s revenge" .... I have had nearly the whole lot (Paperback), but lost them due to my divorce.
His father was claimed to be sheepish and he served as a lieutenant on a small vessel, met up with an Italian Lady and saved her from getting into prison.... It was due to Nelson era, as Horatio Lord Nelson was mentioned.....
HELP ME TO FILL THE GAP IN MY MIND!
(Really diserved the membership of the GOG-section).... ::)
Jörg
-
... Jorg. That must really have been a difficult situation!
I can only think of Pope's Ramage books, but don't think there was a 'Ramage's Revenge' - also O'Brian's books - Captain Jack Aubrey. I'm wondering if that is the guy, as he had a rotten father as I recall??
Any help? Cheers, Brian
-
RAMAGE! That`s it!!!!!!! ;D
Oh I loved them......!
Sitting in the bathtube with a glass of wine and reading, reading, reading..........
Spot on Brian!