Hello from Colorado Springs

Matthias1231

Matthias1231

Joined
Apr 30, 2021
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13
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Hey guys, I'm a German expat, I’m 51, living in Colorado Springs and I am finally working on my first wooden ship model.

Maybe a decade ago I visited the HMS Surprise replica in San Diego and I think it was then that the idea of building a wooden ship model took hold in my head.

I absolutely loved the movie Master & Commander. It seems like such a great representation of what life may have been before mutual respect for others and a life dedicated to serving God and country was replaced with training generations into perpetual state of adolescence through pop culture and social media.

Anyway, I started researching what's out there and had my mind set on building Artesania Latina's 1/48 version of 'HMS Surprise' (unfortunately now discontinued) before I hit the bucket. Anticipating the difficulty of this hobby I bought the 'Scottish Maid' of the same brand. After it being shelved for years and with the accelerating descend into a devolving clown world, now seemed like the perfect opportunity to hide in the workshop and start building.

The 'Scottish Maid' is now past the planking stage and the boat is still on my desk and not on the way to the landfill. I always figured if I make it past that part, I can probably finish this thing. And that is after making numerous irreversible errors which I hope to document in the coming weeks with a build log.

I have some experience with plastic models but wooden models are much different than anticipated. I have the utmost respect for all you guys dedicating time and patience to these beautiful models displayed on this site.

On the photo below, that is me ... lucky to have been able to visit the 'HMS Victory' in late 2019 just a few months before Covid hit.
It great to be here and I’m looking forward to learning and building with you all!

Matthias

matthias.jpg
 
Congratulation on starting the AL kit for the Scottish Maid, that was my first wood ship model 30 years ago! We are currently in Loveland, CO in my mobile model workshop (a big 5th wheel camper), visiting my daughter and her baby. I'm working now, on a scratch build of HMS Serapis and have a build log created on this site. Good luck with the Scottish Maid!
 
Hallo Matthias
I am a german expat in Austria.......
also from my side a warm welcome here on board of our forum
Maybe you start a building log of your model, so we can help and assist you as much as possible and requested

PS: Aus welcher Gegend bist du ursprünglich?
 
Thank you all, for the welcome!

Brad, that is amazing, a scratch build in a 5th wheel! That’s a new perspective on my future retirement that I would have never thought of. I used to live in a 5th wheel for a couple of years and loved it, but space was always an issue. How long are you in CO for? I’m a bit swamped with work these days but would love an opportunity to meet up before you head out.

Uwe, I was born in Steinhöring, near Munich. Born in Bavaria, dad from Eastern Prussia and mom from Swabia. As schizophrenic as a German could get. Been in the US since the mid 90s. Greetings to Österreich!
 
Matthias1231 said:
Thank you all, for the welcome!

Brad, that is amazing, a scratch build in a 5th wheel! That’s a new perspective on my future retirement that I would have never thought of. I used to live in a 5th wheel for a couple of years and loved it, but space was always an issue. How long are you in CO for? I’m a bit swamped with work these days but would love an opportunity to meet up before you head out.

Uwe, I was born in Steinhöring, near Munich. Born in Bavaria, dad from Eastern Prussia and mom from Swabia. As schizophrenic as a German could get. Been in the US since the mid 90s. Greetings to Österreich!
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Hallo Matthias, absolutely crass, what there everything so, that somehow still seems familiar to me. I was born and live in Swabia, my dad a Bavarian (Regensburg) my mom from East Prussia (Mohrungen).
As a railfan, also for American railroads, I travelled several times through Colorado, New Mexico and Utah following the tracks of the former Rio Grande and Colorado & Southern railroad.
So I also stopped by Colorado Springs 1996 an 1999 to visit the Colorado Mining Museum there. I remember Colorado Springs as a beautiful town at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, with Pike's Peak in the background.
 
Matthias1231 said:
Thank you all, for the welcome!

Brad, that is amazing, a scratch build in a 5th wheel! That’s a new perspective on my future retirement that I would have never thought of. I used to live in a 5th wheel for a couple of years and loved it, but space was always an issue. How long are you in CO for? I’m a bit swamped with work these days but would love an opportunity to meet up before you head out.

Uwe, I was born in Steinhöring, near Munich. Born in Bavaria, dad from Eastern Prussia and mom from Swabia. As schizophrenic as a German could get. Been in the US since the mid 90s. Greetings to Österreich!
Click to expand...
Nice to hear, that you are coming also from Bavaria.... I was born in Würzburg, Franconia in nothern part of Bavaria
 
pianoforte said:
Hallo Matthias, absolutely crass, what there everything so, that somehow still seems familiar to me. I was born and live in Swabia, my dad a Bavarian (Regensburg) my mom from East Prussia (Mohrungen).
As a railfan, also for American railroads, I travelled several times through Colorado, New Mexico and Utah following the tracks of the former Rio Grande and Colorado & Southern railroad.
So I also stopped by Colorado Springs 1996 an 1999 to visit the Colorado Mining Museum there. I remember Colorado Springs as a beautiful town at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, with Pike's Peak in the background.
Click to expand...
Uwek said:
Nice to hear, that you are coming also from Bavaria.... I was born in Würzburg, Franconia in nothern part of Bavaria
Click to expand...
I had no idea I'd run into so many Bavarians on an international forum. It's great to be here with you guys!

Yes, Pike's Peak is beautiful, I can see it from my window. But I do miss the view of the Alps. I'm also planning to explore the railroad here, have been in CO for just a couple of years and have not had the chance (before CO I lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 14+ years, my favorite US state).

I started my build log today and caught up with all I've done in the last 7 weeks here: 'Scottish Maid' Build Log
 
Matthias, We are here until the 27th of May, then head up to Estes Park for five nights. After that, the workshop goes NW, toward Washington State. I'm limited on storage space for power tools, but do carry a micro-table saw, mini-lathe, oscillating spindle sander, and thickness sander. Luckily, I tow with a big Freightliner semi. The sleeper is filled with my toy (bike/skis/boat/archery target) and tools. PS, grew up skiing the Zugspitze, my dad was stationed in Ramstein. Been back once, with the wife.

Colorado state line 8,500ft.jpg
 
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BradNSW said:
Matthias, We are here until the 27th of May, then head up to Estes Park for five nights. After that, the workshop goes NW, toward Washington State. I'm limited on storage space for power tools, but do carry a micro-table saw, mini-lathe, oscillating spindle sander, and thickness sander. Luckily, I tow with a big Freightliner semi. The sleeper is filled with my toy (bike/skis/boat/archery target) and tools. PS, grew up skiing the Zugspitze, my dad was stationed in Ramstein. Been back once, with the wife.
Click to expand...
Brad, that is an amazing rig! Now I'm double interested in visiting since I am also a fan of American Truck Simulator. :)
However it's unlikely I will be able to make it next weekend due to family obligations. I'll PM you if things should change.
Estes Park should be great, now that spring has finally arrived in CO.
 
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