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Cottages after John Ahern


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After the Welsh Warehouse and the harbour Master's Offices from 'Miniature Building Construction' by J Ahern, which I tried to build in his 1935 manner using only card, paper, wood and the 'new' material 'Plexiglass' I've had a stab at his group of three cottages on Page 57, Fig 37.

 

It features an intriguing 'eyebrow' dormer which has taken many many attempts, still not exactly like the masters, but good enough for this humble apprentice.

 

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Copyright CV Russell and E Fells   
Reproduced with their kind permissions.

 

 

It follows my usual method of drawing the model full size from the scale plans and then butchering 1mm, 2mm card and Scalescenes papers, mainly TXO5 Painted White brick. Window arches are from soldier brick strips partly cut through and then curved after damping slightly. I use Epson Durabrite ink, which takes the punishment well.

 

 

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The bay window was interesting, with panes only 3mm square I used a partly 'snapped' piece of Perspex to form the bay shape

 

 

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The eyebrow was a little tricky, but cutting and forming it in the middle of a lrge piece of card helped, as did defining the curve with a captive piece of dental floss

 

 

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By wetting and stretching the watercolour paper on which I printed the roof texture, Scalescenes Ancient Red Tile I just managed to get it to  follow the curve after many disappointments, the shape slightly modified to make the shape less severe.

 

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As usual, I couldn't resist a 'silly' so herewith, a 1/76th splitting axe from a sliver of credit card plastic [sorry, the only bit, I promise...] and some beaten copper wire. Gutters and downpipes are scraped BBQ and cocktail sticks with florists wire.

 

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I hope that's been of interest some some of you, I have some more piccies if required.

 

 

Poop poop!

 

Doug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Quality stuff there Doug. Well done. I particularly like the gardens. Beautifully observed.

 

Now where's my 'Ahearn'?!

 

Some more please!

 

Did you use 'Seccotine' glue? :P  A good friend of mine still actually has some, and it's still OK! Mind you, I suppose that it was all that was available in those days.

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Eyebrow Dormers are not common but quite a few of them can be found in Houses in New Jersey. If anyone wants a photo let me know and i'll get on it.

 

best, Pete.

 

Yes please Pete! Always an interesting architectural feature.

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Quality stuff there Doug. Well done. I particularly like the gardens. Beautifully observed.

 

Now where's my 'Ahearn'?!

 

Some more please!

 

Did you use 'Seccotine' glue? :P  A good friend of mine still actually has some, and it's still OK! Mind you, I suppose that it was all that was available in those days.

Still seems to be available

http://www.cornelissen.com/roberson-gum-ammoniac-30-ml-14037.html

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Thank you all for your kind remarks, I just hope it encourages more people to try card modelling.

 

 

Quality stuff there Doug. Well done. I particularly like the gardens. Beautifully observed.

 

Now where's my 'Ahearn'?!

 

Some more please!

 

Did you use 'Seccotine' glue? :P  A good friend of mine still actually has some, and it's still OK! Mind you, I suppose that it was all that was available in those days.

 

 

No, I don't have any 'Seccotine' but remember it well, I used it to glue a tissue covered aeroplane together, when I sprayed the tissue on the wings with water to tighten them the glue melted and it fell to pieces...:(.

 

Had several emails, yes, that is a Mother-in-Laws Tongue plant in the bay window, not a bought one...ooh, typed  'bought', now I feel faint...

 

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and one of a coal bunker...

 

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and a general view......

 

 

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Poop poop

 

Doug

 

 

 

 

 

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I hope that John Ahern is looking down from somewhere and feeling pleased that his work is still inspiring such lovely modelling after all these years.

 

It is good that such people are still remembered in the hobby today (and in some style too!).

 

Very, very nice!

 

Tony

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Come on, axes are easy, I've got a bow saw hanging from a saw horse on Felton Lane... :O (and it has a real blade...)

 

Cracking cottages Doug.

 

Hi, W'f,

 

Do you mean one of these? I didn't have a piercing saw blade so I cut out a strip of baked bean can and filed some teeth into it.

 

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Doug

 

 

Edited to say 'Isn't it hard to get them to fold up properly....'

 

D

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