Posted by Richard Tonti on May 04, 1998 at 14:46:10 in 58.middletown-04.va.dial-access.att.net :
In Reply to: *holds up cardboard sign that says: Will work for model* posted by Ben Fields on April 30, 1998 at 15:05:08:
: I have explained my story before, if you didn't catch it here it is:...oh man...where to begin...ok about 2 years ago I got really fasinated with TITANIC for a reason that is unknown. I really wanted a model. Never got one. THere are no hobby shops where I live and unfortunantly My mom doesn't have a credit card to order off the net or anything. So I basicly started making a few outa wood. Carved them with a Drumel tool and used a jig saw and tooth picks and sand paper and cloth paint to make them (Talk about your bare essentials). I resently went's to My local Lowe's with my mom, I was about to buy a 4x4 to make yet another carving. But then I desided it was time to really search and try and find a plastic model and relly test my skills. Unfortunantly problem number 1 came up again. No model shops no models at Wal-Mart, nothing at K-mart, natta, and on top of that,again no credit card. so I started making them outa weted down cardboard and E-6000 modeling glue. Well to say the least, it didn't work the way I wanted it to. So one day I saw sone laminated steel wire closet frames and tried to make something out of that, but to no avail. then I saw Particle Board as my refuge. I tried to bend it with water,can I sugest not doing that, you see it breaks EVERYTIME! Ok now I was going to try and make it outa paper. (this idea sounded awful from the start)I used exacto knifes tried to cut paper to get it just right, STILL didn't do what I wanted it to. Next I started begining my friends that I would trade everything I have on the TITANIC if they would just send me a model kit. I didn't care what size just as long as it was TITANIC. Well I learned 2 things that day...Trying to trade a wooden model,and a few books (which retail at 60 bucks but were on sale for 30)will get you no where when you try and get a model that's originally 14 bucks. And that My friends were stengie LOL!. They all have 2-to-6 models of their own, but couldn't trade for just one little Revel model. then I tried making it again out of wood. Still wasn't what I wanted, then I tried cardboard again and still didn't get the kind of thing I wanted. The last time I tried cardboard was yesterday...I'm back to squear one, but this time with only 10 bucks and 5 books to my name. When I saw this sight it only made my invy grow LOL. If you ever deside to put up a "Modelers Blues" section of yuor site, I should be number 1 on the top of the list.
: I have several items I would be willin to trade for a model just ask me if you are intristed. = )
: Hoping for a miracle,
: Ben
*** Ben,
Havent' seen you respond to some of the very kind and generous offers these members have told you about but perhaps you might try going back to the home page and take a VERY GOOD look at what Christine Kamp has done with ordinary artboard, paint, basically nothing more than household items and sheer grit and determination.BEAUTIFUL!! Certainly far far better than anything one can go buy for $$$ in a box.
I hope her work serves as a great inspiration (that's what it is) to all.
This kind of magnificent work can only come from much commitment from one who TRUELY loves TITANIC.
Best Regards,
Richard Tonti