# New fella, Russell G



## Russell G (Jun 7, 2009)

Howdy Folks, my name is Russell Geare. I'm a about six months into model railroading. I've been makin models for fifty years or so, all kinds at one time or another, but finally got around to trains. I made plastic models as a kid, started wood architectural type stuff in college, married the two after, then got into industrial and commercial models for twenty years, and now I'm makin what* I *want to make. Sometimes prototypical and sometimes not. I work in any scale, although due to space limitations, my first layout is in HO. My wife has agreed to 3 ft x 5 ft. I've come up with a crazy idea and it works for me. Here is a hodgepodge of stuff I've done:

















I worked on probably 15 1/12 scale masters for Danbury Mint cars with a team of 4 or 5 guys workin 3 months to complete the prototye. I usually did the detail parts like the dashboard/steering wheel, door handles, window cranks, grille parts, and mouldings. I carved a couple bodies but we had a guy with a real gift for it and he did most of the body work. While workin at this shop for ten years, I made toys of all descriptions, some medical device prototypes and a lot of collectible masters for Lennox and the Franklin Mint. I worked in 2 other shops before and after this one makin mostly the same kinda stuff but gradually we all lost our jobs with the advent of stereolithography and 3D printers. The rest of the work went overseas. 








I did a lot of car related models that got me into the commercial work. I still do an occasional kit bash to scratch an itch.








When I got laid off from the last model shop, I photographed and drew up the Knox covered bridge in Valley Forge Park. This fits in a 6" glass dome








Some of the wood parts are .004" x .008". It's a precise replica with all the parts represented. This one was just for fun. I also built a 3" version.








This is an accurate depiction of a stall in the Kendall Garage at Watkins Glen racetrack circa 1972. I built this in 1/43 scale to display a car.








Everything but the tires is scratch built. Although this toolbox is pretty small, the challenge was the chain link fence between the stalls.








This is a 1/16" =1' model of a fellow's water garden. I got about halfway through and the fellow died. I never got paid or finished the model.








I've built several golf models, this is a fantasy hole of my design. I built several holes for other folks' favorite holes.








I've been workin on this model for over twenty years. I posted more shots of this in the scratch built category
I got laid off a few months ago and talked my wife into givin me some space to start yet another project, hence the small space for a train layout. I look forward to learning a lot from you folks on weathering and bringin models to life. I'll be glad to share the things I've learned over the years. I've seen some amazing things in the few posts I've had the time to view. Hard to decide wether to continue viewin these beatiful things you have goin or get down in the shop and get some work done.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Russell,

Your work is extraordinary! You ARE a Master Model Maker. Thanks for sharing these.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

BEAUTIFUL models!!! 

Where are you located? You mentioned VF park, so I guess somewhere in the Philly area? I'm out in Lancaster. I'm no master builder, but my track works pretty good. If you want to check it out, send me a private message. There's also a great live steam group, the PA Live Steamers, just north of Collegeville. If you get in to scratchbuilding a live steamer, those are the guys to talk to..

Sorry to hear about your layoff. I was laid off for about 4 months before getting a new job. 

Welcome to MLS. Looking forward to your awesome creations!

Mark


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Russell

Sir, you sure do some mighty fine work.

Welcome to MLS, noticed that in your originating reply you for got the forward-slash in one of the links to your pictures (i.e. the next to last, the golf hole diorama), anyway I fixed it.

Don't know which editor you're using to post your replies, but just as a heads-up the "Quick Reply" editor found at the bottom of each topic page, has a glitch in it. Where if two people try to submit a reply for posting to the same topic at the same time one or both get lost. Thus, if you're making a long reply and using the "Quick Reply" editor, make sure that before you click the "Submit" button you select all the text in the reply and copy it to your local clip board, that way you won't have to type everything all over again. This however doesn't happen with the full HTML editor.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice work! 

Pleased to meet you, Russell.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

That is amazing work, I can see why you were doing it professionally.


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## Russell G (Jun 7, 2009)

thanks again you guys! I was real lucky to be able to do this for a living. This has been my favorite hobby since I was 10. I was workin in a steel plant when a new guy told me he had just quit a model makin job because he wouldn't work on a nuclear power plant model. I didn't know there was such a job. I talked the model shop boss into lettin me work part time nights to try out for a daytime job. He was a nice guy and helped me do it. I learned tons! That was back in '82 and he still teaches me stuff. What a stroke of luck. Steve, thanks again for helpin me out, boy, I'm workin you hard. I'm tryin to get better at this computer stuff, thanks for bearin with me. I see that I ran the same photo of the Kendall Garage stall twice. The second photo was supposed to be this one:








Sorry folks, I'll get this right! One more, while I'm at it:


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## Russell G (Jun 7, 2009)

Boy, I'm hopeless! Mark, I live just outside St. Peters Village, near French Creek State Park. My daughter goes to Millersville down by you. I've passed that live steam event location by Trappe on Rt. 29 many times. Neat to see so many people doin this stuff. Have you been to Kinzers? They've got lots of live steam engines and more tractors than you can shake a stick at. Big event! Lots of models too. That's just east of Lancaster I think. How bout one more before I hit the sack:


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

What's the smallest scale you've worked in? Nice work. I hope that in 20 years I can make such high quality models! 
When I first started college I was thinking about finding a career path in model making, but couldn't find much information about it. Now I know what kind of work you guys do. Instead I'm a history major, so at least I'm learning how to research in order to make more accurate models, and find the 'stories' about why the railroads did what they did. 
Thanks for the pictures. 
Craig


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## Russell G (Jun 7, 2009)

Probably a smart choice Craig. I don't think there's much of a future in model makin if you're thinkin about "hands on" model making. When I got laid off about 10 years ago, the shift to stereolithography and 3D printers was beginning in earnest. Our new salesman didn't want to quote time using the 3D pantograph milling machine, he quoted using computer made stuff. That was the beginning of the end for us. Those of us that carved figures and other free hand things got to stay a little longer but the machines perfected that too. When I started in the early 80's, the guys I worked with had previous experience being mechanics, machinists, sculptors, artists, cooks, you name it. Two were from Europe and trained over there as carvers and sculptors. Now you need a computer design background with CNC experience if you can find a shop that's still open. One of the old shops I knew is building the machines that put us out of work. I'm a dinosaur. It sure was neat though.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd add a slack jawed WOW and welcome as well Russell. I once worked briefly at Dresser Rand in Olean Ny where they make compressors and turbines for the energy industry. Not your average shop compressor but rather ones that use the natural gar or what ever to power whole factories etc. 

At one point in the history of that Company (Dresser Clark from Clark Bros.) they had a huge model making shop. I was fortunate to have met one of the last model makers when I worked as a drafter there. he was a senior drafter at the time. Might be retired by now but I doubt it. He jumped over to the drafting dept when the model shop was closed. I never could get my hands on the old materials they were locked up someplace? Of course I say drafting but they did darn little drafting there it was 3D solidmodelling on a huge Unigraphics system. Pretty neat stuff.

Chas


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Russel, Amazing stufff 

I'm becoming a dinosuar in another related field, architecture, I started on paper, pencils, and dozens of drafting tools, now everything has gone computer, even presentations are now going Powerpoint, even study models are now available from 3D printers! (mucho $$$$) I'm waiting to see which city is the first to do away with paper plansets and go all digital from plan check to building site sets, anyone make a 24" x 34" Kindle?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Russel. you will be a great addition here with all the knowledge of your modeling skills. Welcome. RJD


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## Russell G (Jun 7, 2009)

Thanks fellas, I appreciate the welcome. I'm happy to pass on anything I know to help out. I'm lucky to have known so many folks so free to pass on what they know. It'll feel good to pass it along. It's a shame to see so many jobs lost to the machines. They do a beautiful job but a lot of joy is lost to those that cannot feel it. I enjoyed the drafting with the big tables and bright rooms, and the joy of learning and teaching hand skills from and to people you didn't know before. I'm sure the folks that never did that won't miss it though, only we old folks with the memories.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Russell, seems like you are a natural for writing a darned good book on modeling. We would all buy it to learn some of your phenomenal skills. Wish you would consider it. Squadron Models would probably publish it, they do lots of modeling books, Kalmbach is another one. Give it some thought!


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